Well I am new to backpacking and have yet to encounter any bear, at least while backpacking. We have a cabin in Ruidoso located on the edge of Lincoln National forest and have seen them around there. Anyhow I do have a healthy fear of them and have cooked a good distance from my camp site but would also hang my food in the same location. I will start hanging food in a different location from now on. But I was asking about the whole tarp and cooking because I can see the benefit of a 8x10 tarp compared to a solo tent while its raining but the problem would be the same. You still need to cook/boil water and you cant under the same tarp you plan to sleep and you really cant inside a tent.

Is it even wise to cook/boil water/eat under any tarp, not the one you sleep under, then carry it with you when you hike out?