28 replies to this topic

[Doff]

Wondering what peoples thoughts are on storing food in your camper, cooking and your camper and your level of concern with bears?  I know in campgrounds you are not supposed to store food in your car (or tent obviously) because bears have been known to break into cars.  And when backpacking you don't cook where you sleep because you don't want the scent of food in your tent.  But what about when in your FWC?  We almost always camp in pretty remote areas (not campgrounds), so the bears there won't be as habitulized to human food.  Is there still a risk? DOnt see much of another option.  Just curious what peoples opinions are

[longhorn1]

First, not sure where you heard not to store food in your vehicle. If there aren't Bear Boxes, then your hard side vehicle is the place. We don't cook in our camper in bear country. We keep a very clean campsite. We move the dog food container into the truck at night Grills and other items are locked in our trailer. We have a bear proof cooler, stocked with beer, locked and padlocked to the trailer. We carry bear spray. Never seen a bear near our campground in over 10 years.

Edited by longhorn1, 20 August 2021 - 11:52 PM.

[JaSAn]

Wondering what peoples thoughts are on storing food in your camper, cooking and your camper and your level of concern with bears?  I know in campgrounds you are not supposed to store food in your car (or tent obviously) because bears have been known to break into cars . . .

 

I usually camp in remote areas that have bears, usually black bears but sometimes grizzly country.  I only boil water in the camper; for coffee mostly but also for freeze dry swill, hb eggs, or oatmeal when stormy.  Cooking is always outside and away from the camper.  

 

If I am going to stay more than a night or two, or be away from the camper overnight I will detour to the ranger station and ask about problems and procedures (and not just about bears).  Wealth of information there.  I always have a boat horn, bear spray, and a shotgun handy inside the camper, and carry a boat horn and bear spray when out and about.

If a bear-proof locker is provided I will store non perishables in it if I will be away from the camper for an extended period of time but I don't empty my (built in) refrigerator.

 

Bears breaking into vehicles is a problem around heavy tourist areas (e.g. Yosemite).  Again, rangers know the problems and what they require from you to not help habituate the wildlife; always a good idea to talk to them.

[Doff]

First, not sure where you heard not to store food in your vehicle. If there aren't Bear Boxes, then your hard side vehicle is the place. We don't cook in our camper in bear country. We keep a very clean campsite. We move the dog food container into the truck at night Grills and other items are locked in our trailer. We have a bear proof cooler, stocked with beer, locked and padlocked to the trailer. We carry bear spray. Never seen a bear near our campground in over 10 years.

 I think its pretty standard knowledge that bears have learned to break into vehicles.  But like JaSAn  said, usually most common in high tourist areas. Back in the day we used to always store our food and coolers in the vehicle...but try not to any more. We use our truck to store the dog food.  We have yet to use our FWC where bear boxes are available.  Most of the time we are in black bear country, which doesn't worry me too much....its the occasional times we are in Brown bear areas that make me nervous.  We like to cook so are usually stocked with a full fridge and non-perishables.  We do have bear spray with is when in brown bear country.  

[craig333]

If there are bear boxes I worry a bit. Boondocking I've never had an issue. I know some people wipe down their camp with bleach and take what I consider extreme precautions. Outside Yosemite I've never had an issue. Do I take bear issues a bit too lightly? Maybe but forty years of camping have given me a pretty good idea of what and where I may have issues. If you're one of the bleach people you may not want to camp near me. I sleep well at night. I'm not talking about griz country. I'll be more cautious when I head into their territory.

 

I worry more about the two legged critters. https://www.yahoo.co...-201551783.html

[Vic Harder]

We never cook in the camper, food (and any thing else that smells) is kept out of sight and locked in the truck.  We camp in bear country regularly, and use the backpacking mentality that has kept us from ever having a bear encounter.  Bear spray in abundance... on the picnic table, in the truck door pockets, in the camper.

[Cottonww]

One time I arrived at my lot with yurt near Creede, CO at 10,200'. I decided to leave our FWC with food in it with top down since it was so late. I woke to sounds of a bear trying to get in our yurt and our dog scared it off. Next morning I found major damage($1400) to the camper but he didn't get in. 

[ramblinChet]

My cases are certified by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

 

Besides that, they are good cases overall.

 

 

[Jon R]

I have a couple of large Bear Vault BV500 containers from my backpacking days before I figured out how to get 5 days worth of food in a smaller bear can. I have started to take the large containers in the camper for bear areas. I’ll put all the food if possible, and the smelliest food if not everything fits, into the bear cans and place them away from camp. Hopefully that will focus their attention away from my camp if they come. That’s the strategy anyway. I haven’t had an actual bear encounter yet while using the camper. I plan to get some bear spray as well.

Guides in Alaska have told us that bear spray is effective at driving bears that you spray it at away in the short term, but they said that, once you spray it, you need to leave the area by a mile or more because, by spraying it, you just rang a dinner bell the bears can smell from 3 to 5 miles away.

[Taku]

Have used the camper in griz country for a number of years. Cook in it all the time and have not had any problems. bear spray always. The dinner bell comment is interesting - would like to see the data on that. Best is to always have at least two can of bear spray so when you empty one, you have an extra. Have also tented in griz country for close to 40 years and never and issue. Well, did lose a food cache in the Canadian Rockies in 1980 - but beyond that, no issues. Take reasonable precautions - but in the whole, I have had far worse encounters with angry two leggeds with guns than any bear.