bear precautions for bivy camp?

[blazingsaddle]

What precautions do you bivy hunters take, as far as bears raiding your camp? What do you do with your food or your empty mt house/food containers? Do you store it away from camp, in a tree? Do you pack in air tight bags?
I have heard many stories of bears tearing apart tents and going after down sleeping bags.
I have never had an encounter, but have thought about it every time out. I'm not so worried when I'm at camp, but more coming back to camp to a shredded mess.
I would be out a lot of money between the tent, bag and pad!

 

[gb22]

I've never taken issues except when in grizzly country....then I hang food in the trees (trees downwind from the campsite), use airtight containers and always sleep with a loaded gun nearby.

I probably SHOULD do something in "regular" bear country....a couple of years ago, one (black) actually attacked me during an elk hunt. Still don't take much in the way of precautions.


Within the shadows, go quietly.

 

[easymoney]

Hanging food in bear country is smart logic. Bear cannisters work well but weigh too much for lightweight trips.
My worry is to return to my camp and find I am without food and it is more than a day back to the truck.
Stop Global Whining

 

[gb22]

By airtight, I meant plastic bags that are able to be resealed. I've never had any of those heavy metal containers....besides, I doubt they would keep the smell inside and the bear would still come to explore....there goes camp!


Within the shadows, go quietly.

 

[blazingsaddle]

I have on multiple occasions left my empty food containers in my vestibule. Not wanting to have it blow away. At the end of multiple day hunt, I have quite a bit of trash, wrappers and good bear lures if you will, hanging around my pack and tent.

I think I may start packing a gallon ziplock bag and storing it away from camp for my trash. I'm sure a bear could still smell it, but at least it would be away from the tent.

 

[ForkWest]

I can tell you what NOT to do.

 

[ForkWest]

Don't cook fresh deer tenderloins right next to your sleeping area.

 

[ForkWest]

Don't assume the horses whiney'n all night is just a deer passing through.

 

[ForkWest]

Don't feel too bad when you loose $1000 in gear...you could have been in the tent when the bear demolished it.

 

[blazingsaddle]

Pictures and no story? Come on!

 

[rmanwill]

Store it away from your tent. Take what procations you can without worrying to much and wasting your hunt. It happens, but not to often.

PS. I thought the pictures said it very well!!!

 

[ICHABOD]

Oh there's a story!
And a video too!
------------------------------------------------------
"Yeah, I'll shoot him"

 

[sab]

I'm paranoid about ANY creature getting my food. To be 10 miles into a wilderness area and have all my food stolen would be a major inconvenience, at best, and a catastrophe at worst. Therefore, I always store my food in a scent-proof bag hung in a tree. I also store my trash in a separate zip-loc bag within that bag. That way all the stuff that any creature would want is out of reach.

Backpackers are very knowledgeable about food storage, and I learned my technique and purchased my "bear bag kit" from backpackinglight.com forums.

Hope that helps!

 

[BBB]

Sprinkle compound 1080 all over your body before bedtime so that the authorities don't have to follow the bear too far into the woods.

Also, to eliminate scent from around camp...don't stop eating after your mountain home meal is done, go ahead and eat the container as well. Then you don't have to pack it out.

One last precaution, if you poop in your tent alongside your makeshift pillow, that also helps keep the bears at bay...so I've heard.

I've never tried any of these tactics but thought they may help.