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Yogi Bear was obsessed with picnic baskets. He was always getting in trouble with the Ranger for scarfing down picnic baskets full of camper's food. Even though Yogi is a fictional character and wears a hat, his story isn't too far from the truth.
Bears are a serious problem when camping. They may not be shy. They are bigger than you, and they will come after your food. If you are in grizzly country, the bear might even come after you, especially if you smell like food. This interaction is bad for the bears and the campers. There are ways to avoid it. Here is how.
- Your tents should be far away (100 yards) from the area where you cook and eat.
- After you eat, wash your hands and face. Avoid smelling like freshly caught salmon.
- Dispose of bait and fish waste properly. A lot places will not let you dispose of any solid waste in the wilderness. You'll have to lug out what you can't use. Dead fish guts can attract bears. So store bait and fish parts in the same way you store food. (You can store them separately.)
- A lot of campsites have bear vaults where you can store your food.
- Secure your food in a blanket or a sealed cooler. Tie the blanket/cooler to a rope. Throw the rope over a substantial branch. Raise the food. The food should be unreachable by you and the bear. (At least 10 feet.) Tie the rope to a tree.
- Bears love candy, especially peppermint. Leave that at home.
- Wash your pots and pans. Use the three bucket method.
- Don't eat in the clothes that you sleep in.
- Human waste should be disposed of in a cat hole 200 yards from camp.
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