Building on the rule from a couple of years ago that came with a sunset provision, USFS enacted new rules and stiffened them with some more than inflation adjusted fines.
New BWCA Rules
New BWCA Rules
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BWCA Bear Proof Food Storage Rules Change
- Thread starter Sweetfancymoses
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Wow. I wonder what their issue is with the barrels but, to be in compliance, a solo paddler would have to single carry, hang the food during the portage that does not include the food or carry the food across the portage 3 times (so as to never leave it unattended).
Not so—the article says that an approved bearproof food storage container is allowed as an alternative to hanging food! One would simply have to bring one (or more) of the containers from the approved list as a substitute for a blue barrel. Not convenient (or cheap), but much easier than hanging your food or never letting it out of your sight!
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It's been a while since I've been to the BWCAW, but I'd use what I've been using out west, a Bear Vault.
I grind off one of the knobs, to make it easier to open. Two feels like overkill to me. Not sure how the park service would feel about that but I can't imagine they'd look that close.
I've been feeding a stray cat so, when I was going on a canoe trip. last fall, I bought an automatic feeder and used duck tape to keep racoons from getting into it. When I got home, a few days later, the whole machine was destroyed. There were parts strewn all over. And that's just racoons, not a bear. I'm not even confident a Bear Vault would keep a determined bear out of my food.
I grind off one of the knobs, to make it easier to open. Two feels like overkill to me. Not sure how the park service would feel about that but I can't imagine they'd look that close.
I've been feeding a stray cat so, when I was going on a canoe trip. last fall, I bought an automatic feeder and used duck tape to keep racoons from getting into it. When I got home, a few days later, the whole machine was destroyed. There were parts strewn all over. And that's just racoons, not a bear. I'm not even confident a Bear Vault would keep a determined bear out of my food.
Seems like over reach. I never worried too much about what happens in the back country as long as I am trying to do the right and moral thing.
"The food storage order is the result of increases in human-bear interactions with negative outcomes, according to the Forest Service."
How's that for governmental euphemistic gobbledygook.
Yes, and that includes my Ursack, which I vastly prefer over blue barrels, which I've never used. Lightweight and collapsible. Use odor-proof OPSAKs inside Ursacks for both your food and refuse.
How's that for governmental euphemistic gobbledygook.
Yes, and that includes my Ursack, which I vastly prefer over blue barrels, which I've never used. Lightweight and collapsible. Use odor-proof OPSAKs inside Ursacks for both your food and refuse.
Sounds like the problem with blue barrels really started with people getting too lazy to hang them.
Even then animals can be smart. Saw a YouTube video of campers on a campsite noted for having a nuisance bear. This bear learned campers meant food and it even learned to untie/chew the rope on hanging food. That night the bear hit their camp. It knew the campers cant/wont do anything of consequence to it so it went about it’s business without care. The next morning they followed the trail and found an area littered with remnants of other blue barrels.
Even then animals can be smart. Saw a YouTube video of campers on a campsite noted for having a nuisance bear. This bear learned campers meant food and it even learned to untie/chew the rope on hanging food. That night the bear hit their camp. It knew the campers cant/wont do anything of consequence to it so it went about it’s business without care. The next morning they followed the trail and found an area littered with remnants of other blue barrels.
I bit the bullet a few years ago, and purchased a couple of Bear vaults. I love them. I hide them a little ways away from camp, when I'm not eating.
bear vault
bear vault
There must be a market for a waterproof bearproof container to replace the traditional barrel. Maybe a latex band around the join between lid and container would be enough. We used to use these around the old containers designed for storing glass chemical jars to make them waterproof.
Unfortunately many bears have learnt how to open blue barrels either by pulling the catches or jumping on them until they explode.
Unfortunately many bears have learnt how to open blue barrels either by pulling the catches or jumping on them until they explode.
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or he does like some have learned to do here- climb up and chew the mainline...
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Fair enough. They ARE smart little buggers.
Like the psychologists say, the 3 greatest motivators for humans are food, sex and money. For bears and other mammals it would be the first 2.
I’m in Ely right now, and just spent a small fortune on an Ursack and Opsack liners, and I’m okay with it. My first time in the Minnesota north woods, and my first trip to the BWCA starts in the morning. So excited, I may not sleep tonight.
Have fun Bentpushrod, give a trip report when you can.
Jim
Jim
Have a good trip, Bentpushrod.
First time I ever looked at all those bear proof products. The cylinder style things look really nice, but why do they make them so small?
In any case, I'm glad I'm still living in the dirty frontier, where regulations are lax and bears are still "afeared" of us puny humans.
In any case, I'm glad I'm still living in the dirty frontier, where regulations are lax and bears are still "afeared" of us puny humans.
My dogs chase bears out of camp. I have never used a bear vault in 64 years of canoeing and backpacking, and I have never seen anyone use one.
When I raced the first Yukon 1000 mile race in 2009, there were two critical requirements (among many others) we had to follow and be verified before being allowed to start. The first ridiculous rule was we had to begin with 20kg (44pounds ! ) of food per paddler in the canoe. We were not allowed to include the weight of water to make dehydrated food edible. Since I was in a 7 paddler voyageur canoe, do the math for weight an volume. I spent months home dehydrating all the main meals (breakfast and dinner) for my entire team, and searched high and low for a reasonable containment system. The other requirement was all food and smell-ables had to be stored in certified bear resistant containers. I ended up buying a very large 120 liter lockable IGBC certified Yeti cooler that just fit in a spare space between seats in the canoe. Finishing within just 6 days, we only consumed less than a quarter of the food, which was meant to possibly last up to 3 weeks. no one went hungry or lost weight during our race. Race officials soon realized how ridiculous that massive food requirement was and dropped it for subsequent year races. On our next race I kept the volume of food to only ten days worth, again finishing in six days, using just a few bear vault containers easily stored under our seats.
Portions of the Adirondacks High Peaks have required solid (not allowed are the pliable bag type e.g. Ursack ) certified bear resistant containers for several years. Your first night's meal that you carry in with you does not have to be in a canister.
Portions of the Adirondacks High Peaks have required solid (not allowed are the pliable bag type e.g. Ursack ) certified bear resistant containers for several years. Your first night's meal that you carry in with you does not have to be in a canister.
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