The most important thing to remember is counter hanging food bags in trees or placing them in a rock pit only buys you time. Given enough time a hungry black bear will succeed in getting your food. The game is to provide sufficient time to discover that there is a bear in your camp, or close by, and then scare it away. Sometimes you may have to do this several times in one day or night since the same bear may keep coming back. You should counter hang your food as soon as you reach camp.
Many people hit camp, drop their bags and go down to the lake to fish or swim.
Since bears will come any time of day or night, you should never leave your food for a minute unless you have it secured. Then counter hang your food bags 10 feet or more from the trunk, with the bags hanging at least 12 feet above the ground.