Speaking of Bears

[Odeanne]

Does anyone ever leave food in the ice box in the popup when in bear country?  
When we were camping up in Blue Mt. Lake, NY we were warned not to leave any food in the camper, which I was prepared for.  But what I was not prepared for was having to disassemble completely my outside kitchen, including all (clean) dishes, dish towels, stove etc. and move it all into the car every night.  What a pain.  I didn't take any chances on this trip, but I was wondering about the ice box.

[Miss-Teri]

We just got back from Yellowstone, and we left NO food anywhere in the camper while we were camped there (well, there was that bag of M&Ms that I snacked on that I left in there with us overnight...).  

We kept a couple of coolers in the van where we kept our food.  We didn't do any preparation in the PU and very little eating inside the PU.  After using the grill, we cleaned it with soap and water and left it on top of the picnic table.

[tlhdoc]

In PA and NY I do keep food in my fridge when camping.  If I was camping in bear country other than black bear country, I wouldn't  keep food in the fridge.

[jawilson]

We just got back from Yellowstone, and we left NO food anywhere in the camper while we were camped there (well, there was that bag of M&Ms that I snacked on that I left in there with us overnight...).

Oh sure, a bear would never go after any sweet candy.  

You should probably consider yourself lucky that you didn't pay for that mistake, because for sure that's something that would attract the large furry set.

[jawilson]

In PA and NY I do keep food in my fridge when camping.  If I was camping in bear country other than black bear country, I wouldn't  keep food in the fridge.

We were at Hickory Run State Park (PA) about 2 years ago. One night, a male black bear tore the door off a seasonal TT to get at the food in the fridge. Now, that's pretty uncommon -- blacks aren't usually THAT aggressive -- but it's something to keep in mind.

[dee106]

they know what coolers are for, they see them they will knock them over and see whats inside. we found out if you wash you stuff well and what i do is pour ammonia in the dish pans /buckets after cleaning them and leave it in there we have had no problems , i also use to leave a couple of bottles open around the camp site bear noses are very sensitive.

[Miss-Teri]

Oh sure, a bear would never go after any sweet candy.  

You should probably consider yourself lucky that you didn't pay for that mistake, because for sure that's something that would attract the large furry set.

Actually, I truly didn't mean to leave it in there all night - I just fell asleep a bit sooner than I expected.  /insert red faced smiley here/  No bears, though, so maybe the candy coating keeps the odor inside.  

[tlhdoc]

We were at Hickory Run State Park (PA) about 2 years ago. One night, a male black bear tore the door off a seasonal TT to get at the food in the fridge. Now, that's pretty uncommon -- blacks aren't usually THAT aggressive -- but it's something to keep in mind.

There are no seasonal campsites in any PA state park.  You can camp up to 14 days (during the summer and 21 days before and after the summer season) and then you have to remove all equipment from the park.

[bearbait]

I keep food in the fridge inside the camper,  but that's all.  The cooler and the rubbermade tote with any other food are sealed and put in the truck with a tarp thrown over the top so a bear can't look in and see what it is.  Bears that hang around campgrounds are generally around there all the time and looking for an easy meal,  and they do understand what a cooler is,  thats for sure.  I would rather take too many precautions and go through the extra steps of taking care of everything than to attract a bear into my campsite.  If your not doing your part to keep them out of your site (I'm not accusing anyone here of not doing their part by the way,  just making a point),  then it isn't doing the bears any favors either.  Many times the bears have to be captured and moved or in extreme cases,  destroyed.  I'll just keep going through those few extra steps to keep the bears out of my site,  that keeps both my family and the bears safe.

I've had a bear in my site once (thus the name bearbait). It's a funny story now looking back,  but it was very scary at the time and not something I want to go through again.

[deniski]

Since we usually are camping in grizzley country, we ALWAYS put the coolers and other food in the TV at night.  We also keep bear spray (pepper spray) in the PU at night with us and the dogs.  But, thinking about that.... it would be pretty miserable in an enclosed area like that if we ever DID have to use it!!!  yikes!  :yikes:

[maromeo]

Last summer we stayed at Yellowstone and had all the warnings from the rangers. We kept all our food and toiletries in the TV. We were told if anything was left out around your site, you will be fined and they checked everyone's site often. During the 3 days there we never saw one bear anywhere in the park. When I was yonnger and was there with my parents, we saw them climbing the trees and walking around everywhere.  It may have been just too crowded and hot for them to come around.

Mary Romeo

[Gone-Camping]

About six or seven years ago before I bought my first PU, we were camping at Loft Mountain Campground up on Skyline Drive, my nephew and I had a tent set up on one site, some friends with a PU had the site next to us. The food had got stored in the car that night, but little did I know my nephew had small bag of 'goodies' stuffed away in his overnight bag. That night we did have a visitor, he knocked down the pole on the corner of the tarp that was closest to the nephews end of the tent (we're talking maybe 3' at the most from the tent), but guess either the pole coming down or our reaction scared him off.

About ten minutes later he was next door going through our friends AAR where he found a pan full of creamed corn to feast on. I'm curious about my friends because that place has bear warnings posted, and bear proof trash cans all around the campground. The nephew...well I guess I never really thought to ask him about having extra's in his kit.
 
That...was my only bear experience while camping. Did have one lounge around our back yard for several days, but eventually he moved on. Of course here in the east about all we have are black bears.

[garym053]

We have never cooked in the camper and the only food we've eaten in there is coffee ONCE! I always lock all food up in the Jeep every night!
A FED bear is a DEAD bear!