Safety in Bear Country

[cdnred]

I'm still dithering on whether to go with a converted enclosed 5x8 cargo trailer or just get a ready built teardrop. I'm looking at taking a remote trip (off highway) to Yukon and Alaska for a month or so for a fishing trip. I'm wondering with cooking in the rear of the teardrop creating food smells if there much chance of bears attempting to break into the back kitchen area or am I over-thinking the issue..? Has anyone had any issues with this happening..?

[tony.latham]

Has anyone had any issues with this happening..?

I've been teardropping in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah for nearly twenty years.



Nary a bear issue.





Tony

[terrymorse]

A bear tried to get into our teardrop when it was parked (unoccupied) in Squaw Valley (now called Palisades), CA.

The trailer got pushed around the parking lot, there were lots of bear prints, and the bear almost got the rear hatch open. It was able to turn two of the three latch handles, but the last one was locked (thankfully).

[MickinOz]

And yet, to this very day, the internet is replete with reports of how dangerous Aussie wildlife is.

[Sparksalot]

And yet, to this very day, the internet is replete with reports of how dangerous Aussie wildlife is.

It’s the viscous kangaroos y’all have.

[Sparksalot]

I'm still dithering on whether to go with a converted enclosed 5x8 cargo trailer or just get a ready built teardrop. I'm looking at taking a remote trip (off highway) to Yukon and Alaska for a month or so for a fishing trip. I'm wondering with cooking in the rear of the teardrop creating food smells if there much chance of bears attempting to break into the back kitchen area or am I over-thinking the issue..? Has anyone had any issues with this happening..?

I just spent 3 weeks in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. The only wildlife issues I had were curious open range cattle rubbing against my tow vehicle at night. If it was locked the stupid alarm went off.

[tony.latham]

A bear tried to get into our teardrop when it was parked (unoccupied) in Squaw Valley (now called Palisades), CA.

As you know, bear problems like this occur when the offender becomes habituated to human food. Six-bits says the bear was euthanized.

The poster shouldn't come across this issue in the Yukon or Alaska. Generally, it's large campgrounds in the lower-48 that have the potential.

I'm a retired Idaho game warden and dealt with many problem bears and many-many people that caused the habituation.

Tony

[Squigie]

As I have mentioned in the past, I don't cook inside. I hate having food smells in my clothing and bedding, and having aerosolized grease/oil deposited on everything.
Whether or not that is a contributing factor, I do not know; but I have not had bear issues with a trailer, tent, or motorhome, in UT, ID, WY, MT, or CO, in 40+ years.

I have had bears and cats go after other items in or near camp - particularly elk carcasses. But they haven't messed with our sleeping shelter, even if there was food in it.

We have had issues with cattle busting through camp(s), elk sparring with a truck mirror, deer eating rubber gaskets, squirrels attempting to take residence in furnaces and fridges, etc., etc.; even bull moose fighting right through our camp during the rut.
I am normally a bear magnet. If there is a bear in the woods, I will find it. And, unfortunately, I have been mock charged too many times. I am very quiet, and tend to surprise them. They don't like that.
But bears haven't tried to get into my tents or trailers.

[cdnred]

I'd have to agree that when bears become habituated to human food due to messy camps and people feeding bears that's when problems occur. Bears is less populated areas tend to avoid people as much as possible, it's more in the urban areas that bear issues come up..

[Wynsome]

Hi,
I'm glad to see this post about bear safety and TD trailers. This was one of my concerns after this weekend up in the Poconos. Now, I feel better about the decision to build one.
The men camping near us left food out. Just so happens a 3-4ft Black bear walked through our campsite over to theirs. We know because of all the yelling and flashlights.
So, this weekend campers leaving food on the lantern hook, and on their tables created an unsafe situation. Now, our black bears are skittish, except when the cubs are around.
Park ranger said couple weeks ago a bear was at the campsite next to us, when the bear saw the ranger it ran off. We tent camp, and this was the second time a bear walked through.
The ranger said the bears know what a cooler is, and if they are out they will come. We put everything in our suv, and clean up after ourselves. The ranger tells everyone, the signs say
this is bear country. Put food away. Last year it was the beans and bagels people left out. So, I told the hubby I'm ready to get out of the tent. That way, I feel better. I don't blame the bear
it sees human coolers as easy pickins. If they had of cleaned up, the bear would have kept passing through.

[MickinOz]

And yet, to this very day, the internet is replete with reports of how dangerous Aussie wildlife is.

It’s the viscous kangaroos y’all have.

Like Roger?
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-new ... nd-5822015

[Westy]

And yet, to this very day, the internet is replete with reports of how dangerous Aussie wildlife is.

It’s the viscous kangaroos y’all have.

Viscous?
I guess they just go with the flow.
Westy

[Sparksalot]

And yet, to this very day, the internet is replete with reports of how dangerous Aussie wildlife is.

It’s the viscous kangaroos y’all have.

Viscous?
I guess they just go with the flow.
Westy

Yep.

Monty Python had the rabbit.

Mick Dundee had the kangaroos.

[tomhawk]

If one is really concerned about bears, it would appear these folks have a viable solution:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv2G-aRDvyY

I have a cheapo electric fence in my garden to keep raccoons out of the tomatoes. If I did not, I would not have any tomatoes. I was willing to share, but the raccoons were not. I believe there are products that work fine powered by ordinary batteries.

I acknowledge bears are a problem. They ate all our food once on a back packing trip. From personal experience what worries me more is running into deer while driving at 60 mph or other camper's guns while at a campground.

Tom