So I'm new to the camping in truck bed under my shell and have a question about storing cooler and other smell items while we are sleeping. At campgrounds with bear boxes we will use those but my question is mainly for areas along the 395, Sierra, that are dispersed camping. Should we keep the cooler, food box, etc in the truck bed with us or the cab or do as I do when backpacking and store a little ways away? Thanks for the input.
Food storage during night
- Thread starter michaelk
- Start date
Rezarf <><
Explorer
If you're sleeping in the back I'd toss your food in the cab. We camp in bear country and have had a few snoop around at night but keeping your food stowed properly seems to move them right along to the next campsite.
Good advice. If you can, keep the food away from you. Bears are only interested in food when they come into camp. I have had them lean on me while I was sleeping in my tent. The only times I have had negative interaction with them was when I was not careful with my food. In some areas, be careful of what you cook. I can imagine the smell of bacon calling them in for miles.
Rezarf <><
Explorer
Last summer I had a small black bear panting on the other side of our tents fabric right by my head, I had my wife and three kids in the tent with me, and the bear walked on, rattled the bear box looking for the food, made his way to the next bear box and rattled it too, moved one... Then at the next site the folks were still up and and started screaming and shouting. He moved through the entire campsite looking for scraps and freebies.
They'll likely move on once they can't access the food, I've never had one be aggressive, they are easily spooked.
They'll likely move on once they can't access the food, I've never had one be aggressive, they are easily spooked.
PIC4GOD
Adventurer
In my experience the only issues I have seen are where the bears have become habituated to humans. Namely in Yosemite where people leave food or smelly items out for them. Once you go to a dry camp or outside of Yosemite they are fearful of humans and generally will move on if in your site. Obviously provided that you have secured your food in a bear box or in the vehicle sealed and covered up. Also be careful what you cook and where you prep your food because scraps can lead them in even if they are tiny. Be extra careful with children as they always have snacks and crumbs go everywhere. This only applies to black bears though which are the only ones in the Eastern Sierras. Grizzlies are a whole different ballgame.
pyrate
Rollin' along
Keep your car keys handy too if you have an alarm or "panic" button on your vehicle. While no one wants to have that go off for no reason, if you need to get a curious bear away it can be handy. And bears recognize items that hold food so if you are putting things like a cooler in the cab of your truck, cover it w/ a blanket etc.
lqdchkn
:)
I usually shove my cooler under the truck at night. I know it's not the best solution but there are no lockers when we usually go and I'm not hoisting my entire ~30ish pound ice chest up a tree each night. They'd have to want it pretty bad to try to get at it and if they ever did, I have emergency rations that would lost long enough to get me to civilization for the trips I take
All sound good.
I think im just going to bring ratchet straps and wrap them around the coolor and chuck box and push under the truck.
Keep smelly stuff like dirty pots and pans and toilet stuff a little ways away from the camp.
Thanks again, looking forward to our first trip to Alabama Hills.
I think im just going to bring ratchet straps and wrap them around the coolor and chuck box and push under the truck.
Keep smelly stuff like dirty pots and pans and toilet stuff a little ways away from the camp.
Thanks again, looking forward to our first trip to Alabama Hills.
robert
Expedition Leader
Depends on whether I'm using the fridge or the cooler- the fridge stays behind the seats in the cab while the cooler either stays behind the seats or gets shoved under the truck. Funny thing, I've actually used the truck alarm alarm once when I had one sniffing around the truck. I woke up and heard him, hit the panic buttom to trigger the alarm and cut it off almost as quick. The black bear beat feet into the woods (western NC). Backpacking I still use a bear bag away from camp.
Lone Pine Campground in Alabama Hills has bear lockers. I was just there a couple weeks ago and it was free camping. The crows/black birds and squirrels will probably get to your food before bears will at this time of the year.
Kerensky97
Xterra101
Good food policy around camp is important as well. Even if you stash your food or lock it up at night think about what has fallen on the ground while you were eating, where did you dispose of dirty dish water, do you have a garbage bag hung up from a tree, did you pour bacon grease or other fragrant cooking byproducts nearby?
Basically anything that is fragrant is a danger, even your bathroom kit and chapstick should be kept separate and stashed away.
And never ever ever take snacks to bed with you or keep food in your tent. The only smell a bear should be getting from your tent is synthetic nylon, canvas, and those stinky showered human animals that dangerously fight back.
Basically anything that is fragrant is a danger, even your bathroom kit and chapstick should be kept separate and stashed away.
And never ever ever take snacks to bed with you or keep food in your tent. The only smell a bear should be getting from your tent is synthetic nylon, canvas, and those stinky showered human animals that dangerously fight back.