It is. I was much more afraid of the cow with calf. She gave me a look I'll never forget. It's just that it played out over three hours and few would believe even the smallest parts of it. I had that bear almost climbing a tree at one point.

So now I'm thinking….

When the bear took my gas bottle, I was yelling and running at him hoping to prevent him taking anything. (same with the paddle)  He took it instead of my juice bottle or tripod, ran to the edge of camp where there was sparse bushes or a little tree and turned so I could see him bite down on it. Pfffst. Arrrgh. Then he ran off for not much longer than usual.

If I ever took pepper spray, I might leave it sitting by the fireplace. Nothing has ever messed with my toothpaste and that's always been available.

Friend of mine use to leave his unwashed cocoa cup on the ground at night. We all thought the two little mouse turds that were in it in the first morning would stop that behavior but nooooo. Eh, at least we'd always know how much it rained.

I aree ST- I haul with much thicker cord.