If you just throw the bag over a high branch, tie it off, and call it good...you'll probably be ok from bears.

It's the other little shits in the woods you have to worry about.

Took my family on the Manistee River Trail in northern Michigan.  Gorgeous day, wonderful hike, kids were loving it.  Hung the bear bag in a sturdy cedar tree, thinking that there's no bears around here, so I'm just going to huck it over a branch and call it good.

Woke up at 3:30 in the AM to some creature jabbering from the direction of the bag, which is about 100 feet away.  I had no idea what the hell it was, so I grabbed my Glock 23 (still holstered) and headlamp.  Not wanting to walk up on a bear enjoying the food I packed, I just decided to "defend in place."

However, I shouldn't have to stand watch by myself, so I made sure to wake up my wife as well and inform her that we wouldn't be having breakfast.  (It was her first overnight backpacking outing ever)  She swore at me, "why the **** did you wake me up just to tell me that?!?"

Anyways, back to the bear bag.  My son woke up, and he and I chatted for a while until we both dozed off to sleep.  Finally got out of the rack at about 6:30 and got out to check on the bag.

Something had hauled all 10 pounds of the bag into the tree and made a mess of things.  I got the bag down, and it was covered in smelly, greasy substance and there was a 2-inch wide hole gnawed into the side of the bag.

Yep...it was a muskrat (or an army of muskrats...still have no idea how a single one could have lifted the bag)

The BDA: homemade scones...gone.  1/2 dozen Kind bars...gone.  Assorted other foods...gone.  Toothpaste...A-ok.  

So...to recap...this is the INCORRECT way to hang a bear bag (at least on the MRT):



This is the CORRECT way to hang a bag:



Or, you can just bring one of these:

Bring bear canister and one of these:

We've been using a modified method of the PCT hang and it's been excellent.  Even more so, my wife has done some solo backpacking and it's a great method if you can't really get the line over that 30 foot branch. It usually works best in the crotch of a tree and if the terrain is steep, it's even easier to toss over from the higher side and tie off on the lower end.

ROCK6

PCT method has worked the best for me.

Hang:
We do two different things:
1) The best is to use stainless aircraft cable and hang off a small cliff face where the bottom of the bag is 10-12 feet up. This can be a little dicey if it raining / wet.
2) PCT hang

Bear Can:
In the Sierra a can is all but mandatory.
At first, I was FU -> I'm not carrying a bulky 2# piece of junk.
Now -> I accept I have to have it. It really does offer a lot of piece of mind from ALL critters, not just bears. You sleep a lot easier....
Also the can makes a great bucket / camp chair.

We normally do a hybrid. The first couple of days we stuff as much food as possible into the can and use a hang for the overage. Putting the lowest value food in the bag. I made a long skinny hang bag out a full scale pine tree camo print. Disappears and keeps the Mr. Ranger $250 fine away....

That's a good idea.  We do plan to hike the John Muir trail and will have to get a bear canister.  I do like the "excess" hang method of using a camouflage bag...at least until you're out of food.  I wonder if they would fine you for hanging trash but keep your food in the canister?

ROCK6

Here are some quick pics of the bag at my house. These shots are from only 30 - 40 feet. If you use a green 5mm rope and hang 100 - 200 yds off the beaten path it totally goes away.

I bought the fab from Rockywoods