I but a bell on my bear barrel for an early warning sound. If I hear the bell I know something's messing with either the rope or the branch the barrel is hanging in.
Man, awful experience for sure... but that paddle you took at the 18:55 mark looked like heaven. Realize it was a canoe of shame in your mind maybe, but what beautiful footage. Great video, glad your girlfriend isn't deterred for more camping! New sub here.
Glad you made it through the night. Could have been worse. Obviously a habituated bear. Btw for future trips, your girlfriend needs a longer paddle. That banging the paddle on the side of the canoe while paddling is enough to drive anyone bonkers.
I was just in Algonquin backcountry last week. Lots of bear warnings and sitings! I did not see a bear personally but pretty scary stuff. Glad you left and were safe!
The campsites near the front of the park are sometimes kind of messy so I'm not surprised the bears go after them. I've seen broken up ramen noodles scattered everywhere in a campsite on Joe lake.. Also found a half eaten can of what looked like beans just left in a fire pit.
brother dont take someone thats never been camping there i would start with crown land, the bears there are way too scared to get close to you. ive done a 3 night solo in Algonquin and the food that i took was very ultralight (very bland) but doesn't smell at all. the smelliest thing was my peanut butter pouches that the mice got to into before i hung my bag. i havent had a problem with them but a fellow hiker had a terrible night because they were bugging him at his tent all night, that he packed up and left the moment he had a chance.
I think this kind of thing is happening more often because there are so many new campers not following or knowing good food security practices. I wouldn't be surprised if food barrels and bags are banned in some areas if not the whole park eventually. We have fully switched to bearvaults.
I'm glad that you posted the video, because at the least I hope it brings awareness to the issue. You guys may have done everything right to prevent the bear from coming into your camp. Except one thing. You didn't avoid an area that you knew there was active bears in. Some people don't follow safe practices when in bear country and maybe they leave and have no issues but the bear is a curious animal and if they find food they will return to the site again when they detect food. A bear that isn't afraid of a human is a dangerous bear. I hope that you learned that lesson at the least and share it with everyone. Thank you for sharing
I am going to guess the Joe Lakes. They are always an issue due to the ease of access and high traffic. You always see lots of garbage and food left on sites there, the bears know. The great things is you go a couple more portages in and not an issue, the bears know where to go for an easy meal. Takes a really good bear hang to protect your food in this area, and even then the bears have learned what those blue barrels are so will be pretty persistent
Smart bear. Camped 1,000 times deep in the backcountry of the Western US and never had any issues with bears and my food. Really like the big metal bear boxes that are at many campsites out here. Hanging food sucks, often hard to find a good branch and get the rope to be the required distance without getting it stuck.
Agree with the bear boxes, but a costly way to go with individual campsites. But when hanging my food, where no sufficiently lengthy limbs exist, I use a two rope system. Toss ropes over any limb in two trees, secure both ropes to the food bag, and draw up both ropes to suspend between the two trees. 😉👍
Your lack of bear encounters in the western US is likely a result of bear populations and assigned bear tags for hunting which keeps their numbers in check. Ontario Canada on the other hand had the spring bear hunt banned for overs ten years which resulted in rising populations. Tight gun control as well as many Canadians don't hunt bear, which also contributes to rising numbers. Ontario has in excess of 130,000 bears.
@@ve3xtrYou just gotta know how to scare a bear. You can make them feel hunted without actually hurting them. A legal and legit protection is the TR4E c02 Rubber bullet handgun. Works really well.
I’m sure that this is the very same bear that terrorized us at 2:00am last year, in the joe lake area. Over 10 years of tripping in Algonquin and never had issues with bears until last summer. Same experience as you- our bear hang came crashing down in the night- absolutely everything was taken. Aside from some pans. We heard it aggressively dragging things through our site and behind our tent. We ended up leaving site and got in the boats and headed for another area on the lake until sunrise. When we reported to rangers they let us know this specific bear has been taking nearly everything from peoples sites. I’m glad they’ve set up a trap. Hopefully it is relocated soon. I’m sure someone will be hurt- if not. Yikes.
Over about 28 years , I've had 3 bear encounters right in the Pog lake campground ! Two were when I was motorcycle camping . One was my fault for being to tired from an 8 hr drive to properly hoist my food high enough. So when I camp now, I have a virtual bear banquet of campers to go through before my site is offered up ., yup I camp in the middle of everyone !
This particular " black bandit " has been relocated now. But prior he'd heard a 100+ bangers and been sprayed dozens of times and to no avail. He was determined to steal food and eat easy. In a heavy bear area we often leave our REAL barrel in the canoe and run a 'med-line' to the canoe in the water. That's where your canoe is several feet offshore in water just deep enough the bear can't touch bottom. They cannot lift their legs high enough while swimming to overturn a canoe. In New Brunswick and Labrador we had many encounters and this always protected our supplies. In Algonquin your close to safety , but if you lost your food and supplies on a 10 day trek , you'll likely die. Now in Northern Ontario I carry a TR4E rubber pellet handgun ( c02 ) and you wanna see a black bear run after a couple shots in the face 😂 They don't fear much .... but gunshot sounds follow by " ouch " damn sure gets their attention. Hanging barrels in trees in heavily camped areas is a joke and a gift to a smart bear familiar with humans. The other 'natural' thing they HATE is an Air Horn. You can buy a re-chargeable model at any boat supply store and carry a tiny hand pump (amazon) in case you end up using it excessively... they have a bike tube fitting on them to pump up. They are brutally loud and work better than ANY bear banger which is overpriced and useless. Having several options to protect yourself is imperative in bear country. The Algonquin bandit was fairly harmless though. I saw people im broad daylight portage past him standing there .... probably thinking " see ya tonight folks , sleep well ". Only wanting food and meaning no harm to humans. But. Ya never know do ya ?
Lol.. yeah, we had one coming into our campsite last year in the afternoon looking for food in Grundy lake. They were aggressive, I guess, after all the lockdowns.
This was a great video for information… I’m going by myself next weekend so I’ve been binging anything Algonquin. Ironically, I watched this with my wife who hasn’t been on a backwoods trip yet, but probably will in the near future… everything about this video reminded us of ourselves down to my paranoia with bears and my wife would definitely call the bear “sir” 😂 subscribed
Were there no other options for camping? It sounds like staff at the Ranger station were aware before you went out.. They should have shut down the sites on that lake until they could trap the bear. Somebody could definitely get hurt. That is definitely a habituated bear.
Surely they will have to euthanize that bear. Once they equate humans to their food source, they're done. They should have taken him / her out after a couple complaints. They're going to get someone killed between inaction and their dang gun laws. I don't travel in the woods w/o one ever since I was followed many years ago.
@@joann1234 That specific campsite was also right beside a hereditary path the bears used to cross the island. Other sites on the island are OK ... this specific has been closed ever since. And, I quote "we need bigger guns" which they returned to the ranger station to get and came back.
Glad to hear the two of you were able to get out safely. A hungry bear is nothing to take lightly. Things can be replaced. Lives cannot. Looking forward to seeing videos of your past and future adventures. Take care!
Check out the PCT style hang, if your going to hang food. It appears the style you used allowed the bear to chew the rope, dropping the food....PCT style eliminates that, you have to pull the food higher, to release the “stopper” (Stick,branch).... bear can’t do that.
True story from the '70s ... a friend of my sister's and her husband were canoing in Algonquin. They stopped at a campsite which was at the top of a hill. Both decided to check out the site and started walking up. They met a surprised black bear at the top. They took a step back, the bear took a step forward. Another step back, bear also steps forward. Eventually they were able to run back to the canoe and pushed off into the lake. The bear swam after them and finally gave up. I asked what they did? They had no choice but to stay overnight there but waited about .5 hours after the bear left. It never came back but they didn't sleep well, if at all.
Wow! First: that was a killer load to hoist up into a tree. Thanks for doing the difficult but right thing and going thru all that work. Second: the bear was hoarding food cans??! Unreal! This was a wild ride; thanks for sharing 🤯
I wouldn't have gone to that area after given the information from the outfitter. I camped on a lake in maine last summer, I was alone. and I had no reports of bear activity or problems but they are definitely living out in the forest where I went. when I paddled in to the site of my last night of a 4 day canoe trip, I was super psyched because it was a beautiful sandy beach with picnic table and Giant fire pit plus 2 outhouses! this is about 30 miles out into the wilderness. So after I set up my hammock , tarp, processed firewood, got a fire going, prepared for forecasted rain storm , I took a swim. on my way up the beach I looked down and saw Bear prints, EVERYWHERE! not just a few, and different sizes. I got spooked, I had no bear spray and I was alone, and I figured a bear/bears had become very familiar with this campsite. I broke my rope for tying up my food, so I hid it in the "clean" outhouse which had a latch on the door . I put my hammock and tarp at least 150 yards or 200 yards from the campfire and picnic table. and it started pouring rain and wind at 8pm so I hunkered down in the pine grove where my tarp was set up. l slept with my hatchet and dagger all night! a Barred Owl hooted at about 3am super loud, woke my up . I did the same as you , packed up 1/2 hour before sunrise got in my boat and lit out of there. had a beautiful morning paddle though, sunshine and gorgeous views ! I know some people like to feed bears marshmallows and it is very unfortunate , bears also learn to feed on bird feeders as well. thx for sharing and I'm glad you guys are safe, you both are very brave, I was pretty scared- I'm not very experienced in wilderness camping , still learning . I love it but it is humbling!
My uncles childhood friend who he use to go camping in Algonquin Park with, was killed by a black bear in Algonquin Park about 30 yrs ago. His friend was camping with his wife. He took her to the same camping spot he and my uncle use to camp regularly. A small island. They didn't even get their camp set up or gear unpacked , when a bear that was Already on the Island came out the woods and attacked the wife. He tried to save his wife but he too was killed. Rangers found the bear aggressively guarding the partially eaten bodies. I think because it was such a small island the bear became territorial. It felt cornered. The wife wasn't on her period. It was an unprovoked attack. Bears just do what bears do sometimes. It was easy prey. Bears are opportunists.
@@AidanLangIsOutside Yup. That's them. It's a horrible way to go. I came to the horrifying realization that almost every living thing gets eaten, either alive or after death. But With this new sunny disposition, I've really come to respect Nature a lot more.
Great video and thanks for posting. I carry a huge bear flare. Those little ones tend to fail often. The bear spray is great but also carry a large full tang knife each. If the bear takes you or her down (an extremely rare thing but it does happen even with black bears) the other can insert a large knife into its throat. It will come for the survivor after killing the first victim. Bear spray works better than guns. Statistically. Again both of you need to carry a tin each. That's about 90 C$ now but when you need it you need it! You used a bear barrel. Well done. The bag in the tree does nothing. I've heard in the State some makes of bear barrel are now opened and targeted by bears specifically the blue transparent ones so some parks have banned those makes. I got a three point solid one. The barrel should be 100 metres away from both the camp and the cooking area. Hiking around Eastern Pines trial this month in August 2024 I saw the remains of a blue cooler that a bear had got and dragged off. Idiots using coolers. arrgh Anyhow great video and thanks for posting. Come back and enjoy it. It's safe and you have a once in a lifetime encounter
Great video but if I can make one suggestion that will make your life easier? When hanging your food, don't try and grab the paracord and hoist up the bag, rather, wrap the cord around your waist (I use a carabiner and clip the cord to my belt) and simply walk back, this will hoist the bag without killing your hands trying to hold the line, MUCH EASIER, one person can easily hoist the bag up. Something similar happened to me but it was not a bear, it was a wolf pack. My buddy and I woke to the sounds of howling getting closer, then we heard the rustling in the woods and snarling. The problem with wolves are, you get distracted by the ones in front of you while the others are sneaking up behind you so we got back to back and started banging on pots, I sent up a bear banger and they eventually left but it was dam scary I will tell you. I have run into bear often enough and they usually take off once the bear banger goes up, we have only had to use our bear spray once when one bear charged us but honestly I think it was a false charge, he was just showing off :)
If you deliberately camp etc where you know there are active bears, you are endangering not only yourselves, but the bear that will surely be euthenized as well. "Bear" that in mind.
Likely just the parks Hermit needing some food jk lol :P I would have went looking for the bear barrel after daylight, likely just laying nearby. I carry two cans of bear spay in Algonquin Park. Great video.
Just came across your video. So many couple canoe tripping vids these days. Too bad about the bear . He's a goner in any case. Never had a bear problem myself in decades of canoeing. Have only seen 3 i think . Gemma is quite the gal,going for another trip. I use a 15 ft bob special for my solo trips and it or a 16.5 ' langford nahanni for tandem trips. Both in UL layups
Same exact scenario happened to my ex and I on opeongo! Pretty crazy actually how much your encounter resembled ours. The staff at the Park office almost didn’t believe it but I knew what was happening.
That was some rivetting filmography and what an experience. Glad that you guys made it ok. Your video quality and editing is top notch... May I ask about your camera gear? Thanks in advance.
I didn’t realize how bad the bear problem was in that area of the park. That must have been terrifying! Thank you for sharing with us. Hope you get back out for another trip soon!
My uncle went through this area and he was about to go ashore when he noticed a large black bear ripping the toilet apart to get at whatever a previous camper may have discarded down there. Some people throw food, waste down there. This is a very dangerous practice. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same bear. They need to terminate this bear unfortunately just to be safe. It's grown way too bold and accustomed to people. My uncles friend and his friends wife were killed by a black bear about 30 yrs ago on Bates Island. There was a Novel written based on this attack. My mom read the book, put two and two together and called my uncle to tell him the bad news. My uncle and his childhood friend camped on Bates Island regularly as kids. Teens.
@@truman5838 It was the Park's fault for putting a campsite on a hereditary path the bears used. Other parts of the island were OK. No site exists there anymore, the others remain.
I think it was 91 a bear swam over to bates Island in Lake Opeongo in Algonquin and killed two campers. You did the right thing , that bear had lost its fear of humans . The bear banger not scaring him off was a huge red flag. Ran into black bears there myself but they were very timid and ran when I made noise. I have a property hour east of Algonquin ,but my deterent there is a 12 gauge pump action . Also my first goal to scare them.off
Scary shit but you two are ok .What a lesson learned even though you took precautions bears are smart and don't give up I bring a shot gun .They can fine me if they want . I don't loose .
I found my mix of vicks and hot peppers/juice around the campsite and hanging my food min.10ft up got me up to TB and back again this summer, without issues. Any thoughts about the combo I used? Eons ago, campers on the way to White Otter Castle had an electric fence. Hoping this year, you were ok.
Is it always recommended to take bear spray? I just did my first canoe trip camped for 2 nights on lake opeongo it was amazing. I am 6ft 250 pounds sitting up front In the canoe was scary lol, i found it better to sit on the floor of the canoe and we were good to go! I'm absolutely hooked on Algonquin now I want to go back asap. Any advice with canoe, bears and camping would be appreciated, cool videos! Cheers
We never carried it and over 10 years of wilderness camping only had one incident with a moose when we were walking down a trail at twilight to get to camp. All ended well but we set up camp much earlier from then on. We also did not camp near any active bear sightings.
@@AidanLangIsOutside bears in the Adirondacks know how to cut bear hangs and they recommend a twig knot up near the bag so if it’s cut, it only falls a few feet and still out of reach…. Until they figure that out.
I noticed the same. Zip tie should be removed and he should've also removed the safety on the cannister. I've carried bear spray for years and only had to remove the safety once but, thankfully the bear went away.
Woulda been game on. When I hear the way u talk it makes sense, ya shoulda went after yer barrel man....I say that and it's a 400 pound hungry ass male Blackie.... hahahhahahaaaa!!!! Coulda tried to grin em to death
I recently watch another video of two ladies and their baby, the area of Joe lake mid 2021, a comment after a very similar situation and stolen barrel stated it was later treed tranquilized and moved!
Ive been taking my shotgun on canoe trips in algonquin for 20 years. Never fired it once but its there if i need it. Yes I know its illegal to have in the park but Id rather risk getting caught than risk being eaten like that couple on bates island. Park staff would rather a person is killed than lose a precious bear.
That Bear was so smart it picked up the barrel and walked away with it but good it got the food barrel and not them bears have been known to stalk their pray .
It's a lazy man that won't teach his girl friend how to portage a canoe. Trap wise bear.Need to bait the trapwith a food barrel! Bear was probably already relocated. Ear tags will tell. Thanks for the video. All is well that ends well.
I've seen this video before but I have to tell you that you would have died if the bear came out. @ 15:58 you can see that you still have the zip tie around the trigger ... with your heart pounding and making sure your girlfriend was safe it would have been too late.. .................................................Bro you lucky
@@AidanLangIsOutside LOLOLOLOLOLOL ..bro that was funny .. Ok glad you thought of that before. I had to point it out in case..just so no one does that .. lol you made my day ..
@@hiker4life4020 it sucks but it makes sense. If everyone who had a firearms license brought them into the backcountry I can promise you the bear population would be halved. The correct approach would be to educate campers about backcountry and wild animal etiquette it's just that I don't believe our Provincial Parks can afford to make this a requirment to enter the backcountry as Parks get the majority of their revenue from camping fees.
@@jjnich4915 understood. Valid points. I am a hiker and don't want to be in a shooting gallery. I am of the mind just for protection but there are surely those who would take it too far.
Congratulations, you have officially done your part to make that bear a little more dangerous for the next idiot. Camping with no real means of self-defense is never a good idea, but in this case it was stupid. This bear needs to be turned into a rug before it hurts someone.
If the bear goes for your food and you yelled and let them have it, then you were teaching a bear to associate people with food and you are creating problems. Best thing to do is to blast him with pepper spray so he learns not to mess with humans.
@@AidanLangIsOutside looooool i have had a bear almost every trip literally , I just refer the thumb up the bum method myself assert dominance right away
@@AidanLangIsOutside legit tho I’ve had some sketchy bear encounters and just sleep threw it if I’m dead I’m dead can’t change fate and I just use a tarp no tent
The reason why the bear associate people with food is because people yield to the bear and let him have their food which creates the problem. The bear approaches you the best thing to do is the blast him with pepper spray so he learns not to associate people with food and he learns to fear people. Giving in to the bear creates the problem.
an adult male black bear can weigh upwards of 300lbs, has 3 inch claws and a bite force that can pop a human skull like a grape. Getting close enough to effectively use bear spray is a last resort. Spray is defensive not offensive.
Agreed. Pain or extreme discomfort is the only way to "train" a bear. Not really applicable to this setting perhaps but there are some non-lethal rounds that can really put the sting on em also.
Jody I agree that humans need to be trained to not create nuisance bears. I guess what I was referring to was a scenario where you already have an agressive animal.
@@b.5982 Bangers, loud noises and last resort is spray. The problems with bear spray are that they are limited by distance and wind. It can blow back at you and incapacitate you. Those are your options really. Important to keep in perspective that black bear on human attacks are exceptionally rare in Ontario. They come for your food. They are really just huge racoons
I but a bell on my bear barrel for an early warning sound. If I hear the bell I know something's messing with either the rope or the branch the barrel is hanging in.
that is good advice.
Then the bear learns to associate a bell with food. Not good. Edit: Just like on the Appalachian trail.
Man, awful experience for sure... but that paddle you took at the 18:55 mark looked like heaven. Realize it was a canoe of shame in your mind maybe, but what beautiful footage. Great video, glad your girlfriend isn't deterred for more camping! New sub here.
Glad you made it through the night. Could have been worse. Obviously a habituated bear. Btw for future trips, your girlfriend needs a longer paddle. That banging the paddle on the side of the canoe while paddling is enough to drive anyone bonkers.
A fed bear is a dead bear.
I was just in Algonquin backcountry last week. Lots of bear warnings and sitings! I did not see a bear personally but pretty scary stuff. Glad you left and were safe!
Camping areas haven't increased as much as the campers have in the past 30 years - over used sites / areas attract bears.
The campsites near the front of the park are sometimes kind of messy so I'm not surprised the bears go after them. I've seen broken up ramen noodles scattered everywhere in a campsite on Joe lake.. Also found a half eaten can of what looked like beans just left in a fire pit.
brother dont take someone thats never been camping there i would start with crown land, the bears there are way too scared to get close to you. ive done a 3 night solo in Algonquin and the food that i took was very ultralight (very bland) but doesn't smell at all. the smelliest thing was my peanut butter pouches that the mice got to into before i hung my bag. i havent had a problem with them but a fellow hiker had a terrible night because they were bugging him at his tent all night, that he packed up and left the moment he had a chance.
I think this kind of thing is happening more often because there are so many new campers not following or knowing good food security practices. I wouldn't be surprised if food barrels and bags are banned in some areas if not the whole park eventually. We have fully switched to bearvaults.
I’ve used a bear bag in a tree several times. The way you hung that with the line exposed to it it’s no wonder they got it.
I'm glad that you posted the video, because at the least I hope it brings awareness to the issue. You guys may have done everything right to prevent the bear from coming into your camp. Except one thing. You didn't avoid an area that you knew there was active bears in. Some people don't follow safe practices when in bear country and maybe they leave and have no issues but the bear is a curious animal and if they find food they will return to the site again when they detect food. A bear that isn't afraid of a human is a dangerous bear. I hope that you learned that lesson at the least and share it with everyone. Thank you for sharing
I am going to guess the Joe Lakes. They are always an issue due to the ease of access and high traffic. You always see lots of garbage and food left on sites there, the bears know. The great things is you go a couple more portages in and not an issue, the bears know where to go for an easy meal. Takes a really good bear hang to protect your food in this area, and even then the bears have learned what those blue barrels are so will be pretty persistent
Smart bear. Camped 1,000 times deep in the backcountry of the Western US and never had any issues with bears and my food. Really like the big metal bear boxes that are at many campsites out here. Hanging food sucks, often hard to find a good branch and get the rope to be the required distance without getting it stuck.
Agree with the bear boxes, but a costly way to go with individual campsites.
But when hanging my food, where no sufficiently lengthy limbs exist, I use a two rope system. Toss ropes over any limb in two trees, secure both ropes to the food bag, and draw up both ropes to suspend between the two trees. 😉👍
Your lack of bear encounters in the western US is likely a result of bear populations and assigned bear tags for hunting which keeps their numbers in check. Ontario Canada on the other hand had the spring bear hunt banned for overs ten years which resulted in rising populations. Tight gun control as well as many Canadians don't hunt bear, which also contributes to rising numbers. Ontario has in excess of 130,000 bears.
@@ve3xtrYou just gotta know how to scare a bear. You can make them feel hunted without actually hurting them. A legal and legit protection is the TR4E c02 Rubber bullet handgun. Works really well.
I’m sure that this is the very same bear that terrorized us at 2:00am last year, in the joe lake area. Over 10 years of tripping in Algonquin and never had issues with bears until last summer. Same experience as you- our bear hang came crashing down in the night- absolutely everything was taken. Aside from some pans. We heard it aggressively dragging things through our site and behind our tent. We ended up leaving site and got in the boats and headed for another area on the lake until sunrise. When we reported to rangers they let us know this specific bear has been taking nearly everything from peoples sites. I’m glad they’ve set up a trap. Hopefully it is relocated soon. I’m sure someone will be hurt- if not. Yikes.
@@AidanLangIsOutside*canoe barrel
A bear barrel is very different from this. He wouldn't have gotten into it.
Over about 28 years , I've had 3 bear encounters right in the Pog lake campground ! Two were when I was motorcycle camping . One was my fault for being to tired from an 8 hr drive to properly hoist my food high enough. So when I camp now, I have a virtual bear banquet of campers to go through before my site is offered up ., yup I camp in the middle of everyone !
Most importantly is that you are both okay. Hope you will continue to have many more enjoyable and safe trips in the future.
This particular " black bandit " has been relocated now. But prior he'd heard a 100+ bangers and been sprayed dozens of times and to no avail. He was determined to steal food and eat easy.
In a heavy bear area we often leave our REAL barrel in the canoe and run a 'med-line' to the canoe in the water. That's where your canoe is several feet offshore in water just deep enough the bear can't touch bottom. They cannot lift their legs high enough while swimming to overturn a canoe. In New Brunswick and Labrador we had many encounters and this always protected our supplies. In Algonquin your close to safety , but if you lost your food and supplies on a 10 day trek , you'll likely die.
Now in Northern Ontario I carry a TR4E rubber pellet handgun ( c02 ) and you wanna see a black bear run after a couple shots in the face 😂
They don't fear much .... but gunshot sounds follow by " ouch " damn sure gets their attention.
Hanging barrels in trees in heavily camped areas is a joke and a gift to a smart bear familiar with humans. The other 'natural' thing they HATE is an Air Horn. You can buy a re-chargeable model at any boat supply store and carry a tiny hand pump (amazon) in case you end up using it excessively... they have a bike tube fitting on them to pump up. They are brutally loud and work better than ANY bear banger which is overpriced and useless.
Having several options to protect yourself is imperative in bear country.
The Algonquin bandit was fairly harmless though. I saw people im broad daylight portage past him standing there .... probably thinking
" see ya tonight folks , sleep well ". Only wanting food and meaning no harm to humans.
But. Ya never know do ya ?
Lol.. yeah, we had one coming into our campsite last year in the afternoon looking for food in Grundy lake. They were aggressive, I guess, after all the lockdowns.
This was a great video for information… I’m going by myself next weekend so I’ve been binging anything Algonquin. Ironically, I watched this with my wife who hasn’t been on a backwoods trip yet, but probably will in the near future… everything about this video reminded us of ourselves down to my paranoia with bears and my wife would definitely call the bear “sir” 😂 subscribed
That bear has to be taken care of for good
13:22 No canned and bottles foods or drinks includes beer allowed in backcountry campung in Algonquin Park.
I'm guessing Mr. Smith & Wesson is not allowed? Bear bangers? Bear Spray? Good thing these are black bears. Quite an adventure.
Only the Rangers are allowed to use firearms. Good luck getting a S and W across the border.
Bummer you had to leave early. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Were there no other options for camping? It sounds like staff at the Ranger station were aware before you went out.. They should have shut down the sites on that lake until they could trap the bear. Somebody could definitely get hurt.
That is definitely a habituated bear.
Surely they will have to euthanize that bear. Once they equate humans to their food source, they're done. They should have taken him / her out after a couple complaints. They're going to get someone killed between inaction and their dang gun laws. I don't travel in the woods w/o one ever since I was followed many years ago.
@@joann1234 That specific campsite was also right beside a hereditary path the bears used to cross the island. Other sites on the island are OK ... this specific has been closed ever since. And, I quote "we need bigger guns" which they returned to the ranger station to get and came back.
Glad to hear the two of you were able to get out safely. A hungry bear is nothing to take lightly. Things can be replaced. Lives cannot. Looking forward to seeing videos of your past and future adventures. Take care!
Check out the PCT style hang, if your going to hang food. It appears the style you used allowed the bear to chew the rope, dropping the food....PCT style eliminates that, you have to pull the food higher, to release the “stopper” (Stick,branch).... bear can’t do that.
True story from the '70s ... a friend of my sister's and her husband were canoing in Algonquin. They stopped at a campsite which was at the top of a hill. Both decided to check out the site and started walking up. They met a surprised black bear at the top. They took a step back, the bear took a step forward. Another step back, bear also steps forward. Eventually they were able to run back to the canoe and pushed off into the lake. The bear swam after them and finally gave up. I asked what they did? They had no choice but to stay overnight there but waited about .5 hours after the bear left. It never came back but they didn't sleep well, if at all.
i heard the best strategy when confronted by a black bear is run, i wonder why it chased you. i run from my cat and it chases me
Wow! First: that was a killer load to hoist up into a tree. Thanks for doing the difficult but right thing and going thru all that work. Second: the bear was hoarding food cans??! Unreal! This was a wild ride; thanks for sharing 🤯
Hoarding them because it couldn't get at the food from those barrels. There's a reason they are used.
I wouldn't have gone to that area after given the information from the outfitter. I camped on a lake in maine last summer, I was alone. and I had no reports of bear activity or problems but they are definitely living out in the forest where I went. when I paddled in to the site of my last night of a 4 day canoe trip, I was super psyched because it was a beautiful sandy beach with picnic table and Giant fire pit plus 2 outhouses! this is about 30 miles out into the wilderness. So after I set up my hammock , tarp, processed firewood, got a fire going, prepared for forecasted rain storm , I took a swim. on my way up the beach I looked down and saw Bear prints, EVERYWHERE! not just a few, and different sizes. I got spooked, I had no bear spray and I was alone, and I figured a bear/bears had become very familiar with this campsite. I broke my rope for tying up my food, so I hid it in the "clean" outhouse which had a latch on the door . I put my hammock and tarp at least 150 yards or 200 yards from the campfire and picnic table. and it started pouring rain and wind at 8pm so I hunkered down in the pine grove where my tarp was set up. l slept with my hatchet and dagger all night! a Barred Owl hooted at about 3am super loud, woke my up . I did the same as you , packed up 1/2 hour before sunrise got in my boat and lit out of there. had a beautiful morning paddle though, sunshine and gorgeous views ! I know some people like to feed bears marshmallows and it is very unfortunate , bears also learn to feed on bird feeders as well. thx for sharing and I'm glad you guys are safe, you both are very brave, I was pretty scared- I'm not very experienced in wilderness camping , still learning . I love it but it is humbling!
Right up into the '60s, Park Rangers used to do bear feedings in front of small grandstands in Yellowstone. How things have changed.
My uncles childhood friend who he use to go camping in Algonquin Park with, was killed by a black bear in Algonquin Park about 30 yrs ago. His friend was camping with his wife. He took her to the same camping spot he and my uncle use to camp regularly. A small island. They didn't even get their camp set up or gear unpacked , when a bear that was Already on the Island came out the woods and attacked the wife. He tried to save his wife but he too was killed. Rangers found the bear aggressively guarding the partially eaten bodies. I think because it was such a small island the bear became territorial. It felt cornered. The wife wasn't on her period. It was an unprovoked attack. Bears just do what bears do sometimes. It was easy prey. Bears are opportunists.
@@AidanLangIsOutside Yup. That's them. It's a horrible way to go. I came to the horrifying realization that almost every living thing gets eaten, either alive or after death. But With this new sunny disposition, I've really come to respect Nature a lot more.
I believe that bear incident was on Bates island on the southern part of Lake Opeongo. Not far from the outfitters store even.
I think I read that bear was half starved to death
@@SWATT101 no… it was a extremely rare predatory black bear
Great video and thanks for posting.
I carry a huge bear flare. Those little ones tend to fail often.
The bear spray is great but also carry a large full tang knife each. If the bear takes you or her down (an extremely rare thing but it does happen even with black bears) the other can insert a large knife into its throat. It will come for the survivor after killing the first victim.
Bear spray works better than guns. Statistically. Again both of you need to carry a tin each. That's about 90 C$ now but when you need it you need it!
You used a bear barrel. Well done. The bag in the tree does nothing. I've heard in the State some makes of bear barrel are now opened and targeted by bears specifically the blue transparent ones so some parks have banned those makes. I got a three point solid one. The barrel should be 100 metres away from both the camp and the cooking area.
Hiking around Eastern Pines trial this month in August 2024 I saw the remains of a blue cooler that a bear had got and dragged off. Idiots using coolers. arrgh
Anyhow great video and thanks for posting. Come back and enjoy it. It's safe and you have a once in a lifetime encounter
Great video but if I can make one suggestion that will make your life easier? When hanging your food, don't try and grab the paracord and hoist up the bag, rather, wrap the cord around your waist (I use a carabiner and clip the cord to my belt) and simply walk back, this will hoist the bag without killing your hands trying to hold the line, MUCH EASIER, one person can easily hoist the bag up. Something similar happened to me but it was not a bear, it was a wolf pack. My buddy and I woke to the sounds of howling getting closer, then we heard the rustling in the woods and snarling. The problem with wolves are, you get distracted by the ones in front of you while the others are sneaking up behind you so we got back to back and started banging on pots, I sent up a bear banger and they eventually left but it was dam scary I will tell you. I have run into bear often enough and they usually take off once the bear banger goes up, we have only had to use our bear spray once when one bear charged us but honestly I think it was a false charge, he was just showing off :)
I always wanted to rough it in Algonquin Park but couldn't find a hotel with a pool there.😊
If you deliberately camp etc where you know there are active bears, you are endangering not only yourselves, but the bear that will surely be euthenized as well. "Bear" that in mind.
No, they'll relocate the bear first since no humans have been attacked.
sounds like A NICE trip!!!!!!!!!!!! :D TX for the video my friend!!! :D
Likely just the parks Hermit needing some food jk lol :P I would have went looking for the bear barrel after daylight, likely just laying nearby. I carry two cans of bear spay in Algonquin Park. Great video.
Just came across your video. So many couple canoe tripping vids these days. Too bad about the bear . He's a goner in any case. Never had a bear problem myself in decades of canoeing. Have only seen 3 i think .
Gemma is quite the gal,going for another trip.
I use a 15 ft bob special for my solo trips and it or a 16.5 ' langford nahanni for tandem trips. Both in UL layups
@@AidanLangIsOutside Haven't paddle a swift canoe in ages. Plus i'm banned from them
@@AidanLangIsOutside Yes there is .And AO and Richard Swift don't come out smelling so sweet
@@alexs3447 Care to elaborate?
They will relocate the bear first before anything else. It hasn't attacked any humans.
Same exact scenario happened to my ex and I on opeongo! Pretty crazy actually how much your encounter resembled ours. The staff at the Park office almost didn’t believe it but I knew what was happening.
That was some rivetting filmography and what an experience. Glad that you guys made it ok.
Your video quality and editing is top notch... May I ask about your camera gear? Thanks in advance.
I think that area has been bad for a while. I was camping one year and we found a barrel on Joe Lake that was ripped open by a bear.
That's crazy! Glad you guys are ok.
I didn’t realize how bad the bear problem was in that area of the park. That must have been terrifying! Thank you for sharing with us. Hope you get back out for another trip soon!
My uncle went through this area and he was about to go ashore when he noticed a large black bear ripping the toilet apart to get at whatever a previous camper may have discarded down there. Some people throw food, waste down there. This is a very dangerous practice. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same bear. They need to terminate this bear unfortunately just to be safe. It's grown way too bold and accustomed to people. My uncles friend and his friends wife were killed by a black bear about 30 yrs ago on Bates Island. There was a Novel written based on this attack. My mom read the book, put two and two together and called my uncle to tell him the bad news. My uncle and his childhood friend camped on Bates Island regularly as kids. Teens.
It's not but near the edges of the park where you get inexperienced campers leaving stuff around you can have problems.
@@truman5838 It was the Park's fault for putting a campsite on a hereditary path the bears used. Other parts of the island were OK. No site exists there anymore, the others remain.
Seems tp me the rangers should relocate that bear. They knew it was a problem when these people came. Someone isj going to get killed.
It's pretty cavalier behavior at 3:00 a.m. in Bear country .
This could have ended much worse
Safest place for your bear barrel was inside the bear trap! 😂
You made the correct decision to leave, I sure would have.
I think it was 91 a bear swam over to bates Island in Lake Opeongo in Algonquin and killed two campers.
You did the right thing , that bear had lost its fear of humans . The bear banger not scaring him off was a huge red flag.
Ran into black bears there myself but they were very timid and ran when I made noise.
I have a property hour east of Algonquin ,but my deterent there is a 12 gauge pump action . Also my first goal to scare them.off
That specific campsite on Bates Island was right beside a hereditary path the bears use to cross the island. That campsite is now closed.
@@ScubaSteveCanada I have been to Bates Island ots quote the swim for a bear
Should have set off the banger the second you heard the barrel hit the ground.
nevermind lol
“the bear was big but my love for her is bigger😍😲🐻”
If you love it so much why don't you go camping there and see how much she returns your love.
Next trip needs to be a bear hunt👍
I go camping all the time and 3 black bears in one day walked by us. we didnt leave they are black bears...
Son's Kent Juicy IPA, great beer!!
Scary shit but you two are ok .What a lesson learned even though you took precautions bears are smart and don't give up I bring a shot gun .They can fine me if they want . I don't loose .
Glade your both ok. Sucks you didn't at least get the harness for your barrel back. On the plus side you have a great story for the rest of your life.
Would love to do something like this ! watching till the end to see what happens when the bear comes !
Look up Nick's story Algonquin Park. 1997.
Glad you two were ok. Is this on one of the Joe lakes or Burnt Island off of Canoe? I was thinking of going through that way to Big Trout.
Same experience same area in the park.
I found my mix of vicks and hot peppers/juice around the campsite and hanging my food min.10ft up got me up to TB and back again this summer, without issues. Any thoughts about the combo I used? Eons ago, campers on the way to White Otter Castle had an electric fence. Hoping this year, you were ok.
So, as a ranger, you're part of the problem. Good work idiot!
Is it always recommended to take bear spray? I just did my first canoe trip camped for 2 nights on lake opeongo it was amazing. I am 6ft 250 pounds sitting up front In the canoe was scary lol, i found it better to sit on the floor of the canoe and we were good to go! I'm absolutely hooked on Algonquin now I want to go back asap. Any advice with canoe, bears and camping would be appreciated, cool videos! Cheers
We never carried it and over 10 years of wilderness camping only had one incident with a moose when we were walking down a trail at twilight to get to camp. All ended well but we set up camp much earlier from then on. We also did not camp near any active bear sightings.
@@AidanLangIsOutside bears in the Adirondacks know how to cut bear hangs and they recommend a twig knot up near the bag so if it’s cut, it only falls a few feet and still out of reach…. Until they figure that out.
Scary stuff. Glad you guys are ok. Just wondering what lake this was on. I’ll be sure to stay away lol
I have no experience with bear spray, but I noticed the zip tie was still on the safety latch. Was that supposed to be removed first?
I noticed the same. Zip tie should be removed and he should've also removed the safety on the cannister. I've carried bear spray for years and only had to remove the safety once but, thankfully the bear went away.
Woulda been game on. When I hear the way u talk it makes sense, ya shoulda went after yer barrel man....I say that and it's a 400 pound hungry ass male Blackie.... hahahhahahaaaa!!!! Coulda tried to grin em to death
Hate to say it but that bear needs to be given some better medicine .
I wonder if this was the Joe Lake bear that was making a nuisance of itself last summer?!
I recently watch another video of two ladies and their baby, the area of Joe lake mid 2021, a comment after a very similar situation and stolen barrel stated it was later treed tranquilized and moved!
@@AidanLangIsOutside ua-cam.com/video/Rcue3Zf2WDE/v-deo.html
@@AidanLangIsOutside that would be Chris Prouse and her wife Julia Prouse
Really enjoyed your video. Just curious what brand of canoe you use?
What part of the park were you in? We are heading up in a few weeks. Wr always carry bear spray too.
Ok got it. near canoe lake... tha ka. So glad it turned out well.
That's not the proper way to lift the canoe. An easier, safer way exists .
When your veins are packed with soy milk and lattes bears 🐻 get very offended
New title : City noobs with g1AnT aX3 4 cH0p w00d get pwned by racoon
Mighty strong racoon to carry off a heavy barrel.
Too bad it happened so early in the trip. Glad he left you alone but that animal is a problem for sure.
Ive been taking my shotgun on canoe trips in algonquin for 20 years. Never fired it once but its there if i need it. Yes I know its illegal to have in the park but Id rather risk getting caught than risk being eaten like that couple on bates island. Park staff would rather a person is killed than lose a precious bear.
Kind of like watching the Blair Witch Project, only it was the Bear Witch Project version. ~cheers
Prepare for Bear Incounters 🐻 🐻❄
That Bear was so smart it picked up the barrel and walked away with it but good it got the food barrel and not them bears have been known to stalk their pray .
That's a campers buzzkill
1 trick and iv never lost food......dig a 2 foot hole put your bag thats waterproof of course in the hole till next day
Good luck digging a 2 foot deep hole in the Canadian Shield.
Are cans allowed in the park now?
Nope...
It's a lazy man that won't teach his girl friend how to portage a canoe. Trap wise bear.Need to bait the trapwith a food barrel! Bear was probably already relocated. Ear tags will tell. Thanks for the video. All is well that ends well.
@@AidanLangIsOutside No sympathy for mugger bears. They need to be turned into a rug before they hurt someone.
I've seen this video before but I have to tell you that you would have died if the bear came out. @ 15:58 you can see that you still have the zip tie around the trigger ... with your heart pounding and making sure your girlfriend was safe it would have been too late.. .................................................Bro you lucky
@@AidanLangIsOutside LOLOLOLOLOLOL ..bro that was funny .. Ok glad you thought of that before. I had to point it out in case..just so no one does that .. lol you made my day ..
Nice girl. Don’t mess this up Adin
That's crazy scary!
Scary stuff.
The only wat to train a bear to stay away is a 12 gauge. Everything else just makes them more dangerous.
Guns?? Anyone have a gun??? This reminds me of Timothy Treadwell going outside to talk to the bear. OMG.
This is Algonquin Park, you can't bring a firearm into a provincial park.
@@jjnich4915 that's too bad. 🤷♀️
@@hiker4life4020 it sucks but it makes sense. If everyone who had a firearms license brought them into the backcountry I can promise you the bear population would be halved.
The correct approach would be to educate campers about backcountry and wild animal etiquette it's just that I don't believe our Provincial Parks can afford to make this a requirment to enter the backcountry as Parks get the majority of their revenue from camping fees.
@@jjnich4915 understood. Valid points. I am a hiker and don't want to be in a shooting gallery. I am of the mind just for protection but there are surely those who would take it too far.
Anyone have an update on the bear situation. Heading up there in a month
They're just black bears big scary cats bring bear spray and your fine chances are you won't even see a bear
@@connorglover5695 We did brought bear spray, and yup didn't see any bears
bears are in the pig family @@connorglover5695
Congratulations, you have officially done your part to make that bear a little more dangerous for the next idiot. Camping with no real means of self-defense is never a good idea, but in this case it was stupid. This bear needs to be turned into a rug before it hurts someone.
It’s a $240 fine for carrying a firearm in Algonquin park. No guns allowed.
If the bear goes for your food and you yelled and let them have it, then you were teaching a bear to associate people with food and you are creating problems. Best thing to do is to blast him with pepper spray so he learns not to mess with humans.
@@AidanLangIsOutside I don't believe it.
@@lisarochwarg4707 Yeah getting near any bear is a bad idea. Move away and report to park staff.
@@AidanLangIsOutside looooool i have had a bear almost every trip literally , I just refer the thumb up the bum method myself assert dominance right away
@@AidanLangIsOutside legit tho I’ve had some sketchy bear encounters and just sleep threw it if I’m dead I’m dead can’t change fate and I just use a tarp no tent
Do you know your can of beer is illegal?
You look like a product of every UA-cam video, about canoe camping, made in the last two years...
@@AidanLangIsOutside That comment really shows your ignorance and arrogance.
44 mag hello
I would of lite a fire 🔥
If they capture the bear there gonna take it to its family right ?? They don’t kill them ??! 😢
Men have more muscle mass and bigger ones. That’s the way God made.
The reason why the bear associate people with food is because people yield to the bear and let him have their food which creates the problem. The bear approaches you the best thing to do is the blast him with pepper spray so he learns not to associate people with food and he learns to fear people.
Giving in to the bear creates the problem.
an adult male black bear can weigh upwards of 300lbs, has 3 inch claws and a bite force that can pop a human skull like a grape. Getting close enough to effectively use bear spray is a last resort. Spray is defensive not offensive.
Agreed. Pain or extreme discomfort is the only way to "train" a bear. Not really applicable to this setting perhaps but there are some non-lethal rounds that can really put the sting on em also.
@@b.5982 It isn't bears who need the training. It's humans.
Jody I agree that humans need to be trained to not create nuisance bears. I guess what I was referring to was a scenario where you already have an agressive animal.
@@b.5982 Bangers, loud noises and last resort is spray. The problems with bear spray are that they are limited by distance and wind. It can blow back at you and incapacitate you. Those are your options really.
Important to keep in perspective that black bear on human attacks are exceptionally rare in Ontario. They come for your food. They are really just huge racoons
You need to improve your video skills dramatically.
Guns, guns, guns
I would have went armed, but that's just me.
So naive. Take firearm. Your life depends on it. Bears aren’t cuddly little creatures.
You knew what you were getting yourself into . Why would you let a bear ruin your trip. Come prepared and ready