An acquaintance has a story about finding a backpack that had clearly been ripped to shreds by a bear. Her suspicion is that some hikers got chased by a bear and someone slipped their pack to run faster and/or provide the bear with a distraction. She also drew the conclusion that the tactic must have worked because there were no mauled bodies or pools of blood around.

Another interpretation is that it was a failed attempt at setting up a hang-bag for food. Bears can be quite adept at defeating installations that fall short of perfect. Possible. Probably more probable than the story about a close escape from a bear.

But the story about harried hikers dropping the pack in desperation is the better story. Between the two I know which one will be told around a campfire.