Since this thread has morphed into a food storage discussion since I last saw it, I'll weigh in. According to a personal straw poll, more food has been invaded, and more damage done, by mice than by bears.


My personal record includes a pack, food bag, and camp towel ruined by a nasty little ermine in the Rockies, and a food bag and several food containers (remember those refillable tubes for PB&J?) chewed apart by ravens in the US San Juan Islands. Both of those were in daylight, during short stops for a break, with me less than twenty feet away for a few minutes to get some water. My best friend got a hole chewed in his tent, while he was in it and awake, by mice going after an empty cookie box. I once set a bag of tortillas down behind me for a few seconds as I packed, and when I picked it up, it had a small hole chewed it. I've learned to never leave my food unguarded, or unattended, even for "just a sec."

All of those experiences were in well-pounded camp or picnic sites, as frequently seen on most bike tours. I'm a little less vigilant on hiking trips in the back country.

I've heard credible first-hand reports of some very aggressive bears. One was a guy on the PCT, coyote camping with his head on his food bag, and a bear took it out from under his head as he slept. Another, also on the PCT, had her bear container open right beside her, and a bear reached in from behind her to grab something out of it.