From: Trekrdon@aol.com
Date: Tue Dec 04 2001 - 10:43:44 CST
AS usual Singe is perceptive and astute. I read a roport from Great Smoky
Mntn Nat Park where Rangers had proved that some human-food habituated bears
recognized stuff sacks, backpacks, picnic baskets and coolers and tore them
open even if they were empty and had NEVER HAD FOOD IN THEM !!!
Bears are smart! Think of them as really big, slightly grumpy, racoons.
The only recorded death in GSMNP due to bear attack is still a mystery as to
"motive" and what the poor woman could have done differently.
The well documentd stories from Yosemite and other parks about bears breaking
into cars and diving out of trees onto bear bags prove how resourceful bears
can be and when they get hungry due to food shortage - they focus on finding
any possible food source, 24/7!
Can we be too careful about smellables? It is a common problem - how much
security is enough, how much safety is enough, how much hurricane
preparedness is enough..ETC.
How about we just let Philmont and their dedicated staff set the guidelins
and then go along with them as best as we can, be vigilant and use our common
sense to make sure our Scouts are as safe as we can make them.
BTW - since I am a certified LNT Trainer and give classes to people I would
love to find any references anyone has to research or data showing that bears
are attracted to film. I have read about them being attracted to areas
sprayed with pepper spray! But not to the actual spray containers.
People find this sort of stuff fascinating.
YIS
Don Hall
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