I cut the directions off the box, if there is one. Makes for a dry/handy fire-starter, sooner or later.

"One note of caution that I heard is that the best way to attract a bear is to burn food."

well, maybe, if you load your canoe with sugar and burn it.  Doesn't seem like there would be much difference between burning the leftovers and cooking the same food originally  (mmmmn bacon).  In a hot fire, the leftovers would probably burn up pretty quickly - and compared to what, burying the leftovers - that would also likely attract bears if it wasn't buried good and deep.  I odn't normally have leftovers - if anything, it would be fish remnants from fish that was cooked over the fire - don't see that burning thr remains would make that big a difference.

An interesting debate (as are most debates where each side thinks they are right).

I am very much inclined to burn any trash and/or leftovers in a nice hot fire. The thought never occurred to me that I might be wrong. (It's still not occurring to me  ). But I might be! I mean, who really knows.

The thing I do know is that a bears nose is a true marvel. Burn your leftovers and that nose will likely tell him it's not food any longer. Try and bury it.....well, that's REALLY asking for trouble. You can carry it with you, chuck it in the lake, or just leave it after you break camp.

The last three options are not really options at all, are they? That pretty much leaves burning. UNLESS, of course, there is a fire ban.......now things get interesting don't they? Did you think ahead? 

Yea well, have one sniffing through the tent inches from your arm and you might sing a different story when the hair on the back of your neck actually goes up. That happened to me just this spring in Algonquin. If we would of had an empty snickers wrapper in the tent things may have turned out different.

20 years backpacking/tripping.....my black bear encounters
1) two close encounters with blacks in Glacier. One I had to chase out of the food eating area and one just off the trail. I made a mistake with the one on the trail by yelling at it. I put two unseen cubs up a tree. Yes the blacks are less protective but still a mistake
2) 3 separate sighting in Quetico
3) had food swiped and had bear approach tent in BWCA
4) laid siege for a surprisingly long time in Algonquin this past spring. Tracks around our tent, dry bags batted around and the freaky sniffing by my arm
5) bear swam in front of my canoe (excellent!) on my French river trip this fall

It is not silly or foolish to have respect of things that can deprive you of your life or at the very least make life complicated as in the case of a bear taking your supplies. I am equally "fearful" of camping under a dead tree. Rather unlikely it's going to fall on me right? I mean I would have a better chance of hitting the lotto........

Wow!  I often wonder what I'm doing wrong/right to have such a dirth of bear sightings.

Respect is one thing.  Worries need to be metered against likelihood, that's all I meant.

I would add that whatever it (legally) takes for one to feel secure out there is totally ok for them.  If you need a rabbit's foot, then by all means carry a rabbit's foot.

I've directly known as many people who have had that tree fall on them as who have been hurt by a bear, 1 each.


Back to leftovers.  Often it's an eyes bigger than stomach issue.  Solo I eat A LOT less than if I'm with others.  Burn 'em, zip-lock 'em, stick 'em in a Fair Share Mug, pack 'em out, eat 'em later.  If you get caught more than twice, take a good look at your portion control & knock it down 1/3.  It's easy to go a little hungry, or munch a piece of toast.