Bear Container Requirements

[Lee Borgersen]

    Forrest Service Issues Bear Container Requirements....

Official Order

7/24/20

The requirement is either use a real bear resistant container such as Bearvault or food must be properly hung.

"ELY, Minn. — Officials in the Superior National Forest are implementing a food storage order to a handful of BWCA lakes to lessen the likelihood of negative encounters between visitors and bears.

While the order doesn't refer to specific incidents, an accompanying release from the Superior National Forest says issuing it is "necessary to reduce human and bear conflicts due to improperly stored food. Implementation of this food storage order will serve to increase protection for wild bears and visitors on particular lakes of the Gunflint District of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness management area."

The order impacts campers and visitors to the following lakes:

Alpine Lake
Jasper Lake
Seagull Lake
Red Rock Lake
Rog Lake

The signed order says visitors on the specified lakes are not allowed to possess or leave any food or garbage unless it is being eaten, prepared or transported, or properly stored.

"Properly stored" means:

Food stored in a bear-resistant container
OR
Suspended at least 12 feet clear of the ground at all points, six feet horizontally from any tree limb or pole and four feet vertically from any limb or pole

A bear-resistant container is a lockable container made of "solid, non-pliable material capable of withstanding 200 foot-pounds of energy. When secured and under stress the container can not have any cracks, openings or hinges that would allow a bear to gain entry by biting or pulling with its claws."

Superior National Forest officials say those violating the order could be subject to 6 months in jail or a $5,000 fine. "


Video.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=301&v=sn7oayAaf4k&feature=emb_logo

Product samples here... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019LSGQE/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=bwco07-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=4c0e9164d1025bb32a8a707f1bbcb10f&creativeASIN=B0019LSGQE

[LPS]

They cut the number of licenses sold a few years back and there are a lot of bears now.  I have talked to some farmers that have seen more bears than ever this year.