OverlandNA
Well-known member
That is good info.
The OP is looking to do dispersed camping in the USA in griz country.
Sleeping in my Xterra in bear country. Where should I keep my food?
- Thread starter drunkbackpacker
- Start date
The OP is looking to do dispersed camping in the USA in griz country.
Mighty Dodge Ram
Explorer
“however I'm failing to visualize how a bear would open up a locked Xterra and get into the food. Now I can. understand the bear getting up on the Xterra with two paws or maybe even taking a swipe at a window or something along those lines. However I feel it would be relatively safe compared to say a tent or a pop up camper or even a RTT.”
Not safe. I watched a black bear, with its curved claws, peel the door off a Corolla during the day in a crowded Sierra camp area. Took all of about 10 seconds to get at the tiny styrofoam chest. And that was way back in the 70s when there were markedly fewer bears. Nothing like the sound of crumpling metal and exploding glass. Campground bears are opportunistic and will travel outside the confines of the park into dispersed areas if human activity is detected...and it will be.
Many campgrounds at popular areas habituated by bears have food lockers...USE THEM. If not, bear-proof canisters should be used but there goes the cold food option. Calling ahead or checking the websites will also provide good intel for that particular area. Also...many seem to rate grizzlies as being more dangerous than black bears...not true. The more habituated the bear, the more unpredictable, regardless of species.
Not safe. I watched a black bear, with its curved claws, peel the door off a Corolla during the day in a crowded Sierra camp area. Took all of about 10 seconds to get at the tiny styrofoam chest. And that was way back in the 70s when there were markedly fewer bears. Nothing like the sound of crumpling metal and exploding glass. Campground bears are opportunistic and will travel outside the confines of the park into dispersed areas if human activity is detected...and it will be.
Many campgrounds at popular areas habituated by bears have food lockers...USE THEM. If not, bear-proof canisters should be used but there goes the cold food option. Calling ahead or checking the websites will also provide good intel for that particular area. Also...many seem to rate grizzlies as being more dangerous than black bears...not true. The more habituated the bear, the more unpredictable, regardless of species.
IdaSHO
IDACAMPER
Backpacking we always pack bear cans as well as rope & a few carabiners.
Bulk of the food goes into the cans, set a ways from camp.
The rest, as well as the dog backpacks & dog food (we backpack w/ two dogs) is bagged, and strung up a tree limb.
Also, dont forget about things like hard candies, toothpaste and deodorant. That stays out of the tent as well.
Traveling quite often we have an ice chest in addition to our built in fridge.
Having dogs along, we pretty much never see bears.
But when we leave camp, if we have the ice chest, it is removed from the truck/camper and placed under the rear bumper of the truck.
If the bear wants it, he can have it and Ill pick up the mess when we return.
But at least he doesn't destroy the camper or truck gaining access to find it.
Beyond that, keep your truck, camper, and camp CLEAN, cleaner than your neighbors'
That way if a bear comes wondering thru, yours is not at the top of the menu.
Bulk of the food goes into the cans, set a ways from camp.
The rest, as well as the dog backpacks & dog food (we backpack w/ two dogs) is bagged, and strung up a tree limb.
Also, dont forget about things like hard candies, toothpaste and deodorant. That stays out of the tent as well.
Traveling quite often we have an ice chest in addition to our built in fridge.
Having dogs along, we pretty much never see bears.
But when we leave camp, if we have the ice chest, it is removed from the truck/camper and placed under the rear bumper of the truck.
If the bear wants it, he can have it and Ill pick up the mess when we return.
But at least he doesn't destroy the camper or truck gaining access to find it.
Beyond that, keep your truck, camper, and camp CLEAN, cleaner than your neighbors'
That way if a bear comes wondering thru, yours is not at the top of the menu.
OverlandNA
Well-known member
Bottom line is keep your camp clean and keep your food and anything that smells like food away from camp.
How you want to accomplish that is up to you. Bear canisters, bear proof cooler, hanging in a tree...
A fed bear is a dead bear, a hungry bear may fill up on you.
crazysccrmd
Observer
You have to know the area you’ll be in as well. Popular areas with a bear population means bears that know people have food. Where I live and camp there are tons of bears but not enough people for them to become acclimated and understand where the food is. We also shoot them, eat them and turn their hides into blankets/rugs if they come into camp.
AbleGuy
Officious Intermeddler
“But when we leave camp, if we have the ice chest, it is removed from the truck/camper and placed under the rear bumper of the truck.....If the bear wants it, he can have it and Ill pick up the mess when we return.”
This is a really tough issue to find the best solution to.
But, unfortunately this kind of above behavior just continues to habituate bears. Once bears learn to associate the availability of these human foods sources with the discovery of vehicles, they are self trained to time after time look for food in or by vehicles.
And with this being the case today, human/bear encounters are sure to increase:
“Grizzly bears are expanding their range in the U.S. Northern Rockies, spreading from remote wilderness into farmland amid a legal fight over proposed hunting.....New government data from grizzly population monitoring show bruins in the Yellowstone region of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho expanded their range by about 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) over the past two years.....They now occupy almost 27,000 square miles (69,000 square kilometers), a range that has grown 34 percent in the past decade.....That means more bears on private lands where they can encounter humans.
(https://www.foxnews.com/us/grizzly-bears-on-move-in-rockies-as-hunting-is-in-limbo)
(BTW, we lived and recreated for many years in both far Northern Idaho and NW Montana, in grizzly country, so my comments do come from some local knowledge and experience)
This is a really tough issue to find the best solution to.
But, unfortunately this kind of above behavior just continues to habituate bears. Once bears learn to associate the availability of these human foods sources with the discovery of vehicles, they are self trained to time after time look for food in or by vehicles.
And with this being the case today, human/bear encounters are sure to increase:
“Grizzly bears are expanding their range in the U.S. Northern Rockies, spreading from remote wilderness into farmland amid a legal fight over proposed hunting.....New government data from grizzly population monitoring show bruins in the Yellowstone region of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho expanded their range by about 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers) over the past two years.....They now occupy almost 27,000 square miles (69,000 square kilometers), a range that has grown 34 percent in the past decade.....That means more bears on private lands where they can encounter humans.
(https://www.foxnews.com/us/grizzly-bears-on-move-in-rockies-as-hunting-is-in-limbo)
(BTW, we lived and recreated for many years in both far Northern Idaho and NW Montana, in grizzly country, so my comments do come from some local knowledge and experience)
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billiebob
Well-known member
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billiebob
Well-known member
Many years ago we were camping and as we unloaded, setup, a cougar jumped into the next sites car. I now know what to NOT do.... He slammed the door. The cougar went ballistic. By the time the Warden arrived the car was a write off. The interior destroyed. The Warden cleared the area and opened the door once everyone was gone. Apparently the cougar could not get away fast enough.
Trailboss
Senior Curmudgeon
Got a lot of approved bear proof options for coolers and dry goods. Just don't leave these containers in the tent or car with you.
2Jeeps&PatriotX1
Active member
Or I guess your offroad trailer that has a gas grill mounted to it, slide out fridge, stove, spice rack, pantry and a rtt that you sleep in like myself lol.
First dispersed camping trip was last weekend and saw a black bear on the way out. That was in AZ. Living in CO, Id say my chances of seeing another one are pretty good. I should probably slowly introduce my wife to the whole dispersed camping thing and stay away from bear prone areas for this first season.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned electric fences for bear-proofing a camp. Their use is quite wide spread here in Alaska. They are the best solution, IMHO, and not difficult to DIY.
www.adfg.alaska.gov
Full disclaimer: I am in no way connected to any of these sites.
Electric Fences as Bear Deterrents, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Bear Electric Fences: UDAP Pepper Power
Find Bear spray in Alaska. Bear Spray orders for Alaska. You may find bear spray by visiting one of these retailers.
www.udap.com
Full disclaimer: I am in no way connected to any of these sites.
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shade
Well-known member
Wherever you decide to put the cooler, cover it up so it's not quite so obviously a box of food. Yes, they'll likely smell it, but why make it any easier for them to zero in on it by sight?
If you can plan ahead in your day, preparing & eating meals before you arrive at your campsite is a good way to cut down on odors around where you sleep. This works well with a vehicle or on foot. Keep breakfast brief and be on your way. If you want to make a big breakfast, do it down the road from your dispersed site in a safer area.
Keep a clean camp. Don't leave food or food related items strewn out on a table any longer than necessary. Keep a shirt & pants set aside just for food prep, and bag them up when not in use.
Get a canister of bear spray and carry it in a holster where it's always accessible. It does no good if it's in a door pocket, backpack, or on a table next to the stove.
If your companions get freaked out thinking about bears wandering into a dispersed site, there's nothing wrong with using a campground. If you camp in one of the parks, Grand Teton had far better bear locker distribution than Yellowstone campgrounds when I was there a few years ago, and the campsites were much nicer.
Most of all, have fun! If you're smart about preventative measures, you'll have less to worry about while you're there. If everyone's up for it, do some day hikes to get away from the crowds. Yellowstone is a beautiful park, but most visitors never see much of it.
drunkbackpacker
New member
Thanks!