You didn't fill in your profile sir. We do not know where you live nor where you are going. More info please. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

In the time I've spent in the Seirras I have only encountered maybe 4 bears. I've never had a maurading bear outside of a national park. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

In Grizzly country the rules change. In parks the rules are very complex. In the wilds of the west, they'll run from you an phenominal speed, and by the way they can swim faster than you can. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Normally I only hang my food and then normally more in an anti rodent manner than an anti bear manner. All my my toiletries and stuff in my pack stay in the tent with me. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Animals have more respect for tents than you may think - its a funny smelling boulder to walk around and sniff and growl at. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Anyway it works for me. If I'f in a situation where I thought I might have bears I'd use my 50 feet of parachute cord to hang it up, preferably over a lake or cliff edge, but I've seen bears climb 5.4 to get up where I stashed my food and they got it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> The other thing is I'll go out 100 yards from my tent on the obvious game trails and pee on the obvious "scent tree". By staking my space this way I have camped right in the home territory of a huge wild black bear near the head waters of the Mokelumna River, and he left me alone. Oh yes - I generally bang on a pot just as its getting dark and after I've marked my space and I yell with the banging and I yell something like "OK GUYS I'M HERE AND THIS IS MY SPACE FOR TONIGHT". Just to be sure every animal for amile knows I'm there.
Ever whisper at a bear? Scares the heck out of em. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />