Trip wires for bear

[Nuts]

I have been investigating using trip wires with alarms to place around meat or late day kills in AK for bear protection. Knowing from a distance something is messing with things would be helpful besides scaring them off. I am not a fan of the 209 primer or 12gauge ones unless its in front of a buddies tent after he goes to bed. Its once and done as a detergent and the audible alarm keeps going. Has any one used these? Any recommendations.

 

[Jonas]

I’ve never used that exact setup, but the concept makes sense. An audible trip wire alarm around a meat cache or a late day kill could give you early warning that something is investigating the area without relying on a one time use primer device.
My main concern would be false alarms from wind, smaller animals, or branches moving in bad weather. Reliability is probably more important than volume when you’re depending on it overnight or from a distance.
The reusable electronic alarms seem more practical than 209 primer or 12 gauge perimeter alarms since they can continue sounding after activation and don’t require resetting with specialized components. If you’re hunting in bear country, I’d still view them as an alert system rather than a deterrent once the alarm goes off, you’ll want to assess the situation from a safe distance and follow local wildlife safety guidance.

 

[Nuts]

I’ve never used that exact setup, but the concept makes sense. An audible trip wire alarm around a meat cache or a late day kill could give you early warning that something is investigating the area without relying on a one time use primer device.
My main concern would be false alarms from wind, smaller animals, or branches moving in bad weather. Reliability is probably more important than volume when you’re depending on it overnight or from a distance.
The reusable electronic alarms seem more practical than 209 primer or 12 gauge perimeter alarms since they can continue sounding after activation and don’t require resetting with specialized components. If you’re hunting in bear country, I’d still view them as an alert system rather than a deterrent once the alarm goes off, you’ll want to assess the situation from a safe distance and follow local wildlife safety guidance.

Pretty much how I was looking at it.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Yes it’ll work, I always had an Acme Thunder whistle on my vest while guiding on the penninsula. A long hard blast worked just as well as a warning shot, actually better. It was easy to see the bears did not like it.

 

[El Jason]

What are the advantages of this over an electric fence?

 

[Okie84]

What are the advantages of this over an electric fence?

It would alert you from a distance that something had tripped your wire and there could possibly be a bear on your meat.

 

[El Jason]

It would alert you from a distance that something had tripped your wire and there could possibly be a bear on your meat.

I guess I don’t see the advantage of that over a hot wire fence that will just keep them out.

 

[Okie84]

I guess I don’t see the advantage of that over a hot wire fence that will just keep them out.

For black bear I agree. But in grizzly country it would be nice to know if there’s potentially one nearby that’s shown interest in claiming your kill. It would be an added layer of prevention. I haven’t ever thought of using a trip alarm on a kill, but I’m going to look into it. I’m up in northwest Wyoming and walking back to where your meat is when packing it out will make your butthole pucker

 

[El Jason]

For black bear I agree. But in grizzly country it would be nice to know if there’s potentially one nearby that’s shown interest in claiming your kill. It would be an added layer of prevention. I haven’t ever thought of using a trip alarm on a kill, but I’m going to look into it. I’m up in northwest Wyoming and walking back to where your meat is when packing it out will make your butthole pucker

Yeah I’ve packed meat out of grizzly country. I talked to an outfitter in the South Fork of the Flathead who used a hot wire fence around their meat pole and had tremendous success with it. I just assume there is a bear around.

 

[Mountain Mule]

My buddy in bear management often uses the Amek Critter Gitter's at work to help with Grizzlies on grain bins, etc. He recommended it to me for this purpose.

 

[Nunyacreek]

Many years ago on the first dall sheep hunt I ever guided I set up a small tarp lean-to to put the sheep meat in about 50 yards from the tent. The first two nights a quarter disappeared each night. On the third night my I tied a line of parachute cord from the remaining quarters to a cooking pot next to my sleeping tent. The bear happily removed the last two quarters on following nights and took the cooking pot several hundred yards as well. I never woke up and I’m not sure what I would have done anyway. I really didn’t have a plan so I never tried that again and never had a similar experience. I’m really not sure what I planned to do.