Hanging a Bear Bag

Bears are opportunistic omnivores who follow their nose to the next meal. This skill has kept them fed, but it has also resulted in "problem bears," or bears that associate humans with food. Once this association has been made, a bear is generally doomed. Most land managers give a bear two chances to reform, after that it is destroyed if it comes into someone's camp looking for a handout.

Bears are not cuddly, harmless pets. They have killed and mauled humans, sometimes without an understandable cause. But often the hype surrounding a bear attack overshadows reality. According to bear expert Steven Herrero, there were fewer than 200 grizzly-related injuries to humans between 1900 and 1980, with only 14 deaths. Black bear attacks are more common, but of the 500 people attacked by black bears between 1960 and 1980, 90 percent of the injuries were considered minor. The number of bears killed in those same time periods is unknown, but hundreds, if not thousands of bears that have lost their lives over the years because they couldn't get along with their human neighbors.

Hang food from tree limbs 12 feet off the ground, 6 feet from the tree’s trunk, and 6 feet below the supporting limb, or store it in specially designed bear-resistant canisters or on-site lockers. Canisters are available for rent and sale at sporting goods suppliers and some land management agencies. Hanging food can be tricky, so practice hanging techniques before venturing into the backcountry and allow yourself plenty of time before dark to get set up.

In order to properly hang a bear bag, there are a few necessary pieces of equipment:

1. 100’ of rope or parachute cord
2. 1-2 carabiners
3. stuff sack large enough for all food, trash and smellables (soap, bug spray, toothpaste, etc.)

The ideal site for a bear bag hang is a minimum of 100’ from your campsite (in grizzly country, consider placing your hang 300’ from your camp to be safe). Once far enough from camp, you’ll need to locate a suitable tree from which to hang your bag. Sometimes a single tree will have the perfect branch from which you can hang your bag (12’ up and 6’ out from the trunk or nearest branch). In this case, you simply need to attach something weighted to the end of your rope or cord. A rock can work well but you must be cautious when throwing rocks over tree branches, making sure to keep all group members at s safe distance and having a spotter to ensure no one (especially the thrower) gets hit by the flying rock. Another option is to use an old sock filled with gravel, small stones or a single rock. A sock can also be easier to attach to the end of the rope. If you can locate a single tree branch to meet your needs, all you do is throw the rope over the branch, ensure that it’s 12’ up and 6’ out, attach your bag to the rope with a carabiner then hoist your bag to the desired height and then tie the bag off on the nearest suitable anchor (rock, tree, etc.). In many areas finding the perfect tree for a single-branch hang is challenging. More often than not you’ll have to do a “two-tree” hang meaning you’ll have to use two shorter branches on two different trees. This is most easily accomplished by throwing the rope (weighted of course) over one branch on one tree then throwing the other end over the branch of another tree, and then attaching your bag to the center of the line. Have a helper pull on one end of the rope while you pull on the other, raising the bag until it reaches the magic 12’ and 6’. You might have to dig deep into your 8th grade geometry knowledge to get the right proportions but with a bit of forethought, you’ll eventually get it right.

Hanging a bear bag is far from an exact science and requires a lot of practice. Ideally, you’d try a few bear bag hangs in the backyard or at a local park before heading out into the woods. “Learning” how to hang a bear bag at the end of a long day, in the fading daylight, can be an exercise in frustration. Therefore, be sure to practice this skill so that you can do it right the first time when in the field. Also, choosing a bear bag site and getting the ropes hung should be a priority when you first arrive at your campsite. By properly storing all of your food, trash and smellables, you’ll ensure both a good nights sleep and a natural diet for bears.

Respect Wildlife: Food storage and easy steps for hanging a bear bag

As we are in the midst of camping and hiking season, it’s important to remember how we can minimize our impact on the wildlife that we encounter in the outdoors—particularly in regards to food and trash. At parks and natural areas where there are facilities, it’s as simple as throwing away our trash and taking home what we brought with us.

When camping in more remote areas, we have to use a different set of skills to ensure that our food and trash are stored properly. Human food and trash can cause many problems for wildlife, particularly bears. When wildlife obtains, become accustomed to, and seeks out human foods and trash it can quickly lose its natural instincts, such as foraging or hunting.

Also, you will have a much more enjoyable and safe trip if your food and trash is kept out of reach of animals!

One method for properly storing food, trash and other smelly items is called a bear bag hang. Here are simple steps to successfully completing a single tree hang.

1. First make sure you have equipment you can use, which includes: durable Bags—nylon stuff sacks work well; 50 ft of rope; carabiners—this will help you clip your bags together and on to the rope.
2. Gather all of your smellable items to store in the bags. This includes food, trash, dirty dishes and cookware, deodorant, toothpaste and bug repellant.
3. Choose a tree that is 200+ ft. away from the cooking and sleeping areas of your campsite. Ideally, the cooking, sleeping and bear bag areas will form a triangle with 200ft. along each side (show picture on white board).
4. Choose a tree with a sturdy branch at least 12 ft. off the ground, and a minimum of 6 ft. from the trunk of the tree or nearest branch.
5. Attach a rock to one end of the rope and throw over the 12ft. branch, making sure it is 6 ft or more from the trunk. (This may take a few tries. Remember, safety is important, so make sure to clear the area of people when throwing the rock).
6. A variety of knots can be used at the end of the rope to attach the bag(s). Then clip the bags together and to the knot using your carabineers. Hoist the bags into the air—again, 12 ft. up and 6 ft. out. You may need a friend or two to help with this part.
7. Tie the free end of the rope to the tree, making sure it is secure and will not become undone overnight.

Remember, this bear bag hang is just one way you can properly store your food, trash and other smelly items during an overnight camping trip in the backcountry. By following these simple steps and using a few materials from your backpack, you can do your part to help Respect Wildlife.

Bears, bears everywhere...

October is a great month in Colorado. The air is cool, the leaves are changing, the fly fishing can be stellar and bears are on the move. I recently hiked into a little known creek near the Wyoming border to go for some big trout I'd heard stories about. As we left the trailhead, you could immediately tell this place was wild. Really wild. I've spent a lot of time in the woods in my 35+ years and I'd never seen the amount or size of bear scat (almost as big as my fly reel) that I saw on this day.



Needless to say, all senses were on high alert. In addition to the bear sign, there was a disconcerting amount of mountain lion sign as well. Scat, tracks, scratches, you name it. It has been some time since I felt that I was in such a wild place in Colorado. It was wonderful and unnerving all at the same time.

After a recent trip to the Tetons, I started carrying bear spray when fishing the wilds of Colorado, especially when I'm fishing by myself. It gives me a realistic way to defend myself in the event of a negative bear encounter as well as makes me feel a little less like a potential meal for a hungry bruin.



That brings me to a few points about being safe in bear country:

Bears, both black and grizzly, are most dangerous when surprised or threatened. Therefore, the first step to peaceful coexistence is to avoid an unexpected encounter. Make noise when you are traveling in bear country, especially in spots where visibility is limited by vegetation. Travel in groups of three or more and stay close together. Watch for bear sign—tracks, the smell of carrion, clawed trees, etc. If you smell a carcass, go out of your way to avoid it. Be particularly wary of a female with cubs. You don't want to come between mama bear and her babies, or any bear and its dinner.

When you camp in bear country, separate your cooking area from the place you plan to sleep by at least 100 yards. If possible, cook close to rivers where the smell of your pan-fried fish will be carried away by winds that move up and down valleys. Concentrate all odors in the cooking area. Do not bring food back to your tent. In some cases, you may even consider storing the clothes you cook in with food and other odorous items. Anything that smells should either be hung up overnight or stored in a bear-proof container. This includes toothpaste, soap and bug repellant.

Hang food from tree limbs 12 feet off the ground, 6 feet from the tree’s trunk, and 6 feet below the supporting limb, or store it in specially designed bear-resistant canisters or on-site lockers. Canisters are available for rent and sale at sporting goods suppliers and some land management agencies. Used properly, they ensure a good night’s sleep for you and a natural diet for bears. Hanging food can be tricky, so practice hanging techniques before venturing into the backcountry and allow yourself plenty of time before dark to get set up. Check with land managers about specific food storage requirements for the area you are visiting. The various national forests and parks in the Rocky Mountains have different regulations. Methods appropriate for one area may not be allowed in another.

Around camp be extra meticulous with food scraps and wash water—or anything that smells. Avoid creating leftovers because cooked food has a stronger scent than dried pasta, uncooked oatmeal or freeze-dried beef stroganoff in a sealed-foil package. Food scraps should be double-bagged, stored with your food and carried out of the mountains. Leave a clean campsite so that you don't inadvertently endanger others who come behind you.

Disposing of wastewater in bear country is tricky. Once again, your main goal is to keep odors out of camp. If you are camped by a large volume river—at least 10 feet wide with substantial depth—you can pour strained wash water directly into the river to help disperse any odor. If you are not by a river, consider digging a small hole and sumping your wastewater. This practice concentrates odors in one safe location well away from your camp, however, animals may be attracted to the smell and dig up the hole in search of food. For this reason, sumping is not recommended in areas of high use. In these places, you should walk well away from camp and scatter your wastewater.

There's nothing quite like spending time in the woods where large predators live. There's just something almost indescribable abut it. It can quickly make one realize how we, humans, are just one part of the big picture. It's a pretty amazing feeling.