I am not a real old timer. However, I have been on Five BWCA trips and one Quetico trip, most of the trips have been in fairly popular areas (so they have been known to have bear problems), and have never had a bear problem, and have never seen a bear . I may have been lucky, but we hang our packs and keep our campsite clean. So the only thing I bring to protect myself from a bear is rope.
I have seen bear tracks and signs, but this has been my experience. But from reading the various forums regarding others experiences with this subject you have more of a chance to injure yourself in some way than worrying about some type of bear attack.

Posted by Phil/TX on March 22, 2001 at 09:41