Anybody that goes out into bear country needs to know how to hang a bear bag. Keeping your food safe from Bears is an absolute necessity if you want to stay safe. You can either get a canister like the bear vault or simply hang a bag. Most people are going to have enough room in their pack for a large a canister, so their only option is a bag. If you’re new to hiking and camping you might not know how to prepare for Bears. Luckily hanging a bear bag isn’t hard.
Why Hang a Bear Bag?
It might seem obvious to some, but there’s a lot of hikers that don’t prepare for a country. Bears have a really good sense of smell and they’re always on the lookout for food. Keeping your food in camp is never a good idea when there’s a local bear population. It’s always a good idea to keep your camp at least 200 feet away from your bear bag and cooking area.
But I’m Not in Bear Country
Bears aren’t the only nuisance animal that will try and get into your food. Raccoons, the thieves of the forest, will be quick to get an easy lunch if not properly stored. You don’t want to wake up to a raccoon licking your toothpaste tube. For this reason you should always hang a bag even if there isn’t any risk of bears. It really isn’t all that hard.
Choosing A Bear Bag
There’s really only two requirements for choosing a bag. The bag has to be big enough and strong enough to hold all of your food, and be completely waterproof. You don’t have to spend a lot on a bag, I like to use the larger size Sea to Summit Waterproof bags for mine. They are big enough to carry a lot of food, sturdy enough to hang from a tree and completely waterproof. What more can you ask for!
You’re also going to need some strong and lightweight cord that can be found at any sporting goods store. I like to grab about 50 foot of lightweight reflective nylon cord that I can use for more than just a bear bag.
Different Bear Bag Methods
There are a few different methods to successfully tie your bag up into a tree. Most people will be able use the simplest bag tying method. The only time you might have issues is when you’re camping in heavily trafficked areas. If you’re going somewhere like Yellowstone Park, where Bears have a lot of access to humans, they’ll quickly learn how to slash the rope. For the majority of camping throughout the eastern coast the simple method will work well.
Where to Hang Your Bear Bag
You should never store, cook or eat where you plan to camp. Bears have a keen sense of smell and will go anywhere that food has been cooked or eaten. That could be anytime during your dinner or late into the night. Always make sure you store your food at least 200 feet away from your camping location. You should also setup your cooking station at least 200 feet away from your campsite as well.
The Easiest Way to Hang a Bear Bag
This method is by far the easiest way to hang a bear bag, but it is susceptible to slashing. With this method you can quickly setup your bag in a matter of minutes.
What You Need
- 40-50 feet of cord with a carabiner attached to each end
- Full Size Bear Bag
- Small Stuff Sack Optional
- Take your long cord and attach a carabiner to the end of it. If you forgot to bring a carabiner you can simply tie the end to your bear bag.
- On the other end of your cord attach a small stuff sack with a couple rocks inside. You can alternatively attach the rope to a stick or rock, but that’s easier said than done.
- Find a tree with a branch hanging horizontally from the trunk of the tree. Your branch should be at least 15 feet high so that your bag can hang 12 feet off the ground and 6 feet from the tree. Bears are crafty and you wouldn’t believe some of the places they can reach. The bag also needs to hang a few feet below your branch so that the bear can’t climb onto the branch and reach down.
- Take your little stuff sack with your rock and toss it over your branch. When you get it over the branch slowly lower the small bag down until you can snag it.
- Unclip the small bag and hoist your bear bag up into the tree until it’s 6 feet above the branch and 12 feet off the ground.
- When the bag is up in the air walk the long end of your rope over to the tree or an adjacent tree and tie the rope onto the tree. Any basic knot should secure the bag onto the tree.