Hanging a bear bag

TheMadIndian

TheMadIndian

Joined
Jan 5, 2014
Messages
888
How do you guys hang a bear bag?

This is my favorite / generally easiest for me

I tie a decent size rock to my line, I find a branch at least 20ft high and granny toss the rock over (while holding the other end of the line)

Then I I tie a bowline attach a carabiner and food bag then loop the line I held onto through the carabiner
IMG_20151108_081457255_zpsezrimy5h.jpg


Then I run the bag up towards the branch and tie in a toggle with two clove hitches
IMG_20151108_081411164_zpsjq1iiyxn.jpg


When you let the line out the bag drops until it meets the toggle
IMG_20151108_081331356_zps1kliqgws.jpg


The branch and tree its on aren't pictured but this gets me 10ft down from the branch, 10ft off the ground and at least 5ft off the tree and I don't have to worry about tying anytyhing off and an animal figuring to just break the line and if by some miracle they can manipulate the line when you pull on it the bag only goes farther away.
 
That's the PCT method. I used to string one line between two trees at least 15' above the ground. Then toss the line with the bag over the middle of the first line and tie the second line to a third tree. Probably over kill and finding suitable trees can be a pain. PCT is easier.

Nice pics by the way.
 
duxdawg said:
That's the PCT method. I used to string one line between two trees at least 15' above the ground. Then toss the line with the bag over the middle of the first line and tie the second line to a third tree. Probably over kill and finding suitable trees can be a pain. PCT is easier.

Nice pics by the way.
Click to expand...
What makes it pct?
 
It's the Pacific Crest Trail method. Very easy to use and works well. I guess someone originally came up with this method while hiking on the PCT and hence the name? With this method the spare line hangs loose and a bear (theoretically) cannot do anything with it. As opposed to tying the line off to the tree, where the bear could break/bite through the line...
 
The debate continues.:D

[video=youtube;7Nv_TiWb4-8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nv_TiWb4-8[/video]
 
is 20' enough?

:confused:[video=youtube;UucHtYr29cE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UucHtYr29cE[/video]
 
medicguy said:
It's the Pacific Crest Trail method. Very easy to use and works well. I guess someone originally came up with this method while hiking on the PCT and hence the name? With this method the spare line hangs loose and a bear (theoretically) cannot do anything with it. As opposed to tying the line off to the tree, where the bear could break/bite through the line...
Click to expand...

Nice thanks interesting to know where it comes from
 
We use the PCT method as well...or a slightly modified version. From what I understood regarding the difference from what AT hikers use I that the PCT often doesn't have the typical large oak trees with good hanging branches. The PCT was supposedly used to take advantage of this. Also I've seen the vertical toggle method which is the traditional.

Here's the best representation I could find...we don't use steel cables but we do find more trees to hang that may not have decent branches. Also, if you set up on a steep slope, you can toss you line on the upper side and hang on the lower side which really gives you an excellent hang. The modified version, if done right, places the bag well away from trees and we can typically get it about 15-20 feet of the ground.




I would add that several areas that have cable hangs are like park garbage areas...the bears (and other camp robbers) know exactly where to go and I've seen numerous shredded bags (and even full packs). Bears are smart, so we always found a unique/different place to hang our food and not use the typical "shopping" areas for bear.

We plan to do some backpacking where bear canisters are required. They actually work and are more convenient with getting your food, but they're also a PITA as I need a slightly larger pack and they way a few pounds. Our current bear bag systems work for us and we've never had an issue...

ROCK6
 
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Rock, are you missing something in your diagram above? We tried hanging a bag as you've illustrated and found that the weight of the bag, would just allow the bag to sag. If we tightened the rope more, the bag would climb higher and then sag. In the following video, we found 1 solution to the problem. It also shows the method described by TheMadIndian.

I forgot, I can't add pictures or videos to BladeForums anymore - something to do with this computer. If somebody can link the video, it's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyT3XcBZybg#t=53

Doc

P.S. the reference to the BK-4 was because this was one video of a few that were posted in the Becker sub-forum.
 
mewolf1 said:
The debate continues.:D

[video=youtube;7Nv_TiWb4-8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nv_TiWb4-8[/video]
Click to expand...

Agree. If you're not on one of these tourist hiking areas then wrap your food in a tarp a little way from camp. Nothing is going to touch it except maybe a mouse if you have something exposed by mistake. Don't leave your pack on the ground though, and don't leave food in your pack.
 
nice! in the past i just toss the cordage over a branch but most times i skip hanging altogether and haven't had any problems yet...i'll try that when i get a chance. thanks!


DOC-CANADA said:
I forgot, I can't add pictures or videos to BladeForums anymore - something to do with this computer. If somebody can link the video, it's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyT3XcBZybg#t=53

Doc

P.S. the reference to the BK-4 was because this was one video of a few that were posted in the Becker sub-forum.
Click to expand...

[video=youtube;lyT3XcBZybg#t=53]http://www.youtube.com/watch?lyT3XcBZybg#t=53[/video]
 
Chignecto Woodsman said:
Agree. If you're not on one of these tourist hiking areas then wrap your food in a tarp a little way from camp. Nothing is going to touch it except maybe a mouse if you have something exposed by mistake. Don't leave your pack on the ground though, and don't leave food in your pack.
Click to expand...

In black bear country thats a good way to get all your food eaten. I've done tripods, and other methods, but off the ground and where its not easy. Might loose it, but make them work for it. I'm not going to wrap food in a tarp I don't want holes in. Don't know what kind of mice you have, but where I grew up they would go straight through a tarp if they couldn't get in another way. norway rats just take the easy way in. I was also told to hang from a branch that was thin enough that the bear would not want to climb out on it. might work, might not. Reasons to go to canisters, too many people hang bags wrong, habituated bears, dangerous bears, dead bears.
 
gadgetgeek said:
In black bear country thats a good way to get all your food eaten. I've done tripods, and other methods, but off the ground and where its not easy. Might loose it, but make them work for it. I'm not going to wrap food in a tarp I don't want holes in. Don't know what kind of mice you have, but where I grew up they would go straight through a tarp if they couldn't get in another way. norway rats just take the easy way in. I was also told to hang from a branch that was thin enough that the bear would not want to climb out on it. might work, might not. Reasons to go to canisters, too many people hang bags wrong, habituated bears, dangerous bears, dead bears.
Click to expand...

Nope. Done it for months at a time, and I live in black bear country.

Mors Kochanski recommends the same thing and has tested it extensively in an area with many people. Bears and other animals won't smell it. Even mice, why would they chew through a tarp and plastic bags for the chance at food when all around them is easy food? Again, if you're in an area where this is a problem it's probably due to garbage being around and the mice associating plastic with free food. Totally different situation.

Definitely not recommended for trails, as I suggested. This is for territory without tourism and feed locations for bears (i.e. garbage). So don't do it if you're worried about it and in high traffic areas because the bears are likely habituated. In rat country, I have no idea, that's another problem again. I don't camp behind KFC.

Not too concerned about a 3 dollar tarp either. And to be really clear, I'm suggesting that I do this based on experience and conditions (no one uses the woods where I go, and I always have the food well-sealed).
 
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I don't worry about bears or coons getting into my food since I hike, camp, etc with my dog. The hound guys keep the wildlife polite. One bark and all I hear is them beatin' feet away from us.

CW is on to something. I've never had any trouble off the beaten path. Various critters circle downwind and smell us but then fade away. Only time I've seen, or seen evidence, of critters hanging around and trying to get into things is in heavily traveled areas.

Seems to me idiots unintentionally train the wildlife to associate humans with food. Same as idiots who are poor shots train critters to be wary of humans. Not the animal's fault, yet they pay for it with their lives.
 
I should have mentioned that I also have a dog, so any food I possibly drop gets cleaned up. And also it is a good idea to have human smell associated with the cover, while limiting any food smells. Don't want to leave out important info like that.

It's situational really, and nothing against bear bags. I use them where it's a good idea.
 
Chignecto Woodsman said:
Agree. If you're not on one of these tourist hiking areas then wrap your food in a tarp a little way from camp. Nothing is going to touch it except maybe a mouse if you have something exposed by mistake. Don't leave your pack on the ground though, and don't leave food in your pack.
Click to expand...

I don't see that working really well in black bear country; it most definitely wouldn't work in grizzly country unless your goal is to fatten bears and get skinny yourself

in grizzly country you hang your food, no if's, no and's, no but's
 
mtwarden said:
I don't see that working really well in black bear country; it most definitely wouldn't work in grizzly country unless your goal is to fatten bears and get skinny yourself

in grizzly country you hang your food, no if's, no and's, no but's
Click to expand...

You didn't read, it works perfectly well in black bear country.

I can't claim anything about grizzlies, but I doubt their sense of smell is any better. So the conditions would be the same, are the bears denatured to accept humans and associate plastic with food, or not?

Another issue is the greater climbing ability of black bears. A bear bag will work better for grizzlies simply because of this difference.

One may even mention how the bear bag technique is a matter of legal protection for parks. Or even a comparison to bear bells. Bear bells are known to not work, and yet are marketed as if they do work. So could it possibly be a case of confirmation bias? As in, 'I did not see the bear so the bear bell works...'

'I used a bear bag and my food didn't get eaten, therefore it works...' This does not take into account the location, the chance of bear encounters, nor the possibility that the bag itself covered the smell. Bear encounters are quite uncommon, and tend to happen around parks and areas where bears have accepted humans as scenery or a possible nuisance. These are areas where nothing may work, and only act as a way of hiding the amount of human traffic and create an artificial barrier between bears and humans. Before the use of bear bags there was a similarly low rate of bear encounters.

An increased use of bear bags has also coincided with the increase of bear relocation and euthanisation programs. So it is likely that bears are commpnly moved away from high traffic areas.

Given this, one could conclude that anything works. 'I tied birch bark smeared with bacon grease and garlic above the fire. I'm still alive, therefore it works.'

Plenty of experience, as stated previously, has shown many people that other techniques work just as well as bear bags. This is what really matters, choice of location, level of experience, and actual long-term testing in bear country. I have tested the tarp, and it works. Mors Kochanski has tested it, and it works. Others have tested it, and it works.

In the end, I don't really see a big difference. A bag is hung from a branch where it is prone to a bear knocking the tree down, pulling the rope, or climbing the tree and tearing at the limb or rope. It is also up in the air exposed to greater wind and warmth, and so may cause greater attraction through smell, if there are any. Then the bear is drawn to your location. A ground tarp on the other hand is close to the ground, and provides additional cover to wind and warmth. It can be stashed in dense brush, and can be set up in a way that makes plenty of noise if an animal gets near it, ie. putting a pot and spoon on it and perhaps even a mouse/rat trap. And this takes much less time than setting up a bear bag while providing you with much more useful materials in the process.

Again, not saying this is necessarily right, just that there are other methods depending on your situation. Develop your own philosophy for the areas you camp and find what works best for you.
 
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