Published May 5, 2004 12:00AM
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Avoiding black bears in the Porkies Question: I will be backpacking in the Porcupine Mountains for eight days, and I was wondering if I should have any worries about bears, and if so what precautions I should take. I’m asking because a restaurant — notorious for feeding bears — has recently closed. It was located just miles outside the park. What should I do? Clint Kane Traverse City, MI tckanes@aol.com Adventure Adviser: No worries. According to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park headquarters, there are no out-of-the-ordinary bear problems this season. Konteka, the restaurant you mentioned, closed because it went out of business. The bears that were used to being fed by the Konteka have since ravaged a few garbage cans and bird feeders in White Pine, but no campers have reported dangerous encounters. Generally, black bears are not dangerous. They want your food pack more than they want you. You need to take necessary precautions such as hanging your food pack in a tree, and keeping everything scented, like deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, etc., in the tree with the food. Bears tend to get a little rambunctious in the early season because the berries that they normally eat, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc., haven’t blossomed yet. Call the headquarters for further reassurance at 906-885-5275. |