Trailers, RTT and Bears

[ThomD]

As I meander (my wife might say careen) about from idea to idea, I think about all sorts of odd questions.

We travel in bear country. Some places say food must be in a hard sided vehicle or bear box, other say it must be in a bear box (what do RVs do in Yosemite?). Glacier goes so far as to require that all dirty water be collected. The overall goal is to mimimize the scents and not entice bears.

This got me to thinking about RTT. If I have a trailer that is my kitchen/pantry (and yes of course everything not in use is cleaned and sealed in side), doesn't seem a little funny to stick the house on top? Ideally wouldn't it be better to pitch the tent away from any lingering odors?

Did I already ask this question?

 

[socaljeeper]

Good Question. When I camp with my trailer in bear county I take out all food form the trailer and put them in a bear box. I am curious to know what people do when there are no bear boxes available.

 

[Martyn]

Bears are amazing animals. I've seen they rip off a door from a car to get to some food, or completely bend a door on an RV to gain access.

No trailer is bear proof, and bears have a keen sense of smell. Makes sense to separate humans from food.

That said I never do it and I live and camp in bear country.

We have local ordnances that require bear proof garbage containers for homes. Humans have some difficulty opening them but bears do not.

 

[campinglab]

I once saw a bear smell one single chicken wing from over half a mile away.

These guys setup a chicken wing on a stake in the middle of the woods, over half a mile away from the bear. All it took was one sniff for the bear to know exactly in which direction he had to walk to get to the little wing.

The guy conducting the experiment said he was 100% sure the bear could smell it just as well from 3/4 of a mile or so.

 

[ntsqd]

The guy in the booth at the campground in Yosemite's main valley told me all food had to go in the locker, as well as lipstick, lotions, etc. He further stated that I should never leave food out beyond arm's reach.

Later in that stay the neighbors to my friends had a bear swipe a loaf of bread in broad daylight. No bears in sight, lady pulls the bread out and sets it on the table. Turns around and takes 2 steps back to the locker. Bear claims "MINE!!!" and is gone in a flash! They may look like lumbering oafs, but don't be deceived.

So, I too have wondered about something like a Kimberly Kamper where the kitchen is attached to the living space and can even be included within the living space depending on the set-up. Wouldn't matter that you weren't doing the cooking there on this bear country trip if you've ever cooked there at all.

Ultimately what is needed is to break the humans = easy food association in bears. Not sure what that might entail.

 

[Tucson T4R]

As a Kimberly Kamper owner, I understand what your saying. My Kitchen is either right there on front porch or inside the tent if fully deployed. Only about 3' away from the head of my sleeping area.

The only precaution I take is to wash the dishes and put away all the food in the fridge or other storage areas and close the gull wing box before going to bed. I don't always do this but try to when I know I am in bear country.

Not much else to do when your kitchen is attached. Plus I live in an area that only has black bears. Unless habitualized, they are usualy easily run off with lights and noise. I also camp armed in case I have to resort to that. That would only be a last resort in a self defense situation.

 

[Guinness44]

We have camped in "spoiled" bearcountry, its so bad, when there is no locker, the bear will recognize the cooler inside the truck and break in. (Bring camo blankets for the cooler). Seems like bears are in several stages. the no worry; the hang the food; the stash inside the truck; the stash and camo inside the truck; or the bearsafe: so follow the rule on the spot youre at. Stayed at a lodge in Mamooth, had to empty ALL of our gear into the cabin, and the bear was up in the tree, "just" in case we forgot something.
BTW, if you think the deer just made all that noise, and the deer wanders by camp, who did make that noise?

 

[KC Cruiser]

Rtt

I have always wondered about this myself. we camp in both tent and Tent Trailer right now as our little girls are quite small still. I have been looking into the RTT as an option for 2 reasons. One to get back to more of a basic camping and Two to keep us off the ground where we are a little safer!?

When we take the TT I always put our food in the vehicle before bed, but there must always be lingering odor in clothes, etc. If a bear can smell the food inside the vehicle surely he might be curious enough to check out the trailer as well.

 

[Rezarf <><]

I camp in bear country, I use a RTT, my food lives in the trailer, and my wife always smells as sweet as flowers...no problems yet!

But we do prepare for "encounters" like we prepare for off highway travel. There are always risks, I can't let the idea of a bear coming through camp keep me out of the woods, and my open top 40 means we store all the goodies "under our matress" in the box below.

I have yet to see one, but I know they have been close around.

That said, seeing a bear is a treat! Being woken up by one in camp is not :Wow1:

Noise, lights, clanging, and they will most likely take off. If not, we are prepared.

 

[Martyn]

We keep an air horn in the tent at night and accessible around camp during the day. Never had a problem with bears, probably will when we forget the air horn.

I have encountered bears frequently when I hike, and think of it at a joyous occasion. It's a matter of being aware of your surrounding, keeping your eyes peeled, and being sensible.

Late last summer I came across a 300 lb cinnamon bear in the woods. I knew which direction the wind was coming from and just slowly worked my way around to be down wind form it. Stood there a while and enjoyed the beauty of the animal, then we both went our own ways.

 

[mrchips]

Tent camping once in bear country, and @ night we put food in stuff bags and tied it out on a thin branch 15-20 ft off the ground bear cant get to it

 

[masterplumber]

Ok, so I'm packing into hunting camp last year & I see the biggest most gorgous cinimon brown black bear I've ever see eating berries about 100 yrds away not even paying attention to us, & I have a bear tag in my wallet. only problem is, it's 3 days before the season starts. So we go on to camp after watching it for a while - sorry no camera handy as it was packed on a horse. We live , cook, sleep etc.. in my old army artic tent for 8 days & spend considerable time looking for same bear & never see him again. My point is this - know where your camping & act accordingly. The bears in the area we hunt are truly wild black bears that would never knowingly head toward a human unless cornered or they thought you were a threat to their cubs. The Black bears in Yosemite will & do take food right out of an open bear locker in broad daylight while your sitting by the fire 5' away. And grizzlys - well your no longer at the top of the food chain bubba so take all precautions.
Doug

 

[fatrat]

I have thought about this many times and have seen a bear only once across a river (GA river so a creek to the rest of you ) they are an amazing site to see in person. Anyway, we usually either keep our food in the car or throw a rope over a limb high enough a bear can't get to it. Keep them coming as this is a good read!

 

[Hilldweller]

In the Conqueror we're sleeping on top of the kitchen and cooler too; we keep it as clean as we can but...

I put motion-sensing lights around the perimeter of the tent, sleep with the dog, air horn, bear spray, 12-gauge Mossberg...

 

[gabepari]

When people ask if our trailers are "Bear Proof", I tell them "That's why they have two doors, when the bear comes in one, you go out the other" :wings:

That said, I honestly don't think ANYTHING is bear proof. Make a smarter bear box, some one makes a smarter bear...

Gabe Pari
www.socalteardrops.com