RE: [Philmont]: Bear Bags

> From: Tom Lindtveit
> I would hate
> to see Philmont adapt canisters because I think everyone on the crew
> would have to carry one in order to store 3 days of food. We are
> beginning the "canister fight" up here and I am firmly agin it, but I
> won't get into it here. Lets just say that whatever works for
> you should suffice.
>
Just for the record, for those not familiar with canisters, they
don't take up extra room and hardly much extra weight. They fit
just fine into the pack, and they only cause a problem if you are
silly enough to pack them empty. Ya gotta carry the stuff that goes
in the canisters anyway, and if you don't have enough to fill all the
canisters at any particular point, you can fill them with other things
from your pack to keep them from increasing your bulk. They actually
help the external backpack folks by giving you something round and
unpokey against your back :-).
We have a lot of black bears around here to, but they have not yet
gotten our bags hung with the balance method down. We have watched
them bat around a canister until they got bored, though :-).

The important thing, however, is to find a method that bears rarely
get into. It is, after all, for the protection of the bears, not
our stuff. Once they learn how to get in, that bear is marked
for death, and we certainly don't want that, now do we?

FWIW, our troop had a bear attack about 12 years ago (it's
featured in our local training films). No one knows why, but the kid
got his scalp ripped open. He was sewn together and continued in
scouting. We are definitely a troop that is considerably "bear aware."

Regards
Don Roberts

-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Mon Dec 27 17:34:49 2004