How to Keep Bears Away from Your Campsite: Dos and Don’ts

Let me ask you a question: Do you like bears? I mean, do you really like bears? Enough to share your tent, your food, and your personal space with them? If you answered yes, then this post is not for you. You can go ahead and cuddle with your furry friends while the rest of us run for our lives. However, if you want to keep bears away from your campsite, then you’re in luck!

I’m going to show you how to keep bears away from your campsite. Because bears are not your friends. They are hungry, curious, and potentially dangerous animals that can ruin your camping trip in a heartbeat. The last thing you want is to wake up to a grizzly sniffing your tent or a black bear raiding your cooler.

So how do you keep bears away from your campsite? The answer is simple: don’t give them a reason to come. Bears are attracted to campsites by the smell of food and other scented items. If you leave these things lying around, you’re basically inviting them over for dinner. And trust me, you don’t want to be on the menu.

In this post, I’ll share some dos and don’ts on how to keep bears away from your campsite. These tips will help you avoid attracting bears, deter them if they do show up, and protect yourself if they get too close. By following these guidelines, you can enjoy camping in bear country without fear.

1. Choose Your Campsite Wisely

The first step to keep bears away from your campsite is to choose a good location. You want to avoid camping in areas where bears are likely to hang out or look for food. Here are some things to look for when picking a campsite:

• Avoid camping near streams, rivers, lakes, or berry patches. These are natural food sources for bears, and they may come looking for a snack. Unless you want to share your breakfast with a 500-pound beast, steer clear of these spots.
• Avoid camping near trails or roads. Bears may use these as travel corridors, and you don’t want to be in their way. Imagine waking up to a bear strolling through your campsite like it owns the place. Not a pleasant sight, right?
• Avoid camping near signs of bear activity. Move on if you see bear scat, tracks, scratches, dig marks, or carcasses. These indicate that a bear has been in the area recently and may return. And if it does, it won’t be happy to see you.
• Use the bear triangle method. This means setting up your sleeping area, cooking area, and food storage area in a triangle shape. Each point should be at least 200 feet away from the others and downwind from your sleeping area. This way, you’ll keep any food smells away from where you sleep and reduce the chance of a bear visiting your tent.

2. Use Proper Food Storage Methods

The most important thing to keep bears away from your campsite is to store your food and scented items properly. Bears have an excellent sense of smell and can detect odors from miles away. If they smell something tasty, they’ll follow their nose until they find it. And once they do, they’ll try anything to get it.

To prevent this from happening, you need to use bear-proof containers or lockers to store your food and scented items. These are specially designed to keep bears out and prevent them from getting rewarded for their efforts. Here are some examples of what you need to store:

• Food: This includes all your meals, snacks, drinks, condiments, spices, cooking oil, etc.
• Trash: This includes wrappers, cans, bottles, leftovers, etc.
• Toiletries: This includes toothpaste, soap, shampoo, lotion, sunscreen, bug spray, etc.
• Pet food: This includes all your dog or cat food, treats, bowls, etc.

Keep these items out of your tent or car. Bears can easily rip through fabric or break windows to get what they want. Always store them in a bear-proof container or locker and lock them securely. If these are unavailable at your campsite, you can hang them in a tree using a rope and a bag. Ensure the bag is at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet away from the trunk.

3. Avoid Cooking Smelly Foods

Another way to keep bears away from your campsite is to avoid cooking foods with strong odors. Some foods are more likely to attract bears than others because they smell more appealing or linger longer in the air. Here are some examples of foods to avoid:

• Fish: This is one of the most attractive foods for bears because it has a strong and distinctive smell. If you catch fish while camping, cook it as soon as possible and dispose of the guts properly. Or better yet, don’t catch fish at all. There are plenty of other things you can eat, like granola bars or trail mix.
• Bacon: This is another food that bears love because it has a lot of fat and salt. The smell of bacon can travel far and wide and make bears drool. And you don’t want to deal with a drooling bear, trust me. It’s not a pretty sight.
• Cheese: This is another food that has a lot of fat and salt and can attract bears. Plus, cheese can melt and stick to your pots and pans, making them harder to clean and more smelly. And you don’t want to spend your precious camping time scrubbing dishes, do you?
• Fruits: This is another food that bears enjoy because it has a lot of sugar and water. Fruits like melons, pineapples, and bananas can have a strong and sweet smell that can lure bears in. And you don’t want to share your fruits with a bear, do you? They’re not very good at sharing.

Instead of cooking these foods, opt for foods that have less odor or are easier to clean. For example, you can cook pasta, rice, beans, or oatmeal. You can also use dried or canned foods that don’t require cooking at all. And if you do cook smelly foods, make sure to do it over a fire. The fire will help mask the smell and burn off any residue.

4. Use Bear Repellent and Noise Makers

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a bear may still wander into your campsite. If this happens, don’t panic. Most bears are not aggressive and will leave if they don’t find food or if they feel threatened. However, you still need to be prepared and have some tools to deter them if they get too close.

Bear spray is one of the most effective tools to keep bears away from your campsite. This is a type of pepper spray that can cause temporary blindness, pain, and irritation to a bear’s eyes, nose, and mouth. It can stop a charging bear in its tracks and give you time to escape. Here are some tips on how to use bear spray:

• Carry it with you at all times. You never know when you might encounter a bear, so keep your bear spray handy and accessible. You can use a holster or a belt loop to attach it to your body or backpack.
• Aim for the face. If a bear approaches you, stand your ground and don’t run. Slowly back away while facing the bear and talking calmly. If the bear continues to follow you or charges at you, use your bear spray. Aim for the face and spray in short bursts until the bear stops or retreats.
• Don’t rely on it alone. Bear spray is not a magic bullet that will make bears disappear. It’s only a last resort that can buy you some time. You still need to follow the other tips in this post to avoid attracting bears in the first place.

Another tool you can use to keep bears away from your campsite is noise makers. These devices make loud sounds that can scare off bears or alert other campers of your presence. Here are some examples of noise makers:

• Air horns: These devices produce a loud blast of air that can startle bears and make them run away.
• Whistles: Produce a high-pitched sound that can alert bears of your presence and deter them from coming closer.
• Bells: Produce a jingling sound that can warn bears of your movement and prevent you from surprising them, which can lead to a charge.

Carry these noise makers when hiking or camping in bear country. Also, attach them to your backpack or clothing to make noise as you walk. However, don’t rely on them alone either. Some bears may not be bothered by noise or may even be curious about it. Therefore, you still need to follow the other tips in this post to avoid attracting bears in the first place.

Bottom Line

Camping in bear country can be a fantastic experience but comes with some risks. Bears are wild animals that can pose a threat to your safety if they come too close to your campsite. To keep bears away from your campsite, you need to follow some dos and don’ts:

• Choose your campsite wisely
• Use proper food storage methods
• Avoid cooking smelly foods
• Use bear repellent and noise makers

By following these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy camping in bear country without fear.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your tent, your sleeping bag, and your bear spray, and head out for an adventure in the great outdoors!

Do you have any other tips on how to keep bears away from your campsite? Share them in the comments below! And if you liked this post, don’t forget to share!

If you enjoy camping remember to check out the article on Camping in Kasol.