Grizzly Bear Deterrents while Backpack Camping (increased safety while sleeping)

[elkhuntinfool78]

I always invite a new hunter along when I'm in thick grizz country. Make them sleep in a separate tent at least 50 yards from me. I always wait for them to go to sleep first after which I throw a slab of bacon outside their tent and smear a little honey on the tent fly. Oddly enough I've never hunted with the same guy twice.

 

[Cornbread]

I always invite a new hunter along when I'm in thick grizz country. Make them sleep in a separate tent at least 50 yards from me. I always wait for them to go to sleep first after which I throw a slab of bacon outside their tent and smear a little honey on the tent fly. Oddly enough I've never hunted with the same guy twice.

And make sure you run faster than him!

 

[elkhuntinfool78]

And make sure you run faster than him!

Exactly.....lol

 

[jejack26]

Ear plugs work for me

 

[ismith]

Steer clear of menstruating women.

 

[Dubz337]

My buddy made this little "bear fence" after shooting an elk in a high grizz area this past Sept. The idea is that you hear the bear knocking sticks over and be able to gram your sidearm or spray.
View attachment 311040

Bonus of this is some granola will stumble upon it later and think they’ve found proof of Bigfoot

 

[RSET]

Hey folks! Experienced backpack hunter here in Montana and Idaho, often in pretty serious Griz country. I don't plan on not doing this any time soon, but every dang year there seem to be more and more serious Griz incidents in or near my hunting areas. In the last ten years my hunting crew has sprayed one angry sow with cubs, thrown a compound bow at a Grizzly in chaotic close-distance self-defense (it worked), and we have lost a cow Elk to a Grizzly.

It's time I think about boosting my camp defense, particularly while sleeping, and while solo. For better or worse, I am way less concerned when with a buddy or two, but we should probably boost our defenses as well. Current tactics in order of effectiveness:

1. hanging food in trees far from camp
2. sleeping with sidearm and spray ready
3. sometimes sleeping with earbuds in so that my ignorance of sounds outside the tent magically keeps me safe
4. peeing in a circle around my tent as a force field

In all seriousness, is anyone doing anything that makes them feel particularly safe while backpacked into Griz country? Electric fences, other deterrents? Thanks!

My NPS and USGS training was the golden triangle: food, tent, cooking area >= 100 yards from one another. I’ve had griz and black bears in my camp without incident…most just passed right through, some within a few feet of my tent (confirmed by tracks). Highly recommend Stephen Herrero’s book Bear Attacks: their causes and Avoidance. If you’re unfamiliar with the author, look him up - he knows his bears. Other than that, embrace the fact that going out by bear attack makes you a legend.

 

[RSET]

Steer clear of menstruating women.

And Wynona’s BBB?

 

[schoolhousegriz]

I hunt in grizzly country often but never have slept solo in the backcountry in Grizzly country. When I am with a group I feel much safer. I have ran into them solo before and it has gone well. As far as sleeping in the backcountry I have heard of people making serious barriers with downed trees to where it would be impossible for a bear to get into camp with out making a ruckus. I would say make a thick barrier then get an electric fence inside the barrier and have a buddy or two with you. That would probably do the trick. It may take a minute but it's worth it if you sleep better.

One time I was sleeping in a tent in Grizzly country we were truck camping. I saw Grizzly a couple miles away and their were grizzly tracks within 200 yards of our tent everywhere. I had my keys with me in the tent. A couple times I heard something moving outside the tent wall and hit the alarm button on the key fob. Lights and Horn was blaring. Don't know what it was, probably a chipmunk , but it scared it off.

I am wondering if you could put some kind of an alarm or a radio outside of the tent and then turn it on with a remote if you heard something trying to get through the barrier. Or maybe you could have a bright light that you can turn on with a remote if you hear something? I hope some of this helps, have fun and be safe.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I find it interesting, even humorous, that there is so much discussion about having a barrier around the sleeping area, as though the griz is waiting out there for darkness and an opportuniity to sneak in and attack humans. Bear awareness 101 involves removing any odorous foodstuff or anything else away from where you sleep. Unless you are keeping your Snickers bar in the tent or in your pocket for a midnight snack, likely the griz will not be at all attracted to your tent.
Hunting season usually coincides with the bears' time of autumn hyperphasia, a time when bear awareness camping techniques are most important. The keen sense of smell of the bear also seems to be heightened and will cause the bear to investigate anything which might be food. So the bear aware techniques are the simple and real effective "deterrent"/defense.

 

[wyoboypt]

We just pee near the tent when we make camp for the night and hang the food nearby so if something gets into it we can hopefully hear him and blast it. But as far as I know we haven’t had anything come near us at night while backpacking absaroka wilderness. As mentioned, they aren’t looking for humans to eat and I think in general they shy away from human scent. Outfitters have had other experiences tho probly because they camp in the same camps every year and cook big meals in the tent.