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"Poorly hung food bag". Exactly what I am to a bear.

My bear canister makes an incredible side table to make my food on as I sit in my backpacking chair. If you put enough stuff in it (jetboil cooking system, personal care items, etc) the space isn't too invasive, especially as the trip goes on and you have more room to replace food with trash/gear.

Pro hiker tip: Just wait for your hiking partner(s) to get their bear bag line strung. Then attach your foodbag to their line. Ta da!😂

Ha. I was trekking in Yosemite a number of years ago and watched as a bear followed the rope with his eyes from the bag to the point where the line was secured and promptly clawed through the line to drop the bag to the ground. They are smart beasts.

I prefer canisters. Keeps the bear and rodents out. Can be used as small table, seat, washing machine, hauling trash out, storage and can even be used for keeping the food safe. The bulk is not a problem since the empty space in the canister can be used to store items. At the end of the day this septuagenarian is usually too tired to be throwing things in the air. I store away my canister while others on the hike are still trying to find a suitable tree branch. One of my canisters have the teeth marks left by a bear. That bear also left all of my food untouched. Canisters work. My food was not crushed. I'm an older guy. Carrying the few extra grams of weight of a canister is for my comfort and is no problem at all.

As the ridgerunner on the AT in Great Smoky Mountains National Park I can attest how well our bear cables work. Not only are they at every trail shelter but every backcountry campsite. Game changing. They have also greatly eliminated the presence of mice in the shelters. Last month bears made off with two bear canisters during the night that had been placed on the ground under the bear cables. So far even the very ingenious bears haven’t been able to defeat the installed cables. They will however destroy an Ursack.

It's also a good idea to cook and eat well away from where you camp so your shelter and bedding don't smell like food. Even if you use a canister, it's never fun to be woken up in the middle of the night by a curious bear. Their noses are much stronger than even a dog's so if there's any scent at all they'll be able to pick it up from miles around.

Please critique this idea: Hang high in a tree so skinny that a human can barely climb it (and maybe bring a climbing aid which can be just a foot loop girth hitched around the tree). I bowhunt and was hanging my trail cameras 10 or so feet up and angling them downward. This is mostly to prevent theft. On bigger trees, black bears would still climb and check out/gnaw on/smack around the cams (I'm guessing they thought they might be a bee's nest with honey or just something new to check out). I started hanging my cameras on trees about as big around as a standard calf muscle at the base but so thin at the top that it was a bit sketchy (my weight would almost bend them over). I never had a bear hurt a camera after that. I guess a very young bear could have climbed it. Would a mama bear send her cub up a tree? Hasn't happened yet.

Ive been doing a 2 tree hang but instead of hanging the bag from a "clothesline," I attach 2 lines to the bag and then throw each line over the 2 separate tree branches. Then pull and tie off each line individually to hoist the bag up in the middle. This also allows you to pull the lines tighter if needed to adjust for sag. And seems to avoid line breakage

Love your videos! You just reinforced my current thinking on food protection. Bear cannisters are heavy but so worth it for piece of mind. The last thing I want to do at the end of a long backpack in is mess with a bear bag. Some times I will also put food underwater in a lake. Keep up the high quality videos!

Using slingshot to fire a round, lead fishing weight tied to fishing line will help you quickly and accurately get the line over a branch, then tie the fishing line to a heavier cord and pull the cord over the branch.

This is a well produced, concise, and educational video. I'm very glad I watched it. As a briefly engaged conservation worker and a hunter this is a big topic in my mind. I have basically resorted to the policy of just keeping my food on my body and having my presence be the deterrent. But I have NOT spent time in habituated areas like the adirondacks in a very long time. But there are high bear areas in my upcoming season so I will probably be checking this out.

I did a thru hike of the AT last year and carried a Bearikade Weekender the whole time. The bears on the AT can get into the Ursacks. The forest service wants you to hang everything now. If I did the AT again I would carry the hard sided can and hide it .

The PCT style bear hang is my go-to but you are right, in CO it is really hard to find the ideal tree to pull it off. There is another style that I have tried a couple times and like it a lot. It also uses two trees, but this time you only need one long rope. In the middle of the rope you tie a loop knot like a figure 8 on a bight. Then, you throw each end of the rope over branches about 15ft off the ground on trees separate by 10-12ft. Clip your bag to the loop, retrieve the ends and bring them together then pull on them to raise the bag. You can either tie each off to a lower branch on each tree once you know how much length you need or stake them down to the ground at and angle. Works really well and saves a lot of time.

I went with the Bearikade Weekender canister for my hikes and I've been very pleased. It was expensive but I feel it will last a lifetime. It's lightweight, easy to pack and as stated by many here, can be used in a few ways besides just a food container. I did apply a few dots of reflective tape around it to make it easier to spot at night/low light. So far no bear encounters but I'm confident my breakfast will be there in the morning if one ever does come poking around. If it's too expensive for your budget, they rent them as well. I rented a Weekender for a three day hike in the Rockies. It was a simple process and the canister impressed me so much that I ordered one.

what a phenomenal video! thanks for the multiple perspectives and priorities!!

I use the double rope method. Basically u tie your bag to 2 separate ropes with a carribeaner. You need 2 trees. Find a thick branch up like 15-20 ft on first tree. One line over and tie. Other tree is away from it and u throw rope over a thick branch and pull tight. Should suspend you bear bag up. Takes all of 10 min. You can do with any tree....

Dyneema cord, which is slick and super strong, made a great addition to my kit. It slides over branches really well and I think it would take a LOT of friction or abuse to snap. I live in a place with lots of hardwood so finding a tree isn't terribly hard. I don't want to go the canister route as it would introduce too many changes to my pack and general setup to accommodate that large cylinder.

I have one of those bear canisters that is clear / blue, with a black lid. When the sun hit it, it would COOK everything in it. I painted the lid white and the inside white. Problem solved. I also added some reflective stripes, to make it easier to find, if a bear moves it away. The manufacturer told me, which paint type was safe for the canister and lid.

Living near the Sierras, I've grown accustom to using bear canisters (Lighter 1 Lil' Sami and Bearakade). I tried using a bear hang a few times, but as mentioned in the video it's time consuming. I also tend to be very forgetful. I find things I forgot to put away or remember something I need. Having to hang and rehang a bag would be a hassle. The problem with the Ursack is that I put scented items with my food. If a bear was to smash the sack, all the scented items would get everywhere. Canisters just seem to be the best solution for me.

Excellent advice on using one line to the whole job. I camp in grizzly territory regularly and this will be helpful. Thank you.

For years now we have just taken bear cans whatever the requirements of the area. It’s more weight to carry but the convenience, speed of use and peace of mind make it worth it for us, especially, as others say, they are handy work surfaces, seats etc. It’s always a trade-off but I prefer to save weight on other items and keep food safe not just from bears but rodents too.

Thanks for the heads up Steven! I’m literally going on a trip tomorrow and this has helped.

I use my Ursack as my regular food bag. I hang it using the PCT method as my plan A if I can find an appropriate location, and tie it around a tree as my plan B. Only adds a few ounces and gives me two reliable options.

If Ursack could somehow impregnate the fabric with something that's vile to bears but unnoticeable to humans, that would be closer to perfect

I've used the "Ursack Aluminum Bear Sack Liner" inside my Ursack, with the food inside the Opsack plastic, which controls odors and gives waterproofing. During food prep, the liner also acts as a wind screen for the stove. I see that the liners are being discontinued, and is on sale 50% off right now at the Co-op.

I am so impressed and pleased that the "time to bear hang" you referenced were accurate, in my experience. How often do people completely underestimate the "actual" time it takes to 100% setup their bear hang? 😲I'm fortunate to have purchased an Ursack around 2008 so the outside material does not absorb water. It is so convenient to simply tie it to a tree (with a good climbers knot)! I rarely use the aluminum liner but I do have it, just in case. I'm so sick of the time/effort of setting up a bear hang line that I even consider carrying my BV500! 🤮

A much simpler two-line method: Pick two trees about 20' feet apart. Toss one line into one tree about 20' up on the side of the tree away from the 2nd tree. It doesn't matter too much if you can't get close to the trunk or exactly over a branch. Just get it up high and into the tree. Do the same thing with the second line and second tree. Bring the tossed ends together between the trees and tie your sack to both lines. Then hoist away on both lines (at the same time if you've got two people, or back and forth if you're solo) until the sack is hanging at least 12' up between both trees.

Great video. I can completely relate to the time and effort to find an appropriate tree for a proper hang. I have given in to just taking the hard side canister and enjoying more time in camp where Bears are an issue.

Thanks for the honesty. I have a canister and a bear bag and needed to hear a good in-the-field comparison.

Headed to Yellowstone this summer where each backcountry site has a bear pole. Thankfully I won't have to worry about finding the perfect tree.

This is my experience as well. I basically just carry a can all the time now for all the reasons cited in the video. My base weight is still only 12 lbs, and the convenience factor is huge

Good video and yes finding the right tree can be difficult or even impossible. I've had good success with the balance method as follows if a suitable tree can be found. This requires a long stick or an additional chord to get the two stuff sacks fairly balanced over a high branch. Chord-1 is use to tie or clip the two bags together and balance them over a branch. Start by tying or clipping bag-1 to one end of chord-1. It's best to use a carabiner or tie a bowline. Then run chord-2 through the bowline or carabiner for later use (important!) - temporarily tie the ends of chord-2 together to form a loop (of course it needs to be long enough to make a loop and still reach near the ground when bag-1 is lifted/pulled up to near the branch). Pull the other end of chord-1 to lift bag-1 about as close to the branch that you dare. Clip the second bag onto a small loop in chord-1 about as high as you can reach, then stuff the excess chord into the second bag. Now you are ready to pull the first bag part way down (thereby lifting bag-2) using chord-2 until it is about even with bag-2. Then untie the loop in chord-2 and pull on one end of the chord until it slips all the way though and drops to the ground. If you selected the right tree, your food is pretty safe. The fun part is getting the two stuff sacks back down. You might be able to do it with a long stick. Keep in mind that you normally want to get bag-2 down first, because it has the extra rope that can be used to slowly lower bag-1 down afterwards. I often have a large loop of chord hanging off of bag-2 slightly below it, using a small branch to keep the loop open and form something like a triangle, or two branches to make almost a rectangular shape. I throw a rock (attached to chord-2) through that target (be sure to hang onto the other end of the chord). After pulling on chord-2 until bag-2 is within reach, pull out the excess rope in bag-2, and untie bag-2 (but hang onto the rope or the weight of bag-1 will make it drop very quickly). Slowly feed out chord-1 (or 2) until bag-1 reaches the ground so you can untie it. It sounds complicated because it's hard to put it into words, but it's not hard if you can see it being done. The hardest part is finding the right tree. It's important that your target loop that you will throw a rock tied to a chord through does not become undone or tangled. Now I more often use a bear canister for simplicity. While I don't like the extra weight and bulk, it can make a nice stool for sitting on. Caveat: I once camped next to a lake, with a nearby father-daughter pair that brought a home-made bear canister. It sort of worked, as the bear could not break in. However, the bear tried everything he could to get in, and thought throwing it into the lake would somehow help him open it. Unfortunately it was not water-proof and much of the contents got wet. Sadly the father and daughter ended their trip early as a result. Make sure your canister is water proof, or use and inner bag if camping near a lake or river.

During my time as a park ranger I must have checked 1000 bear hangs. I then had to tell 999 of those people that their bear hang was poorly done and were unacceptable.

I've switched to the ursack a few years ago and haven't gone back. But I couple this with odor resistant bags. My wife has been canister for every trip for about 5 years she likes that it doubles as a stool. She has converted two of the other backpackers in our group to canister all the time

I have never regretted my choice of getting a canister. As you said, too many times I watched people spen up to an hour to hang their food and then do what I would consider a poor hang. I live in Georgia not far from the AT. This year many hangs were stolen by bears. As for the Ursac, many of them were gotten into this year and or the food inside destroyed. Canisters were also missing but many think that was human thefts. Yes a few were chewed up and or moved from where they were put but had the least failure rate. They are bulky and do weigh more but I have lightened my gear to the point the weight is not an issue. I have the bv500 and 450. Use determined by length of hike. In my opinion the benefits outweigh the bulk and weight for ease of just getting to camp and doing the walk drop and walk back.

PCT for me… the two tree method has several variations that also work well where there are few branches or skinny/thick foliage.

We hike in Algonquin in Ontario Canada ( black bears) and have been using Ursacks for a couple years now. They are heavy and they do absorb water so we drape a plastic bag or waterproof stuff sack over it and hang it like a regular bear hang. Ive also used the PCT method of hanging my bag. But having the Ursack if there are no suitable trees or if its dark already then we just tie it to the base of a tree away from camp.

A consideration that is seldom mentioned in such discussions is the many other kinds of critters that will go after a backpacker's food. Even if I cannot get my food bag hung out of reach of bears or if I am not in bear country, I often hang it out of reach of raccoons, marmots, opossums, mice, foxes, coyotes, etc.

I frequently use an Ursack in combination with smell-proof LOKSAK plastic bags. It’s super convenient, easy to pack, and keeps me super confident in my and my food’s safety. I’ve had no issues with this method!

I have a Kevlar bag and a canister. I use the bag when I can and the canister when I must. Also I refrain from eating anything with a strong smell while backpacking. No meat, fish, etc.

Many many years ago i picked up large metalhooks which have an eyelet ( for rope) on the back of it , also has a cone on bottom of hook for a branch, broom handle, walking staff to reach up hook around tree branch or actual smaller trunk. Hooks make a nice loaded " grappling hook " that is easy to hook on and easy to unhook as well, makes easy for either bear line, or hanging tarp up higher over campsite

My base weight is sub 10 lbs. while using a food bag. Being ultra light, I can afford a couple of pounds and use a canister. I just started and I like it. I like that I don't have to worry about a hang. Especially when I come in after dark. I got back from an overnight hike today from an area that I have had bears visit me at night. I feel so much better and sleep great knowing that I have a canister. Also, my chips don't get crumbly! A little trick is to tear off the tab on your freeze dried food pouches before you go. That extra piece takes up more room than you realize. Strange but true. I don't get the geometry on that one.

Been using the Ursak with an odor-proof lining. Often take it to Montana and Wyoming and appreciate the compromise of weight/security.

We always used a dry bag (so it reduces the scent) hung in a tree using a single branch with paracord and the other end anchored to another tree. We also used food that was not aromatic if possible. I also camped in the UK and that was a lot simpler because no bears or raccoons or mosquitoes. People often left the food out next to the tent in grocery bags or pots with lids.

My Garcia Bear Canister is my go to for food protection. I also use a NANUK case. The case is solid and waterproof.NANUK says their cases are polar bear proof. Their site has a video of the test. Yet, there is no certification. Thanks for the suggestions. Be well. Be safe. Wishing you peace and good fortune. Happy Trails!

A side note with using the ursack method . Use a “scent proof” ziplock bag made to use specifically with the ursack. Probably not full proof but makes a difference. So far so good.👍

So I understand the Ursak bag stops the bear from eating your food, but doesn't the food still get destroyed by the bear chewing/clawing on the bag? I guess you could just add water to make a "backpacker smoothie"

I use the blue bear cannisters kayaking here in Thailand. Keeps Rodentius Comminus at bay as well as the land crabs, lizards, monitors and the monkeys.

I'm camping this afternoon/overnight and was just thinking about my bear bag situation. Very timely.

I always take a bear canister when backpacking in the Sierras. Having said that, the issue is a desire to pack my trash (and some of the other non-food smelly items) somewhere other than in the canister with my food. That's where the bear hang still comes in handy. Will try the two rope trick in the future. Thanks!

Great video. 90% of the places I go backpacking a bear canister is required and the other 10% has no bears. Your 2nd method for hanging on an angled line makes a lot of sense! Smart.

I'll definitely be looking into an Ursack. I'm just starting to dabble in bikepacking, looking at just some overnight trips this year. don't really have room on the bike for a canister, and again, lack of decent trees in many areas.

As a scout, we learned the single tree method. And employed it reasonably well in the Minnesota Boundary Waters. Two years I went on a trip to Colorado, and found out about the 2 tree method, which I used. Like you mentioned had a lot of line stretch, but was able to tighten up slack on the tree-to-tree line enough to make it passable. I like this other idea of the 1-tree pulley method idea. For the 2-tree method you also mentioned the friction of cord on cord. I used a carabiner for the pulley. It was looped into the tree-to-tree line so it wouldn't slide. I have a Bear Vault for my food, and will hoist up anything else with a scent in a bear bag.

You’re using the clothesline method which experiences more sag because the first line has to support 2x the weight of your food. The second line acts like a pulley with one end supporting the weight of your food and the other end pulling down equal to the weight of your food. Had the bag been tied to your line first, you’d experience half the sag.

I use an Ursack also, but I put my food inside an OP sack within the Ursack. That way there's no scent to attract bears to begin with. Recently however I've switched from OP sacks to Kea Stash bags; same concept, in that they're bags with heavy duty ziplock closures that prevent odors from escaping, but they're more durable and easier to clean than OP sacks.

To me the time savings and convenience is worth the weight of a canister. I can be on the trail or relaxing another hour every day. Plus I have BPPV that kicks in when I tip my head back too far, which means trees and bear poles are right out. Thr decoding factor for me between an Ursack and a can is that the can does a better job of keeping my food intact. And also it's a handy seat.

the bear hangin from the line had me dyin 😂

Haven't seen the pulley method before, might give it a try.

Don't forget to use opsak odor barrier bag with the ursack.

Your bear map in the first few seconds is hilarious. In ILINOIS?? Haha a little generous on the range there

I have been using the Ursack for years and I couple it with the Opsack food storage bags that completely seal in smell and I have never had an issue with critters or bears.

Nice video! Definitely agree with the points you made.

I’ve used a big bear vault and it worked for a base camp situation when I got dropped off and left to camp wo hiking in. It was easy and the bear who did come around didn’t see it at all bc it was looking for square shaped objects that look like coolers. But it’s way too heavy to backpack. I got a smaller UDAP that’s a better size but failed in a situation this summer where I have to bring a mess kit to a group camp kayak excursion. So then I got a really great Ultralitesack food bag so I could get everything in including mess kit garbage ziplock etc. I wanted to practice with it in the woods in my yard. But bc it’s mostly thick Hemlocks and Beech it was impossible to find a good branch. I think it depends on the circumstances but the bear can is easier to deal with when you just want simplicity. I guess I m just glad we have choices.

We've used Ursacks for over a decade and we always combine them with an Opsak liner. (My main issue with that system is that the top of the Opsak above the zip always eventually fails which makes it very hard to open them again.) I think the key aspect is being able to camp where bears just aren't used to finding food so they won't come looking, and to keep those places free of any attractants. Established campgrounds ought to have bearproof storage, but sadly not all do.

I use French hotels to avoid bear encounters. Does not keep Parisian squirrels from approaching in the park when you eat a still hot baguette.

Im probably never going to go camping or backpacking in bear country..but I can't stop watching your content.. .

I never ever cook my dinner where I plan to sleep. I will stop and cook and eat dinner and wash up, and then hike to wherever I plan to sleep. I just don't want food smells anywhere near where I'll be sleeping.

As I mostly MotoCamp (Motorcycle camp) in mountainous areas that don't have very broad limbed trees. I opt for the Bear canister option and keep it at least 120 yards from my tent is.

I used prussic cord and hung my Peak1 2 piece stainless cook set under the bear bag. There were two tries by Jasper, created a lot of noise, and he gave up. The other camper wasn't so fortunate. This was in the Adirondacks, Colden loop. Got a cool photo of it. This was in the late eighties. (my little claim-2-fame.)

Something to consider about your line snapping. Nylon on nylon friction will cause it to melt which with tension will cause it to break. If you switch to something like 1/4 inch cotton webbing for one of the lines, it could help.

I usually do an odor-proof sack inside my Ursack unless a bear can is required. Used to always bring my BearVault because I'm crap at throwing in general, so I knew trying to hang a bag would be a futile effort anyway. But it's just so heavy.

The two tree hang isn’t too hard. Throw one rope per tree, any branch. Fasten the bag to the end of each rope. Use the other ends to hoist it into the air, between the 2 trees.

We use two line method with a twist. We throw a line weighted with a pully around a tree, as high as possible. Then you lower the pully and feed the other line through it, which is tied to your bag. Hoist the pully up as high as you can (minimum 15-18') and then pull your bag up with the rope to the pully, and then walk to another tree and tie the second rope off at ~ head height. This gives you a goo secure spot usually 5-6' from the first tree and 12-15' from the ground. We use this frequently in Eastern Ontario, and haven't had issues with bears, but occasionally issues with chipmunks. I prefer this when hiking, but when portaging, I have used a bear barrel, and it has worked just fine (also works against chipmunks).

I always use the PCT method when on the Ap trail.

Bearikade is what I use. I can sit on it, also nice for a place to set my stove.

Bear Vault all the way! Simple, safe, and makes a great stool/table at camp. I put reflective tape around mine to hit with a light when it's dark.

I have been using the ursack with opsacks for around 5 years on the east coast. I've had zero issues so far. If I was in Griz country I would probably opt for a canister. I really suck at throwing a hang line.

I use a 2-1 pully system, which I love. So much easier to hang food. Less broken rope from friction. But I'm seriously debating getting into bear canisters - at least for paddle-in trips. its just so much easier.

I had never seen that single tree method. Nifty!

#1 don't use your food for a pillow. #2 don't leave the food unattended. #3 if the bear carries your canister or bulletproof food bag away, be sure it is tied to an 8-foot log with lots of foot-long branch stubs and several cow bells, so you can track it down and spank it. Then wash the slobber off your food.

I've also used the double bag hang over a branch. Push the first bag up as high as you can with a stick or trekking pole, clip the second bag into a loop on the free line. Push it up till even with the first, hopefully both 10' off ground in black bear areas. Not my favorite hang, but gets two bags in the air with only one suitable branch.

Man, thank you for this vid. Years ago me and two friends did a 12 days no-resupply trek through the Rockies in the Banff/Lake Louise area back country. Every night we spent 1-2h setting a two-tree bear hang and then hauling our 45kg bag of food 5 m into the air using a carabiner pulley system. What a damn hassle.

At the bsa ranch philmont, they hard wires at every campsites for bear bags, they were very good at handling bears.

I use the Ursack for the reasons you mentioned in the video plus the fact that it keeps rabbits, squirrels and other small animals out which are far more likely to be a problem than bears, at least where I camp in Colorado. Another plus is the small animals won't destroy the food like I would imagine a bear chewing on the Ursack would as the kevlar is pretty thick. You can use an Opsack inside the Ursack for smell reduction as well, which really seems like the most bear-preventative measure you can take.

Hilarious! Possibly the best of your videos...

He in WA 90 percent of the time my gang is camping near/above treeline, so we use ursacks and/or sleep with our food. If hard canisters are required only then we use them.

I got a ursack and haven't looked back. I hike with 2 german shepherds so I got alot of food to hang, and hardly anything ever messes with our food.

Would love to do an Ursack with a scentblock bag inside of it, but don't like the price. So for now it's a bear bag and hanging it. We have bears around, and they can be a nuisance at the popular areas that I typically avoid. I hang the food bag mostly to deter mice, chipmunks, squirrels and birds.

Bear vault hard canister is what I use, it is getting a bit heavy. Thinking about getting the ursack and pair it with an odour free bag that goes inside.

Guess I'm just lucky! Been camping for 50 years in back country of Montana, Woods of PA, NY, and VA never hung food and never had a bear problem.

So far I've been lucky. May of 2023 during my last solo camping trip involved an overnight, freeze dry food for dinner and breakfast and a small box of wine to wash dinner down (hey, it was my birthday!) I hung my food far away from my tent and had no problem over night. The next day I overheard some local people in a sandwich shop talk about the bears feasting on the trash cans! I guess their trash was better then my freeze dry garbage I was eating!

Thanks for this topic! I have hated bear bag hangs for years. Rarely does a trip yield good hangs, even on the east coast. Ursack is heavy but effective in non-established sites.

I'm about willing to go with a canister. One thing never mentioned is the damage to trees that sawing Paracord over the limbs does. It cuts through the bark and opens up the tree to disease and pests. I'm not a mileage junkie, so I don't mind a little more weight.

I've been in Colorado for over 30years, and I've found that you are much more likely to see bears in the city than in the wilderness. All of the bears that I've seen in Colorado, were in city limits. A couple were on the trails, but still in city limits, and I've never seen one in the backcountry.

In Yosemite and the eastern sierras they simply won’t give you a wilderness permit without a bear barrel. Even the rip proof bags are not permitted. And in the southwest the issue is not as much bears as rodents, so metal mesh bags (or rocket boxes in assigned campsites) are mandatory if you don’t want holes in your tent and bag.

Really fine topic sir! Seriously, nobody talks about this and some folks consider it a test of manliness or something and they say they never fail 😂

Great video!

You can add a pull string alarm to an ursack to keep a bear from working on it.