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Steve Phlogiston Purveyor
Joined: 29 Jan 2002 Posts: 769 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell |
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Steve
Phlogiston Purveyor
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Tue May 14, 2002 8:19 am
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A few years ago I made a gore-tex bivy sack and have used it a few times and don't mind sleeping in it comfort-wise, but I get paranoid thinking about going into bear country where I know bears roam through camp (because I've seen them). I was in the Grand Valley two years ago and was in my bivy and had my hand over my forehead to keep the bug netting off my face when all of a sudden I feel my finger being bitten. I opened my eyes to see a deer sampling me. It makes me nervous that a bear might view me the same way and I assume would be a less pleasant experience than with a deer.
So my question for the bivy users is: Do you feel like a bear burrito when you are in one?
Do you avoid using one in bear country?
Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt.
Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt.
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Bear A. Noid Guest
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Bear A. Noid
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Tue May 14, 2002 11:25 am
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Your average bear can probably crack open the tent taco as easily as a bivy burrito. But that extra 12" of air sure feels protective!
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Dslayer Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2002 Posts: 652 | TRs | Pics Location: Home: Selah Work: Zillah |
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Dslayer
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Tue May 14, 2002 12:14 pm
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Tent or bivy sack doesn't make much difference to me in dispelling paranoia---I was afraid that some frolicking deer might trample me one night in my bivy sack up at Crag Lake in the Bumping drainage, they were playing and running around and I wasn't sure they wouldn't run right over the top of me as I slept in camp.
"The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights is my concealed weapon permit."-Ted Nugent
"The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights is my concealed weapon permit."-Ted Nugent
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polarbear Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 3680 | TRs | Pics Location: Snow Lake hide-away |
I talked with a guy who had backpacked on Vancouver Island. He had a bivy sack and said the thing he didn't like was the mice running over him all night.
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McPilchuck Wild Bagger
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 856 | TRs | Pics Location: near Snohomish, Wa. |
I have and use a Sierra West gortex top design 1-man bivi tent, it's great! Bought it at REI about 15 years ago for about $100.00.
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l;lkj;lk Guest
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l;lkj;lk
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Wed May 15, 2002 5:37 pm
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Your paranoia is justified. Statistically, speaking, tents are safer in bear country.
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janders Member
Joined: 11 Feb 2002 Posts: 86 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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janders
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Wed May 15, 2002 10:05 pm
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Quote: | Your paranoia is justified. Statistically, speaking, tents are safer in bear country. |
Could you explain please? I don't dispute what you're saying. Just curious to understand. Are people more likely to be attacked in a bivy v. a tent? Or just more likely to survive?
Any reasons why?
"Oh dang!" - Captain Amazing
"Oh dang!" - Captain Amazing
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MCaver Founder
Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Posts: 5124 | TRs | Pics
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MCaver
Founder
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Wed May 15, 2002 11:26 pm
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"Statistically speaking".....so where are these statistics? I'm certainly interested in research done on this.
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Dslayer Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2002 Posts: 652 | TRs | Pics Location: Home: Selah Work: Zillah |
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Dslayer
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Thu May 16, 2002 1:18 pm
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In the guidebooks I've read on Yellowstone and other bear country, they reccomend tents-they think that they are more imposing than a human lying on the ground or the smaller sacks. I don't know what stats verify that belief, but when it comes to grizzlies, I'll take their word for it, paticularly since they won't let you roam around armed.
"The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights is my concealed weapon permit."-Ted Nugent
"The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights is my concealed weapon permit."-Ted Nugent
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salish Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 2322 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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salish
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Fri May 17, 2002 10:21 am
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I'm thinking about a bivy as an emergency item. I hunt chukar on the high ridges of the L.T. Murray and Yakima River in the absolute worst winter conditions in December & January, and if you break a leg and have to spend the night an emergency space blanket just doesn't sound as good. How small can these bivy bags pack down to and how much do they weigh?
Thanks,
Cliff
My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
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Dslayer Member
Joined: 02 Jan 2002 Posts: 652 | TRs | Pics Location: Home: Selah Work: Zillah |
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Dslayer
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Fri May 17, 2002 1:04 pm
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Cablela's sells one that rolls up into about the size of a pop can for about 99$---it's not bad for summer, I've used it quite a bit--combined with a space blanket it would probably do the job for what you describe-that's pretty tough country.
"The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights is my concealed weapon permit."-Ted Nugent
"The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights is my concealed weapon permit."-Ted Nugent
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polarbear Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 3680 | TRs | Pics Location: Snow Lake hide-away |
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Slide Alder Slayer Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2002 Posts: 1960 | TRs | Pics
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I’m not a bear expert. My wife and I have had only one very close encounter with a large black bear during a hike on the Golden Lakes Loop. It was very anti-climatic, as soon as I said (Hey Bear!); the bear turned around and walked off.
I just know what I have read. As I understand, tents are confusing to bears.
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salish Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 2322 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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salish
Member
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Mon May 20, 2002 8:05 am
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Three summers ago I was fishing Hosmer Lake in the Oregon Cascades and had a bad encounter with a campground bear. We were in a large tent and this bear visited us three times in one night and kept circling our tent and trying to figure a way to get in. I'd see his great shaggy black head a couple of feet away from me through the mesh window and he'd huff & puff and stamp his feet. We had no food in the tent and our food was locked in coolers 15 feet away on the picnic table. None of us was wearing cologne, so we couldn't think of why this happened. We were thinking maybe the tents seam sealing was done with something strong.
Anyway, this bear was truculent, and we couldn't figure out why. We tried being quiet, yelling, etc, but he kept coming back to the tent. He eventually gave up and left and we fell asleep around 3am. In the morning we found his tracks all around our tent - back and forth, but very few around the food. Anyway, the point is if we had been sleeping on the ground in the open (as I usually do) or in a simple bag it might have been a little scarier. I think the tent actually confused the bear. And I have to say, it provided me with a little more composure.
Dslayer - thanks for the tip on the Cabelas bag.
My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.
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#19 Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 2197 | TRs | Pics
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#19
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Mon May 20, 2002 8:14 am
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