[pct-l] BEAR AVOIDANCE - - - BEAR REPELLENT

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

On Jan 23, 2009, at 7:19 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> In Kentucky I've seen campsites that were littered with Moth  
> Balls.  When I
> asked what it was about they told me, to keep snake away.  I think  
> these
> might replace the "anti-snake & bear tone generator."

Oh lovely. It's bad enough that Section A is littered with the trash  
of novice thru-hikers (I don't believe immigrants pack Clif bars and  
other stuff like that). Now we're encouraging people to litter the  
place with toxic moth balls. (I know you aren't encouraging this, but  
I hope nobody thinks this is a good idea.)

If people are so terrified by wildlife, they should stay in the city.

Snakes are nothing to worry about. Just don't harass them or step on  
them and everything will be fine. If one is in your way, thump the  
ground and wait for him to leave. If he won't leave, just walk a very  
wide space around him or toss a few lightly thrown rocks in his  
direction. Snakes are beautiful. Powerful, lithe, interesting creatures.

Every time the bear can talk comes up the fear on this board gets  
whipped into a frenzy. Just don't be stupid. Buy the biggest bear  
can. Your food won't fit in anything less. Probably won't fit in the  
biggest one, either. If you haven't hiked for months at a time,  
you're going to underestimate your hunger. You will be WAY hungrier  
than you have ever been. At least you won't have any toiletries to  
put in it. What's the point of those?

Put your food in the bear can, put the bear can away from your camp  
and retrieve it in the morning. Yawn. A boring ritual that just about  
ensures nothing will happen. Bears have learned about the bear cans.  
You're going to be fine.

I enjoyed seeing bears on the trail. They were usually so terrified  
when they saw me they ran like I didn't know they could. It was  
always so disappointing. But for a second or two they didn't notice  
me and it was great to see them, even if I was quaking just a bit. I  
never saw them in the Yosemite area, except for the car camp at  
Tuolumne Meadows. I saw them before and after, though, and lots of  
tracks!

I saw a little fox running down the trail toward me near Burney  
Falls. He had no idea I was there for a very long time. It was  
wonderful to see an animal not behaving in fear. As soon as he saw me  
his facial expression changed and he ran like heck. Too bad. He was  
so cute.

If only the birds didn't curse and flee from me and saw me as one of  
their friends, I would have had an even better time with the wildlife.

What would you rather experience out there? Moth balls and the  
sterility of ordinary human life, or a world you don't normally live  
in? Don't be stupid but don't be so full of fear you don't experience  
things, either. Or worse, leave the area a disgusting trash heap of  
toxic crap.