Bear Precautions and Rooftop Tents

[High_Country]

I have to ask. I'd be shocked if this wasn't discussed here before, BUT, I've searched. I've 'advanced searched'. Heck, I just plain ol' google searched and couldn't find a thread about it. I then looked thread by thread in this section of the forum back a year and half. Couldn't find anything.

I come from a history of backpacking and always employed all the best practices for bears - eating and cooking 100 feet or more from camp, NEVER have food in the tent, always hang your food at night, clean yourself up after dinner, maybe even change clothes before bed, etc. I try to carry some of that good logic into my vehicle-based trips as well. The ONLY time I had an issue - heck, even SAW a black bear - was in an established campground in southern Colorado where I'm sure the bears were habituated to raiding vehicles for food.

The wife and I (and kids) are looking at getting a rooftop tent. The only reservation I and the wife have, is our uncertainty about the [increased] risk of bears or other critters. We'll be cooking out of the back of the 4Runner, storing our food in it, likely have trash in or around it. It doesn't seem logical to then sleep on top of all that if you're in 'bear country' given all the preached recommended bear precautions. But, my goodness, all the threads, ExPo articles, groups like "Expedition Overland", etc., all cook and eat out of these kitted out vehicles and/or trailers, complete with refrigerators and trasharoos, and then sleep right there with them.

What am I missing? Is it just not that big of a deal? Is it different if your in 'grizzly country' vs. 'black bear country'?

If there's a thread already, please point me to it. Thanks for your input and opinion.

 

[Colin Hughes]

Bears love RTT's, it's like going to the fridge; stand on your hind legs, reach in and grab a yummy snack, no work at all Seriously though, it appears some campgrounds in Western Canada no longer allow soft sided tents due to how easy a bear can get in. I think it all comes down to common sense though and you seem very bear wise from experience in the wild. We always cooked on a table behind the Rover and kept our fridge and food inside while we slept on top. Now, we've moved to a Teardrop trailer and will still be cooking in the rear galley and sleeping inside but our fridge and food will still be kept in the truck although I'm sure some residual smells will still be there.

 

[Lemsteraak]

I don't camp in bear country so all this is all hear say. We prepared a roof tent for a photographer who was going up to Denali for the Smithsonian about 20 years ago. He had permits to drive in the park so he wanted some protection from bears. The rangers requested that he move our roof tent from his trailer to the top of his Land Rover. They felt the height helped.

I understand bears are difficult as they are so smart. We did some research on big cats and if they don't see you, they ignore you. So if you have your tent closed up, and the cat can't see you, they will not bother you. This is what I was told and one reason why roof tents are popular in Africa.

You are a bit on your own with bears as there doesn't seem to be a lot known about how bears interact with roof tents.

 

[SnoViking]

We tend to camp in a lot of black bear (and skunk) territory and always cook around (within 20 feet) of the 4Runner. We also keep the food and trash in the 4Runner at night. Unless we have a bear box (some National Parks have them now) We have a RTT and a ground tent and I think regardless of which tent setup, it's more important to just keep tidy around the camp with crumbs and food. You can't do much about the smell besides trying to cook/eat downwind which can be difficult sometimes. I use a fresh trash bag each day to try and keep the trash bags tied shut.

I do always make sure to close all the windows in the truck at night or if we leave it unattended. I have seen videos of bears approach a vehicle that had food (or something that smelled good) in it with the windows cracked and just crush the glass open and turn the car into a giant Lunchable. I've had black bears (and skunks) walk through our camp and sniff around and wander off. Unless they find anything (besides smells) they sniff around and wonder off. I mention skunks because they act and do the exact same thing as the bears do.... Most people are smart enough to not do anything around a bear and most times once the bear realizes you're there it runs off. Skunks seem to have brass b@lls and just look at you and say, "yeah.... Im here, what are you going to do about it? You know who I am. Want to smell like rotten eggs for the next 1-3 weeks? Thought not....."

Raccoons do the same thing. I usually get excited when I see them because they quite inquisitive, relatively low danger, and their faces always show personality.

Just remember that most animals are looking for anything that's quick and easy. And they're not looking to pick fights.

 

[herecomestony]

I just avoid camping in bear countries. It's too risky.

 

[Outside somewhere]

Some type of perimeter alarm, fire etc. If you are one of the poor souls out west that can't be trusted with a camp fire some type of early warning is the way to go. Be it 550 with your empty beer cans or something more high tech like a UDAP there is no way in hell I'd camp out without something like that. Just my .02

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Just spent a few days in big bear country and I carry an air horn (along with a pistol) when out of the Land Cruiser and bring it up at night. It has been tested a couple times over the years and Im still here. The air horn I use is very loud being Coast Guard approved for a 65' vessel. I am selective on what I cook and when. I worry more about my dog than me.

 

[IdaSHO]

Generally, the only areas bears are a problem, is where they are a problem.

As in, its a know bear problem area, with a history. Most places like that are signed pretty well, if its state/national forest.

Most bears want nothing to do with humans, unless they have had the taste of garbage. Then they are bound to be problem bears.


That said, TENT anything and bear security isnt something you will really have any control over.

But following your backpacking procedures will certainly help.

And camping in areas that are not already known bear problem areas will as well.

 

[grogie]

I was originally thinking of driving through Yellowstone this summer and camping outside the tourists traps, until one place specifically said no tents (my Tepui is on my trailer), and another had even closed down to hard sided trailers due to the bears. As a kid I did a lot of camping in southern Wyoming that had some black bears roaming about. I never saw any, but our dogs tended to alert us and we assumed it was over bears? (Or maybe it was over Big Foot? )

Later, my dad once had some farm fields in western Colorado that he rented to a sheep herder. The sheep herder also kept his sheep in the mountains during the summer and occasionally dealt with black bears attacking them. A bear would come through at night, and rip open the backs of some sheep, not immediately killing them, but so that they just bleed to death. The bear would then return not to eat them, but to dig them up (from being buried) and roll on the carcasses. The sheep herder said it was like it was a sport for the bears.