It’s Blueberry Festival weekend in Ely, Minnesota! And, being that blueberries are one of the favorite treats of our big, black friends it is time for another bear report from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Two weeks ago a bear on Disappointment Lake tore into a food pack that was hanging from a tree. Bears are determined and don’t care that Cinco de Mayo has passed; therefore they love to play piñata with a hanging canvas backpack.
Please make sure your hanging pack is well off the ground, as much as 12 feet or more. Also, keep the pack away from the tree trunk. A hungry bear will climb the tree and reach out or climb out to get your pack.
Better yet…throw your food pack in the canoe when you leave for the day.
Yogi and Boo-boo are much smarter than you think. A bear on Basswood Lake came into camp and was able to crack open a bear-resistant container. According to the North American Bear Center in Ely, a bear will make 40 attempts at a food source before giving up. More proof that there is no such thing as a “bear-proof” container.
Like humans, bears are creatures of habit, when they find a campsite, or a series of campsites that have food they will make regular rounds. One such bear is on Malberg Lake, he just keeps coming around looking for a handout. And while he may not find or take anything, he visits camp multiple times.
Many bears have just simply lost their apprehensiveness around humans. There is a bear in the Upper Basswood Falls area that has been trying to get invited to a campsite breakfast. Last week, one group of campers didn’t feel like guests early in the morning, so they left without telling the bear.
Keep your camp clean. Hang your food pack. And NEVER take food into the tent.
Have a great time on the water, and send me some photos!
Paddle me back to DuluthPack.com
Until you have heard the booming of the lake ice in the winter you can’t fully appreciate how our wilderness changes after everything freezes. The woods don’t feel as dense when the underbrush is gone, and as you move over or through the snow things invisible in summer become visible. Now you have the chance to see what the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and Quetico Provincial Park look like in the winter and stay warm by the fire at the same time.
What is SUP? It’s all the rage! SUP stands for Stand Up Paddle (boarding). I got to try it and it’s a blast! You can do it on flat water or whitewater. All you need is a board (rent one to start off), 
the water; that will all come with practice. Flatwater is 
a good place to start. Figure out your center of gravity, face foward and when you feel comfortable head out to find some waves.