Keeping the critters away

[RexLaughlin]

I am going hiking again in Colorado this summer and I am wondering about all the things that come out at night to play. Last summer I hiked up near Aspen and slept in a tent. (Hadn't learned the wonders of the hammock yet) Anyway, there were a lot of chipmunks and squirrels that played around with our stuff if we left it outside our tents at night. Now that I am no longer a ground dweller, I'm trying to figure out how to keep the wildlife away from my UQ and things around my hammock.

Any tips from experienced hikers? lol

Thanks!

Rex
(Tree-Rex)

[kroot]

Never leave food in your pack, always store it securely and far (100 meter or more) away from your campsite. If there's not food around, you and your gear will be left alone by the animals.

[RexLaughlin]

Yep, food away from campsite. We did have some troubles with chipmunks chewing on our trekking poles, and I have heard that they like to chew up chords on back packs and things like that. I just don't want them to chew up my UQ that's hanging just inches off the dirt. Haha.

[grubbster]

Try a gear hammock.

[Five Tango]

Odor proof bags on Amazon,either Loksack/opsack or whatever the green ones are.I think LiteSmith also has some big enough to put your day clothes in.Hang the cook kit,trash,food etc.I like my gear hammock
to keep things together and off the ground at night out of the reach of insects at least.I like the bear spray in the ridgeline organizer just in case you need it.....

[tj2020]

Defenitely hang your food in a bag separate from your backpack. Last weekend on a backpacking trip a friend hung his backpack on a tree. The zippers were closed and buckles buckled. What we believe to be a racoon got into his pack and got some of his food. I hung my food bag from a tree limb. It was not bothered. Look up videos on how to hang a bear bag. There are multiple ways, just find one that works for you.

[Carrico]

Besides hanging your food away from your campsite, hang your backpack on the trunk of a tree and leave all the zippers open, that way if something is intent on getting in they Maybe won't chew a hole through it. Or cover it with a pack cover if you got one. I've never had anything mess with my hammock before just the backpack or Food Bag, of course my hammock is almost always inside a winter socks.

[OneClick]

I just ruined, well the raccoon ruined, a $20 OR dry bag

I wasn't worried about bears, so it was only 6' off the ground, but a good 3' hanging from the branch. I heard plastic crunching sounds 5 minutes after lying down for the night. I walked out there and the bag was gone! I yelled at whatever was in the tree and the bag suddenly dropped. He somehow pulled up the 325 paracord and got the bag. So I was left with a wet bag with about 5 teeth holes. Crap!

[MAD777]

^^^^^^
You just gotta admire racoons!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[QFT]

Outside of Aspen last year I was camping with a friend who woke up to a fox trying to drag off his backpack

Neither of them was amused. I certainly was.

Get your food out of there and maybe strap your pack to something :-)