Date:         Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:24:28 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: We went to Mammoth Lakes for a few days...
Comments: To: Roland <syncronicity1@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <CAEuQn0att8sHjuGMCHtY+KJpdeCSp9JsDEsGB0ThKSyE-PqXSw@mail.gmail.com>
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On Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 1:17 PM, Roland <syncronicity1@gmail.com> wrote:

> Jack,
>
> That is a "bear box", a big steel box, the area is active with bears.
> Everyone has to stash all the food, or anything that smells like food
> (pots,
> candy, makeup) into that box overnight and whenever you leave the campsite.
> The literature we received even suggested to check your kids to make sure
> they don't have any marshmallow leftovers stuck on the lips of your kids
> :).   There is a sign posted that you can get a ticket if there is an
> oversight and you accidentally feed the bears (gotta love those endless
> Cali
> laws / behavior engineering).
>

  What actually happens is....If you feed the bears, either by accident or
on purpose or because you leave food they can get to...the bears 'learn' to
get food from people.  Eventually there will be a complaint or the bear will
maul some kid or dog or human and then the bear will be killed for that.
So that law is because humans are pretty stupid..especially city folks who
have no idea about bears...and they leave tempting stuff all over, causing
lots of bears to die needlessly.    There aren't so many places left for
bears and there aren't so many bears that we can waste them...plenty of dumb
humans though.

  So really, when you are camping be mindful that our semi-wild lands are
scarce and wonderful and are worth taking care of carefully.  I don't
begrudge these rules because they are needed, what with so much human
population pressure.