Bear away

[The_Kunkels]

Anyone have a run in with bears while camping. How do you make them stay away from your tt. I'm not scared of them but looking for tricks to send them away. Thanks.

[Billinwoodland]

Before I upgraded to a MH, we used to take a 20' TT into bear country in the sierras. We would hear them occasionally at night going through the campsites looking for easy pickings. I never had them try and break into our TT. Campers that had trash cans or bags with trash left out found the contents scattered all around the campsite. I always pack bear spray and a weapon, but have never had to use either. As everyone else has mentioned, keeping your site clean is the ticket to a joyful non-event experience.

[2gypsies1]

We volunteered at Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park and on every picnic table there was a sign stating to not leave coolers or cooking stuff/food outside. Eat and put it away. Wouldn't you know that a camper left in the morning for an all-day siteseeing trip and left his cooler out. The ranger came by and took it in the ranger's office to be claimed. The camper came back after 10pm and knocked on our door asking what happened to his cooler. We explained the policy and that the ranger took it. The camper actually demanded that we call the ranger to bring his cooler back. We gave him the phone number. The next morning the camper packed up - with his cooler and a hefty fine. 🙂

[traveylin]

Ranger Rick at Glacer Nat Park tried to give me a ticket for having an unused igloo ice chest in the back of my pickup. He said that bears associate food with ice chest plastic and come a running

[NYCgrrl]

Opie431 wrote:
We were told not to have things like aprons, dishtowels, washcloths hanging outside on the line when camping in bear country.
Do not throw out dishwater on your lot.
There were more things but they have eluded me now.
Everyone should have bear spray. Ten years ago it was expensive, I assume it is more so now.

We burned any food scraps. Stirred the fire pit and then burned them some more.

I'm one of those type A list planners, LOL. There are NO food leftovers when we camp as they are all used in other dishes or taken back home to my abject shame;). I do burn paper waste though.

[1stgenfarmboy]

I always pour my bacon grease a couple campers down, that keeps them away from us and gives us a free show as well. :W

[2gypsies1]

Opie431 wrote:

We burned any food scraps. Stirred the fire pit and then burned them some more.

As volunteers having to clean out firepits, definitely not recommended. Nothing should go in the firepit except wood. No bottles, cans, diapers, rubber, garbage, grease.

[Opie431]

We were told not to have things like aprons, dishtowels, washcloths hanging outside on the line when camping in bear country.
Do not throw out dishwater on your lot.
There were more things but they have eluded me now.
Everyone should have bear spray. Ten years ago it was expensive, I assume it is more so now.

We burned any food scraps. Stirred the fire pit and then burned them some more.

[DryCreek]

DiskDoctr wrote:
Just put up signs at your camp: "Bear Free Zone"

That will keep you safe! LOL.

But seriously, we have bears at our house. We chased him off twice last week.

The key to chasing a bear is to encourage, not encroach. Just like a SKUNK. Don't give him a reason or chance to turn on you 😉

Along this line, have you tried a "No Bears" sign?

[Naio]

Great post, naturist!

[naturist]

Campground Host in an NFS campground that has bears. Keep a clean campsite and the bears will not bother you. (something YOU control)

Don't camp in a campsite that previous idiots have littered with food so the smell lingers and the bear's memories of past feasts are strong. (something you can't control)

As long as your TT has no canvas sides AND you NEVER leave food or anything that ever contained food outside (unless you are there and eating)(including garbage, btw), you should have no trouble. Anything that smells good, including toothpaste, cosmetics, and weirdly, charcoal lighter fluid (beats me why that interests bears, but it seems to) must be kept in the trailer, in a bear box, or hung at least 10 feet off the ground.

Bears have zero interest in you, it is you food they are after.

[Naio]

I grew up around black bears, saw them a lot when on walks and stuff. Never had any trouble. Have not run into one specifically when camping. I do store my food away from my bed :).

Last year, at a tiny cg where they had had bears the previous night, I put the food in a roof box on top of the van. Figured the bear could tear up the box if it wanted, but not me!

[Redwoodcamper]

Travel with a dog. Preferably not a small one. Carry a gun or 6. Pee on trees everywhere. Pretty simple.
I camp in order to find bears. Nothing like eating food that you killed. Sadly the next generation doesn't understand such things.

[2gypsies1]

Not all black bears will move away with pot-banging! We know.

[DiskDoctr]

Just put up signs at your camp: "Bear Free Zone"

That will keep you safe! LOL.

But seriously, we have bears at our house. We chased him off twice last week.

The key to chasing a bear is to encourage, not encroach. Just like a SKUNK. Don't give him a reason or chance to turn on you 😉