The small tent you see under the tarp in my first picture is more than 10 years old and befor that I used only a tarp (pre sil nylon).
Backpacked and hunted the Mountains here in CO for more than 30 years. Never had a problem with critters, I did have a yearling Bear cub try to share my breakfast once, but he figured out what I was and he left a little disapointed.
I do keep my food in a small duffel hanging in a tree a little ways from camp. The set up I used in the picture is pretty comfortable.