- Mar 1, 2018
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What do you guys do to protect camp day or nite from four legged unwanted guests, bear, cats, ect.? Just room in my sleeping bag for me, and food for one. Say 2 miles from road. Thanks guys
Solo backpack camp safe?
- Thread starter xbeekeeper
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Bonecollector
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Never in Doubt
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- Jul 9, 2012
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RICMIC
Veteran member
Keep food out of your tent, and at night and while you are out hunting away from camp, hang it in a tree. I teach "bear safe" practices during my summers guiding canoe trips, and the basic recommendation is 12' high, 4' from the tree, and 3' below the branch it's hanging from. You don't need a tape measure, but remember that black bears are proficient climbers. You don't need to put your whole pack up there, just bring a dedicated dry bag for your food and hang it in that. Your food for a backpack trip should only be a pound or so a day, so the hang will be easy. I spent 16 days solo backpacking last year and 60 days canoeing, and black bears are more of a nuisance than a threat. (Now Griz are a different story). I find that 30' of line that is the next step up from p-cord does the job. Bring more if you need to hang meat.
mallardsx2
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- Jul 8, 2015
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Bonecollector
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dirtclod Az.
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Bring a seperate small tent. Setup out of camp with food/cooking materials inside.Never had a problem.
COdzert1
New Member
Keep your camp and yourself clean, eat away from camp and hang your food stores and trash. Don't keep it with you. Also things to think about are other items with smells like tooth paste or soaps. Bears can really sniff things out. Had 3 cubs get into our garage and get into the freezer, brought out my frozen elk and buffalo meat to mom to eat. As for in camp I haven't had any problems so far. Now moose is a different story!
Never in Doubt
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- Jul 9, 2012
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Gotta go somewhere.... I've done it and never had a bear in camp.... So for what that's worth
There is a blog article by Mike Eastman you can find here that covers much of this, and in depth in Elk Hunting The West Revisited.
Stephen Rosso also put together a solid piece on the blog, you can read that here.
Stephen Rosso also put together a solid piece on the blog, you can read that here.
tim
Veteran member
I did a couple of day backpack trip in glacier natl park in the late 80's. I am not much of a tent guy. I got woke up every night from some animal eating the salt out of my urine. One night it was a doe, the next night a mountain goat.
Montana
Veteran member
It?s always good to have another person with you. Hands down the safest/funest way to go. But if you are alone the above mentioned are good practices. I don?t think you have to worry about my lions, really only bears.
When we hunt in big bear country, we find pine trees that have branches touching the ground 360 degrees. Go in and cut one small section out. Then once we?re under it, we tie 2 strings across the opening with bear bells.
It?s a great set up... pine needles under the tree serves as extra insulation/comfort and the tree/branches serve as wind/snow/rain block. In all the years, I?ve only had one bear come in so I?d say our setup probably gives us piece of mind more than anything, which equals sleep.
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When we hunt in big bear country, we find pine trees that have branches touching the ground 360 degrees. Go in and cut one small section out. Then once we?re under it, we tie 2 strings across the opening with bear bells.
It?s a great set up... pine needles under the tree serves as extra insulation/comfort and the tree/branches serve as wind/snow/rain block. In all the years, I?ve only had one bear come in so I?d say our setup probably gives us piece of mind more than anything, which equals sleep.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk