Camping Safety

[S. Heisley]

She had food in her tent and even though they removed it, the smell probably lingered, causing the bear to tear into the tent.

FROM THE NEWSROOM: HELENA Mont. (AP) — A grizzly bear pulled a woman from her tent in a small Montana town the middle of the night and killed her before fellow campers could use bear spray to force the bear out of the area, Officials say the bear had wandered into an area near the post office in Ovando and awakened the woman and two fellow campers in an adjacent tent. They removed the food from their tents and stored it and went back to bed. The bear returned and pulled 65-year-old Leah Davis Lokan from her tent, killing her. She was a registered nurse from Chico, California. The bear has not been found.

[western traveler]

I’m building my Tear for travel but also for this reason. I’m done sleeping in 3 season tents in Montana and WY. The last time I used a tent in Many Glacier Campground in Glacier National park they had had 40 grizzly conflicts in one month in that campground. My bride said that’s it. A hard sided camper may not be a vault but it is better than being mauled through tent fabric. Bear spray and armed is the norm when in the outdoors around where I live.
We just had a community meeting with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks including the grizzly response team and US Fish and Wildlife Service because of grizzly conflicts in our small towns.

A backcountry guide was also killed by a grizzly in Yellowstone this year while hiking. That was a grizzly protecting a moose kill.
Also it isn’t just food smells. It can be as simple as deodorant, dish soap, bug spray etc.

[PCO6]

Our tear drop has a pop up lid with soft sides so a racoon could get in if it wanted too. For them and other animals we keep bear spray and air horns for each of us on the head board. I also have a Cadillac horn (nice sound!) mounted to the frame with a button on the head board between both of us.

I'm also about to wire the 7-way trailer plug into a socket that I've mounted to the trailer tongue. When I unhook the trailer from the TV I'll just plug the harness into the trailer. It's a nice way of keeping it out of the way and clean at the same time. It will have a switch next to the horn button. When I hit the switch all of the trailer external lights will will come on. It's a minor thing but probably a good first quiet attempt at scaring off animals ... little ones any way.

A standard rule for us is no food or toiletries, cosmetics, etc. in the trailer.

[RJ Howell]

I'm out of the Nor'east USA. 'round here I'm more worried about Fisher Cat cause they're unpredictable! They usually stay pretty clear of humans, yet if you do stumble upon it get's pretty hairy. I carry now to end it if required. You don't want one a coming at ya...

Any bear I have come across have been more scared of me than the other way around. I really don't even worry about it as I travel. Then again, I have not gone into the Yukon/Northwest Territories that a gent I met did and saw what he carried with him! Though he said he never had to use it, he did have bear around camp and watched from inside his 'tear'. I laughed when I saw what he carried and asked he he bothered to carry a chain saw.. he caught the humor and replied... only if it need more than 2 shells. Where he went, I'd think some more on my theory/experience.

Comes down to: Where you going to be?

Safe travels all!

[Steambc]

I'm about to start my build and my wife and I have been joking how we'll build it like a Brinks armored truck bristling with little ports for gun muzzles to stick through and those narrow bulletproof windows to peer out of.

[tony.latham]

I'm about to start my build and my wife and I have been joking how we'll build it like a Brinks armored truck bristling with little ports for gun muzzles to stick through and those narrow bulletproof windows to peer out of.

Two doors and you'll be fine.





Tony

[tomhawk]

During our travels this summer we often stayed at campgrounds that strongly suggested advance online reservations.
On two occasions we arrived late in the day to find someone else parked in our reserved site. Both times the folks apologized and left.

On one of these, at a county campground outside Casper WY, there were no campground hosts and no internet to get a changed camp site. I could imagine the situation getting out of control with such interactions.

Iowa had a violent episode with several deaths at a state park earlier this year https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maquoketa_Caves_State_Park_shooting. The police did not identify any motive.

I don't think bears are all we have to worry about.

[noseoil]

When we built the camper, I added a car alarm for security ($100 dollar alarm system, pretty basic). Granted, it won't do much for theft, but in Tucson things tend to disappear south into Mexico & are gone forever. Basically, it's mostly an impact/motion sensor with a few switches included for tamper stuff. Not great, but it is really LOUD when activated. I figure your basic bear being curious will get annoyed at the noise it makes & leave the area. We arm it when we're out for the day usually & then shut it down at night. The PANIC button is ready for things which go bump in the night...