The first night you get lazy and don't hang a bear bag is usually the time you'll have a bear in camp.

BTW, You weren't too far from my cabin over in Upper Tract. The property butts up against the NF, but I haven't ran into a bear (yet). But I just bought it this spring. It's only a matter of time.

OK, I'll give you guys a bear story.

Tj Story Time "Spandex Woodsman"  

I live here in the Smoky Mountains.  Park bears are the worst.  They're all Yogie bear, have no fear of man, and know where to find food from humans.  Over the years, we'd had quite a few raid camps, try to enter tents, and one so brazen he stole a loaf of bread from a picnic table surrounded by dozens of people.  When my son was young, we use to hike his favorite trail, trail 1 and spend the night in the designated camp area typically way off to ourselves.  

One night, we're sitting around the fire about ready to break camp for the night when these two spandex outdoors men approach us.  "This is bear country you know?" they say without a howdie do.  I don't like his attitude so just nod and say "I know".  "You need to hang that pack up in that wire holder the park provides." He says just as snippy.  "No thanks, I'll use a tree".  I started to explain why but he cut me off.  "The park went to a lot of trouble to provide that cable."  Instead I just said, "Excuse us we're kind of busy right now."  They left muttering insults like "idiots" and "Armatures" and walked back to their camp spot right under the big wire pack rack.  

The next morning my son and I were awakened by screams.    My son wanted to go see, but I assured him we had plenty of time.  We packed up our gear and started down the trail.  There were our spandex experts, still yell and screaming at the two bears parked directly beneath their hanging packs.  The bears were patiently waiting on breakfast to be lowered to them.    

We just waved and smiled like it was nothing.

You see it never crossed their minds that in a few decades the bears might figure out anything hanging on that wire means food and whatever goes up must come down.  

Much of what we learn about bears, we learn the hard way.  Some things like hang your trash bag down wind so if the smell does attract a bear, its not through you tent, they tell us about.  Others like make sure to clean baby after his middle of the night bottle or Yogie is going to try to get in your tent, they may not tell us.  Good thing for the most part bears aren't all that aggressive.  It doesn't stop me from cringing every time I see a tourist try to pet a bear while its eating.

Tj

Oh hell, that's a great pic!

I can just hear that sucker thinking, "Big white dumpster!"  

BTW, that's another Tj Tourist favorite.  They'll stop to look at the nice bears, hold a candy bar out the window, then freak as the hood and roof of their cars cave in.  Best part is like places like Cades Cove, they can't drive away because the other tourists trying to do the same thing have them blocked in.

You see a lot of stupidity living near a National Park.  

I often take mouse guns when in the park.  A lot of folks tell me, "That won't stop a bear".  I just laugh and say, "I'm not going to pick a fight with bear, even with your mighty 9mm.  I just want them to go away."  

Best I've found for that is a dog.  Bears find dogs a downright nuisance and will just go away.  

Tj