Wondering how to keep bears away from your campsite?
It may seem like an easy task; keep your food inside the tent and you won’t have any problems, right?
But what if you forget or fall asleep outside the tent after drinking a little too much?
There are so many things that can go wrong, and it doesn’t help that most people don’t know how to keep bears away from their campsite in the first place.
Here are some tips on how to do just that, from setting up your campsite to keeping your food safe from curious bears and wolves!
How To Keep Bears Away From Your Campsite
What Smell Do Bears Hate?
Another way to deter bears from coming near your campsite is by using scent and scent-eliminating agents. Some bears are more aggressive than others, but in general, they don’t like smells that resemble rotting meat.
(A bear’s sense of smell is approximately seven times stronger than a human’s.)
These smelly agents can be applied to yourself or your property, but it’s best not to apply them directly onto or near food items.
As with all deterrents, use only those products labeled for use on humans.
And if you do encounter a bear while camping, never spray scented repellent at them; rather keep it handy in case you need it later.
Will Campfires Keep Bears Away?
While many people would like to think of campfires as a surefire way to keep bears away, it’s not really true.
Most likely, a bear that feels threatened by your presence or food will simply walk away.
For example, if you leave your smores unattended while walking back to your tent or around camp, there is a good chance you’ll find them missing when you return. Just remember – if bears are nearby, hang your food.
In some cases though, fires can indeed attract curious black bears and even larger animals such as wolves.
That’s why it’s important to understand how to keep large carnivores away from camp safely and effectively with these steps
What Do You Do When a Bear Is Outside Your Tent?
While bears are not overly aggressive animals and generally stay away from people, it’s still good to know what to do if you run into one in your campground.
If you’re lucky enough to see a bear from a distance or across a body of water, take note of its size, color, and shape.
Is it walking or running on all fours? Is it laying down or standing up? Are there any cubs with it? Record as much information as possible.
How Do I Keep Wild Animals Out of My Campsite?
It can be very difficult to prepare for a camping trip before heading out. You’ll have things to pack, food to buy, and your mind will always be on something else.
However, there is one thing that you can do before leaving for your trip: educate yourself about how you can keep wild animals out of your campsite!
By knowing how to avoid attracting bears (and other animals) you’ll save yourself from some potential problems when trying to have fun in nature.
In fact, it only takes a little bit of research and preparation beforehand. Here are three simple steps you can take!
Does Peeing Around Campsite Keep Animals Away?
Sure, we could go into detail about what can attract bears and how you can avoid creating a tempting menu, but let’s be honest.
No one wants to deal with bears when they’re out camping.
So if you do find yourself dealing with a bear who refuses to move on, peeing around your campsite might be an option to consider.
A study from researchers at Brigham Young University found that brown bears in Alaska were deterred by human urine, likely because of its smell and pungent odor.
However, there was no such deterrent when it came to black bears or coyotes—both of which are also common campground visitors—which means it may only work on certain species.
Are you going to hold it? I didn’t think so…
Does Human Urine Attract Bears?
No. While there’s a widespread myth that human urine attracts bears,
it actually doesn’t; on its own, urine does not have any food value for bears and thus is unappealing to them. Rather, it’s your body odor—the smell of you—that attracts bears.
That’s why bear attacks usually involve close contact with humans; without being able to see and smell you, a bear can’t hunt or defend itself as effectively.
Will Vinegar Deter Bears?
Anytime you read about deterring a bear, it’s probably vinegar.
For one thing, bears have a really good sense of smell—like 1,000 times better than that of humans—and they hate things that smell like vinegar (e.g., picnics).
The other reason is that anything else you can think of as far as deterring a bear is not necessarily a sure thing.
Have bear mace? Maybe it’ll help if you’re actually able to aim and spray fast enough; otherwise, you may just attract more bears with your stinky chemicals.
And how about those bear bells? In theory, they should work by giving off warning noises so bears will hear them coming.
Will Playing Music Keep Bears Away?
Playing music is an old trick, dating back to medieval times when people would play instruments and bang pots to keep bears away.
Today, many campers still swear by music as a way to scare away wild animals. But does it really work?
A study published in PLOS One attempted to get to the bottom of that by testing whether playing music was effective at deterring polar bears in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago from approaching humans.
The results suggest music isn’t a surefire solution for avoiding potentially deadly interactions with dangerous wildlife.
Polar bears naturally avoid humans, but will sometimes stalk prey if they can’t find any other food sources. That could be you or me.
Will Bears Bother You in a Tent?
You’ve probably heard that bears aren’t interested in going into tents.
That doesn’t mean that you won’t have any problems if you use a tent. It just means that your chances of having a problem are less.
As with many bears, any bear is dangerous, especially when it’s cornered or surprised by humans near their territory (or anything else they view as food).
So, while bears rarely enter tents intentionally and they can be easily frightened away from camp areas by people or other loud noises.
There’s no reason to think that using a tent will prevent you from having problems at all—and plenty of reasons not to believe it’ll protect you from all possible danger.
Will Coffee Grounds Attract Bears?
Although coffee grounds don’t attract bears, it is true that a bear may eat anything in its path.
If you are spending time outdoors, especially near or in your camp or tent, you should store food items properly so as not to attract bears. Store your food properly at all times and never leave it out when you aren’t around.
Try camping in areas where there are natural barriers (like thick trees and shrubs) that can help keep bears away from your campsite.
Bears may be attracted to an unattended cooking fire, and have been known to raid a camper’s garbage can, backpack or tent while they sleep at night if they smell food inside of them.
Can Bears Smell Fear?
What makes you afraid? Do your heart race, your stomach clench and your mind go blank when you hear a bear growl at night or smell its pungent odor on a trail?
Many hikers take comfort in knowing that bears can’t smell human emotions.
However, research from Stephen Herrero, a leading bear expert at the University of Calgary’s School of Environmental and Sustainability Studies, suggests otherwise.
According to his data and anecdotes from rangers and wildlife officials, bears have been found to have an acute sense of smell—and they can tell how frightened we are by our bodies’ response to fear.
Can Bears Smell Through Ziploc Bags?
While there is no scientific evidence that bears can smell through plastic, it’s a myth worth debunking.
If you have food in your tent, pack it away in plastic bags to ensure that bears don’t get a whiff of your dinner.
If you use coolers to store food, keep them closed and sealed up at night when they aren’t being watched.
A bear will rip through a cooler bag or tear open Velcro flaps if he smells something delicious inside.
Does Fire Attract Bears?
When camping, remember that fire is an important way to keep bears away. This can be done by burning any leftover food and trash in your campfire.
In addition, if you’re in bear country, be sure to hang up your food bag or lock it in a bear-resistant container at night to prevent any unwanted visits from black bears and other wildlife.
A light scent of perfume or cologne can also deter bears from approaching you and your campsite—just don’t spray too much!
The last thing you want is for a bear to associate humans with its favorite smell.
Preparation Is Key
If you really want to keep bears away from your campsite, preparation is key. First of all, you should never ever leave out trash in any open area.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that food and garbage smell delicious to bears.
Put any trash directly into bear-proof containers or store it with someone who can take it home when they head out of their campsite (don’t forget to remind them!).
Second, be sure not to cook anything with strong scents right near your tent.
If a bear gets accustomed to being around humans and begins thinking about taking advantage of those humans for food then things might not end well for anyone!
Common mistakes while keeping beer sway from the campsite
Those who camp as a group forgets to lock their beer cooler. Or sometimes just taking it away from the campsite makes you noisier or smell more like beer.
So what should you do? First, remember not to ever leave your drinks unattended. Second, bury your drink at least six inches in the ground and make sure it’s out of sight and reach of others at all times.
Use buckets or trashcans to keep your cans upright and safe until you can put them out of sight again after everyone is back from fishing or hiking.
If bears start coming around while you’re asleep, make lots of noise (nothing will scare them off faster) by clapping hands together or blowing a whistle.
Also read:- Best Hunting Clothing Brands
Things to take care of while keeping beer sway from the campsite
Beer gives a sweet taste. It might be tempting to sip on a beer while spending time outdoors, but make sure you keep it with you at all times so that wildlife doesn’t come looking for it.
It is important to never leave any cans or bottles around.
It is always better to invest in a bear-proof cooler instead of just tying up your drinks in trash bags.
Also Read: GoPro Hunting Camera
Conclusion
Of course, you want to camp in a secluded, scenic location without any worries of wildlife.
But after hearing scary stories from friends and family who’ve encountered bears while camping, you begin to think that your favorite campsite might not be safe after all.
However, there are some steps you can take that will help you avoid run-ins with bears—and keep them away from your campsite for good.
The main thing is to pack everything up at night and never leave food out on your site.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a little leftover bacon grease or a half-eaten candy bar; as soon as your food is outside where a bear can get it, you run into trouble.
