What can I use instead of a bear bag?

If you just can't get the hang of hanging a bear bag, try using a Ursack instead. It's faster and provides reliable food protection from bears.

Can bears smell through Ziploc bags?

Bears can smell through Ziploc bags. They do so because scent molecules escape through the thin plastic.

Do I need a special bear bag?

Bear Bags. If a bear canister is not specifically required but you still need to protect your food from bears, then a bear bag is a good choice. These are made of a high-density polyethylene that a bear cannot tear open.

How do you store food without a bear box?

Use resealable bags instead of bottles, jars, and cans. Force air out of bags or packages. Carry food and garbage in plastic bags to contain crumbs and grease that can leave odors in your backpack. Bear-resistant containers only work if they are closed and locked.

Can bears smell unopened food?

Bears have an insatiable appetite and an amazing sense of smell, and they consider anything with a scent to be "food." This can include canned goods, bottles, drinks, soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, trash, ice chests, sunscreen, bug repellant, fuel, items used for preparing or eating meals, etc.

Backpacking Food Storage - How I Store My Food On Trail

Can bears smell food in a cooler in a car?

Many bears have discovered that coolers, bags and boxes are full of food; never leave them in your tent or anywhere a bear could see, smell or reach. If no other options, lock food and trash in your vehicle's trunk or in your RV. Keep A Clean Tent.

Is a Ziplock bag odor proof?

Ziplocs are most definitely NOT odor proof. Whether its the pores or leaky bags or whatever, just stick any food in them and even you can smell it.

Can bears smell through mylar bags?

If a bear can't smell your food or see your food, he won't get your food. Today's freeze-dried foods have near zero moisture content (you add the water) and are sealed in odor-proof mylar foil. It's doubtful a bear can smell through the foil, but it certainly can smell you—and your hands where you handled the package.

How do you bear proof food hiking?

To be bear-proof, food must be suspended at least 10 feet off the ground and 8 feet from the trunk of a tree. To accomplish this by creating a bear bag, you'll need to arry 50 to 100 feet of thin cord and two stuff sacks. Look for a load-bearing branch 20 to 25 feet overhead that extends far enough from the trunk.

Can you use any bag for bear bag?

If used carefully, smell-proof bags should keep their contents undetectable to bears as well as mice. Consider using a smell-proof bag as a liner inside your bear canister or Ursack bag. Dry bags: From my experience on the AT, the most common food bag is a regular dry bag.

How do you bear proof a campsite?

Can a bear smell frozen food?

Bears, said Gustafson, can smell the frozen contents of a freezer from half a mile away. And if it's not locked, it's dinner – potentially a deadly dinner.

What does a bear canister do?

The better alternative is a bear canister—a portable, hard-sided food locker. Its purpose: Make food and scented items (toiletries and trash) totally secure from bears, raccoons, rodents and other critters that are powerfully attracted to human food.

Do wind chimes keep bears away?

Wind chimes do not have any effect on bears. Bears are more than capable of hearing the wind and rain all around them, so they will ignore your wind chimes, whether they're made from metal or plastic.

Does smell go through plastic?

This happens in part for the reason you said; on such a small scale, the plastic that appears fully "solid" and impermeable on a macro scale is actually a mesh of molecules with paths large enough for these small, smelly, molecules to escape.

Are Ziploc bags air tight?

Ziploc bags have a tight seal, but they are not completely airtight. The unique zipper seal will minimize the amount of air that can slowly seep into the bag to keep your foods fresher longer.

Do bears like perfume?

While cooking over a campfire is bound to emit some smells, others can be avoided. Lotions, deodorants, scented soaps and perfumes are all going to pique the attention of your not-so-friendly neighborhood grizzly or black bear. Pack your toiletries in doubled plastic bags or airtight containers.

How do you bear proof a car?

NEVER leave any food of any kind in your car. ROLL up car windows, lock the doors (bears all know how to open car doors if unlocked) and put an open bowl of pinesol on the front seat. (Put lid on while you are driving) DECON attracts Bears and LOTS of Rodents!

Does human poop attract bears?

Human waste

Both urine and feces are known to attract bears so it is best to set up the bathroom a little way away from camp and make sure waste is stored in an odor-proof bag where possible.

Are bears attracted to sunscreen?

Bears have never been observed showing interest in sunscreens either—but they might if it smells unusually tasty. Bears are naturally curious and almost always hungry, but it is not likely a bear that found insect repellent or sunscreen interesting stuff to sniff would then follow up with an attack on the wearer.

Can bears smell through Mason jars?

They are not scent proof either. As for glass…. I have known of people who carried it. It is heavy, bulky and runs the real risk of breaking.

Will bears bother you in a tent?

Will Bears Bother You In A Tent? Generally speaking, bears don't want to be around you any more than you want to be around them. Since most black and brown bears are really just looking for food, they usually only bother people in a tent if they smell something tasty inside.