Camping and Bears

First time camping with a pick up truck. Usually keep the coolers in the trunk of the car, but being I have an access cab they will stay in the bed of the truck. Any chance a bear will climb up the side to try to get to the cooler?

 

if theyre shut/sealed well you should be good. Keep the trash away and secured too.

Some poeple hang coolers and trash in trees up high enough so nothing will touch them.

 

Yeah will definitely raise the trash up but I don’t know about the coolers. I’ll duct tape the lid and put a trash bag over it.

My only problem is one of the days I have to take the truck for about five hours empty so the coolers will have to stay at the campsite.

 

I would keep the coolers on the ground away from your tent and kitchen area etc. Bears have amazing smell and if there going to get into your coolers it's better there on the ground away from your tent area instead of climbing into your truck and causing more damage. If they want it they will get it no matter where you put it.

 

That’s a hard one. Tape it. Bag it. Chain it up under the picnic table if you can/have one.

 

The general rule of thumb (and also the requirement in national parks) is to keep anything with unnatural scents at least 100m downwind of your campsite.

 

The easy solution is to keep a bear tag in your wallet and the appropriate firearm nearby. Lazy man hunting.

 

Hey if a Bear wants a Beer he can have one.

 

I’ve camped in bear country a lot. I usually just keep the cooler inside the cab of the truck bc I’m usually sleeping in the bed and I’ve never had any problems with bears. A lot of places you camp in bear country will have bear boxes and these are usually large enough to place a medium size cooler in it. My experience has been raccoons are the biggest pain in the ass. They are pretty smart creatures and you’d be amazed at what they can open.

 

I can probably fit them in the access cab . I don’t even know if it’s considered bear country. It’s in West Virginia

 

Yes, that's black bear country. They have visited our campsite at night in western VA, and have seen them when hiking in Dolly Sods. They spook pretty easily and despite being able to climb trees, they have never torn down our hanging packs.

 

In the cab, Save the Bears! In Kalifornia, black bears in some areas will select certain vehicles as those may be easier to access, they can also identify ice chests etc. as items that hold food, even inside a vehicle, in those cases cover food. I prefer to have bear resistant containers close by so I can scare bears off if any activity. Have more issues with raccoons. Never had a bear take food or in my camp.
Duane

 

Always contact the ranger in the area you intend to go to get current bear information and best practices for dealing with them. They are different all over the place. What works in one place may be a guaranteed ticket to mayhem elsewhere. Season also matters. Coming out of hibernation, they are hungry and likely more aggressive than later in the year.

 

The Bear's name is "Ditka"...

 

Like I was saying better on the ground then in my truck, but hey it's your truck and you can put your food and cooler in your truck if you like.

 

Ahhh... finally, a voice of reason!

 

Correct, but requirements vary by region, bears have different tactics or learned skills in different areas. Back east, some bears have learned how to open bear resistant food canisters, out west, they target certain vehicles, some are fooled by food just being stored inside a vehicle, although some will target a vehicle by the presence of a ice chest alone. Best storage is in bear boxes provided at some campsites or campgrounds. Even in the backcountry of Glacier NP, food has to be hung or a approved canister used. I've camped and backpacked in Glacier twice.
Duane

 

I’ve read in books about bears eating/drinking gallons of chainsaw bar oil. So I take it they will eat any fucking thing. Don’t forget to piss all around your campsite and claim that shit as you own!

 

I’m bringing my shotgun camping this time, plus some bear mace, a large bear stalked my cabin at night in Maine last year and a bear approached my campsite in New Hampshire.

I always pee around the campsite, and I will be leaving all food behind the seat in the cab full time for convenience instead of moving it there at night.

@MTgirl I will now include toothpaste and all the usual aromatic common sense bear country camping items with my food left in the cab full time, thanks for the reminder!