You probably do not let such unlikely things cross your mind when you're happily packing and gathering your supplies for a family camping trip, but one must be prepared to deal with the unpleasant possibility of bears dropping by. Of course preventing them from stopping by your camp in the first place is your best choice of action, but if one shows up, you must be prepared. Here are a few tips to take along with you on your next outing.
Prevention
Bears are not out looking for you, they are in search of food. Where there are humans, there is food. Campsites are filled with scraps and even full meals for bears all season long. Bears have become accustomed to searching campsites for their next meal since so many campers have been providing it for them. Many campers are being careless and almost inviting trouble, also known as the bear, in. The most common of mistakes is leaving your food out in the open when you retire to bed for the night. This means not just leaving it on a picnic table, but also locked in a cooler. Coolers are not bear proof. All food must be locked in bear proof bins (generally provided by the campsites) or at the very least locked away in the trunk of a car (not parked near you). The idea is to get the scent of the food locked up as air tight as possible and out of the way of any prowling creatures.
Your clothing can be enticing to the animals as well. Any and all clothing you eat or cook and prepare food in should be left outside of your tent or camper. Locking it away is best. Bears have a very keen sense of smell, and will sniff out food wherever it may be. This means absolutely no food should be brought inside the tent or camper either. All food is to be outside and locked away at night.
Another issue to keep in mind is the scents you may use on your body. If you are someone who often uses fruity smelling lotions and shampoos, leave them at home for your trip. Remember fruit is food, and you don't want to have that food smell all over yourself. Make sure your tent or camper is as scent free from food as possible.
Any campers that have dogs along for the fun have some extra things to be cautious of. Dog food and bones need to be completely cleaned up each night. Many campers make sure they are erasing any trace of human food, and often forget about Fido's scraps. Anything left scattered around your campsite from your pet's meal could be a free meal for the bears, so keep it clean.
A Bear, Now What?
OK, so you're sound asleep, as relaxed as can be on your trip because you have done everything you know to do to keep bears away, when suddenly you're awakened by the eerie sound of grumbling and breathing. It's a bear outside. First of all, do not panic. This is understandably hard to do. There are some things you can do to rid yourself of your visitor.
If you are campers that really rough it and sleep in tents, remember to park your vehicle close by your tent door when you set up. Some newer tents even have sections that attach to the back end of your SUV now. What this will do is provide you with an escape route if you feel you need one. Obviously tent walls are not much protection, so getting inside your vehicle, where you could drive off in a seconds notice, will make you feel much more protected. Now it will be difficult to get to your car if you have parked it on the other side of your campsite, so park it close by.
The last tip is to scare the bear away. Most all cars now come with a key ring that has a panic button built in that sets your car horn off as a sort of alarm. What you need to do, is when you head to bed for the night, take your panic button with you. If you are awakened by any unwelcome visitors, a simple push of the panic button should send them running. Of course your camping neighbors will not be so happy with the rude wake up call. Just let them know, better a horn than a bear.
Now go off on that trip and enjoy yourself. Smart, well prepared campers generally don't have many of these problems. Just be aware of what you're doing at all times and all should go well. Happy camping!