Overlanding with bears?

[Dunnage Garage]

On a past overland trip to Colorado, we had a bear try getting into our cooler. We left the coolers outside the Jeeps overnight. I have seen anti bear food vaults, and understand the idea. My question is, do we need to empty our refrigerators that are in the vehicles too?

 

[Sparksalot]

Bears learn to recognize coolers. A cooler or fridge inside should be disguised to reduce recognition and temptation.

 

[FishinCrzy]

Following this thread. Not being from bear country I have limited experience around bears. Some black bears around in places but they are pretty shy. I see more and more about encounters with bird feeders, pet food, etc., since there is a growing population around here. They do occasionally take-out a hiker up in the mountains. Grizzlies are a whole nother game for me. I have seen a few. But, only from my vehicle. The thought of getting close to a large griz while being alone on the trout stream or it coming into camp is definitely food for thought. I keep the bear spray close and bought a 10 mm and shoulder holster to carry in the bush as well as the spray. I would feel stupid getting eaten by a bear. I have been advised that some of the spots I plan to go this year are grizzly country. Where I saw the juvenile griz while leaving camp last year wasn't even supposed to be griz country according to a map I saw later. I go way out and alone a lot. I guess my plan is to keep my head on a swivel. First choice is the spray of course. I don't do much cooking except to boil water for coffee, dehydrated food, and sandwiches. The occasional fish is eaten, but with a sense of smell 10X better than a bloodhound, I try to seal my trash in something and maybe remove it from the campsite if bears are in the area. Living close to the edge has always had an appeal to me but being cautious is also second nature. Being prepared mentally for all the possibilities and familiarity with your equipment is only prudent.

I've read and watched the YouTubes with the people that test the bear spray and given accounts of being attacked. Interesting. You won't likely be seeing me on YouTube playing with the bears! Then, it's not just bears you need to worry about. You got your two legged critters, slithering critters, large four legged critters, stinging critters, biting critters, falling rocks and trees, slippery rocks, swift water, high winds, lightning, bad drivers, volcanos, meteors, tsunamis, EMPs. I could think of a few more, but I wouldn't want to scare you Try not to be a victim or a statistic! Oh,and watch out for those mountain lions. I hear they are particularly sneaky.

 

[TCorona]

Traveling, camping and exploring in bear country can be very challenging, living near to and exploring in Sequoia/King Canyon N. P. there are lots of bear encounter stories I hear, it's true that the bears have learned to recognize coolers, and even if you store them inside the vehicle, if they see it or smell it, they will rip the doors off to get them. Most Forest Service campgrounds here in California have bear boxes, if you are out disperse camping then you pretty much have to come up with a plan to protect property and food.

 

[Todd S.]

My cousin’s Family and I were camping just outside Yosemite. That night a bear came in, broke his window to his vehicle, pulls his cooler out, rips that open and eats the contents. But that Yosemite. To Bears, it’s just one great big Yogi Bear picnic ground. The only way I know is to hang your food between to trees away from camp. The only draw back is getting a midnight snack

 

[grubworm]

when we're in bear country, we just take several of these bars and place them around the camp.
i cant stop the bears from stealing our food, but i can sure keep them from enjoying it!

 

[FishinCrzy]

You would think there are things like mothballs or something that would repel bears? A nose full of chili powder like we put on shrubbery to repel the male dogs peeing on them? Haven't heard of anything yet but I'll keep looking. Well, there's the bear spray but that is an active deterrent, not passive. If it repels a bear it would probably repel you too. Not like a bear is scared of anything.

 

[KAIONE]

A buddy from Montana gave me a great tip that worked for us in Colorado twice, which were the only two times I’ve ever heard of anything coming close to our campsite. Never saw the “bear” but it sure sounded like one, bigger than a cat for sure.

Tip: bacon/meat grease around a can of OFF bug spray. The bears hate it worse than bear spray he said. 3 or 4 placed around your campsite in a perimeter so they find that first, one bite and poof, sprays their face and they take off.

So something bit into one of our cans on two different trips and hauled ass through the woods. Never saw it but our site was fine. Best tip I’ve ever heard, only one I’ve used too.

Best of luck, it is no joke to lose your food to nature. Safe travels!

 

[static]

Tip: bacon/meat grease around a can of OFF bug spray. The bears hate it worse than bear spray he said. 3 or 4 placed around your campsite in a perimeter so they find that first, one bite and poof, sprays their face and they take off.

Please do not do this.

What you’re doing is intentionally attracting bears to your vicinity for the purpose of then “deterring” them away. At best this is cruel, at worst it creates a bigger risk to you.

You have no way of knowing if those bears would have found their way to you if you hadn’t intentionally drawn them to you. After luring them to your campsite you then tricked them into eating a small explosive device. Serious injury is pretty unlikely, but even minor injuries to wildlife can pose serious risks.

Outside of populated areas and densely trafficked parks, bears are not going to be super accustomed to people or their stuff. Securing food in your vehicle is sufficient in most cases, and in places where it is not, local park information will tell you what the appropriate precautions are. The only active defense I’ve *ever* seen recommended is bear spray.

Remember we’re the visitors in their homes - show some respect.

Kris

 

[JDGreens]

After watching a news story about a lady that had some candy in her glove box of her car. Forgot to lock the car. The bear was able to open and completely destroyed the interior of the car, ripped it to shreds. They said that with a bear sense of smell they are able smell from. Miles aaways.

 

[KAIONE]

Tip: bacon/meat grease around a can of OFF bug spray. The bears hate it worse than bear spray he said. 3 or 4 placed around your campsite in a perimeter so they find that first, one bite and poof, sprays their face and they take off.

Please do not do this.

What you’re doing is intentionally attracting bears to your vicinity for the purpose of then “deterring” them away. At best this is cruel, at worst it creates a bigger risk to you.

You have no way of knowing if those bears would have found their way to you if you hadn’t intentionally drawn them to you. After luring them to your campsite you then tricked them into eating a small explosive device. Serious injury is pretty unlikely, but even minor injuries to wildlife can pose serious risks.

Outside of populated areas and densely trafficked parks, bears are not going to be super accustomed to people or their stuff. Securing food in your vehicle is sufficient in most cases, and in places where it is not, local park information will tell you what the appropriate precautions are. The only active defense I’ve *ever* seen recommended is bear spray.

Remember we’re the visitors in their homes - show some respect.

Kris

Couldn’t disagree more. But like I said, it was just a tip from a guy in grizz country and like you say Kris, you have no way of knowing if the bears would’ve found you or not, the thread was about bear(s) finding your campsite/car and getting into your cooler.

You got any tips for us? Please share your top 3 ways you keep bears out of your car & cooler? Looking fwd to hearing it. Thx!

 

[static]

You got any tips for us? Please share your top 3 ways you keep bears out of your car & cooler? Looking fwd to hearing it. Thx!

I can’t provide specific tips because what is appropriate will depend on the location and conditions. In my opinion, luring a bear to harm is never appropriate.

Camping in wild places is inherently risky, and there are no perfect solutions. When in doubt, talk to local officials on what precautions are required and/or recommended. In general, when securing food in your vehicle is not sufficient, bear proof canisters or hoisting your food is the solution.

Wild places are wild. That is what we like about them. As I said, camping in these places comes with some risk. If the only way you can feel safe is to intentionally harm wild animals, then perhaps this is not the hobby for you. Nobody is forcing you to go into the wilderness where bears live.

Kris

 

[grubworm]

cant we all just along....

 

[FishinCrzy]

cant we all just get along....

View attachment 234180

Bear?? I thought he said overlanding with BEER!

 

[DRAX]

Generally, black bears shouldn't be too much of a concern but you can't be flippant about how you keep your camp or where you store your food. Grizzlys are a different animal altogether and the same general rules that apply to black bears do not apply to grizzly bears because they aren't scared of people.

We have no problem camping in black bear country, my wife and cousin are backpackers and really don't give them a second thought either. They just make sure to talk often or wear bells.

So, where you're camping and what kind of bears are around will make a difference in level of precautions that you need to take.

 

[Advtres]

Where I am at, we have mostly black bears, and the only true encounter I had with one, it ran away… Go me.

Yet, considering a black bears sense of smell is > then a blood hounds, I think even if you try to disguise your cooler, I dunno into a juke box? The bear will still be 1 up on you. The best thing you can do is the same thing they do in places where bears are prevalent. ( eg cook in one place, store your food in another, sleep in another - IF you are very concerned about it. Most rangers will tell you the best thing is to store your food up in a bear bag HIGH IF you are concerned about it.

We should be doing all we can do, to prevent “bad” bear behavior, so we keep our bears safe in their home, that we are visiting … sounds weird I know, but it not the bears fault stupid humans leave their food around and they learn these behaviors.

I personally have bear-phobia (Arkoudaphobia), like every time I am out solo camping in bear country..( even though the rational side of my brain is telling me I am ok) I am thinking..the bears are watching me… So I make sure I keep food waste stored in air tight bags, and any open food is stored in smell proof container, I keep my food prep surfaces clean, I do not eat in my tent and try not to smell like a snickers bar…

The last thing I have is 1 can of bear spray in my rig, and on my backpack…

Yet that is me…. “The bears are watching”….

 

[rtexpeditions]

I'm not from North America so I'm not so familiar with the behaviour of bears. When I was cycling camping there were signs to report bears because that would be unusual in the areas I was in.

Is there a time when bears are more active?
Are they a problem if I leave my car and go for a hike during the day?
Will they try and break into a vehicle (eg RV) while you are sleeping in it and food is in the refrigerator?

 

[MidOH]

We hang a bear canister in a tree. And stop cooking at the campground.

Cut back on meals. Most of us are 2 weeks overweight.

I've never had issues with black bears. They're welcome to my camp sight.

Rv's are a false sense of security. A dog can usually open one up.

State parks with real bear trouble often have steel bear lockers handy. Use them.

 

[FishinCrzy]

Grizzly bears are fascinating to me ever since I stood next to that giant bear mounted in the Anchorage, AK airport. Could have been a Kodiak bear? But still, it is an awesome and powerful creature. From what I gather from much reading about the worst situation is to get between a mother and her cubs. Next, would be to startle and pose a threat. Hence, the bells in the grizzly bear scat. Then it seems that when they come out of winter hibernation they are hungry and grouchy and looking for a big meal and you will do just fine in a pinch. "I'm hungry as a bear" has a good basis in fact. If you run then you must be prey, right? So, I'm thinking bear spray is going to be the best deterrent because messing with their powerful smell is a quick turnoff. But what if the wind is wrong? And the problem I see with spray is you have to be uncomfortably close to use it so you better have it in close reach. A charging bear will be on you in a few seconds, or less. In your pack is nearly useless. I noticed those YouTubers experimenting with bear spray are always doing it with black bears that are just curious.

Some of the places I fish are in tight cover and running water drowns noises. I'm half deaf anyway. I should probably be blasting some music or something. Most of my conversations are in my head. I have seen lots of moose sign. Apparently they can mess you up too. I just read more people get killed by deer in the U.S. than any other animal but that statistic is deceptive since 95% are auto related. Alligator kilt a guy here the other day. I see lots of them up close and never give it a second thought. But, I'm in a boat and not standing on the bank. Way back in my college days I did an internship down in the Okeefeenokee Swamp. I noticed the gators would follow a boat with a dog in it. A 13-14' gator is pretty impressive also. Lots of snakes around too but mostly non-poisonous. But wasps are the thing I really watch out for in tight spots because they are hard to get away from. Saw some honey bears and a panther down there too.

So, I know the chances of actually bumping into a grizzly are small. But I didn't get this far by tempting fate too much...well sometimes. It's better to be lucky than good!

 

[MMc]

I have been camping and. hiking for many years on the west coast. I have plenty of bear stories, watched a bear open the trunk of a Cadillac in a jiffy, at one time bears were were breaking into mini vans in Mineral King as a habit.
Most of people fears of bears is because of the unknown, we do the rock and whistle thing when we see them in camp, keep a spotless camp, I have a couple of backpacking bear boxes that we use on BLM land without bear boxes, sometimes if its really bad we camp frig. free.
Moose, I stay away from, big, stupid, tend to be mean.
The idea of tricking a bead with a can off and grease would be out of bounds for me.
I know nothing about Grizzly's but would ask a local ranger or biologist advice.