read account of paddler w/dog and stalking bear on myccr last month. sounded like the bear was after the dog but who knows for sure.

Thanks, there were other intersting things there too. (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links).

lotalota -  what do you think about your DVD idea being web accessible as well? Perhaps they could cover a number of topics individually to reduce download times? I just feel that right before beginning a trip is the absolute worst time to attempt to educate. During the planning stages would be much better IMHO. If all your food is in a garbage bag inside a Duluth... - new thought - maybe the Friends should sell bear proof barrels and trowels. The park already gives out HUGE bright yellow garbage bags and has for years.

PM - I never have taken apart my hanging rope configuration. (+ST) I start wrapping it up in the pack down position just 'cause it's faster to (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links).

I've had very little success in hanging my packs.  I never seem to get the right combination of trees to make it work.  Alas . . .    I have usually taken my food pack and put it under my canoe, placing the cleaned cookpots and dishes on the bottom of the canoe to "dry" overnight.  Had the canoe tipped once and the racket of the clanging dishes spooked Mr. Bruin and woke me up, enough to make enough noise to shoo him off.  But a persnickety or tenacious bear would probably get my food anyway, under a canoe or in a tree.  I'm intrigued by the personal alarm method and might consider adding that to the "canoe method" arsenal.

As for the pleasantness of bears north or south, I live my not BW/Q life in Pennsylvania where bears are close to outnumbering humans these days.  A black bear in the 600-900 pound range is not unheard of.  In fact, I have seen multiple 600+ bears in the last few weeks on the mosey for fattening.  Those were sows.  I saw an 800+ garbage bear last Saturday.  Lying on his side and scratching on a tree next to a busy highway, he was at least 6 1/2 feet tall.  Lots of Jersey and NYC lookey-loos had gotten out of their cars for a gander.  Not smart with a garbage-fed, grizzly-sized black bear who doesn't give a rip about humans or their cars.

Anwyay, as for dogs and bears.  My experience has been:  keep your dog and bears far apart.  If my dog is barking and outside at night around here, the dog comes in and gets the muzzle.  I know of more than one person who's dog's barking has pissed the bear off and they wound up with a dead or severly-wounded pup.  If your dog's not leashed, they often will get bold (read: Stupid Dog Syndrome) and chase them only to wind up as I mentioned before.

Dogs might be a good alarm in the BW/Q or north, but they are more of a hazard than a help IMO; even though I love to have them with me, I choose a kennel or friend to pet them while I'm away.

Wow, nunbet10 get a license, those big bears you talk about  outweight the Penn State record by at least 67lbs( State record is 733). Must be something in the water out there.

cedarboy