While walking the portage from Kelly to Burnt last week, I was making noise and banging my water bottle occasionally to scare away any bears. I told my at the time newbie gf it is good to make some noise on the trail in case of bears. In the past I have found myself just calling out "Hey Bear" or singing aloud, which I'm sure is enough to irritate them and make them run. Not all the time though. Also, many people I encounter on portages are not making any noise either. Just huffing an puffing along with their load.

What do you all do? Make noise or remain quiet and enjoy the peaceful journy through the woods?

I think the times I will not make any noise are when I know there are others on the trail coming and going. If I arrive and start portaging and there's no sign of other people, I'll make noise.

No noise. I like the quiet & solitude & wouldn't intentionally make a racket unless it was necessary.

The possibility of meeting a bear on a portage is so remote (we've seen one bear in twenty trips) that I'd much rather enjoy the wind through the trees & listen for wildlife than make a bunch of noise.

If I saw anyone doing what you describe I'd think they were either raw green newbie. Quiet is what I value most up there!

solo forum
discussed this a bit ago!

butthead

Thanks butthead.

I agree Paddle, I like the solitude as well. I should clarify here. I wasn't banging loudly, nor would I speak loud enough for someone to hear me a good distance away. I don't want to impede on anyones experience in the wilderness. Just enough volume for something to hear me, say 10 to 20 yards around me. Probably a little louder than trying to talk to someone just ahead or behind me on the trail. Not frat party loud.

I think it would also depend on the area boat traffic along with people actually on the trail. If I approach a portage and I have seen someone leave it recently, I will not do it either.

As I don't want to appear to be a raw green newbie, I'll try to keep the volume way down if I do it again.

Do grunts and cursing count?

quote forestmaven: "Do grunts and cursing count?"

LOL Didn't even know I was scaring bears off by doing that.

quote forestmaven: "Do grunts and cursing count?"

After the Lujenida to Zenith portage this past spring- I was going to add whimpering....

NNNOOOO
to do so is rude and inconsiderate, i thought you were supposed to be quite in the BWCA. in grizzly country you make noise but i don't think that there are grizzlies in the BW,

Once in a while, on a bushwhack I will make some noise, especially when moose are in rut. I have shaken many moose out of their day beds. I don't want it to happen when I am only ten feet away.

Other times when going across loaded, and meeting someone empty and with their head down, I have to say something to bring them out of their stuper.

I usually make enough noise to alert all bears within a ten mile radius just getting my grumman up on my shoulders at the beginning of each portage. If it's a portage longer than 200 rods I'll bounce it off a rock on the side of the trail half way and go back for a pack. Never seen a bear! I have had some sore shoulders though:)

quote ripple: "

quote forestmaven: "Do grunts and cursing count?"

After the Lujenida to Zenith portage this past spring- I was going to add whimpering...."

Yep, that one is a doozy.

I am in the no noise camp. I have never seen a bear on a portage.

If the mosquitoes or flies are bad, I have been known to curse at volume 11 (Spinal Tap fans know what I'm talking about).

Otherwise, humming a Sousa march seems to help the cadence and pass the time. Or maybe if the portage is short and I want to move a bit faster, this one.

The one and only bear I have ever seen in the B-Dub and Q was on the portage going into Jordan. I'm sure it spooked at what little unintentional noise we were making since it hi-tailed across the trail just in front of us, then down the bank and across the creek. I live in bear country and see them out my lvg rm window all the time. It's impressive to me still how such a large animal can move so fast through brush.

I do think that what little noise is made by trippers in transit, is enough to accomplish what intentional noise makers do and will suffice to frighten bears and horny moose as well. A precautionary word to singers and whistlers however, is, that I have conferred with the bears and instructed them to eat anyone who sings or whistles Milly Vanilly, Brittny Spears or The Village People's songs.

Yes, I normally hum or whistle (since I'm normally solo). I've never met a bear on a portage, but I certainly have surprised a couple when working in the field. If I hear/see what I know is person coming the other way I stop though.

The only time I do is in the fall, and its for Moose not bears, people underestimate I think the danger they can be in from a bull moose in the rut, I honestly would rather encounter a bear than a bull moose in fall, unless hes a good distance away.

I usually try to be quiet and enjoy the nature around me.

No noise, I agree with those who say, this is not necessary (and may be rude if loud enough) in black bear country. It might be appropriate in brown/grizzly bear country.

An aside on whistling to alert the bears - when I was in Alaska, the word was that whistling was NOT a good idea. Ground squirrels whistle - and brown bears eat a lot of ground squirrels. If you whistle, you sound like food, which attracts the bears rather than sending them away. (Of course, this is not directly relevant in black bear country where there are no whistling ground squirrels, but it just goes to show that unintended consequences are lurking everywhere.)

No extra or intentional noise. I believe my trudging along and occasional clank of gear would be enough human sound. I have seen moose but nary a bear. Not surprising either does seem like a good idea, however I prefer the peace of nature that I go for in the first place.

quote Frenchy: "I usually try to be quiet and enjoy the nature around me. "

Me too

Me three.
Boppa

No noise for me. I think animals are tuned in enough to detect when someones on the trail.

I hiked in grizzly country a few times and we wore bells on our packs. My wife (then girlfriend) saw a large brown shape up ahead and turned and ran the other way. I looked closer and it was a few cows coming our way down the trail. They call it "Free Range" out in Montana.

INMHO, You don't need to worry about surprising a bear on a portage. It is a bit different in grizzly country, but in the b-dub the black bears aren't a threat to your well-being in any meaningful way. Rock on and have fun.
PS Do what you need to do to have fun and be comfortable. If some on-line "expert" rubs you wrong, ignore them. The best part of the BWCA is that there are a million different ways to enjoy it.

It seems unlikely to me that a human could inadvertently sneak up on anything in the woods. I suppose on a wide portage trail that could happen.

I typically don't go out of my way to make to much noise but I don't sneak either. On solo's I will sometimes talk to myself out loud, no shouting mind you.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

If anyone knows me I think it would be Impossible for me to be quiet on a portage. I don't sing show tunes at the top of my lungs but often times I catch myself humming or singing, the Gillian Island theme song or always in my canoe Hawaii 5-O comes out. Of course when I'm with my brothers and sister in law I think it usually the Brady Bunch theme song is belted out a time or 2 ;-)

how bout from Nemo.."Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.." of course I sub in paddling or walking lol. Life is good!

On the average day in the BWCA there are about 2500 people scattered over 1.1 million acres or over 400 acres per visitor. You couldn't make enough noise to be annoying to others who aren't in your party.

quote burntsider: "On the average day in the BWCA there are about 2500 people scattered over 1.1 million acres or over 400 acres per visitor. You couldn't make enough noise to be annoying to others who aren't in your party. "

Yes you can.

Oh, yes you can +2.
Boppa

Plus 3 yes you can.

I don't go in on stealth mode or anything....just casual onversation,sometimes humming etc. As mentioned above; the animals are in tune and know you're there anyway. My heavy breathing and huffing and puffing are warning enough.

+4 yes you can

quote Merganser: "It seems unlikely to me that a human could inadvertently sneak up on anything in the woods. I suppose on a wide portage trail that could happen.


I typically don't go out of my way to make to much noise but I don't sneak either. On solo's I will sometimes talk to myself out loud, no shouting mind you."

yes you can. Twice I have come around a corner to find myself literally twenty feet from a bear. The wind was in my face. All parties involved had "uh oh I am outta here expressions"

On solos I don't make much noise. Portages btw are almost always solo as we use the one and a half carry system. We are together for half the tme.

quote jwartman59: " in grizzly country you make noise "

So, yes, portaging (or hiking) in Alaska I'll make sure to "announce" myself somehow. Not usually in BWCA, but I bring kids that sound like a herd of elephants crashing through the brush, so I figure I'm safe.

I am quiet, although there are times my daughter is with me and wants to chat.

I do not make noise for bears in the Quetico. Like others I am more concerned with a bull Moose in rut or coming between a mother and calf. I think that if you had a problem bear on a portage , making noise may only alert them to my presence and ring the dinner bell! Anthony

I like quiet as well.

I second the opinions on being quite and the realization that the BW is not grizzly country.

No one has been attacked by a black bear on a portage in the BW.

I'll shout, "Hey, bear," but doing so doesn't bother anyone because there are rarely other people where I go.

I think as soon as you land and start to unload your canoe every bear within several hundred yards is aware of your presence. And if the wind is blowing the right way even further. No need to make a peep. Save your noise for if you do see one and then let 'er rip.

My son and I actually like most portages as its another part of the experience. We rarely speak but just hike along enjoying the sounds and sights. It is amazing how far ahead of a group coming towards us we can hear them chatting and the canoes brushing against branches. I see no need for extra noise but if it makes a person feel more secure...I guess go for it. However, maybe we should establish a list of acceptable songs for the singers :)

Now maybe we should have another thread for those quiet windless evenings...we could call it "Hey meathead...do you know how far your voices are travelling across the water from your camp?!?" but I would guess those on this forum are not the offenders.

No, I don't make any more noise than needed. I like to see wildlife and black bears are not grizzlies, as already mentioned. It's pretty hard, although not impossible, to walk up on wildlife - just try still hunting deer. I'll assume, fitgers, that if you're out hunting squirrels, you don't make noise to announce your presence to bears...? So why worry on the portage.

I am wondering though, since I'll be there in late Sept, what's the appropriate response if one does surprise a bull moose?

quote sst6313: "If anyone knows me I think it would be Impossible for me to be quiet on a portage. I don't sing show tunes at the top of my lungs but often times I catch myself humming or singing, the Gillian Island theme song or always in my canoe Hawaii 5-O comes out. Of course when I'm with my brothers and sister in law I think it usually the Brady Bunch theme song is belted out a time or 2 ;-)


how bout from Nemo.."Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.." of course I sub in paddling or walking lol. Life is good!


"

Ha, I was singing the Gilligan Island song when I got out on Brule Friday afternoon and got out into the waves. I retreated fast and had to wait til morning to exit.

Noise on the portage? I make enough noise huffing and puffing I think.

I like it quiet. No need to make noise or yell out IMO

No noise, unless I drop into bottomless muck. Then, all bets are off.
I like to travel as quietly as possible.

I huff and puff. I like getting ionto a rhythm and the breathing helps. Sometimes I can get into a sort of zenlike feeling...and then the portage ends. It is really part of the experience for me.

quote nctry: "

quote sst6313: "If anyone knows me I think it would be Impossible for me to be quiet on a portage. I don't sing show tunes at the top of my lungs but often times I catch myself humming or singing, the Gillian Island theme song or always in my canoe Hawaii 5-O comes out. Of course when I'm with my brothers and sister in law I think it usually the Brady Bunch theme song is belted out a time or 2 ;-)



how bout from Nemo.."Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.." of course I sub in paddling or walking lol. Life is good!



"

Ha, I was singing the Gilligan Island song when I got out on Brule Friday afternoon and got out into the waves. I retreated fast and had to wait til morning to exit.


Noise on the portage? I make enough noise huffing and puffing I think."

lol. I irritate the bowman with my renditions of Hawaii 5-0, Gilligan's Island and the Hamm's Beer commercial song while we are crossing a lake.

Am always quiet and enjoy the time off the water. My wife and I have our routines down and can do them without saying much at all.

Have made noise only once intentionally, while coming off the numbered chain to Lake One entry in the dark. Had the dog along and we just talked and sang a bit to reduce the chances of surprising anything on the last two portages. Not worried about bears per se, but wolves, fox or anything else that we couldn't see, but that would get the dog's attention in the dark.

only huffing, puffing, grunting and groaning!

heavy breathing

Any group I am with, we always whistle that tune from Bridge Over the River Kwai - on at least one portage per day. If someone cannot whistle, they can use a kazoo, it enhances the sound. Just havin' fun, we're not blocking any portages or anything, so lighten up!

quote HowardSprague: "Any group I am with, we always whistle that tune from Bridge Over the River Kwai - on at least one portage per day. If someone cannot whistle, they can use a kazoo, it enhances the sound. Just havin' fun, we're not blocking any portages or anything, so lighten up!"

Funny, I betcha I'm going to find myself doing that next time I walk a portage thanks to you putting the thought in my head (LOL)!

quote HowardSprague: "Any group I am with, we always whistle that tune from Bridge Over the River Kwai - on at least one portage per day. If someone cannot whistle, they can use a kazoo, it enhances the sound. Just havin' fun, we're not blocking any portages or anything, so lighten up!"

I was whistling that exact tune on my 300 rod portage on Sunday. I had to quit once the huffing and puffing was breaking up the tune too much.

Most of the time I am as quiet as a bear in the woods, ha ha. Some times I will sing to myself or try to whistle. I can not whistle very well. Can't sing very well either but you have to do something right.
I can't say that I have ever worried bout bears in BW, Moose yes, but not bears.

Camped in tent in Yellowstone with a sign warning about griz right outside of tent, that is light sleeping there.

quote HowardSprague: "Any group I am with, we always whistle that tune from Bridge Over the River Kwai - on at least one portage per day. If someone cannot whistle, they can use a kazoo, it enhances the sound. Just havin' fun, we're not blocking any portages or anything, so lighten up!"

Sweet. A new tune for my next portage!
Thanks Howard!