Sleeping in my Xterra in bear country. Where should I keep my food?

[Photobug]

I agree. Outside the towns, there are some private campgrounds, but I think most people just pick a spot on federal land and call it home for the night.

This is a few miles south of Silverton. Why would I want to pay for a campground when this is free?

Good luck finding a tree with that landscape to bear proof hang your food. I prefer being off the beaten path but since Grizzly Habitat is growing around me I am having second thoughts. One of my favorite camping areas in the past.

https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news...cle_b7d9b907-a2d6-50d3-ac1f-c1182959da8a.html

 

[shade]

Good luck finding a tree with that landscape to bear proof hang your food. I prefer being off the beaten path but since Grizzly Habitat is growing around me I am having second thoughts. One of my favorite camping areas in the past.

https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news...cle_b7d9b907-a2d6-50d3-ac1f-c1182959da8a.html

My apologies. I forgot which "Bears are scary" thread I was posting in. My point was there isn't a lot of concern about monstrous bears attacking campers in that area of Colorado. Looking back, you may not have realized they weren't referring to your area.

Colter Bay Campground has excellent bear boxes for each campsite, so that's an easy place to go if bear worries are bothering a visitor to the Jackson area.

 

[Buliwyf]

We hide/hang bear proof canisters, and generally burn all of our garbage. (not cans or bottles obviously) Cooler is open. Bears are welcome to help themselves to soda, beer, but it's mostly 1g jugs of water when car camping. Backpacking, there is no cooler, and there is no bottled water.

Fast. Bring less food. Mountain House freeze dried food, and candy bars are in sealed bags. Wash them with dish soap to get food smells off before packing them. You don't need five course meals at camp. Get the fattiest caloric content lightweight foods that you can, for stringing into trees. Hang an extra string like others have already mentioned.

Backpacking, my staple foods:
Mountain House, MRE's.
Twice baked mashed potatoes. You just dump them into boiled water.
Stove Top dressing. You can pour boiled water right into the foil bag.
Candy bars.
Lipton Asian terriyaki noodles, Asian rice.
Trail mix.

I would pig out every time I went into town, and pretty much fasted on the trail. Less food, less pooing in the woods, which is so much fun.

Use bear spray first. Don't shoot our friendly bears. Some campground bears are nearly tame.

As for glades vultures. Put some salami on someones elses car, in a puzzle box on the other side of the parking lot, on top of an aligator, or in a tree or something. That'll keep them busy.

 

[Photobug]

Looking back, you may not have realized they weren't referring to your area.

Colter Bay Campground has excellent bear boxes for each campsite, so that's an easy place to go if bear worries are bothering a visitor to the Jackson area.

The OP was talking Yellowstone, since that is within 60 miles of my home, I consider it my area. When I lived here 20 years ago it was rare to have Grizzlies within 60 miles of town now they are south of town "Granite Creek" A hunting guide was killed and partially eaten last year, the threat is real.

Grand Teton Park is too crowded for my taste. There is plenty of free camping around Jackson just nowadays Grizzlies are a factor. I won't post it publicly, anyone interested PM me and I will make suggestions.

 

[shade]

The OP was talking Yellowstone, since that is within 60 miles of my home, I consider it my area. When I lived here 20 years ago it was rare to have Grizzlies within 60 miles of town now they are south of town "Granite Creek" A hunting guide was killed and partially eaten last year, the threat is real.

Grand Teton Park is too crowded for my taste. There is plenty of free camping around Jackson just nowadays Grizzlies are a factor. I won't post it publicly, anyone interested PM me and I will make suggestions.

I know that the OP was asking about the Greater Yellowstone Metroplex, but you weren't responding to the OP.

6gun asked about the Alpine Loop area in Colorado.

Thank you for not broadcasting locations. There's too much of that going on, IMO.

 

[shade]

We hide/hang bear proof canisters, and generally burn all of our garbage. (not cans or bottles obviously) Cooler is open. Bears are welcome to help themselves to soda, beer, but it's mostly 1g jugs of water when car camping. Backpacking, there is no cooler, and there is no bottled water.

Fast. Bring less food. Mountain House freeze dried food, and candy bars are in sealed bags. Wash them with dish soap to get food smells off before packing them. You don't need five course meals at camp. Get the fattiest caloric content lightweight foods that you can, for stringing into trees. Hang an extra string like others have already mentioned.

Backpacking, my staple foods:
Mountain House, MRE's.
Twice baked mashed potatoes. You just dump them into boiled water.
Stove Top dressing. You can pour boiled water right into the foil bag.
Candy bars.
Lipton Asian terriyaki noodles, Asian rice.
Trail mix.

I would pig out every time I went into town, and pretty much fasted on the trail. Less food, less pooing in the woods, which is so much fun.

Use bear spray first. Don't shoot our friendly bears. Some campground bears are nearly tame.

As for glades vultures. Put some salami on someones elses car, in a puzzle box on the other side of the parking lot, on top of an aligator, or in a tree or something. That'll keep them busy.

When in bear country:

• I check on local sightings and concerns before I get there, and when I arrive.
• I backpack with a canister and don't bother with hangs. It's more secure from all animals, and I have a nice stool with me.
• I pack my trash in odor resistant bags, same as my food and other smelly things.
• I carry bear spray in a holster on me at all times, even sleeping.
• I keep a clean camp, and I keep myself clean & natural. No deodorant, no sunscreen, no bug spray.
• I don't usually change out clothes for food prep, but if I felt it was warranted, I would.
• I don't dine where I sleep, which means I stop for dinner before I stop for the night.
• I avoid peeing or pooping near my campsite.
• I hike in a group, and we stay close together. We don't hike early in the morning.
• I never give an animal easy access to any edibles, no matter where or how I'm camping.
• Due to my fridge, I'm going to bring an electrified bear fence with me the next time I'm car camping in bear country.

By doing all of that, I feel that I've done as much as I can to be safe, and I enjoy my time in bear country.

 

[luthj]

Folks are all worried about bears, but most of the food odor management applies to the much more common possum, rodent, and raccoon incidents. If you have never had a rodent or possum gnaw through your tent pack and 5 layers of plastic to eat your food... Or worse, have some mice get in your vehicle!

 

[shade]

Folks are all worried about bears, but most of the food odor management applies to the much more common possum, rodent, and raccoon incidents. If you have never had a rodent or possum gnaw through your tent pack and 5 layers of plastic to eat your food... Or worse, have some mice get in your vehicle!

That's why I don't mind using a bear canister. Given enough time, mini-bears may be able to chew through carbon fiber and aluminum, but they haven't yet. I also have a Ratsack for less beary areas.

 

[workerdrone]

• Due to my fridge, I'm going to bring an electrified bear fence with me the next time I'm car camping in bear country.

Egad, this is a real, portable thing for sale on Amazone and the like - I'd no idea

Do they have the precision laser targeted bug zapper yet? I might venture back East if so

 

[shade]

Egad, this is a real, portable thing for sale on Amazone and the like - I'd no idea

Do they have the precision laser targeted bug zapper yet? I might venture back East if so

Portable electric fences have been around for years.

I've never used one, but if you think about it, there aren't many options for truly securing food in bear country once you move away from backpacking measures: a steel box big enough for your food & smellables, an electric fence, or just hoping for the best. I think I owe it to the bears to do more than I have, and I won't have to worry as much about my truck getting ripped up, either.

 

[workerdrone]

I just love when I find out about new (to me) tech, almost more if it's been around for years. The reviews on this one are pretty good.

Can't be long before this is an expo mod - with the extra batteries and solar and carrying space, seems would be pretty easy to add a quick deploy electric perimeter fence to your rig.

And expo fridges already have remotes and keypads - least they could do is be able to electrify the shell

 

[shade]

I just love when I find out about new (to me) tech, almost more if it's been around for years.

Can't be long before this is an expo mod - with the extra batteries and solar and carrying space, seems would be pretty easy to add a quick deploy electric perimeter fence to your rig.

And expo fridges already have remotes and keypads - least they could do is be able to electrify the shell

From what I've seen, it's an easy DIY project, and they don't require much power. My concern about widespread use is that morons would use their fence as an excuse to violate best practices for bear country, thinking it was a force field. If bears learn that they can take a nasty zap or two before dining on all the food and trash left out, portable bear fences will become less effective deterrents.

If I was in a campground (shudder) with bear boxes, I'd move my fridge into the box and run it off a battery pack. I hate campgrounds, so it's up to me to do a better job of securing my food.

I suppose a bear fence could also be deployed in a Walmart lot. Based on my experience, one might be even more useful there.

 

[dpsmedic]

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=174

 

[shade]

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=174

Good stuff. Thanks!

 

[crazysccrmd]

The OP was talking Yellowstone, since that is within 60 miles of my home, I consider it my area. When I lived here 20 years ago it was rare to have Grizzlies within 60 miles of town now they are south of town "Granite Creek" A hunting guide was killed and partially eaten last year, the threat is real.

Grand Teton Park is too crowded for my taste. There is plenty of free camping around Jackson just nowadays Grizzlies are a factor. I won't post it publicly, anyone interested PM me and I will make suggestions.

Stop being so scared/worried and just go. I live where there are far more bears of both types around daily and haven't died yet. A little bit of common sense and preparedness along with a realization of how blown out of proportion the "problem" is will go a long way.