Defend your food barrel?

Hasn’t happened to me yet so I’m not sure what I would do.

You are awakened at ‘O dark thirty by the sound of something pillaging your food bag/barrel.

Do you continue to lay in your tent defeated that your hanging/securing attempt has failed? At that point figure you’ll assess the damages at first light.

Or do you run out of your tent in your underwear? Arm yourself with whatever weapon you have and prepare to defend your food? At that point hope it’s something you can manage and not that dang Sasquatch who, for the security of their species, can’t afford to leave a witness.

I usually stash my food bag on the ground and far enough away that I probably wouldn't hear it happening.

If I was aware of it it would depend on what kind of critter it was. I'll definitely try to chase away raccoons and maybe a black bear. If it's a grizzly I"d probably let him have it unless I was too remote to get to a town to replace the food.

I keep my food barrels under the awning of my Lean shelter so that if something comes to mess with them I know about it. I'll do my best to scare them away and I sleep with bear spray next to my pillow. I also tripped with my dog, who hates bears, so I figured I'd get a little warning that a bear was approaching before it got to the food packs. I was pretty confident it would vacate.

I'm sure not going to defend them to the death but I'm going to make the bear call my bluff.

Alan

Alan Gage said:

I keep my food barrels under the awning of my Lean shelter so that if something comes to mess with them I know about it. I'll do my best to scare them away and I sleep with bear spray next to my pillow. I also tripped with my dog, who hates bears, so I figured I'd get a little warning that a bear was approaching before it got to the food packs. I was pretty confident it would vacate.

I'm sure not going to defend them to the death but I'm going to make the bear call my bluff.

Alan

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I would probably do the same on a long and remote trip like the ones you have done.

Car camping at Fruita CG in Capital Reef at a tent area which was a large semi open field. The tent was pitched near the truck with a table 30 yards away. I left my Action Packer food box on the table with a couple cook pots on top. Sure enough, a raccoon messed with the box in the middle of the night. The sound of the pots falling woke me up and I charged out there buck naked and yelling. I can’t recall if I grabbed anything to use as a weapon, but fortunately the raccoon was timid and took off. There was some moon light and I was embarrassed once the adrenaline wore off. Hope the other campers enjoyed the show.

On Farm Island in Maine the raccoon was not so timid. A big fat raccoon was dragging off a wooden food box, which it was not releasing just because I was screaming at it. It took me heaving heavy stones at it before it abandoned the box and waddled off through the woods. We inspected the raccoon’s escape route the next day and found it littered with many food wrappers. It was obvious the raccoon was a frequent diner at that heavily used site.

I’ve never faced a bear, but also take more precautions if I know I’m in bear country.

I posted this image on our Snowdrift River trip in 2001. Most of the tripping Kathleen and I have done has been 3-6 weeks in the Barren Grounds north of tree line in the NWT and Nunavut. We were usually all alone, and could not afford to lose our food. Usually there were not enough tall and sturdy trees to hang food. So we always pitched our tent, away from the campfire. We put our gear and food under the canoe, far enough away from the tent that the bear wouldn’t confuse us with the food. Close enough to the tent that I believed I would hear the bear, and be able to run it off with my .308. We never had any problems.

The copied image doesn't appear if one is logged in only as a guest. So here it is re-posted. Hope this works. The campfire is over by the white buckets.

I stash my food in a manner similar to Paddling Pitt, except I don’t leave the food anywhere near the canoe.

I saw a video some years ago of a black bear entertaining himself chewing up and stomping on a canoe while the canoeists were yelling and begging him to go away.

I do not carry fresh food or even aromatic food like jerky or sausages.

PaddlingPitt said:

Usually there were not enough tall and sturdy trees to hang food

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Same on the Yukon, no tall sturdy trees within sight at a reasonable distance from the water’s edge. We were forced to use a huge 120L lockable Yeti cooler as our only option for a certified bear resistant container for the first year when an excessive amount of food was required to be carried according to first year race rules for our 7 voyageur canoe paddlers. The Yeti barely fit in our large voyageur canoe, and was carried high up away from the boat each night.

The next year we raced, the amount of food carried requirement was up to us, so it all fit into a few regular size bear vault type canisters, which was plenty sufficient for us. We completely unloaded and cleaned out our canoe each "night" of the race to prevent any nosy bear from smelling left over food scraps and walking in the canoe with disastrous consequences. We had 6 hours of required "night stop" rest period each "night", which really meant only 4 hours of actual rest time due to setting up and dismantling tents, etc. Otherwise, we paddled fully 18 hours/day.

Last trip to Ontario, Memaquay loaned me some bear bangers which I kept beside my pillow during the trip. Honestly, I'd almost welcome the opportunity to use one. We fired off a few at New Year's (yeah, we might be rednecks) and WOW, are those things LOUD!

One or two lobbed into the disputed territory & I'd think the food thief would be high-tailing it to quieter digs. (and, if not, he's obviously desperate enough that I probably don't wanna tangle with him).

Like Alan, I travel with a dog. Jake is as easy going as it gets - super friendly. However when animals enter camp his demeanor changes entirely. In the BWCA near habituated bear areas he has chased away a few bears. That said, I am fortunate Jake has very good call back, he leaves the bear and returns on command.

I do not use barrels like the OP. I use Oder proof bags inside of Kevlar bear bags tied to trees ( 2 different spots not near each other ) outside of my tent camp area similar to what Al posted. So far I have only had one incident where I needed to defend resources.

That hair raising experience some 30 years ago, remarkably ended without incident, even though I did every thing wrong a solo tripper could possibly do.

I was fishing and had 2 nice eater walleye in the bottom of my canoe. After cleaning the fillets and disposing of the remains on a large boulder in the middle of the lake, I stored my canoe about 50 yards away from camp, upside down and well out of the water. I was in camp food bag at my side getting ready to start my small cooking fire when I heard my canoe scraping on rocks. I looked over and found it right side up, on 2 large rocks - one near the bow the other the stern … with a large bear in the middle savagely licking the bottom!

I was suddenly filled with anger, grabbed my food bag , and ran toward the bear. I got within about 30 feet … and realized I had ALL my food in one arm … and turned my back to the bear and RAN back to my camp! I threw the bag on the the ground, turned to go back to the bear and save my canoe … but no need, the bear was 15 yards behind me. Still consumed with rage ( how dare this bear come into my camp ) I took a step toward the bear letting him know it is go time! The bear took a step toward me … letting me know he was not impressed. So there we are - at dusk, raw fish and food scattered all over camp, alone as I can be face to face with a bear about 10 yards away. Reality suddenly washed over me. I went from homicidal rage to instantly playing let’s make a deal. I stood my ground ( likely just paralyzed by fear) and the bear silently walked off into the bush.

I gathered my food, put it into 2 separate bags, raced into the bush to hide them and reluctantly crawled into my hammock tent for a restless sleep … feeling like a bear burrito.

The following morning, I retrieved my food bags loaded my badly scratched but undamaged canoe and was on my way … feeling very lucky to have received such an education without a severe penalty.

Wanting to fight a bear to save rations is a natural response I think. Being alone face to face with one can change your mind in a big hurry.

Bob.

I would try to chase said critter off by yelling, waving arms, and appearing big as I can. I hammock camp and leave my forest axe leaning against a tree I'm tied to. I would have it in hand as a means of warding off said critter if it came to that. So far I have not had the chance to test my theory of what I would do.

I carry by barrel about 50 yards from camp and tie it loosely to a tree with some paracord. Then I hang a large, loud cow bell from the paracord. The idea (theory; never been tested) being that any creature attacking the barrel would start the bell ringing and either scare them off or wake me up. I sleep with bear spray, horn and bangers.

This is a great thread !
Making me rethink my own theories.
Like others mine are also Untested !
I have always worried about a bear chomping into cedar stripper, in search of the fish, that had been flopping around in my canoe, that day.
Making me re think fishing at all !
I bit the bullet, a few years ago, and bought two Bear vaults. I like them.
I just leave them at the cook site.
So far, my hope is, the Bear will bore himself, and out of frustration, leave ! Again, untested theory !

Interest thread !

Thanks Blukanu !

I’m invested in Bear vaults. No incidents with them yet. Dogs have foiled bear invasions. Every blue barrel should come with a blue heeler pup. Problem solved.

Bob B. said:

I took a step toward the bear letting him know it is go time! The bear took a step toward me … letting me know he was not impressed. So there we are......Reality suddenly washed over me. I went from homicidal rage to instantly playing let’s make a deal. I stood my ground ( likely just paralyzed by fear) and the bear silently walked off into the bush.

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That's a great story, Bob. Every bear encounter I've ever had has involved the bear leaving, usually in a big hurry, with no incident. How you handled your situation is exactly how I figured I'd handle it if a bear ever came into camp looking for food.

In my head I have played over the scenario about what happens if the bear calls my bluff and I'm not quite sure what I'd do then. Hopefully I won't have left the bear spray in the pack.

Alan

My dogs usually send any visitors high-tailing it to new country.

A few years ago I saw a Garicia bear canister (the solid black one) at the Adirondack Lodge that was rented out and returned with a bottom corner completly chewed out, exposing any contents it may have had. The renter said he watched a red squirrel work on iit for three days before it completed the task of breaking in. IMO, with that story he should have been made to pay for a new canister upon return.

Alan Gage said:

In my head I have played over the scenario about what happens if the bear calls my bluff and I'm not quite sure what I'd do then.

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Reminds me of a stand up comedy bit from Mike Birbiglia , not word for word but something like this. “The experts say if a bear attacks you it’s best to just play dead. The bear will lose interest and go away. Ok….what if it doesn’t? What if it keeps eating me? At what point do I abandon that strategy?”

Anyone ever consider using something like this? Trip wire device that will set off a shotgun 209 primer.

Probably very effective but I’m not sure the psychological aspects on myself. Major PTSD from being suddenly jolted from your sleep by a loud BANG!! and panicking that the enemy has infiltrated the perimeter.