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Best Methods for Getting Bear Rope into the Tree

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bojibob

12/07/2009 02:21PM

STOP: This thread is not a place to debate the HANG or NOT TO HANG question. It also not to tell me you have a Bear Keg, Ursak, Blue Barrel, etc etc etc.

Whew! With that said. What is the best method you have found to get the rope around a branch.(I also don't want to hear about tree finding problems)

I have been thinking about two methods.

1. Softball drilled with a locking eyebolt and use that to toss over a branch.

2. I have some sandbags weight bags for a EZ up shelter that I could fill with rocks/sand and toss.

But I'm sure there is many other ideas.

Thanks Boji

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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bear bait

12/07/2009 02:47PM

i find a rock at camp, tie a rope to it and toss it over.

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Buck Mustard

12/07/2009 02:59PM

I've heard of the drilled baseball/softball but have not tried it yet. Might try it next year.

We usually use a small stuff sack (tent stake size), put some rocks in it, and tie the rope to it. It has become tradition to take turns trying to get the rope over the target branch as it usually takes a few tries and provides some good fun.

While that is the method we use, I would say it isn't the best method. The rocks rip up the stuff sacks. Also, while backpacking the Sioux-Hustler, I put the stuff sack back in my pack right after we got the rope over the branch and forgot to take the rocks out. Ended up carrying those rocks for 8 miles the next day.

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buz

12/07/2009 03:04PM

Boji

I use a variation of the baseball. I cut a small slit (maybe 3 inches) in a tennis ball, push the rope thru, then a small X shaped slit on the opposite side, push the rope thru that, and knot. Then when at camp, you can add small rocks/pebbles thru the bigger slit until it gets the perfect flinging weight you want. Fire away. Works really well for me, and wife is tennis player so I have to find uses for old balls, lol.

I have also heard of people drilling golf balls out. Tennis ball just a little lighter than baseball/softball, and god knows, there are plenty of rocks around in BW/Q. But a small sack would work, as well as a cotton sock. We used an old sock prior to the t ball, and it was really good as well.

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izzy

12/07/2009 03:24PM

I usually tie the rope to a stick and throw the stick over the branch. I believe that Quetico 152 had a good idea - a Kong , the dog toy you throw for them. Izzy

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OldGreyGoose

12/07/2009 03:35PM

Baseball with a permanently attached "eye" from a hook and eye gate latch works well.

Soloing is sweet, but a good partner is "priceless."

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Boppa

12/07/2009 03:43PM

Drilled out baseball with a loop made out of some small diameter nylon cord. I just hit my target quicker with a baseball. I have tried the sliced tennis ball and branch as both are better weight saving ideas. I guess I need the pressure of balls and strikes.
Boppa

"Yesterday is the past, Tomorrow is the future, Today is a GIFT, that is why it is called the present".

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Old Scout

Guest Paddler

12/07/2009 03:50PM

Variation on the ball method.

Get yourself a solid rubber lacrosse bal/ and drill a hole it it and then tie your parachute cord to the ball.

These balls are pretty heavy for their size and you can really toss them well. The weight of the ball pulls the rope down easily.

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gutmon

12/07/2009 04:40PM

Bring a lightweight string/cord and weight with a stick or rock tied into a handerchief or small bag. Toss it over the branch and use the string to pull a heavier rope over the branch. Much easier than trying to toss the rope you are tying your food bag to.

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kanoes

12/07/2009 04:57PM

wristrocket/golfball/spiderwire? just a thought.

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Savage Voyageur

12/07/2009 05:08PM

The best method that I have used is Bear Hooks. The first thing you do when you get to camp is use your tent pole to put these in the trees you will hang your pack in. Then set up your tent. They work great. bear hooks

"So many lakes, so little time." WWJD

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kanoes

12/07/2009 05:14PM

who knew?! thats pretty slick.

(it was nice meeting ya savage)

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Mongo65

12/07/2009 05:18PM

I'm impressed by the Bear Hooks. We use the drilled baseball method. It makes for good entertainment.

Sit back, relax, have a home brew.

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snakecharmer

12/07/2009 05:43PM

Those bear hooks are ingenius! (I wish I'd have thought of that)

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after"
~ Henry David Thoreau

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gutmon

12/07/2009 05:48PM

I couldn't see any weight rating for the bear hooks. How much will they hold? Also- makes me want to make some myself.

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ClarkPeters

12/07/2009 05:52PM

DIY bearhooks here
Pete

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. David Icke

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kanoes

12/07/2009 05:54PM

this place is something else.

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Savage Voyageur

12/07/2009 06:00PM

gutmon, I tried to make a set and was unsuccessful. The ones that bear hooks sells are made of stainless steel. I only had some ready rod, they bent. Then I bought these and they did the job. I have never weighed the food bag so I don't know how much they will hold. We had no problems with 4 peoples food on a week trip. I would not want to hoist a full Duluth Kitchen Pack but they will hold a lot. I got tired of getting the rope jammed in the Y of the tree, no chance with this.

(Good to meet you also Kanoes, I had a great time, when is the next one? Haha)

"So many lakes, so little time." WWJD

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gutmon

12/07/2009 06:00PM

I'm thinking 20g shotgun shells for the pole-holder. Electrical taped to an aluminum hook and eye... will post a photo when completed. If anyone beats me to it please share. Using your tent pole to "place" the hook is the innovative part to this system in my mind.

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kanoes

12/07/2009 06:04PM

plywood makes alot of sense to me. especially if you went with a void free baltic birch.

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bojibob

12/07/2009 06:16PM

Remember the movie APOLLO 13..... "Let's work the problem people"

My guess is by the end of this week we will collectively have come up with an improved bear hook that can made for cheap by everyone....after that we can argue over what to name it for several days :-)

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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kanoes

12/07/2009 06:21PM

plywood would allow you to drill a "tent pole receptacle cavity". (we even get to come up with new terminology)

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gutmon

12/07/2009 06:25PM

Placing the hook with the tent pole- peice of cake. Trying to get the tent pole into the recepticle to get it down- maybe a little harder. I do like the idea of turning this thread into a cooperative engineering project.

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kanoes

12/07/2009 06:28PM

the homemade one posted had a seperate release cord...brilliant. the one problem i could see with plywood is it getting sticky with the branch.

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gutmon

12/07/2009 06:31PM

Cords get tangled/caught/etc.- the fewer the better (IMHINAEO)*. *(In my humble I'm-not-an-engineer opinion)

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kanoes

12/07/2009 06:33PM

one big rope, one little cord. i dont see a problem. yould have to fine-tune where the release cord gets attached.

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Savage Voyageur

12/07/2009 06:36PM

The plywood one would work also, good idea to use a release rope. The metal Bear hook are no big deal to get down, slowly work your way to the plastic pipe with a tent pole or long stick and release it from the branch.

"So many lakes, so little time." WWJD

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quetico152

12/07/2009 06:38PM

izzy is right. we use a dog kong to get the rope up. but i cant take the credit. it came from cowdoc and some other guys that i began goin with

"One swallow does not make a summer, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy" ~ Aristotle

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gutmon

12/07/2009 06:39PM

kanoes- went back and looked at the plywood hook design and I think you're right. Have to get out an try things to see what works.

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kanoes

12/07/2009 06:44PM

i wish i had a scanner...i could post a sketch i have in mind.

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gutmon

12/07/2009 06:53PM

Sketch and take a photo. It's low-tech hi-tech.

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kanoes

12/07/2009 07:01PM

duh me! LOL

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kanoes

12/07/2009 07:09PM

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gutmon

12/07/2009 07:12PM

yup- guess what all my friends are getting for Xmas :)

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Savage Voyageur

12/07/2009 07:14PM

Now your talking... Go into production for Christmas :)

"So many lakes, so little time." WWJD

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Dbldppr1250

12/07/2009 08:02PM

If you're going to do the ball thing, take a bat also. Hit over intended branch on first try is a grand slam. If the ball gets caught or stuck in branch, double play. If bear comes, beat it with the bat before it eats all your food.

Walking School Bus

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bradcrc

12/07/2009 09:29PM

if you just bring a large salami, you could use it to hit the ball over the tree, then eat it... no wasted space.

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overthehill

12/07/2009 09:38PM

rock or stick

Not to Hurry-Not to Worry

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wetcanoedog

12/07/2009 11:17PM

stuff bag with a rock.i buy a pack of cheap ones and they last a year or so each and come in some wild colors .it's just the bag i want,i found the cord that closes up the bag can get hung up on a branch stub making it hard to pull in down.i had to make a loop in my bear rope and stand in it to break the cord a couple times.the throwing method is important.until a East Coast Buddy showed me how he swung the bag around and let it fly i was just tossing it up.getting some speed up his way allows me to really get some height.
i did read about a guy who used a cheap crossbow pistol to throw a light line to pull up the lift line.

it's just a level trail thru the woods.

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Benutzer

12/08/2009 06:44AM

One more advocate for keeping it very simple - I tie a cord to a rock.

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buz

12/08/2009 09:57AM

This thread is a reason I like this site.

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Snipit

12/08/2009 10:13AM

just a question.... how is this different than "stealing someone's great idea"... oh... I don't know like taking the BDB idea and making your own? Huh... ironic. :) !

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shr2807

12/08/2009 02:29PM

I like the Monkey's Fist Knot. This is a pretty simple knot to tie, and is cheap and homemade with some rope you probably already have.

Here's a Picture:

http://www.ket.org/trips/belle/tour/landing/images/handylines_stored_600.jpg

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Kevlar

12/08/2009 03:09PM

I usually used a short, sturdy stick and tied a light cord on it so it could be tossed underhand better. Then tie the cord to a better rope. One time I did the rock trick, and I had already brought my plastic "RecPac" down near the tree. Rock hit limb, bounced back, and shattered the top of the "RecPac". No more rockin' for me!
I do like the bear hook idea with the tent pole elevater. But I like my blue barrels better!

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BrownTrout01

12/08/2009 04:46PM

Pretty good idea on the bear hooks or plywood.

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izzy

12/08/2009 04:58PM

Kanoes - regarding your sketch - Measure with a micrometer , mark with chalk, cut with an axe ! Izzy

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kanoes

12/08/2009 06:36PM

hey, it WAS rev. 1

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jdevries

12/09/2009 10:23AM

What about a couple of wire coat hangers and a bit of PVC pipe (for the tent pole) duct taped together? Not sure how many it would take to keep from bending from the weight of the pack, but it would be easily formable to the size limb you've got at each camp.

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solotrek

12/09/2009 11:30AM

In the past: rock 'n a rope

In the future: Bear hooks! I'm sold!

"It is in solitude, in quiet communication with nature that we reach most deeply into truth." Sam Campbell

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mc2mens

12/09/2009 12:31PM

Past - rock and a rope. Present - blue barrels. Future - TBD.

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bojibob

12/09/2009 12:52PM

I'm going to use my Pecker!

My Pecker

The Pecker #3 seems like the ticket to me. It looks to be stronger and has some rock teeth to grip the tree better. Total weight after modification will be about the same as Bearhooks.

The Modification Plan: Attach 1" wide by 2" long PVC pipe attached via a bolt/nut and 2 washers to the top hole. I'm going to notch the PVC pipe 1" for use with a paddle as well as retaining the ability to use tent poles. I will drill a small hole in the top of the PVC pipe to allow the use of a release cord. Caribineer will be used in bottom hole for rope.

Cost: Around $35.00 but should last forever

Thoughts before I order?

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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SourisMan

12/09/2009 05:33PM

The Pecker...is that some kind of climbing gizmo? If so, I'd think it would be tremendously strong. The weight load limit on the Bear Hooks seem to low to me so this could be a nice alternative.

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Savage Voyageur

12/09/2009 05:34PM

bojibob, That will work good, very strong. Good improvising job.

jdevries, Wire coat hangers will not work very good, they will bend. I tried to make them at work with 1/4" cold rolled steel,they bent under load. The Bear Hooks are made out of Stainless steel and will not bend unless overloaded.

"So many lakes, so little time." WWJD

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Merganser

12/09/2009 05:36PM

I have a tennis ball with a foot of cord through a hole on one side and a slit in the other for adding weight. Not much better than tying a rock on (which is my alternate throwing method) but a bit easier and less damaging if you happen to re-connect with it after the throw.

"That sort of thing is my bag baby."

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andym

12/09/2009 05:57PM

On the pecker... the teeth may grip the tree but also may damage the bark. Although, maybe the damage will be less than with a rope. But a smooth hook seems even better.

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kanoes

12/09/2009 06:01PM

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bradcrc

12/09/2009 08:07PM

ya, your pecker makes me cringe a bit.

I'm probably just oversensitive, but it seems to me that a couple of those combined with raising and lowering a food pack a few times is pretty much a death sentence to whatever branch they're digging into.

a plywood jig would seem to be relatively harmless, especially by comparison to those. (just my $0.02)

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deancamp

12/09/2009 08:20PM

I agree that the pecker looks over aggressive. I even wonder if the teeth might make it hard for a release rope to work.

Live Young --- No Regrets

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kanoes

12/09/2009 08:24PM

3/4" baltic birch. 1/4" routed roundover all the way around. 7/16" hole for tent pole. pully mounted via rope at the bottom hole...maybe a second for a block and tackle arangement.

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overthehill

12/09/2009 10:34PM

Good find Bojibob....Im leaving Ole Rabbittap at home next year. (My pet organ-grinder monkey). The dog didn't like him anyway. :)

Not to Hurry-Not to Worry

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BrianSexton

12/10/2009 03:35AM

Wow, I never thought to use a tent pole.
Usually I just find a small rock and tie an end of the rope onto it, and try to throw it over...I kind of suck at it...I throw like a girl, but always manage.
The tent pole is a really great idea!

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Krusty555

12/10/2009 11:58AM

Well, this took all of ten minutes (and looks it), but I think it would work. The biner is 7-3/4" and costs about $5.00, but I got two of them in a $20 assortment at some hardware store. The opening is less than 3", as-is, but I'd probably cut away the section holding the silver "clip" to enlarge the opening and then secure the smaller carabiner (or a pulley) to the shank somehow. The hook is plenty stiff.

Krusty

"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." John Muir

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bojibob

12/10/2009 01:30PM

I ordered two Peckers today and will do the modifications, test and take pictures and let you know where I went wrong :-)

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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12/10/2009 02:27PM

a variation on the stuff sack rock theme-i have one of the small granite gear stuff hacky sacks-cord is balled up inside. this is for small food packs/bags only.

the bear hook is a cool idea. my concerns would be #1 what if i am hammocking or sleeping in the lean2 and don't have a long tent pole-so it wouldn't work for everyone. #2 you have to hang the bear hooks before you setup your tent. would be a bummer in crappy weather. usually hanging the food pack is one of the last things i do in camp.

tg

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul

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bojibob

12/10/2009 03:03PM

TG, thats why it's notched for a Paddle. Hang it anytime you want.

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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kanoes

12/10/2009 05:06PM

you couldnt hang it high enough with a paddle alone.

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bojibob

12/10/2009 05:15PM

Introducing the BOJILIFT.

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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mwd1976

12/10/2009 05:20PM

I like it Boji, though having to put your swimsuit on every time you hang your food pack seems silly. Also, it would be tough to pack my Girlfriend on my solo trips. :)

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children -Chief Seattle

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12/10/2009 09:45PM

i agree-it would be tough to pack mark's girlfriend on my solo trips;)

without someone to hoist onto my shoulders i'm ~6'3" and even with long arms and a longer canoe paddle i don't think i could reach high enough to be safe from a yogi-depending on the lay of the land maybe with a yak paddle.

still it seems like a great idea-just not for me.

tg

and into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul

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Humdinger

12/11/2009 08:22AM

I have used the slit tennis ball, but have gone back to the clove hitch around a rock and wind the rope around it. The weight of the rock uniwinds the rope as it falls instead of counting on sliding the rope on the bark.
I went in with a professional tree service guy last June and he used a rope tethered bean bag and a wrist rocket sling shot to get ropes up there.

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Journeyman

12/11/2009 09:23AM

The best way is always to use a complex system of a pulleys and levers with a catapult and a small mule. But in the event of not planning ahead, a rock in a small net sack works too.

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cowdoc

12/11/2009 11:00PM

Took the idea to my buddy...he had some aluminum stock on hand and the right tools. We wipped out 2 sets in a half hour. I'll test it tomorrow maybe.

"What could happen?"

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Unas10

12/12/2009 05:13AM

"...he had some aluminum stock on hand and the right tools."

That's cheating! These things are supposed to be cobbled together with baling wire and chewing gum. MacGyver would be embarrassed to turn out something like that.

Now cowdoc, go to your truck and try again. I want to see used syringes or vet wrap or at least some AI gear incorporated into your next version.:)

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SourisMan

12/12/2009 07:35AM

Alternative to the Bear Hook approach....

I really like the idea of using tent poles rather than rock throwing. Over the years I've actually had a rock or two come my way in the acrobatics involved in getting food up in the air.

Rather than trying to get a hook on a branch, what about a device designed to simply place a weight tied to a rope over a branch. I'm thinking of a short tube similar to the one on the bear hook, and maybe a fork on the end. Light line would be tied to a weight (few ounces), and placed through the fork. The line would be kept snug with the weight near the fork while placing the fork over a branch. Then simply let the line slide through the fork toward the base of the tree. Tie it to the tree and do the same procedure on a nearby tree. I'd think that would be easier, lighter and more secure than bear hooks.

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Captn Tony

12/12/2009 08:00AM

Don't use your shoe, because when it get stuck in the tree. You have whole new ball game.

You're going to HELL and you're going to drag me with ya!! -Gunsmoke

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bojibob

12/12/2009 09:47AM

Way to go CowDoc. The "CowHooks" look perfect. Now make 20 sets and sell them on BWCA!

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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snakecharmer

12/12/2009 10:56AM

doc - they look good! Send me a set and I'll try them out for you and let you know what I think. I will provide this service to you at no charge :)

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after"
~ Henry David Thoreau

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Mort

12/12/2009 12:21PM

I know, ...why not tie the end of your rope to a rock you find laying around at your campsite, and toss it over the branch, and then haul up your food pack!!

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cowdoc

12/12/2009 02:35PM

Tried them this afternoon. Mixed results. Not easy to get them as high as you would want them. They did grip the branch nice, and release system worked well. They straightened out a little too much. They were nice and stiff after bending, but the welding heated the aluminum and they softened slightly. I put some gear and 4 bricks in a dry bag and got it 13 feet up. May go back to the drawing board and make a smaller pair with a shorter arm and not try welding.....hold the tube on with zip ties and duct tape.....the proper way, right Unas!

"What could happen?"

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Bannock

12/13/2009 09:55PM

Put a rope in a small tree that you can easily reach and return in 50 years. :)

How about a baggie of Minute Rice placed in a sock. Tie the sock shut with the cord and toss over the tree branch. It's essentially a bean bag, so if it comes down on your head, no big deal. If it gets stuck in the tree you can pull it down though you might rip the sock (it can be an old sock for that purpose rather than one you'll be wearing). The Minute Rice can be part of your emergency rations in case of being wind bound.

Bannock

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Koda

12/13/2009 10:52PM

Bannock, that's a hoot! In fact, this whole thread has been a hoot.

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tworke

12/17/2009 02:15PM

we did this last year, cut a slit into a tennis ball, poke a small hole on the opposite side, put small rope thru it, so you can tie the main line onto, fill with rocks when you get to your site for weight, worked pretty good for us...

That tree looks familiar?!

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Windschill

12/22/2009 12:00PM

Tie fishing line to a wallnut. Then the squirrel will grab it and bring it up into the tree. Shoot the squirrel witha 50 cal and he should drop the nut. Tie a larger rope to fishing line and pull up and over. works everytime. A Candian jay will work in a pinch also.

"Now days these kids take out everything: radar, sonar, electric toothbrushs" Quint

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Humdinger

12/22/2009 12:47PM

I take groups of boy scouts in and there's usually one of them that is proud of their baseball throwing skills or how good they are at fishing... So you start a baited conversation on how they should demonstrate how to throw a rock or cast a hookless lure over a limb to pull up the rope. It usually works... at least they don't laugh at the old scout leader so much when it's your turn to throw the rock.

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nojobro

12/22/2009 12:53PM

This is how I do it: I bring along my husband, and he does it. :-)

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Cayaks

12/22/2009 02:59PM

Here's my thought,

Get a heavy duty rubber screw in hook from any hardware store. Usually dipped in red rubber, sold to hand ladders and such.

Now. screw that into a 1" dowl cut about five inches long. On the other end, drill out a hole that's about two and a half inches deep for the tent pole to slip into. COuld even cone shape the hole to make it easier to slid the tip into.

Done.

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charby

12/22/2009 04:51PM

My method happened last summer.

I was up in the BWCA with some family members, many of whom had been up Nord a few times. My Uncle was attempting to pitch the little rope up attached to his canteen, many repeated failed attempts. It was humorous at first.

I started looking around camp for a rock to tie to the end of the rope when I spied a dirty old ankle sock peeking out from under a jack pine. Insert rock, tie to little rope, first attempt the rope was up where it belonged.

The rest of the trip the sock was dubbed the lucky little sock and became a permanent fixture in my uncle's bear rope kit.

So anytime you have a missing sock, take the found one and toss it in your kit. This might cause a run on unclaimed socks at the laundromat.

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gotwins

12/22/2009 10:56PM

rock and rope, plus the pitch control of Greg Maddux.

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cooper

01/05/2010 11:56PM

Can someone tell me where to find bear hooks? I tried the manufacturer,and called a few places, and nothing. mc

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snakecharmer

01/06/2010 05:30AM

BearHooks retailers (from their website).

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after"
~ Henry David Thoreau

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brerud

01/06/2010 09:09AM

At what point do all of these gadgets become technology that many on here will lift their nose at? This is a great thread to read about other ideas but i will stick to having a knot tied in my rope before I leave home and just throw the knotted rope.

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snakecharmer

01/06/2010 01:07PM

Everyone's technology tolerance is different.

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after"
~ Henry David Thoreau

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bojibob

01/07/2010 06:45AM

Update: BojiHook Project

To solve the problem of having to use a tent pole and/or stand on someone shoulders to get the proper height. I found a telescoping alluminum pole for $20 that will extend out to 14'4" so I should be able to exceed a height of 21 feet.

The pole will also be used as the center pole for my tarp setup, utilizing the tennis ball trick.

SPECIFICATIONS

41-1/4" retracted length
176" extended length
Sections
1st: 7/8" O.D. x 37-1/4" long
2nd: 3/4" O.D. x 35-1/4" long
3rd: 5/8" O.D. x 34-3/4" long
4th: 1/2" O.D. x 34-1/2" long
5th: 3/8" O.D. x 34-1/4" long

Testing will start when the weather warms.

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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kanoes

01/07/2010 07:47AM

rob? where did you find the pole?

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schweady

01/07/2010 07:48AM

How long before the bears realize that they just have to give the release line a quick pull? :)

"You can observe a lot just by watching." -- Yogi Berra

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bojibob

01/07/2010 09:00AM

Jan... do you really have to ask? eBay Baby!!! They have more if you are interested....

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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rlhedlund

01/07/2010 10:26AM

Did not read through all 95 posts, but has anyone ever thought to just ask the bear to put the rope up in the tree for you? If he really wants to be helpful.... I here the bears in MN are nicer than anywhere else, just like the people :)

Life is Good, Living is Better. Everlasting Life is Best! Pray for Us Amok.

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bradcrc

01/07/2010 06:02PM

seems like a fitting thread for the video bojibob posted earlier. :)

How to hang a pack I'm seeing something similar in some people's future... :)

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L.T.sully

01/08/2010 09:41PM

Rock, tied to the end of the rope, thrown until we get it right.

The creation of a thousand forests is in a single acorn- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Waldo2

01/08/2010 10:25PM

I just throw the metal climbing pulley and locking biner over the branch. Flicking the rope then lowers the pulley down. Never had a problem.

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mjmkjun

01/10/2010 07:50AM

seems the extention pole went up in price
ebay pole extender

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Sir Isaac Newton

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bojibob

01/10/2010 09:43AM

quote mjmkjun: "seems the extention pole went up in price ebay pole extender "

That is for a QTY of 4. Or $12.50 each.

Single Pole

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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EastVal

02/14/2010 06:07PM

This is what i use. These balls have a hole on both sides. Alot like if you drill two holes on a tennis ball. My dog loves these balls. I think because they stick on his tonge or mouth after he bites down on them. i just put the rope threw the hole and then throw it up in a tree. This works out for me and him

I dont know how to do the links like you guys do yet.
http://www.planetdog.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=15030000

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BlackMagic

02/14/2010 08:58PM

In the past - rock and rope, in the present - rock and rope, in the future - rock and rope. It's as simple and light as anything I've seen. Haven't had a lack of rocks yet.

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ozarkpaddler

02/14/2010 10:26PM

Pretty simple, I just use my pulley. It's just the right weight and small enough it rarely got tangled in branches. Throw the pulley over a limb, then the other rope goes through the pulley. TW

"Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." Mark Twain

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bugman

02/17/2010 12:55PM

Always used rock and rope. Sometimes we get it on the first try. Sometimes it takes several tries with several different rocks. It can be frustrating and also fun at the same time. Last few trips we probably spent more time trying to find a suitable tree and branch.

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Packfan4

02/22/2010 05:56PM

A friend of mine brought a large machine nut tied to surveyors line. He shot it over the branch with a wrist rocket. The nut was not heavy enough to pull the line down. I think it might still be hanging in the tree. Lots of laughs.

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Rapid Runner

02/23/2010 11:32AM

nice reading here. I just find a rock or a stick and give it a toss. I like the bear hooks. Welded up some aluminum ones out of some 3/8 stock. going to put it on the tensile tester later.

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Mad_Angler

02/23/2010 12:04PM

A fellow, very experienced paddler once gave me a key point about getting the bear rope in the tree:

Make sure to get the rope in the tree before getting the alcohol out. I have tried to follow this rule...

Fish where the fish are...

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Humdinger

02/23/2010 12:45PM

Mad Angler is spot on and I have a different twist...

I go in with boy scouts usually and its always wise to hang the rope well before dark! Nothing like having a night time audience watching the hanging process while holding mosquito attracting flashlights on you...

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wawasee

02/23/2010 02:52PM

I use rockets with solid fuel canisters. Light then up and away they go!

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buz

02/25/2010 08:36AM

Good advise Mad and Hum. Been there with both of those scenarios, and the worst is the drunk and buggy adventure, lol.

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Canoe42

02/25/2010 09:34AM

Find a bear to help put it up. They climb trees.

"Half the things you read on the internet are false"-Abraham Lincoln

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millerb

03/06/2010 05:53PM

tie light rope around rock found at camp
throw over branch
tie light rope to heavier bear rope
pull bear rope over branch
lift pack with 2nd rope tied to it
tie 2nd rope off to side to pull pack away from tree trunk

"If I was told I was going to die tomorrow, I would be loading my canoe today"

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uigreyjay

03/06/2010 06:07PM

are we serious? we are so bored.
love the bear on the wire!

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dougroy84

03/07/2010 11:57AM

Here's one at home depot. Telescoping Pole

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tworke

03/07/2010 07:10PM

cut a hole in a tennis ball, put a rope thru it, fill with a rock or two at camp and throw!

That tree looks familiar?!

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HikingStick

03/10/2010 03:20PM

This might sound rediculous, but learn to tie a monkey's fist knot. It's a decorative knot that you tie around a small round stone, marble, or ball.

They're really not that hard to tie, but most people are just shocked when they see one. If you sit down after making camp and tie one while your buddies watch, they'll be quite impressed. Otherwise, you can always tie one around a marble or small rubber ball at home. I have one tied to some light-weight braided nylon cord. Fifty feet of that cord and the knot around a marble weighs next to nothing and will fit in a small pouch, spare pocket, or snack-sized plastic zipper bag. It's easy to pitch (swing and release works better than an overhand chuck for me), and I've had less problems with the small diameter nylon cord snagging than with the actual rope.

Once you get it over a limb, use a sheet bend or square knot to tie it to your hoisting cord. Repeat the process if you are using a two-line methond.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

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520eek

03/11/2010 01:51PM

I'm thinking potato cannon, hard rubber ball as projectile with hole drilled through with lots of cord attached. aim and fire...!!!

I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it!

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pswith5

03/11/2010 04:31PM

I have had many good chuckles reading this thread!!! I keep getting this recurring vision of Wile E Coyote performing several of these tasks. (Maybe dating myself some there.) I use a nice heavy double wheeled pulley with some good quality parachute cord. Works great for me.

Without the bad times, the good times wouldn't seem so good.

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BlackMagic

03/11/2010 04:40PM

Now I am beginning to understand why so many have to double portage.
I would suggest buying a metal truck-box tool box, plunk it in the middle of the canoe, and no more need to deal with 'bear rope'. Add a couple of 5 lb. combination locks. And the best thing? Those boxes come in at easily under 300 lbs. Put some wheels underneath, and you're good-to-go. And then you won't need to bring any of those hooky things any more.
Or just bring a 8 year old kid along and that rope will be thrown over the branch right quick.

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bojibob

06/08/2010 11:50AM

An interesting thing happened this past couple of weeks. I got an email from Ken Harr, the inventor of the Bear Hooks. He was responding to an email I sent him in December inquiring about where I could find a retailer who carried the Bear Hooks.

Here is Ken's Reply

Robert,

It's a long story, but I had given up on BearHooks (REI did sell them for a while).

I would like to try & market them again.

If you would be willing to try them out & give me feedback, I will send you a set of Bearhooks at no cost. And of course I will need you shipping address.

ThanX!

Ken Haar

I received my Bear Hooks from Ken this week and will be testing them out in AUG and posting my findings on my trip report. I will also try out the BojiHooks since I went to the time to make them.

I thought this was kind of cool, so I thought I would share the update

"One inch on the map ~ is not one inch on the ground"

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Corsair

06/08/2010 12:48PM

quote Captn Tony: "Don't use your shoe, because when it get stuck in the tree. You have whole new ball game."

that's why I use one of my paddling partners shoes, can't catch you after you get it stuck either.

"Pack lightly, Tread lightly"

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Mad_Angler

06/08/2010 01:54PM

quote bojibob: "An interesting thing happened this past couple of weeks. I got an email from Ken Harr, the inventor of the Bear Hooks. ..."

I reiceved a similar email a few weeks ago. I haven't recieved my free hooks yet.

Fish where the fish are...

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magellan10

06/08/2010 10:22PM

I've found the best method is to find someone to join your group that has a serious bear phobia and is motivated to hang the food packs and let them figure it out

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Mad_Angler

06/17/2010 09:49AM

quote Mad_Angler: "
quote bojibob: "An interesting thing happened this past couple of weeks. I got an email from Ken Harr, the inventor of the Bear Hooks. ..."

I reiceved a similar email a few weeks ago. I haven't recieved my free hooks yet."

I received my free hooks last night. They seem sturdier than I expected. I will givem them a try and report back...

Fish where the fish are...

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fishguts

06/17/2010 03:17PM

We use a sky hook......or if we forget to take one,
a rock or stick. People make too big a deal out of this process, it's not nuclear science.

fishguts

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mjmkjun

06/17/2010 06:15PM

quote EastVal: "This is what i use. These balls have a hole on both sides. Alot like if you drill two holes on a tennis ball. My dog loves these balls. I think because they stick on his tonge or mouth after he bites down on them. i just put the rope threw the hole and then throw it up in a tree. This works out for me and him

I dont know how to do the links like you guys do yet.
http://www.planetdog.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=15030000"

EastVal, this is how you create an active link:
When you want to reply to a post you normally hit the reply or reply with quote button. You then see the familiar window where you would normally compose your message.
Look below the white space and you'll see "Add a link to this message." Click on that when you are ready to insert the http:// address...your message will not disappear.

A new window will popup. Copy and paste your http:// address in the white box on the side of 'Link:"(like you did with the http://www.planetdog etc etc).

Then below that box you can name your link something like "click here" or "Here" or not bother naming it. Then just click on the 'Add link' button in that new window. The window will disappear and it will appear in your message as HTML language which is what it's suppose to do. Now, when you are finished composing your message hit that 'Submit' button and it will automatically change to the right format as an active link.

Got that?

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Sir Isaac Newton

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Arlo Pankook

06/17/2010 09:03PM

Well hung!

All Rapalas that wander are not lost.

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fishguts

06/17/2010 09:31PM

Hung sideways!;-)

fishguts

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cooper

06/28/2010 11:35AM

quote Mad_Angler: "
quote Mad_Angler: "
quote bojibob: "An interesting thing happened this past couple of weeks. I got an email from Ken Harr, the inventor of the Bear Hooks. ..."

I reiceved a similar email a few weeks ago. I haven't recieved my free hooks yet."

I received my free hooks last night. They seem sturdier than I expected. I will givem them a try and report back..."

I too recieved a set of bear hooks from Ken. I used them last week in the BWCA, and they worked great. I found a long branch that I used to put the hooks and rope in the tree, tightened the rope and done. First try. I think that anybody that uses them will be hooked.(pardon the pun).Also very easy to get out of the tree. mc

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babaoriley7

08/27/2010 10:01AM

I had been intrigued by the bear hooks for a while now and was hoping to pick up a pair for the next trip up. Referencing this thread made me realize that probably wasn't going to be possible so me and a trip mate decided to make our own. Complete with easy release eyelet on the tube:

It isn't the lightest thing in the world at around 20 oz total for the two of them (about double the original product), but I think it'll hold a lot more than the 25 lbs rated on the original bear hooks. The cost was less than $14 from 7 corners hardware.

I think we'll hack off a bit of the threads on the open side to make it easier to release from the branch, and to cut down on a bit of the weight. Quite curious to see how this baby works.

Thanks for all the chatter on this thread, it helped a lot with design.

Hey guys! Big Gulps huh? Alright, welp... see ya later

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sleepnbag