Re: Bear Food Ediquette While Camping Question CO

Black Bears and/or Grizzly Bears VERY SELDOM ...eat...humans and the few instances of predatory behaviour by bears on humans are usually due to other factors. While both species WILL stalk humans, it is seldom that this results in any form of attack or contact and very few bears will do even that.

In your scenario, I would allow the bear to take my food, IF, it seemed to me that he was definitely going to do that. Spray is NOT a panacea and would probably not deter a truely hungry bear for long, I would prefer to just let the furball have my supper.

Now, IF, solo in a remote wilderness situation, where I have been many times, NO, I NEED that food and I can't have a bear hanging around, trying to mooch/steal or muscle me out of my supplies and SOME WILL TRY.

I reach over for "Thumper" and put a 300 gr. .375 Nosler Pt. in the dirt at his feet and there are four more waiting, if needed. I have dealt with dozens of Grizzlies and hundreds of Blacks and have yet to have to shoot to kill, in this situation. BUT, I am meticulous about everything to do with my campsite, including location.

"Thumper" just came home and is a custom P-64 Mod. 70-.375H&H shorty which will be my work gun on these bush projects this summer. I prefer to hike un-armed, although there are those on some backpacking forums who tell me that I am stupid for doing so, funny, 52 years of BC hiking, USUALLY sans gun and I'm still here...... BUT, when working in the bush and reponsible for equipment, supplies and sometimes other workers, I go armed and I don't mess around with peashooters.

So, best advice is to not worry too much about bears, it is largely commonsense that rules in dealing with them.