How to Protect Food From Bears and Critters

If your campsite has special food storage lockers, use them. Your next best option is to pack your food in a bear-safe food container, and store this container outside your tent, in a location where is won't roll away. Often the Park Service will rent them, or you can rent or buy them at an outdoor equipment store. But, if you don't have a locker or bear-safe container, you should hang your food.

Things You'll Need

  • 100 Ft. Of Parachute Cords
  • 2 Plastic Garbage Bags
  • 2 Stuff Sacks
  • airtight, resealable bags
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put all food and garbage into sealable, airtight bags, such as Ziploc bags. Divide these bags of food and other odoriferous equipment into two piles of equal weight.

    • 2

      Put each pile into a separate plastic garbage bag. Tie the bags shut and put each bag into its own stuff sack.

    • 3

      Tie a rock to one end of a 100-foot length of parachute cord, then throw the rock and cord over a strong, sturdy tree branch 20 to 30 feet off the ground and 8 to 10 feet away from the tree trunk.

    • 4

      Tie one filled stuff sack to one end of the parachute cord using a sturdy knot, and hoist that bag off the ground until it reaches the tree branch.

    • 5

      Untie the rock.

    • 6

      Tie the taut cord in your hand to the second stuff sack full of food, leaving a loop in the knot. Remember, you're still holding the first bag in the air.

    • 7

      Stuff all the excess parachute cord into the stuff sack.

    • 8

      Push the lower bag up with your hands. The first bag will come down as you push up the second, since they are counterbalancing each other over the limb.

    • 9

      Use a sturdy stick to push up the bottom of the stuff sack even more so it's out of reach of a bear (at least 12 to 15 feet high).

    • 10

      Use the loop in the second knot to retrieve the bags. Put a stick in the loop and pull downward.