How to Hang a Bear Bag (2024)

FAQs

How much cord do I need to hang a bear bag? ›

You'll need: 50 feet of cord. A fist-sized rock. A food-storage bag or stuff sack with your food.

Hanging is recommended, taught, and practiced by influential organizations and individuals even though it is less effective, less foolproof, less reliable, less efficient, and less safe than other food protection techniques, notably hard-sided canisters and (to a lesser degree) soft-sided bear-resistant food sacks.

Winter freezes hard enough that bear activity will be extremely limited, and populations won't be as dense as in places in the west. You can leave the canister at home (pending local regulations), but it's still a good idea to hang your food in an Ursack or similar protective food storage bag.

HANG A TWO-TREE BEAR BAG

Tie the other around one tree's trunk. ❸ Throw the rope over the first branch; pull out most of the slack, then throw it over the second tree's branch. ❹ Tie a loop in the cord at least 6 feet from each tree, and clip the food bag to it. ❺ Pull on the free end of the cord to hoist the bag.

Step 4: Attach Your Bags of Food (or Whatever)

Tie the heavier bag to one end of the paracord and hoist it high, almost to the branch. When that bag is off the ground, tie the lighter bag to the remaining paracord. You should have a very, very long end, but that's good!

In Picnic Areas and Campgrounds

In some parks, food may be stored inside your car as long as it is out of sight, with windows completely closed, and only during daylight hours; never store food in a pickup truck bed or strapped to the outside of a vehicle.

Recommended methods to “Scare the Bear” are to make loud noises (such as yelling, blowing a whistle, using an air horn), or use motion-activated devices like visual and audio alarms or water sprinklers, which can deter bears without anyone being present.

Despite being large apex predators, bears are usually scared of dogs. Even the smallest breeds, like Chihuahuas, have been known to scare away bears by barking. However, bears tend to ignore fenced-in or tethered-up dogs, as they recognize the dog doesn't pose a threat.

Arborist Throw Line. I use 50' feet of Zing-It and it weighs 1.05oz in a rock size stuff sack. Any rope will do, but some are better suited for the task; i.e. very light, strong, a smooth flat weave which will aid in sliding over the branch, and long enough.

We offer it for hanging your stuff in trees to keep it away from BEARS and other such critters. Dynaglide is light, small, insanely strong and causes less damage to trees than any other cord we know of in its class. Included is 50 feet of bright green Dynaglide Line.

How long should rope be for bear hang? ›

A 75 foot (23 meters) rope (at least ¼ inch thick - 6 millimeters), two carabiners, and stuff sacks are helpful. When using stuff sacks, don't hang the sack directly from the drawstring. Instead, wrap the string around the neck of the sack and tie it leaving a loop through which to clip a carabiner.

Stashing your BearVault

Never hang your canister in a tree; it is designed to be placed on the ground. Plus, if you happen to need something at night, it is easy to access. Before stashing your BearVault, check all your pockets and gear for any scented items like toothpaste, sunblock, or chapstick.