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We will be camping in an area that has black bears and the last time we were there one circled our tent. What are some things you can do to keep bears away? Can you put something down around a perimeter?
If you were going to take a rifle with you just in case - would a 12G shotgun do any good or would it just make it madder... ?
Last edited by illtaketwoplease; 08-02-2017 at 05:59 PM..
We will be camping in an area that has black bears and the last time we were there one circled our tent. What are some things you can do to keep bears away? Can you put something down around a perimeter?
If you were going to take a rifle with you just in case - would a 12G shotgun do any good or would it just make it madder... ?
12ga. will do if you will. Which means, are you capable of awaking from a dead sleep with a bear dragging your child out of the tent and placing a killing shot on the bear without hitting the child? In the dark, with the rest of the family screaming? Not saying it can't be done, just that it takes mindset development and training, and then Murphy is always waiting...
Best thing for making your camp boring to a passing bear is a complete lack of food smells. That means not on you or your stuff. Pretty much eat and clean yourself and your stuff before getting into camp for the night. Hard to do with a family. Depending on the size and temperament of the bear, a large aggressive dog might be a deterrent. Or a sacrifice that gives you time to wake up and use the scattergun correctly...
All of this assumes that the bears are thick enough and used to humans enough that an attack is a real possibility. Which is probably not a very common place in the US. Where are you camping?
Basically, more people are killed by lightning while camping annually than bears. You see lightning rods on tents? Don't give the potential event more energy than it deserves. If you want to take a shotgun, be my guest. Having a plan is good. Being fearful ruins the vacation for you, and for the family when they pick up on your concern. It is supposed to be a time of fun and relaxation. A bear circling the tent is not a disaster, it is something a lot of folks never get to experience. As long as he doesn't grab anyone, let him pass, and let the kids tell everyone at school how close(and big) the bear was. If he does grab someone, then you gotta do what you gotta do, but most of the time, that just ain't gonna happen. The last one smelled food, I suppose, and decided there wasn't enough to be worth fighting multiple humans over. So don't lather up with bacon grease before bed but don't let a what if wreck your good time, either.
It's a black bear. You can kill it with just about anything. 12 ga is more than enough.
Keep your food out of the tent. Other than that, enjoy its company.
We have black bears in Maine. They are hunted, and they know it. They even know when it's open season on bear.
I live pretty much in the woods. I have never seen a bear. Black bears are little threat to humans, most of the time. They are looking for food, and if they have come to associate people with food, then there can be problems. Mostly overturned trash cans, scattered garbage at picnic sites... you get the idea.
Black bears are the least dangerous of bears, but ANY bear can be dangerous if you get between it and its food. Or, her and her cubs. Practice good trash discipline and don't keep any food in your tent. Don't cook food in the tent area.
With a little common sense, you will be fine. Enjoy the bears, if you're lucky enough to see one! (I wish I could get a glimpse in Maine!)
We will be camping in an area that has black bears and the last time we were there one circled our tent. What are some things you can do to keep bears away? Can you put something down around a perimeter?
If you were going to take a rifle with you just in case - would a 12G shotgun do any good or would it just make it madder... ?
Chances are your tent has investigated by bears before...you just didn't realize it. Most of the time a bear doesn't want trouble, they are curious. You can always put an electric fence around your tent area. There are small ones designed for camping. Unless you are a dead cold calm crack shot you are not going to kill a bear that gets into your tent. There's very little reason to try killing a bear (unless you are helplessly watching someone being mauled). Carrying bear spray and keeping it on you or within reach is a better way to deter a curious bear. The spray fog covers a lot of space at close range and will definitely turn one away (been there done that). Of course using spray while you are IN the tent isn't a great idea as it will disable you as well. As already mentioned, make your camp boring. Use bearproof containers for food (even freeze dried and canned) and all personal items/toiletries that have any odor (yes, chapstick, toothpaste, insect repellent, sunscreen, lotion, all that stuff) and store the container AWAY from where you sleep...like 20 yards away. Wash all your cooking utensils, dry them, and put them with the food container. No snacking in your tent.
Sometimes bears get curious about gear they find lying around too. If a bear wanders into your camp the usual advice is to stand up in a group, talk firmly to the bear and stand your ground...defend your stuff. If the bear doesn't back off elevate your presence....get louder, wave arms, bang pots, wave jackets. If the bear really does keep approaching too close or attempts to actually grab you, give it a blast full in the face with bear spray.
We always hang our food in a tree at least 30 yards from the tent in waterproof, sealed bags. I have never had a encounter with a bear when camping in the northeast/mid-Atlantic, Maine, or Colorado, at least not that I know of. I am always armed with at least a 9MM pistol, and pepper spray. 12 Gauge is better though, but I would only carry that in Griz country.
You don't say where you're going, and bears do differ by area as some are more accustomed to people than others.
Where I am we have both griz and black bears. I do camp out a lot and there are some ways to minimize interaction, but nothing is 100%.
If you're camping near a stream or river make sure you're at least 100 yards away since bears look for food along rivers and there's more activity there.
I always cook and eat at least 100 feet from where I'll be sleeping. Food is kept in a sealed bearproof container or suspended at least 12 feet above the ground and 10 feet from a tree. (black bears can climb trees, grizzly can't)
My grandfather used to always put a ring of mothballs around the tent since they have an stink that repels bears, but I would only use the old naphthalene kind. I don't know if they work or not, but he never had any problems with bears, but then he always kept a clean camp too. Mothballs also help keep skunks away.
You don't say if you will be camping in a developed campground or wilderness camping. Developed campgrounds will usually have a resident population of bears that know there's food there. Wilderness areas without much human presence, the bears haven't targeted that specific site so keeping a clean camp will usually minimize contact.
If you have a wife or daughter going along, make sure it isn't that "special" time of the month. Bears can smell that and will come looking for more than food.
Some areas of my state are restricted to hard sided campers only because of bears. We live with bears as next door neighbors here, they're all over the place.
I do carry a 12 gauge when camping, a short barreled pistol grip shotgun like the police carry, sometimes called a riot gun. Loaded with double 0 buckshot and slugs. It'll stop a griz, it'll stop a black bear. I don't like pistols for bears, you have to be accurate for a pistol bullet to stop a bear. That said, it's better than nothing when you don't have any other choice. Shove it down their throat and pull the trigger.
I don't mind black bears, more of a nuisance than a danger, but they can and do kill humans so don't take chances.
Griz should always be considered a danger. I've lived and camped with bears all my life, including hunting them. I've never had a problem, but I'm almost fanatical about my camp to minimize anything that would call a bear to me. Most bears will avoid humans, especially in areas where hunting is legal, but it only takes one rogue to really ruin a hike or camping trip.
Bear spray can work, I don't trust it but a lot of folks do. There's an old joke here about "How do you tell the difference between black bear scat and grizzly scat? The black bear scat has berry seeds and small animal bones in it. Grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper spray".
A good rule of thumb is if you have to ask which type or caliber of gun to go with, that you're better off with bear spray . Bear Spray can be effective, in some cases even more so than a gun. It can also fail or have seemingly little effect, where it's really hard to argue with a slug to the face.
Black bears are just as dangerous as grizzlies. The only two fatal bear attacks in Alaska this summer were from black bears, one relatively not too far from me. In the incident nearby me, bear spray was deployed but it didn't help. There was also a different fatal black bear attack about 15 or so miles from my house about three years ago.
Just use common sense and no food in the tent and you're more likely to encounter troubled two legged predators on your trip then to see a bear.
The only two fatal bear attacks in Alaska this summer were from black bears, one relatively not too far from me. In the incident nearby me, bear spray was deployed but it didn't help. There was also a different fatal black bear attack about 15 or so miles from my house about three years ago.
I remember that one....very unusual. Black bears don't tend to attack defensively (such as around cubs or food) but an intense focused attack like that was probably predatory. A bear that has been food-conditioned, desperately hungry, and focused on a human who also happens to be running (in that race)is probably not going to be deterred by pepper spray. The majority of bears someone encounters will be deterred by a blast in the face from spray...and the bear gets to survive it but learn that campsites can be unpleasant.
Bear spray wasn't deployed in the mountain running race where the 16 year old boy was killed. I was talking about the attack near pogo mine https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2017...-bear-mauling/. The one woman was able to deploy bear spray but it wasn't enough to stop the bear from mauling her co worker to death. Had they had a firearm, the woman may still be alive.
Was just trying to point out that black bears are just as dangerous as grizzlies. And that bear spray isn't 100% effective. It doesn't seem to stop a predatory bear for instance. For certain situations only a large caliber gun will do.
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. Bear Spray can be effective, in some cases even more so than a gun. It can also fail or have seemingly little effect, where it's really hard to argue with a slug to the face.
