Dometic Fridge in Pickup Bed and Bear Country

  • HTML tutorial

Trail_pilot

Rank III

Enthusiast III

830
First Name
James
Last Name
Girard
Trail pilot, a bearproof container or hanging from a tree works best and I think we can all agree that inside a vehicle is not bearproof. The issue becomes how much food did you bring and can you fit it in a bearproof container or a hang. What ever do not put it in your tent with you either! This "food" also includes such things as chapstick and deodorant that bears smell and might think, Umm, that smells TASTEY!
Trail pilot, a bearproof container or hanging from a tree works best and I think we can all agree that inside a vehicle is not bearproof. The issue becomes how much food did you bring and can you fit it in a bearproof container or a hang. What ever do not put it in your tent with you either! This "food" also includes such things as chapstick and deodorant that bears smell and might think, Umm, that smells TASTEY!
It was stated that it's a bear proof cooler. And still not good enough.
Anyhow. I agree I'm the asshole here and I'll shut up now lol.

In the 30 years I've been camping I've never had an issue with bears getting into anything in the woods. Had them in a neighbor's house after breaking down the door to go after bags of dog food. But never in the woods.
 

MMc

Rank V

Influencer II

1,749
San Dimas, Ca.
First Name
Mike
Last Name
McMullen
Member #

18647

The originator stated a Dometic refrigerator, last I saw they not bear proof. I have a watched a bear rip in to a Pelican ice chest that withstood the attack, it was torn-up pretty well. I have been camping and backing packing all my life in CA and the west. I have never lost anything to one, I have had seen hundreds of encounters. 20 years ago bears were opening minivans in Mineral King because they had snacks more often than not.
 

M Rose

Local Expert
Mod Team
Member

Advocate III

5,584
Northeast Oregon, United States
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Rose
Member #

20990

Ham/GMRS Callsign
W7FSB
Service Branch
US ARMY Retired
Trail pilot, a bearproof container or hanging from a tree works best and I think we can all agree that inside a vehicle is not bearproof. The issue becomes how much food did you bring and can you fit it in a bearproof container or a hang. What ever do not put it in your tent with you either! This "food" also includes such things as chapstick and deodorant that bears smell and might think, Umm, that smells TASTEY!
Bears climb trees... and bears can take stuff out of trees... Speaking form personal experience here... I’m more worried about little critters like Chipmunks and squirrels getting into my foods than I am of bears getting in while dispersed camping. Why? Bears don’t like change... they are curious creatures by nature, but they hate change. Something new shows up in their area and they move in and watch from a distance...
Case in point. I was 12 or 13. My best friend went on a hike up the mountain from my house (about a 5 mile trek in without any trails) and found a beautiful meadow filled with huckleberries... we ate berries until we became lazy and fell a sleep. We woke up with a momma bear on one side of us about 300 yards away at the edge of the meadow. She was watching us sleep wile her two Cubs played another 100 yards away from us. We were directly between Momma and Cubs, the worst place to ever be.

I gently woke my friend and motioned for him to lay still and pointed to the Cubs and then to momma.

We laid there another 15-20 minutes watching the Cubs wrestling before we got uncomfortable. When one of us started to move, momma made a huff and pawed at the ground... then the Cubs took of running to the forest by momma. After the Cubs disappeared into the vegetation, momma slowly walked back into the woods.

We quickly got up and put out packs on in silence and without a word we fallowed the bears. We saw momma 2 more times as she would circle around to check on us to make sure we were just minding our own business.

Second Case in point... we own a cab in about 2 miles as the crow flies from where that bear and her Cubs had been foraging. One spring when getting the cabin ready for the season of use later that year, we found the cabin door about 50 yards down the road from the cabin. The 4 mattresses were torn and shredded and scattered all around the exterior of the cabin. Bear claw marks were all over the walls and huge dents in the steel door to the root cellar. Now there wasn’t any food in the cabin... but since other cabins in the area used to be stocked with emergency rations for lost hunters the bear was hoping we had left food as well.

I’ve seen bears lots of times while dispersed camping but every single time they just look on from a great distance and move on... especially after the fire is lit. Never once have I had them come into my camp.

However while camping in a campground I have had my rig tossed, my bear can ripped from 60’ up in a tree, and my tent torn to shreds.

Now my biggest question from this thread is... how is leaving a cooler in your rig or even in your camp a violation of LNT? If in the event an animal gets into my food (bear or otherwise) I pick the mess up and go about my business... if nothing happens, I’m still not going to leave my cooler behind. I guess I leave a trace no matter where I go because I always seam to be bringing back more than I took with me.
 

Billiebob

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,835
earth
First Name
Bill
Last Name
William
Member #

18893

Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Odours are the number one bear attractant. Modern fridges seal as well as residential fridges so I'd say the cooler is not the issue. The issue is the smell of food outside the cooler. For that reason, food prep and eating should always be some distance from the sleeping accomodations, and cleanliness is next to godliness.

1297863327152_ORIGINAL.jpg
 

M Rose

Local Expert
Mod Team
Member

Advocate III

5,584
Northeast Oregon, United States
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Rose
Member #

20990

Ham/GMRS Callsign
W7FSB
Service Branch
US ARMY Retired
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Odours are the number one bear attractant. Modern fridges seal as well as residential fridges so I'd say the cooler is not the issue. The issue is the smell of food outside the cooler. For that reason, food prep and eating should always be some distance from the sleeping accomodations, and cleanliness is next to godliness.

View attachment 184343
Exactly
 

SCUBAW

Rank III
Member

Member III

874
Winchester, Riverside County, California, United States
First Name
Steve
Last Name
Whelan
Member #

40459

Service Branch
USMC
Whatever you decide, make sure that you don't bring the fridge into your tent. That is not the adventure anyone wants. If a bear wanders close to your camp and smells the food and is hungry, the bear is going for the food. A previous poster mentioned to check with local rangers for instructions in the area you will be camping. There are some places, that it is mandatory to use bear vaults, bear cans, certified coolers, or hang the food (usually not a great option). But you want to avoid having anything that smells like food anywhere near your camp or you might have a hungry visitor. That includes wrappers, toothpaste, etc. Once again, check with the local rangers and make your decision based on their recommendations. Hope you enjoy your adventures!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dusther210

mep1811

Rank IV

Pathfinder I

1,212
El Paso, Texas
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Perez
A good thing to do to keep bears away is to spray ammonia ,full strength, around your cooking area, where you keep trash in your car. Also spray the ammonia in the trash. I've been doing that for three years in bear country and no issues .
 
  • Like
Reactions: AggieOE

smlobx

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,336
Mid Atlantic
First Name
Eddie
Last Name
Fort
Member #

8949

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KO4CPL
We’ve camped in bear country, both black and grizzly and never moved our fridge. What we did was to completely clean our eating/cooking area and store those utensils inside when done.

I’ve been reading about spraying ammonia or vinegar around the campsite at night and that seems like a good idea. Bears are just curious by nature and have highly developed sense of smell.

On our trip back from Alaska last summer in British Columbia we had a large black bear growl and come into our boondock camp while my wife was preparing dinner. When he poked his head out of the brush he was less than 10 feet from us. We got into the camper, I got my bear spray and tried to shoo him off but the smell of my wife’s cooking didn’t deter him…the bear spray did however and he was gone in a flash. We saw him about an hour later when he tried to come back (by that time we had completely cleaned up the area) and when he saw me yelling he took off…smart bear!

So the short answer is to keep a clean campsite, carry bear spray (on you) and enjoy!
 

CR-Venturer

Rank VI
Launch Member

Traveler III

3,372
Ardrossan, AB, Canada
First Name
Jas
Last Name
Spr
Member #

16340

During our Kitsault expedition, there were bears everywhere. We came back to camp after our day in Alice Arm to find that they had been digging for grubs about ten feet behind my tent.

We had zero issues with them, however, because we were extremely careful about not letting a single crumb fall to the ground without picking it up, cleaning camp and locking all garbage and food/camp stove etc. inside the vehicles at night.

We also had a 12 gauge shotgun each, just in case. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Trail_pilot

AggieOE

Rank IV
Member

Advocate II

1,003
Pearland, Texas, USA
First Name
Nathan
Last Name
NWK
Member #

30025

This thread took a couple detours but seems to be on track. lol
After the LNT briefing, have we also figured out better safe camping ideas with food? Specifically a Dometic fridge?

It seems like:
General Safe Practices:
  • Thoroughly clean cooking set-up (maybe with bleach)?
  • Keep trash furthest away
  • Bear proof cooler and fridge "should" seal in smells so keeping in the vehicle is the most recommended

Specific Anti-Bear Practices:

  • Spray ammonia or bleach solution around campsite?
  • Keep bear spray and air horn ON you
  • Hang food from tree if possible
  • Lay tarp or clothes over cooler/fridge to disguise it

What do you do about loose dry food though like chips? Is the only option to hang from a tree? Does anyone keep chips in another sealed bin? Maybe spray bin with bleach or ammonia?
 

RoyB

Rank IV

Contributor II

1,010
Boston
First Name
Roy
Last Name
Bertalotto
After a few close calls with bears, I wouldn't camp in a tent in bear country without some type of perimeter alarm/defense. Electric shock wire would be best, but a flash bang type device would be acceptable. I like a good nights sleep and bears in my campsite freak me out big time!
 

9Mike2

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

2,741
Garden Grove, California
Member #

2706

A friend from India, showed us a good one. He buys Ghost peppers and chushes them up with water and a spray bottle, be sure to coffee filter, and sprays the ground around the camp site. No Bears or snakes. I can say, so far no wild animals come close.....
 

NMBruce

Rank V
Member

Advocate II

1,808
Pagosa Springs, CO, USA
First Name
Bruce
Last Name
Cooper
Member #

27527

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KE0NBD
Service Branch
U.S. Air Force
Do a search on bears getting into vehicles, like this

now I have left stuff in a vehicle, but I put down bleach, Cayenne pepper or something to distract the smell