Tent camping in bear country

[journeyman713]

Definitely No-Food in camp, this includes packs that had food in them, and no-eating anywhere near where you sleep!
Hang your pack away from where you sleep. If you can't find a good outlying branch, use a second rope to pull pack away from tree.
Also,
To help keep critters from accidently wandering into your camp, mark the area with your own urine.
Any used clothes with your B.O. can be hung near tent.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

We’re in bear country now hunting moose. Bears can be very quiet, often you do not know they are there. This one pooped while I was sitting in the lean-to in camp. It was a little windy so I never heard it pass through.
The lean-to is our cooking and sitting area. Our tent is further down the trail in the opposite direction of the poo. Food and smellies are stored away from the lean-to and tent when not cooking.
If we see the bear, it’s a dead bear. Mainly because it has been on berries and berry bears taste goooood

 

[soggybtmboys]

Looking for a guideline/principles to follow when tent camping in grizzly country. Haven’t camped in their area before and been hesitant to do so since I don’t have an experience guy to go with. Looking for some tips!

2 guiding principles:

1. Don't be afraid.
2. Don't be stupid.

Lots of irrational bear fear out there and some nutty advice as well. Keep a clean camp, use a bear fence, don't give them an opportunity. Bears are opportunistic and curious.

Our camp set up on the north slope this year caribou hunting. Bear around but no issues. Kept food in barrels inside the wire in the corner away from the tents.

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[HoneyDew]

2 guiding principles:

1. Don't be afraid.
2. Don't be stupid.

Lots of irrational bear fear out there and some nutty advice as well. Keep a clean camp, use a bear fence, don't give them an opportunity. Bears are opportunistic and curious.

Our camp set up on the north slope this year caribou hunting. Bear around but no issues. Kept food in barrels inside the wire in the corner away from the tents.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

Out of curiosity what bear fence are you using and what linear foot coverage does it provide?

 

[soggybtmboys]

We used a UDAP outfitter fence, it provides a 45ftx45ft perimeter.

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[mparks270]

This may seem crazy, but so do the chlorine tablets... but I bring enough cinder blocks to build a 6'x6' enclosed shelter to sleep in at night. It's a lot of work, but you never can be too safe.

That's the only sensible thing to do until that guy finishes that Robo-cop looking bear suit.

 

[Rock-o]

...I bring enough cinder blocks to build a 6'x6' enclosed shelter to sleep in at night. It's a lot of work, but you never can be too safe.

I once used almost an entire pallet of 8"x8"x16" cinder blocks to build a firepit on a deer lease. This pit was fancy! The first night after building it I cooked a meal on it and had a great fire. I woke the following morning to a completely destroyed pile of rubble and cows standing all around. I realized two things in that moment: 1) how dumb (and curious) cows are and 2) how lucky I was that one did not walk over my tent and step on my head! One cow was even licking the side of my truck where diesel ran down.

 

[evergreenethos]

@Razco posted a great video about this topic a few months ago

 

[z987k]

2 guiding principles:

1. Don't be afraid.
2. Don't be stupid.

Lots of irrational bear fear out there and some nutty advice as well. Keep a clean camp, use a bear fence, don't give them an opportunity. Bears are opportunistic and curious.

Our camp set up on the north slope this year caribou hunting. Bear around but no issues. Kept food in barrels inside the wire in the corner away from the tents.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

So much irrational fear. You also see it in the better bring a 50BMG to hunt blacktail because there's bears in the area stupidness.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

So much irrational fear. You also see it in the better bring a 50BMG to hunt blacktail because there's bears in the area stupidness.

I concur with that observation.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Don't have food in camp, don't prepare food in or near camp. Sleep with bear spray and a firearm readily accessible. Have a BRIGHT flashlight with your gun and spray. Few things are scarier than knowing there's a bear in camp and not being able to see it. You can't hit what you can't see.

Also you need to do some thought experiments about what your plan of action is in different scenarios so you can act, rather than spend time thinking about what to do.

For example, if a bear is in camp but not in your tent, what is your plan? What noise maker do you have available to deploy before needing to use deadly force?

If the bear is IN the tent, like he has ripped the tent or is pressing his head against yours, you may decide a different ladder of force is necessary.

These choices are highly personal and different people will have different opinions on what to do.

Some people go as far as carrying a tripwire alarm system to rig around the tent. There are lightweight solutions for this.

Lot of great info there.

Love the trip wire idea. Could just rig some braided fishing line and use your backpacking cooking pots and some pebbles. Weighs virtually nothing.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I sleep with my headlamp around my neck and my gun is right next to me.

This.