How To Avoid A Bear Attack When Going Camping
Planning which camping gears to bring along is a very crucial factor before going camping. Several of the essential camping equipments campers should bring include tents, sleeping bags, cookware and cutleries, and miscellaneous essentials such as mosquito repellants, flashlights, and celphones in case of emergencies.
These things may be thought as primary camping necessities but as far as wilderness is concerned, there are some dangers related to it. Deers, raccoons, and squirrels maybe aren’t the type of wildlife campers need to be troubled about but bigger and more dangerous animals such as bears can be quite shocking.
Although bear attacks are not as common as traffic mishaps, camping in the wilderness will always present all kinds of dangers and being careful, prepared, and knowing what to do is the key to having a good time and survival.
Lots of things could trigger bear encounters. The most common is the smell of food campers bring or cook. Bear attacks come about when they get threatened and the most dangerous of all are mother bears whose cubs are close or wild bears who are not afraid of people. There are also times when bears see humans as food particularly if those bears are in their young adult stage and have not seen people before.
Before setting up camp on a specific spot, be perceptive of your surroundings first and look for any bear activities like bear paw-prints or leftover carcasses left by a predator. There is a chance that the carcass might attract other scavenging animals or the animal who killed and fed on that carcass itself.
In a site where there are ample berries, you may also want to get as far away from that place since bears are also voracious feeders of berries. The ideal places where bear are often found consist of near water, dark and thick forest, and rock faces.
As soon as you setup your campsite, make sure you properly store your food in a bear-proof container or, if possible, you can also hang your food high up on a tree where bears can’t reach it. As you cook your food, have a good gap between your tents and from where you’re cooking and you may also want to change clothes later on to lessen the risk of bears being attracted to the cooking smell that might have stick to your clothes.
You should not also eat inside your tent. If you do encounter a bear because it was attracted by your food, you can try to make it go away by making noises or shining your flashlight in its eyes. On the other hand, if these things don’t work let it poke around on your food or try to climb up a tree if you can. Making yourself alive in such a situation should be your focus.
It is also better to camp with others than just by yourself. The more you are in a group, the less chance of bear encounter could occur. If you are camping with your family which includes kids, always keep an eye on them and never let them wander by themselves.
Bringing a bear deterrent spray when you go camping is also a good move. Bear sprays are available on most outdoor or camping stores.
If a bear does pay your campsite a visit and you don’t have a bear spray, climb a tree if you can or if you have bonfire, pick up a torch to deter the bear to come near you but don’t make any aggressive actions unless the bear is really coming after you. Running away may also make things worse as a bear will be likely to chase you. The best course of action is to stand your ground.
If worse comes to worse and a bear is already trying to maul you down, curl up in a fetal position and protect your neck and face with your arms and hands. If you have an opportunity to hurt its eyes, go for it.
Being prepared and aware is the key to having a safe camping experience.
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