Should You Take Bear Spray On Your Camping Trip?
John Morris
It is always best to come prepared for anything and everything
that life has to offer. Of course, the same idea applies to
camping trips where, if you are lucky enough, you may get the
best experience of your life (and not encounter any grizzlies).
Of course, it has also been said that luck is actually
preparation getting to meet that ever elusive opportunity. So
when out on a camping trip, how could you attract luck to your
side without ever having to catch the attention of bears that
may be gazing and grazing around the camp area.
1. Bear spray your way to safety
This may or may not be a good idea. Carrying a bear spray with
you may be an effective way to feel safe and secure, however it
is always not the best idea to bear spray the tent you are in as
well as any of the areas near or surrounding you. It is also
better if you do not bear spray any items that you regularly
may be using.
2. Why bear sprays may be unsafe too
Believe it or not, it has been proven that bears are attracted
to those items that have already been sprayed with bear spray.
So even though a bear spray may come in handy when that moment
comes (God forbid) that a grizzly bear happens to wander in
your camp premises, spraying one before a bear does arrive may
actually be calling them prematurely.
3. The best way to stay away from bears
The most convenient and logical way to stay a bit far away from
any bears is to stay in a camping area that has no obvious and
clear evidence of any forms or signs of bear activity. These
signs include bear tracks, any forms of bear diggings as well
as scat.
4. The best way to ward off bears
Fortunately, it is now a federal rule and regulation in camping
trips that those campers who bring food must now suspend the
food they bring on trees or that they should use boxes that are
bear-proof.
Bears have been known to be very much attracted to odors that
come from food. Therefore foods that are very odorous must best
be not brought during camping or even cooked outdoors.
Camps should also be clean. Food must not be stored or cooked
inside the tent, unless you want to wake up one morning with a
grizzly bear staring at you.
There are now campsites that provide poles wherein food, gears
used for cooking, and any articles that are scented may be
suspended in place when it is not yet to be used. The same
process also applies to deodorants, soap, and toiletries.
Prevention and pro-activeness is always better than prevention.
Packs of food must never be left unattended even for as short as
a minute or so.
Bears have been known to become aggressive once they get that
opportunity to obtain foods consumed by humans. They may in
turn be aggressive to obtain similar types of food in the
future and so they may pose a threat to the safety of humans.
They may then have to be removed from the park or destroyed.
5. How to sleep well and keep food well
One hundred yards from where your food is located or hanging
from is the minimum distance for one to sleep in. Of course,
your sleeping area and gear must also be free from the odor of
food and should also be clean. It is never a good idea to sleep
in the clothes you have worn while cooking or eating. Keep these
clothes inside a plastic bag and hang them in a considerable
distance away from you.
6. Stay away from garbage
As much as possible, check out the area of where you will be
spending the night. If there is a garbage nearby or any items
of food scattered about that were left by other campers, it is
highly recommended that you stay a good distance away from such
an area. Double your distance at least. It would also be best
that you report such an incident to the park rangers.
7. Report any bear incidents immediately
Even if your brush with bears was minor, always report them to
the park ranger. The safety of other future campers, as well as
your own, may depend on you. All in all, bear sprays are okay to
use. But the best way to ward off bears is by being aware of how
you camp and being cautious of the way you keep food and other
bear-attracting items as neat and clean as possible.
About The Author: For more great bear spray related articles
and resources check out http://bearspray.info
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