Bear Proof

[Ron Dickey]

has anyone had troubles with bears or other wild animals braking into their trailers. I hear if they know they rip open cars and walk in.

this site offers pictures of bearproof things

http://images.google.com/images?q=bear% ... a=N&tab=wi

a site worth looking over

http://www.tahoewildbears.org/index.html

I have never seen bears at a camp site but have camped where all trash containers were bearproof. Near Lake Piru, CA

Camping: this is for Black Bears mostly grizzelies are worse.

* Keep your camp clean.
* Store food and garbage properly at all times. Keep your tent and sleeping bag free of all food smells. Store the clothes you wore while cooking or eating with your food. Burn all grease off grills and camp stoves. Wipe table and clean up eating area thoroughly. Store your food safely. Store all your food and coolers in your car trunk or suspended from a tree – at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet out from the tree trunk. Don’t underestimate the ingenuity of a bear! Vehicles are not bear proof.
* Dispose of garbage properly. Put it in bear-proof garbage cans where available or secure it with your food and then pack it out. Don’t burn or bury garbage. Bears will dig it up.
* Sleep well away from food areas. Move some distance away from your cooking area or food storage site.
* Store any toiletries safely. Store them with your food - the smell of toiletries may attract bears. Abstain from sexual activity. Practice good personal hygiene.


Any teardrop building thoughts?

Ron

[steve wolverton]

* Store any toiletries safely. Store them with your food - the smell of toiletries may attract bears. Abstain from sexual activity. Practice good personal hygiene.

Umm. We're supposed to abstain from sexual activity with bears? No problem.

We had a bear try to get into our teardrop last night. It really scared us, we weren't even camping - just playing around at our house. Then we realized it wasn't a bear, it was just a raccoon. They kinda look like bears. Small bears maybe. I wasn't all that scared. Just a little. Stupid bear lookalikes.

Steve

[Scooter]

* Store any toiletries safely. Store them with your food - the smell of toiletries may attract bears. Abstain from sexual activity. Practice good personal hygiene.

So we can eat meals in camp, but can't have sex...what's up with that?

[SteveH]

Umm. We're supposed to abstain from sexual activity with bears? No problem.

Knock it off Steve, you're killing me over here!

[asianflava]

That's gross, although you can probably find it on the internet.

[ALAN GEDDES]

When being chased by a bear you only need to run faster than the slowest person you are with.

[Guy]

Is that you or Wanda, Alan?

[Denny Unfried]

That's the reason for two doors on your tear. You exit one while the bear comes in the other.
Exit stage right -->

Denny

[Ken]

No matter the subject, Ron always has a way of bringing out the best in us.

[John Foote]

What you need is a bear bouncer...

http://www.sillyenglish.com/online/videos/bear.htm

[Jane]

Had a bear sniffing around the trailer at Yellowstone. (Wasn't there, out sight-seeing,the rangers filled me in on the story.)

He sniffed around the door and the hatch, shook his head and walked off.
They cornered him and took him away to the a deep pocket in the park.

On the advice of others, I had wiped down all the seams with laundry Bleach. I used those throw away bleach sheets and had wipes the tires as well. I guess it worked.

[Denny Unfried]

I talked to a ranger in the Sierra's last summer and he told me that bears can't stand the smell of Vicks Vap-O-Rub. Of course I can't either.

[yhgail]

I discussed this with Cary at Camp-Inn when my trailer was being built. He offered to add a horn that could be set off by a switch on the inside of the TD. I decided against it. However, I am trying to be careful when cooking to not turn the galley into a greasy spoon. Eventually, I want to make an Alaska trip.

The best website I found on bears is
http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/brown ... encing.htm
This guy works on the Kenai Peninsula and uses a portable electric fence to protect his camps.

[TonyCooper]

My 23 year old daughter just completed the 2200+ mile App Trail hike with her fiance (now married! Great son in law BTW) and had several instances where critters came upon them in the night... From rats scurrying over them, chewing holes in their clothing (while they slept and were wearing them!) and food bags (even when hanging from trees), to waking up with a family of racoons looking point blank in their face sniffing them nose to nose... to several instances of black bears and in the far north of Maine, moose coming within 6 feet of their camp... The bear run ins were in NC (Smoky Mtn Natl Park) and of all places, western NJ.

Key point here... never a problem... tho the bigger critters gave them a little worry a time or two.... mind you NO TENT... just back packs & sleeping bags.

As for me and camping... I'll stick to my tear thank you very much!

[Bigwoods]

I have some experience with black bears. ( Note Avatar) Never keep food where you sleep. If bears frequent and area, hang the food, or stash it well away from the routes bears will take. That what we do, usually 100 yards from camp, when we are in the Boundary Water Canoe Area.. We use a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma seal. Very cheap.