You sound sincerely concerned about night time predator visits to your camp, I can surely relate. As a newb solo backpack hunter, it was one of my top concerns as I hunted country with high densities of black bear and cougars, and had more than my share of night visits that bothered me for a few years. For me, one of the major allures of hunting solo is the wilderness connection and the peace of mind it brings. That really wasn't possible while I was worried about various wildlife visitors at night. Over the years I paid much more attention to campsite details, and used the '100 yard' philosophy, which improved my concerns a great deal. There are a few things to consider in this regard:
1- Keep a clean campsite. Do your cooking well away from where you camp/sleep. Don't burn leftovers, bury them. Keep your food and hygiene products a hundred yards from camp, hung in a tree 10 feet high and 10 feet from trunk. If you feel compelled, and believe your clothes are saturated with cooked food smells, hang them in a bag as well and sleep in clean clothes.
2- Don't urinate or make deposits near camp, do so at least 100 yrds away. Critters, especially predators are curious, and the scent of urine is attracting, and really doesn't work at a repellent as many outdoor enthusiasts believe. Better yet, pee in a stream/creek that will care the scent away.
3- Never eat inside your tent, period.
4- Use the landscape to your advantage. As mentioned above, camp away from water sources (again, the 100 yrd rule), away from animal trails and critter food sources, such as berry patches, etc. Set up your tent in an area that isn't easily accessible for critters, unless they are really compelled to do so; even thick brush on 2 or 3 sides of your camp will likely deter the critters curiosity, which is the main reason for their nightly visitations.
5- The benadryl suggestion isn't a bad one. It will relax you enough to fall asleep, and hopefully stay asleep.
6- Understand the probabilities of critter attacks. The likelihood of being attacked and seriously injured by a predator is extremely rare: become familiar with those statistics as a backdrop for your mind to unconsciously store. It may not be readily apparent, but it helps.
Nothing you do will stop night time visits from various critters, but the above will help for the more 'scary' ones. Try not to over think things, and the more time you spend in their back yard the more comfortable you will be in the future. Best of luck to you!
