Storing your food properly at night is not just a skill that’s good for you, it’s also good for the wildlife around you. Learning to associate humans with food will alter an animal’s foraging instincts and they can quickly become pests. When animals become pests, it’s generally very bad news for them. For example, if a bear learns that humans provide easy meals, they will frequent established campsites looking for human food. When that happens, the bear might have to be relocated or even put down. So protect your food as best as possible. If not for your sake, for the animals. Take your food with you when you’re on a backpacking trip. Even if you’re setting up a base camp and doing day hikes, you should always bring your food bag. Small rodents can easily chew through a shelter or a backpack to get into your food supply if it is left unattended which will ruin your gear and your meals. When it comes to nighttime food storage, there are two common methods that backpackers use. 1) The fist technique is to keep food away from animals by hanging it in a bag that will be out of reach. This method is commonly referred to as bear bagging and there are a few different effective techniques to do it. 2) The second technique is to put your food in a container that animals won’t be able to get into. Bear canisters and Ursacks are two common tools used for this method and both are quite effective. Bear Bag PCT Style: If you’re planning to use the bear bag method, which is still very common, make sure you do it correctly. Bears are very smart and a poorly hung bag won’t be much of a challenge for a smart bear. For this method you’ll need: lightweight chord, a weatherproof sack for food, a small carabineer, and a small stuff sack for holding a rock. 1) First, put all of your food and any strong smelling items in your weatherproof sack. Some backpackers use odor resistant bags to reduce the scent of your food as well. 2) Find a tree with a solid trunk and a tall branch (about 20 feet or so) that sticks out at least 4 feet from the base of the tree. Picking the correct tree and branch is key. 3) Next, tie a rock to the end of a lightweight nylon rope or use a small stuff sack to hold your rock. Tie the other end to an anchor tree, so you don’t loose the entire rope up in the tree. 4) Then toss the rock and rope over the tree branch. Repeat this step until you get it right. 5) Tie your carabineer to the end of the rope and clip your food bag to the carabineer. Clip the other end of your rope through the carabineer and pull the bag up to the top of the limb. 6) With your food bag at the top of the branch, tie a stick into the rope. 7) When you let the bag down, this stick won’t allow the rope to pass through the carabineer, so your food bag will be suspended in the air. Make sure your bag is hanging at least 12 feet in the air and at least 4-5 feet away from any trees. 8) If you can’t get your bag far enough away from the base of the tree, lower the bag and use the alternate PCT method. Don’t clip the rope into the carabineer this time, pull the bag up to the limb and tie the stick into the rope. Then lower the bag and clip the rope into the carabineer. Now the stick won’t let the bag slide any farther up the rope so you can pull it away from the tree and tie off the base to another tree. Tie the rope high so bears won’t be able to claw at it. Bear bagging can be effective if done correctly, but there are some downsides to this method. It will take time and practice to perfect your method. A poorly hung bag will be an easy target for bears. Finding the right trees can sometimes be difficult. And even if you do your absolute best, there are some very determined bears out there that might be able to get into your food. The alternative to bear bagging is placing your food in a sealed container that animals won’t be able to get into. Bear Canisters and Ursacks are the two containers that are most commonly used. This method will save you time and give you more piece of mind about the safety of your food, but it will also require you to carry more weight. Whatever method you choose to use, always make sure to secure your food and scented items before you turn in for the night. Remember, it’s for the animal’s protection as much as it is for your own.

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