Re: toopid question #2

OK now that my families fears (founded or unfounded) have been eased i will only ask one more toopid question regarding bears. We have recently heard ads for the mint scented trash bags that keep rodents away. The claim is that mint odor is overpowering to extremely keen senses of smell. I was curious if anyone had ever heard or tried this before?

Sumbuddy told ewe not to worry bout bears? Huh

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As to be expected there were varying opinions from no problem to bang some pots and pans. Although my favorite came from eeek. Shoo the bear away and go back to sleep. Call me a wuss but shooin and sleepn aint happenin in the same night for me personally.

No worries from a fellow wuss.

Wuss gonna post this video from earlier this year with title "Why I don't worry about Bears".
So ear ewe go:



Last year posted this of mama and cubies:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,59597,59597#msg-59597

As for your question w/r to the bags... I now do not store anything in black garbage bags
that I actually want to use or see again. Even when 15 miles out there.
The white bags that are scented seem to work. (well... at least I didn't lose that stuff)
i.e. :
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,59773,59773#msg-59773

Saw three bears on that trip and one rattler.

Yosemite Bears are weiner dogs. One of things I'll probably always remember
is Z Old Dood at Lake Vernon literally running as fast as he could after a bear.
The bear wanted nuttin to do with Old Dood. (you draw the conclusion)


Have fun and don't worry!

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Thanks chick-on! Great info and vids as usual.

btw.... I normally don't sleep in a tent (or circus tent) ... just out in the open...
(unless it's snowing and such... (I'm not a complete idiot))
anywho... 90% of the time... no tent... you get the picture... now put bear can
within arms reach... that is where I keep it. In morning I cook right where I
sleep... never having to get out of my sleepy bag...
I've had long conversations with rangers about this to the effect of
"do you want to know what I really do or do you want me to just tell you the stock answer"

Moral of the story is simply... don't worry. This isn't Grizzly country.
Yosemite Bears are weiner dogs.

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chick-on


Moral of the story is simply... don't worry. This isn't Grizzly country.
Yosemite Bears are weiner dogs.

Speaking of grizzly country (and black bears also), the local news have been reminding viewers every night to put your bird feeders away. They will be waking up anytime...

And I've never seen a bear in Yosemite.

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chicagocwright
And I've never seen a bear in Yosemite.

You have a white cane?

Personally, I would not use garbage bags to store things in where animals are around. For animals that are around people, garbage bags = possibility of food. Even if there is no food, they might think there is and will rip the bag open and scatter whatever is inside.

Take the great chick-on's advice and don't worry about the bears and have fun. As long as you follow proper food storage and cook away from where you are sleeping and don't go running after any bears you see you will be fine. If a bear goes into your camp than make noise and when it goes away go back and get some sleep.

Maybe this story will make you feel better. One time when we were camping with a group of friends on the last loop of Upper Pines, I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Our site was not that close to the bathroom but I could see the light on the building so I did not take a flashlight. While walking to the bathroom, I kept hearing footsteps and heavy breathing but when I would stop to listen the sounds would stopped. We had some jokers camping with us and I thought it was one of them trying to scare me so I called out " I know it is one of you guys and you are not scaring me." I continued to walk to the bathroom and still heard the noises. As I got to where the restroom light was lighting up the area I looked and there was a bear that was to the side and just behind me. As I stood there it walked within feet of me and never even gave me a glance as it went by and continued walking towards another part of the campground. It was not following me - we just happened to be walking in the same direction.

Here is my story from last summer - with an appropriate quote by plawrence

I was in Upper Pines in August and the last night we were there, we were settling in - I asked my wife to take the trash out of the bear box so I could bring it to the disposal unit - I was going to go right after she and my daughter got back from the bathroom since she had the only headlamp - She was against it because she didn't want to attract any bears - We never see any bears when we are in Yosemite, always hear them (or the rangers chasing them at night) but never see them - My wife reluctantly takes the trash out and puts it at my feet (Big Mistake)

So here I am in front of the fire that was down to embers now, pretty dark, trash directly in front of me when I notice movement in my peripheral vision - This bear had stealthily come up and was less than 3 feet away from me, I didn't even hear it and of course it was eyeing my trash - I must have jumped 50 feet - I think the bear was more startled than me and split - I was completely flustered and just started yelling "Bear" "Bear" - Within seconds, rangers were there and they started chasing it out - 5 minutes later the Ghost Busters arrived with their various accoutrements - In the meantime, my wife comes back and gives me the headlamp so I can take the trash to the disposal unit - I find out this bear was 135 lb female that has been pretty aggressive, coming right up to campsites while campers are there

My wife was pretty upset since we are always so good about locking down the trash and the one time it was not in the bear box - we have an incident - I really thought that since the trash was right in front of me, it wouldn't happen but I was wrong - The good news is that the bear didn't get to the trash so no harm no foul - But for the next 30 minutes, my wife ragged on me for letting me talk her into having the trash out in front of me instead of keeping it in the box until she got back - Finally, I told her if she didn't stop, I wouldn't walk with her to the bathroom at night - I never heard another word - Of Course she was right and justified to be upset with me - From now on, I'll be leaving the trash in the box until I get the headlamp back - You really can't be too careful.

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plawrence

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SoCalCPA

I was going to go right after she and my daughter got back from the bathroom since she had the only headlamp

Actually, I think the moral of the story is that you should purchase a second headlamp.

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The bags will not work......as illustrated by SoCalCpa