Community Forums

CampDaven · 04-15-2016, 09:27 AM

I've had bears lick my fry pans.
Mice are more intrusive, destructive and troublesome.

Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

Reed Cundiff · 04-15-2016, 10:54 AM

Was rock climbing at Tuolome Meadows 45 years ago and we had a Mason jar full of bacon drippings we were going to use to fry eggs. A large Black Bear walked up to our table, picked up the Mason jar and went about 20' away, calmy unscrewed the Mason jar lid, laid on his/her back, and holding the jar in both fore paws, happily slurped down the pint or so of drippings, and then wandered off.

Others have seen them go up to a Kelty Pack (this was years ago), and carefully unzip the pockets to get out the goodies.

Moral is, bears are very intelligent, clever, and innovative.

If they have it in their paws, its is theirs, do not try to grab it back.

Reed and Elaine

sikoriko · 04-15-2016, 01:16 PM

If there is no locker you may use a tree. place items that you think may be tempting tie on a rope and elevate where they cannot get their paws on it. Camping south of Yosemite some poor fellow had his Minnie van door ripped off the hinge. I have seen the bears come out of the bathrooms in the popular valley campsite. They are not 300 pounds.

Reed Cundiff · 04-15-2016, 01:18 PM

Coming out of the bathroom. Well, so much for the old adage about bears and the woods!

jwb2 · 04-15-2016, 01:45 PM

has anybody tried electric fence at the base of camper

Reed Cundiff · 04-15-2016, 02:59 PM

Years ago there was a bear at Philmont Scout Ranch known as "Kamikazee Bear", He would apparently climb up a tree where someone had cached their food with a rope over a limb, leap out and grab the bag and rip it loose.

Yosemite Bears must have the highest IQs. One apparently had the cache in the tree scheme figured out. He/she would just chomp through the rope at ground level and recover the spoils of victory. I was climbing with Fred Beckey (now 91 and still leading level 10C climbs) and we were talking with another of the well know climbers of the 50s and 60s (this was 40 years ago). He got back after dark and found a bear rummaging through his food bag at Camp 4. He whacked in on the butt with his climbing hammer and the frightened bear just took off through the encampment, right through and over other climbers' tents (Camp 4 is pretty much all rock climbers) This well known climber just collected his gear and tent and put it in his car and left in the dark. He figured that he might be accosted by bruised and battered climbers who followed the path of destruction to its starting point.