Heavy Alaskan Critters

[Capt Nemo]

What do you do to keep them from raiding?

I'm looking to be just above the treeline, so I can't hang the food. I'm thinking about an electric fence system around the camp. I don't know how bad the bears will be that high up.

 

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[mike(swWash)]

Winter or summer?

 

[Capt Nemo]

Summer.

 

[Goldfinger450]

The Bears- Grizzlies especially, travel up high when moving to fresh areas, I used to hunt the passes way up high, I would suggest that you carry a Big Bore pistol or rifle..

You will know right away about what kind of Bear problems may be ahead, they leave Big Ol Tracks, you may see Caribou, Dall sheep, Mountain goats, lots of Ptarmigan to supplement food supplies. Storing food may require a 55 gallon lock top drum anchored at least 75 yds from camp, an airdrop with a drag chute is usual method to get one in. I'll be glad to answer any questions you might have. Oh , watch out for the Pika's, I like to see them.

 

[Capt Nemo]

I'll be packing a underfolding AKM and 8M3 fragmenting hollow points in a 75 rnd drum.

On the fence, I'm looking at a 50 yd square perimeter fence hooked to a 100 mile solar fence charger. That should give enough juice to make the critters not want to come back.

All food will be in #10 cans, so I doubt there will be much food smell to the unopened cans. But once they're opened, that's another story. Empty cans will get washed out, then burned to get the smell out and stored in Fabreeze scented garbage bags.

 

[Sockeye1730]

Fences generally work. Get two setups--one for your camp and one for your food cache / cook tent. Keep anything smelly out of your tent at night...toothpaste, deodorant etc..

 

[winners58]

don't know if you saw this page or not, lots of good info...
Living With Bears, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

 

[Oddjob]

Drums works great in a city range where everything is nice and clean, but in the bush not so much.

 

[63bkpkr]

It is unlikely that this suggestion will do much good for you due to high winds above tree line but just incase: To protect my vehicle/camp I use Cayenne Pepper on all windows, around the tent etc. Since adopting this method I no longer have bear prints all over my truck and the rubber strips that hold the windows in place are all in place when I return to the truck. I figured that Bears use their noses a lot to understand what is out there be it up high (windows) or down low (the ground).

Whatever you use it has to be strong with the drum lid latches held shut with something simple (wire, spring clips). Also with drums, they roll once tipped over and above tree line it may be difficult to keep the drums from rolling back down to the tree line. Best of success with your adventure!................63bkpkr

 

[Capt Nemo]

I did find a couple of well used game trails down to the stream in aerial photos of the location, so I expect predators will follow.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Do what 63bkpkr said. I had a guy from Alaska who worked oil field say they used to carry pounds of coarse black pepper to pour around their food. The only problem with bears he ever mentioned was getting the crap scared out of them when one would sneak up and get a nose full of pepper and go snorting and sneezing as it ran off in the middle of the night.