Concealing Your Cache

[RockyMtnGuy]

Hi everyone. I want to pack some stuff in prior to the season opener and stash it. I have horses, so I'm thinking wall tent, kitchen stuff, etc. I don't have enough horses to pack in gear and people the day prior to opening day. I am wondering what methods you folks use to conceal your camp gear? I do have bears in the area, but will only pack in food when we are there. I'm just trying to conceal it to prevent theft. What are your suggestions? Thanks!

 

[buckbull]

IDK. Might be easier to secure it via a chain and padlock and not worry about hiding it. You'd need some kind of large container which may prove too difficult to get back there.

 

[johnsd16]

That's tough. Plastic drums with the clamp on lids with threaded tighteners could work and be water/bear proof. Securing one to a horse would be tough though. Also, you probably have as much and more bear experience as I do, but just because there isn't food doesn't mean they won't tear it up. It be a shame to leave a tent in a soft waterproof container like a bag or something only to find it shredded for opening weekend. Options would include hanging or some sort of bear proof container. They will tear into stuff and rip it to shreds just because it is weird. I also think they just associate the smell of camping stuff with food sometimes. Also, mice/voles will do a number on stuff left out for any length of time, along with squirrels/birds too. Drums chained to a tree would be pretty secure, but not hidden.

 

[Don K]

Maybe just put up the tent, and put the stuff inside. I ran into a couple wall tents last year that where not being used at the time and there was camp gear and all there. The only way someone was taking anything is with horses themselves.

I say put the camp up and people will think your there.

 

[Againstthewind]

That's tough. Plastic drums with the clamp on lids with threaded tighteners could work and be water/bear proof. Securing one to a horse would be tough though. Also, you probably have as much and more bear experience as I do, but just because there isn't food doesn't mean they won't tear it up. It be a shame to leave a tent in a soft waterproof container like a bag or something only to find it shredded for opening weekend. Options would include hanging or some sort of bear proof container. They will tear into stuff and rip it to shreds just because it is weird. I also think they just associate the smell of camping stuff with food sometimes. Also, mice/voles will do a number on stuff left out for any length of time, along with squirrels/birds too. Drums chained to a tree would be pretty secure, but not hidden.

This has been almost exactly my experience with leaving up a wall tent, packed in camp. Some years it was just fine, then one year a bear decided he had better destroy everything. Also the mice, etc. do like to chew on things and then you have that to deal with. I don't have any suggestions other than not leaving it alone too long. I think the bears tend to stay away from the human smell, but if its an old human smell, maybe the temptation is too much. Mice kindof the same theory, if you check on it and move stuff around they don't have time to build a nest and make their own camp. My dog is kindof part cat, so she loves checking out camps with mice. She plays with them until they die, its pretty funny, not sure how hygenic, but funny. I would like to do that kindof camp in the future, so I am mostly posting so I have the little green thing to read people's suggestions, lol.

 

[tim]

over the years, I have came across a lot of caches, that have been spread around by animals. one I remember the bear sank his teeth into a deck of playing cards and they where everywhere.

 

[Slugz]

Take the wife or girlfriends hairdryer and brushes.....remove the hair and stuff in some of her old panty hose. Make small little bags the size of a 1/4 cup. Hang em around the camp site at nose level 18" to 24" off the ground. That will get you a week or 10 days. dependent on weather.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Take the wife or girlfriends hairdryer and brushes.....remove the hair and stuff in some of her old panty hose. Make small little bags the size of a 1/4 cup. Hang em around the camp site at nose level 18" to 24" off the ground. That will get you a week or 10 days. dependent on weather.

Those old pantyhose might already be full of hair!

 

[Slugz]

Ouch.....well done sir...well done.

 

[Edub]

I wouldn't do it. We have had bear come into our camp after leaving it to return for work for a few days, so the human smell doesn't hold much weight with me. I happen to agree with Don K, if you are set on taking things in i would set it up. Be it a bear, or a human people are going to be a lot less likely to take or break something that isn't intriguing or already set up.

Last year on Bowsite, a guy posted his Mtn. Goat gear had all been taken. 2 guys packed it all the way up the mountain a week before season, and they buried beneath some dead fall and camouflaged it in real well. Day before season opened he returned and it was all gone, high dollar spotting scope, packs, binos, tent, sleeping bag everything. Couple weeks later they arrested a Peruvian sheep herder at a local pawn shop. He either saw him doing it, or found it and decided to take it.

 

[Slugz]

Food smell = bad. I forgot to mention. Kitchen tent packed out. And yeah you need to set it up...was making assumptions there.

 

[7shot]

I did the same thing last year during the season. Shot an elk, used the llamas to pack out the animal and I carried my expensive gear, Sitka, bow, binos, etc. I hung all my food, extra clothes, boots, etc in a tree and left my sleeping bag, pad, dirty socks, etc in the tent for scent. My plan was to come back the next week with a friend who had a tag. We pull up a week later and my tarp is 1/2 way pulled out from under my 4 man tent, and there are muddy paw prints on the rain fly and a big slash mark from what I believe was a cat. All else was good, but it did get hit. My friend complained when I made him sleep on the "slash side" but I fixed it with some duct tape. No other damage was done, but it could have been all tore up.

I would hang it all in a tree, off the main trail a bit so it is not easily seen. That way the bears are out of the equation and you just have to worry about some sheep herder - I hate those dang sheep in the mountains by the way. They eat everything, so do the cows.