As a returning outdoors person I am confused about clothing and bears. It seems that the old line was not to do food or wear the clothes one cooked in when sleeping. Now I see a lot of video of folks sleeping fully clothed, cooking from the hammock and gear lists without much spare clothing. What am I missing?
i mostly rehydrate food in bags, which doesn't leave much food smell on clothing.
most of the aroma stays with the bags and utensils.
from the hammock i cook water for coffee, rarely i'll lay a old biscuit (in foil) on top of the pot while she boils.
recently it was discovered that if you warm up some pork brains in milk sauce all wildlife will be repelled. bears wildcats even the Hickory Brothers.
I still cook 50' to 100' away from my hammock, and I don't wear any clothes I hiked/cooked in to bed (or have them under the tarp). I've had a bear nudge my tent (back in the day before I took to the trees) because my tent mate had clothing which he'd spilled food on in the tent. Luckily a little noise scared sir bear away.
I would guess that a little coffee/breakfast in the morning would be okay as long as you were moving camp that day and you didn't spill anything on your kit. I like to get up and out if hiking and breakfast on the trail, so I just don't do that.
"One of the best things you can do in this world is take a nap in the woods." ~ Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry
"While it may be a lot of work, the view is best from the summit." ~ an anonymous staff member of Philmont Scout Ranch
Enjoy the day
Shane
like its said I do cook alittle ways from my camp and I dont normally change clothes but sometimes I do. and like flatline said, if you want no critters at all bring porkbrains
Dale Gribble: I'm thinking, "new hammock." For me, laying and swaying in a hammock is like a steady morphine drip without the risk of renal failure.
Randy : yea but just remember yer roots and where ya come from....you got Hennessy in yer blood son......
I have a healthy respect for black bears but I have had enough experiences with them under all sorts of circumstances to loose my fear of them. I'm sure there are crazy bears just like there are crazy people but they are the exception and not the rule. I usually only carry one set of clothing that I rinse out every night so changing clothes is not an option for me anyway. I cook in camp, many times sitting on or even lying in my hammock. I have given up hanging my food and usually keep it under my knees at night. Some will think this is reckless but on a solo trip with several days between resupply, I cannot risk loosing my food supply to a crafty bear. If others are with me, we usually take a vote to decide if we all hang or not. You cannot hide cooking smells on your clothing from bears. They are almost constantly aware of their surroundings due to their awesome sense of smell. I have never had one challenge me over food and consider myself lucky if I am presented with the opportunity see a bear. I believe that we have dominion over black bears as long as we give them the space and respect they deserve. YMMV
Brian
...and there came to be a day, all too soon, that I became aware that I could travel no more on my long journey. Though I did not arrive where I had planned, I believe that here is exactly where I am supposed to be...
Although it can be rough on the bug netting!!!
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...layErrorView_Y
I have gone enough in my area to get a feel for them critters. I eat some grits in the morn in my hammock.....just a luxury and I am willing to ride on the edge for the comfort of Breakfast from The Hammock. If I cook real meat such as a steak...a rarity...I do it on a fire away from my hammock.
At night I always hang my food and smelly essentials.
So far so good.
Shug
Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven
I'm not as carefull as I should be, I do try though. I hang all food and most of my smellies. The only thing I'm not hanging is the clothes that I wore that day. Mostly they end of hanging on the ropes of my hammock or in a nearby bush so they can dry out. I don't cook where I hang my hammock. And no food goes inside my hammock. I was brushed by something large one night while hanging in Jareds Gap (this was last year and right after that section of trail had been opened back up due to bears). It was a really dark night, I never saw a bear, but something stayed at the bear cables all night just walking around. So that was my close call with a bear and I truely can't even say if it really was a bear??? I prefer to try to be the least smelly of the smelly things around, hopeing that the bear finds something more appealing than me.
TinaLouise
[QUOTE=Colonel Panic;494792]Although it can be rough on the bug netting!!!
As I recall the quote about 2 in magnums was the muzzle flash will blind burn and deafen the opponent even if you don't hit them. ;-) Too many legal hassles for some of the places I'm planning on. Otherwise I like it.
Yes, I recall the repellent! ;-) I have seen a black bear sniff a bag of oatmeal and turn up his nose and wander away.Originally Posted by flatline
i mostly rehydrate food in bags, which doesn't leave much food smell on clothing.
most of the aroma stays with the bags and utensils.
from the hammock i cook water for coffee, rarely i'll lay a old biscuit (in foil) on top of the pot while she boils.
recently it was discovered that if you warm up some pork brains in milk sauce all wildlife will be repelled. bears wildcats even the Hickory Brothers.
Thanks everybody for the replies. It gave me the perspective i was wondering about.
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