Woods Walker, you are right on the mark as to the real reason why we use blue barrels these days.  It really isn't bear control, (although we do separate the barrels at night to prevent total thievery) it is more to keep the mice and squirrels at bay.  Over the years, we have had more issue with mice chewing holes into otherwise good packs and spoiling food.  No more with the blue barrels.  I also echo your idea of a clean camp.  No dirty dishes at bedtime.  I don't want camp swarming with mice and other varmits (including bears) licking the plates, pots and pans.  

We use the blue barrels exclusively for food.  In camp, we have a mesh 'dish rack' that we use to hang and store washed dishes where they hang and dry and are easily accesible.

Anyway...

WW
Your mostly probably right. Ever since I read a few books on bears prior to heading into Glacier I developed a new perspective. I've had 4 close encounters including a blackie in Glacier which I had to convince to leave the cooking area. 2 were in canoe country which were habituated bears and were immune to yelling etc.

Your right on the button with odor control. If they can't smell it they don't usually mess with it. They are very much like a dog in that respect. The first thing your dog does every time you greet is to smell you and confirm it's you. A bears world is its sniffer. A blue barrel, if sealed properly, should reduce problems :question

While I'm not paranoid or fearful to venture into the woods alone (for several years I spent the fall and early winter months all day everyday off-road in the backcountry) I have certainly developed a heightened realization of their potential to cause problems. 

mastertangler wrote on Apr 21^st, 2010 at 11:54am:


Well the pots & pans are to wake me up, not scare a bear... I am a bear hunter, so I have dealt with them at bait stations & they are more scared of me then I am of them.... if it doesn't smell like food or look like food they loose interest fast when they get yelled at.... most can be scared off even when they are on a bait eating. Alot of the encounters are over-exaggerated.

I bring the barrel to keep my food & cook gear clean, dry & easy to get at. I have had more of an issue in the past with mice & chipmunks eating holes in food packs or food containers. The barrel fixes that.

Bears don't worry me much.

Troy

Woods Walker,
I'm with you on the blue barrel cutting down on a bruins interest level due to being airtight ("the eagle saw it, the deer heard it, the bear smelled it".........indian proverb) but to keep it in camp still raises the red flag for me, alarm system or not. A big determined bear is going to ignore you and your alarm. Been there, done that.

If that were my system I would set the barrel out of the immediate campsite, probably not far, and slap a black stuff sack over it. Of course it would look so much like a stump you would probably want a small strip of orange survey tape in the tree above so in those predawn morning starts you can find it easy.

(Instead of the survey tape I use a reflective "runners safety band" so my light hits it in the morning, attaches via velcro).

AND, you gotta have a stove. Bring it, you don't have to use it.

I like the two seat idea of the two 30's. If you go that way just make sure to pack them the same weight all the time or the pack will be a pain on portages.

BTW... I don't stash my barrel in the woods anymore, I strap it to a tree in camp & hang my pots & pans from it for an alarm system... as mentioned before they are NOT bear proof, but are scent proof. So unless a bear has found food in a barrel before it will not associate the barrel with food.

Just don't use it to cook on & I also agree that a stove is required gear... wouldn't consider a trip with out one.

Troy

I've always thought blue barrels were a misplaced attempt at being responsible; inconvenient at best, yet a step up from the norm. That said, I do believe Bart just made the most succinct pro argument for two 30's that I will ever see.

It gets kinda pricey that way though doesn't it?

OK, I'll be a revisit contrare (not sure that's a aword, but it sounds good).  I like the two 30s packed inside a kondos pack.  Reason: 1) It is easier to find what you are looking for if you pack the barrels strategically  2) It is easier to wrestle two smaller barrels than one larger.  3) Two barrels mean two seats in camp. 4) In camp (if you stash), 'stash' your barrels apart at night.  If the bruin gets barrel "#1", you'll most likely still have barrel "#2" that he never saw.  

Yeah, 60L.

Why no stove?  You're adding up to an hour to the cook time of every hot meal plus the need to gather firewood regardless of how crappy the weather is plus the need to douse the fire.  You could get caught in a fire ban situation.  You could get caught in a downpous situation with firewood sucking large.  Stove is required gear imo.  A tent is optional, a stove is not.

I love fire, good old caveman TV.  Sometimes it's not worth the effort.  I like my coffee hot & ready in under 15 minutes from morning's first ball scratch.

Quote:


I'd go with the 60l, better too much room than not enough.
Algonquin is notorious for bear issues. Stash your food barrel away from camp, away from obvious animal trails or hang outside camp.

Blue barrels are NOT bear proof, a point I'm assuming you already know

When I was buying an outdoor motor years ago, a sage friend said, buy the biggest motor your boat will handle, or you'll always wish you did.

Same philosophy works with food barrels.  Get the 60.

prouboy