Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Mon May 09, 2022 11:02 am It really annoys me that each entity has different regulations regarding what is an "acceptable" bear can. The Interagency Grizzly Council approves an Ursack but not Bearikade. Why is that exactly? I would think that if a grizzly can get into a Bearikade, it would also be able to get into the Urasack. I suspect it is the different ways and bear environments of the tests. And then each brand also has a list of exact models that are accepted or not.
I am interested in actual reduction in the chance a bear will get my food. Seriously, in Wyoming I am not too concerned about what is "accepted". There has never been any enforcement. The grizzly population is quite low compared to black bear. In fact, I have never even seen a grizzly yet. I have always used my Bearikade and felt fine about it. Am I wrong?
I have no idea who the The Interagency Grizzly Council is. My understanding is each park/forest jurisdiction has ultimate policy setting authority in their respective purview. I cannot comment on Ursus behaviors in the Rockies; my experiences are mainly in the Sierra and Cascadia. I have seen bear scat in plenty of passes, and tracks in alpine winter snow, during a time you'd think they would be hibernating, or at least hanging out at much lower altitude. Bear activity in these mountain ranges appears more nuanced than common knowledge alludes.Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Tue May 10, 2022 7:49 am I have used; Ursack, Bearikade, Bear Vault, Garcia as well as the standard "hang". Never had an issue with bears getting the food. Each have their problems with user-error and I too, have heard of failures for all of these. I am also skeptical of the need of any of these when at high altitude where a bear would have to travel many miles of inhospitable terrain to reach my camp; or in late season when the bears have already migrated to lower altitudes.
Our larders may be safer from bears at high altitude, but there still are bears that pass through high altitude basins. I don't think they are intent on snatching our provisions, although our provisions will be perceived as a target of opportunity if we let our guard down. A bear's range often covers several basins/watersheds. I think they venture up high traveling between basins during the three seasons. I also think they have come up with a Yogi The Bear routine of checking out established camp sites, doing an "evening route" inspection. My hunch is based on evidence they leave behind in my own on-trail camps. Such visits happen much less frequently at off trail camps, but they do occur. In winter the bears do not cross high passes, but they are in up high basins, I think in search of carrion. For us such a trip would be a big deal, but the bears can cover distances more efficiently than we do, both because of physical stature, as well as the mountains happen to be their backyard, and they know the best routes from Point A to Point B.
FWIW: I, too, never had a bear problem, regardless they must have checked out my camp dozens of times over the decades. But I am pretty maniacal about bear proofing my camp. I'll use a bear box, or cable if provided; otherwise I've always use a bear hang, suspending my goods between two trees, or a cliff and the ground, or a combination thereof. When the regs mandate, I place my consumables in a canister, but continue to hang my trash, as I don't like comingling trash and food. The regulators have not called me out on this.
Ed