Ditto. With most videos my finger is hovering over the mute button. I can’t understand why folks put (usually horrible) music over their videos, it often partially drowns out their words or makes it otherwise unpleasant.
I was camping in Wisconsin deep woods, and I was hiking and walked around a bend and came face to face with large bear. Honestly, I was petrified and did the worse thing by turning and running without thinking, but luckily the bear was running faster in the opposite direction. That was a lucky day for me
Wisconsin? That's a black bear, and while you should be careful when dealing with them, they are skittish creatures. Make a lot of noise and act tough and they will run away.
Lifelong Montanan here. Excellent video! For a moment, I thought you were going to neglect the car horn aspect, but you came through at the end. All my life in the outdoors, I never worried about bears, but in recent years, it is a bigger issue with increasing encroachment by humans into their habitat. Great video!!! Not long ago I made a video for my week long tent camping in bear country and a bear horn was part of my bear 'arsenal' since there was no car nearby. Just an added note.
While camping in Yosemite I woke one night to a bear scratching on my sleeping bag. She had made one cut in my tent and stuck her paw in. I had left a piece of gum in a baggie, in my backpack from hiking earlier that day. My feet were elevated on my pack and I guess she smelled it. As soon as I screamed she pulled her paw back, sat there for a moment, and then climbed the tree behind the tent. Knowledge is so important. Thanks for this !!
Time for my bear story from Yosemite back in the 1970's: My room mate and I were tent camping in the North Pines CG in Yosemite. About 3 AM there was a loud ruckus about 3 sites down from us. Pot banging, yells, and loud screams. Instantly obvious it was a Bear in the camp. We got up to see a women in her night clothes and a fellow jumping in their car leaving their stuff behind. And a black bear racing off in the opposite direction. A crowd of campers milled around. Turns out the women, wearing apricot face creme was asleep in her bag, no tent, only to wake with a bear sitting on her chest licking the apricot stuff off...heh. No joke, I ask the rangers about it when ever I get back to Yosemite and they say the story still is being told but was assumed to be just a legend. But it happened. So add to your list, leave off the fruit flavored face creme at bedtime. BTW they never came back for their minimal gear, rangers collected it a few days later.
Yosemite is one place in the world that bears have been able to learn that humans store food in cars. The Park at one time fed the bears in a Valley dump and built bleachers so humans could watch them feed. Ive never heard of a bear breaking into a car at Yellowstone. HMMMM
I'm a newbie to car camping/dispersed camping and backpacking. I feel like there's so much information and stuff I don't know. I appreciate this so much!
7-09-21 ktla channel 9 News, Calif. Woman, 66 yrs. Old, was killed by a Grizzly Bear, dragged from her Tent, while Bicycle/ trek camping, in Montana." The Bear was Tracked Down and Killed... BillinL.A. Calif.
@@cristianozwife Thank You for that Reply , and Insight.... If She would have hung the Food in the air in a bag from a higher tree Limb , with a Rope.... She'd still be Alive Today.... I've seen a Bear pull the Pass. Door/ window-shattered, with its Claws....and Climb inside for Food Items left inside...in A parking Lot, at Curry Village, Yosemite National Park, @ 3pm, 10 years ago.... They are Not to be Underestimated.... Very Clever and Determined.... BillinL.A. 8/04/21.
Travelling through bear country I ALWAYS sleep in my car and am extremely cautious about food and trash in my vehicle. I back into my escape route so I can make a quick retreat in the event I need to leave abruptly and I do not cook in the campground where I plan to spend the night. I'm a surgical nurse and when I lived in Alaska I was involved in an all-night emergency surgery with 2 surgical teams repairing the damage done when a brown bear protected its territory from a couple who were picking blueberries. It was a mess.
Tristan, former 8B and 7B guy here. I heard you say that you can crack your windows if you're sleeping in your car. I agree that I often need to do so. An 8B friend of mine cracked the windows of his van, while he slept in his nearby tent. A bear got its claws in the crack and ripped the window down. It then crawled in and ripped everything apart. I enjoy your videos. Thank you.
Good Video. My experience with black bears had taught me that 99% of the time they want nothing to do with you and will run. But if they smell food they will find a way to get it unless they are scared off. I spent 3 years on a remote location on an island in southeast Alaska where black bears were an every day thing. Last summer I spent my time in Interior Alaska. My experience with the grizzlies there is to stay alert while cooking and keep your kitchen 100 yards away. Use bear resistant coolers with a padlock or bear canisters and you'll have no problem unless you are around a mother and cubs. Keep bear spray on your hip not in your bag in interior alaska
If you've ever been chased by a bear, you're not likely to regard bears lightly. My sister and I were on a path in the Smokey Mountains. My Aunt was at the top of a slope above us when she told us to come to where she was. We knew from her tone of voice something bad was about to occur. As we went to meet her, I looked back over my shoulder and saw a large bear quickly approaching us. We got to the top and into the car just in time. The bear even chased the car out to the main road with an angry look on its face. We were scared witless. I guess it didn't want us on its path. After that, I take bears seriously.
Well done. Maybe make a video about desert safety too, ie: rattlesnakes and scorpions. ALWAYS check your shoes and pants before you put them on in the morning. If you're climbing, watch where you put your hands. Rattlesnakes and scorpions might be very small, but a bite can be lethal.
I use to hike as a trail scout for the forest service, the biggest problem people have is believing they won't have problems. I have hike a lot of miles in Grizzly country and have seen many. I have never had a problem with them, they are smart, I mean smart. They don't want trouble any more than you. They will wander into your camp at night to check things out and you'll never know it. They for the most part only become a problem after you do. Black bears that's not true. Black bears account for the vast majority of attacks and deaths from bears. As a note, you are not going to hide orders from a grizzly. They are the only predator out there that can smell calf moose, which are basically orderless. That being said, camping isn't a time for the beauty make-over. leave the perfumed item home. If the people before you have left a dirty camp, find another place to camp. I always made people empty their backpacks for me before I allowed them to join me on hiking trips. Many times I found hand lotions and minted tubes of toothpaste, smelly soap in their pack. Leave them home, there not for bear country. It was a good video but remember your not the only thing that uses the trails, bears know them and use them, in addition to cooking away for your camp, camp away from the trail. If possible camp away from the trail at least 50+ yards.
Camp a lot in black bear country, northern Minnesota. Had one snorting and grumbling at my open truck window last month. Probably smelled something in my vehicle. He just lumbered off after a few minutes. Nothing has scared me more than a full grown bison sniffing around the door of our tent in Custer State Park. Great channel! Your videos are getting me through the cold weather here in the Midwest.
Super useful as I've become massively more into car camping lately and I recently moved to an area known for its black bear population. I kept turning over in my head how the forest rangers advocate a sort of unachievable perfection and then on the other end of the spectrum I see so many campsites/trailers/RVs that I just KNOW are not doing a SINGLE thing to prevent bear incursions. This video really, really helped me understand the "Goldilocks zone" of realistic & achievable safety measures from someone who's clearly been there, done that. thanks :)
I live in bear country (black bears) even tho I'm in a city (just outside of Vancouver) and the bears love garbage, have no interest in hurting a human. They live alongside us and if we can manage to keep our food waste in locked bins there are no problems. But BEAR COUNTRY with grizzly bears makes me nervous! I'm always thankful I can sleep in my car where all my food/garbage/cook stove get stored. I do leave my windows down a little but keys are always beside me, I have a good panic alarm on my car to scare them away and I can always drive off if need be!! Btw such a pretty trail you're on!
I lived in a house In Bear Country. I would get home from work at 2 a.m. and the Bears waited until after I was in the house he check out the garbage. Anything that would be stinky I would put in Ziploc bag and storage in the freezer until trash day. Then I would put it out in the trash in the morning that it was going to be picked up. Worked out well for me
On another note - I was once followed by a mountain lion. I watched him and he knew I was watching him so he didn't get too close. It helped that I was packing heat at the time so I wasn't too worried about him. Bears, on the other hand, tend to run away. They want nothing to do with humans unless you surprise a mama with cubs.
Keeping food in most plastic bags won't help much because they are porous at the microscopic level and odors go through easily. However there are bear specific odor-proof bags (green tinted) that are fantastic for keeping food in your car. Also, many backpackers are ill advised to use a trash bag as an inner backpack liner because those bags are scented and will attract bears. However I believe there are odor-free trash compactor bags that are available at the hardware store.
Agreed. Bears can smell up to 20 miles away. I have black bears in all the mountains of my state and have never ever seen one, saw signs once at the entrance of a trail, but I still take precautions because I don't assume or trust others to be wise. I have found odor free reusable bags and use those. They are inexpensive on Amazon. My first rule of thumb, I never have fish or seafood!
Separating the eat/cooking area from the sleep area by 100 yards is good advice. Also every camper needs to hone their bear bag skills this is something that takes more work but does provides a large amount of safety.
Great video...well done....I had my bear encounter alone camping in the middle of the night....the most important thing about bear encounters is to keep a calm state of mind..I kept reminding myself that I am at the top of the food chain and I acted like it and showed no fear...that being said that encounter is always on my mind when I am solo backcountry camping
great tips as always Tristan! Practical and to the point info as usual. When we camp on our family camping trips my wife sprays an ammonia mixture around camp..... years before, we had an interested bear in camp several times before we started doing that.... since she started the ammonia thing, no mas! I prefer to use the 'man method' of doing some 'dust control' around camp through out the day...haha ;)
Kodiak Bears are scary. I was sitting on the beach one morning,' August '98 or '99 about 12 miles south of Larsen Bay, on Uyuk Bay, Kodiak, , and I watched a bear swim across the bay, get out of the water about 300 meters up the beach from me, and go ambling off, up a hill and into the brush. Big one, maybe 400-500 kilos I do not ever want to get any closer. And those guys can SWIM!
We've camped a LOT in bear country (Northern California and Yosemite). We completely agree. We've seen bears but have only had problems with raccoons, and chipmunks.
I live in lower bear country in the NC mountains and when traveling and car camping overnight at Dingman’s Ferry park, PA, I woke at 4am to a gigantic black bear rocking my Toyota RAV4 so much that I was rolling around like a marble. I only had the sun roof open a little with magnetic screen for ventilation and I could hear the Chewbacca breathing as it tried to get in through that way. Thankful for a loud mouth to yell at it as I managed to get into the front seat and lay on the horn and headlights. Still have the nail scratches on the passenger side door.
Great video! I host a tent camping group on FB and bear questions always come up with members who are new to camping. In response to those questions I put together a pdf guide for them to reference. Now I’ll be sharing your video as a reference as well. Nicely done, and thank you!
Great video! Answered the question in my head on whether or not it was a good idea to keep our food in our car with us while we slept. Will probably wrap everything as much possible just to be safe.
My most exciting bear encounter was when a griz spit in my face...true story! hubby and I were hiking in Glacier Part in MT (I am a native of Montana)...griz was walking about 100 feet to our left... he turns and comes towards us...we froze... he came right up to my left side, sniffed up to my head, down to my feet, up to my head again, then snorted in my face... I had bear snot running down my face... then he simply walked away. Thankfully he did not feel threatened and he wasn't hungry!
This vid was EXACTLY what I was looking for. We’re car camping in a remote desert area with few trees, several people & a lot of food, limited space in the campsite to spread out. I think we’re in lower case bear country so this makes me feel better about staying safe overall. Thank you!!!
In 1989 my husband and I and our two kids were camping in the Joshua tree national Park in Northern California. We were warned upon entering the park that it had been a particularly dry and scarce season for food for the Bears and to make sure that all food was stored in the metal boxes provided. As we were putting our food away we looked at the neighboring campsite where they had left all their food on their tailgate and gone to the bathroom or something they were just gone. And here was a mama bear and her cubs helping themselves and having a feast. needless to say we followed instructions. In the middle of the night I was awakened by a big bear rubbing against my body with only the tent between us. My husband was a little mad but I told him since we had no gun or no form of protection we shouldn't be sleeping on the ground where hungry bears were roaming and that we were packing up and leaving the next morning. Well the kids are grown. It's been about 25 years since we've been camping. And we're planning to go tent camping again in just a few short weeks in the Ozarks. Thanks for the video
Also Never go to bed wearing the same clothes you wore all day and while cooking. Bag them up. You can put bleach in baby food jars have two lids for each jar poke holes in the top of one put bleach in them and place them around your campsite area, Don't use the baby size jars, use the bigger ones for like toddlers or two year olds and you bury them halfway and that bleach will keep your bears away from you. Do not pour the bleach on the ground like a ranger told somebody to do that's not that good for the ground but you could contain it in jars and switch the lids when you're going to transport them.
Bears have a better nose that a K-9 bloodhound. Sounds do not scare them, just gives them a heads-up that there is something up ahead that is making a VERY odd noise. Krystal Hatch is right, bells that are pinned on you/your shoes and are ringing are another way to transferring sound (up ahead to?). Boat "fog-horns" in a can are very load, bear spray in a can is better than any pistol you might bring. Remember it's their home and we're just out for the day. If a bear wants to party with you, your food and drink, never ask why until you're safely home then ask why from your favorite chair and not some hospital bed or morgue. Bikers and bears both party to hardy for me anymore, 79 and just getting a little older one day at a time, I like it!
We went camping 🏕 in lake alpine in California we slept in camping ⛺️ tent, and every night we saw a bear crossing by our tent. We just used our car alarm control and turned it.....and that was it. I told my story in my channel but you have to put your translation on your settings cause I speak Spanish in my channel. But, so far in 3 years in a row we had bears in this particular camping site.
I revisited this video looking for info on bear canisters. In one of your videos, you mentioned that you keep your food in bear canisters inside of your car. On my trip to the Appalachians last Fall, I did what you suggest in this video. I kept everything in zip top bags (double bagged usually) and kept those inside a sealed plastic container and had no problems. Still, I've ordered two large bear canisters for food and toiletries for my next trip out. Would you please consider a video showing how you pack your canisters for long trips? I have two trips tentatively planned, one to the West, one to the East back to my favorite place near Boone, NC. Thank you. Your videos have been most helpful!
I don't think it's necessary to put food in bear canisters inside your car. When I've done it in the past, it's been out of convenience (i.e., I need the bear canister for a backpacking trip and figure I might as well use it for other food while sleeping in my car too), not out of fear or necessity. I don't think I have any special tips about packing a bear canister. Just stuff your food in the best way you can! Thanks for watching.
Great tips! I've carried bear spray before when hiking in certain areas. Never had to use it yet. I once read about someone carrying an air horn to scare off bears. I've never tried that myself. Back in the early 80's, I pulled into a campground in Glacier National Park. The Rangers were not letting anyone into the campground unless they had a hard sided vehicle. No tents or tent trailers. Apparently there were Grizzly problems. I was travelling and sleeping in my VW camper so I was allowed to stay.
First used an air horn and bear spray in 1991. Worked at Glacier NP and a ranger recommended carrying both, for different reasons. Have been using both ever since. Still above ground!
Most Grizzly Bears would use that Bear Spray as an Appetizer, the only thing effective against Large Brown Bears (Grizzly) is a .45Mag or in my book go someplace less threatening unless you like swimming with Piranha that is?
@@TBI-Firefighter-451, There are numerous studies that show bear spray is effective. Some studies indicate more effective than guns. The CBC News reported in March of '08 a study conducted by bear biologist, Thomas Smith from Brigham Young University and Stephen Herrero, bear expert and Professor from the University of Calgary that bear spray is more effective than guns against bears. The study was published in the April, '08 issue of Wildlife Management if you care to examine it. Basically, it said that bear spray was effective 92% of the time. Guns were effective 67% of the time. The National Park Service in the USA recommends bear spray.
Ricardo roams I’ve lived in Alaska my whole life, 62 years now. I carry both depending on where I’m at and what I’m doing. There are definitely parts of the state I would not go out into without a weapon. The best weapon for bear protection hands-down is a short shotgun. It’s a little more trouble to carry but just about anyone is more accurate with it. I know many people over the years that buy a pistol for bear protection up here and they go out and shoot it a couple of times when they first buy it and then pack it around for years without training with it. Very hard to hit a bear with a pistol if you don’t train a bit. At lest put a box a year through it. Whereas a shotgun most people have a chance to put a rifled slug into a target at a fairly good distance. That being said most bears that have to be shot are fairly close and a 450 grain rifled slug backed up with some 00 buck shot would be my first choice over a pistol.
From the research I've done, bear spray is never effective if bear attack is predatory in nature. 10mm and magnum 44 and up all may stop a predatory attack if you get enough rounds to get a good hit in Brain or cns. Many go with 10mm's high capacity of 15+ rounds and quick reloads with hardened, deep penetrating ammo to back up their bears sPray...if they have time. Most 44+ magnums only have 5 or 6 rounds, slow to reload...is why many hunters and outdoors people run the 10mm. Tom above is right about a slug in a good shotgun...but wit 4 or 5 rounds max...better hit the mark. Most hunters carry a pistol and their long gun. The pistol is always strapped on, but a rifle is manytimes set down when working on a kill, suooer, etc A bear charging at 30 mph will cover 50 yards in less than three seconds. Hitting a bobing and charging head won't be easy. Bear spray can work, but if wind is against you, or changes, the spray will disable your further response. Dead calm is best...how many days are like that out west? With both spray or gun need to be right with God, for success, or in case of failure in defense and practice, practice, practice...stay alert a d follow all recomended precautions! Daniel(Ch5) and his friends(Ch3) knew God well and trusted when in their life or death crisis their life would be preserved in the event, or in the ressurection at the 2nd Coming. Daniel laid out the future history of the world empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece,and Rome Pagan and Rome Papal, 4 times (Chaps 2,7, 8-9, 10-12)in the book of Daniel. He did this with so much detail that it makes a concincing argument for Bible authenticity. Fables are the arguments against the Bible from my research and study. Daniel lived about 626 to early to mid-ish 500's B.C.. Isaiah lived and prophecied about Cyrus by name, and told clues to how he would eventually conquer, unconquerable Babylon. He wrote this 150 before the event and before Cyrus was even born! You can find this in Isaiah 44(last verse or so) and first few verses of Isaiah 45. Thanks for your work Trystan. Hope I spelled your name right. We enjoy SUV RV ing but wife and Iuse a truck camper ourselves in our retirement.
I'm a year late...but l'm in Alaska and we have black bears and grizzlies everywhere. Saw lots in Denali Park. Of course there are Kodak Bears on Kodak island. Let's not forget Polar Bears.
I bought a Lifetime Cooler that is built and certified “GRIZZLY BEAR PROOF”, with a gasket around the lid - similar to a fridge\freezer. I also refrain from taking or cooking food with me, but use prepared food, like protein bars, etc.
Man.. I've been in the mountains in Utah for several camping trips during the summer and have never seen a bear. What a cool encounter! Thanks for sharing! Amazing you got it on video.
I was on greenbelly website the Applachian Trail interactive map to see if there were more trail shelter closings. Quite a few this year due to people leaving food etc causing bear interactions in the Smokey Mountains mostly. Before long there will not be any shelters left there.
Thank you sooooo much!!! I have no experience with bears, but I have researched bear etiquette and there is a lot of conflicting info out there. After much reading, thinking, and planning, I had come to the same conclusions as you presented, except I will keep pepper gel with me at all times. Also, I decided to get the gel despite the range being only 18 feet, because I figure that if a bear is charging me, by the time I aim, the bear will be that distance or closer. Also, if I am sleeping with the windows a few inches down for ventilation and a bear decides to try to pull my window out, I can spray the gel from the smallish opening and not worry about blowback in my car. You have put my mind at rest! Also the information was well presented. I am subscribing. Thank you again. Happy travels.
@@ljaysperspective1775 I have since realized that pepper gel is illegal in some states because of its strength, and the purpose is to dissuade contact, not to do harm. So Bear Spray is probably the only real option for most situations. However, I read somewhere that bears do NOT like Ammonia. So I decided to keep it in a spray bottle and guess what? It works fantastically to keep mice out!!! :-D I sprayed it behind the stove when I knew they were there, and boy, the RACKET they made all trying to get out through the same small hole was hysterical - they were bouncing off the back of the stove! I'll never forget it! I periodically spray when there is aromatic food (esp. tuna) and rarely get any more visits :-)
@@cathycotton9635 Great I've heard of the mint thing but not the ammonia. Everything is illegal in NJ. I'm going to try and get the bear gel not that i would need it. But i will feel better knowing that i have it. Thx again
I was watching "camping with Steve" he mentioned bears and ur vid popped right up after his. When i saw the intro to ur vid how convenient. Good info i have a heart for camping I'm planning a short trip in the next couple of weeks. i have little to no experience i enjoyed ur vid and insight. Thx for sharing and subscribed!
Was camping with my neighbors several years ago, two pair of adults, and two passels of kids, making a lot of noise. My neighbors wife grew up in these mountains and went everywhere without a thought, but now, any whisper she heard in the grass had her sounding alarms that could be heard 230 miles away in Phoenix. You can probably guess about how close the bears were going to get to us. I finally got her to quiet down by telling her the best way to keep bears out of camp was to not make a noise like dinner. She spent the rest of the evening trying to figure out what dinner might sound like to a bear.
Wouldn't allow me to write my own comment so I'm choosing a reply! Lol I'm excited to scroll through your videos! I've never been camping and I'm planning a 1-2 month SUV canping trip on a 3000 mile loop through the East Coast. I'm SUV RVing but I'll have an attached tent to my SUV hatch so it's sounding like I'll be hanging my food if I find myself concerned. Thanks again for the great content!
Informative video. Some additional things I feel worth mentioning: -- Dogs (especially off leash) can get you into huge problems with bears. -- Bear spray is incredibly effective when used properly. -- Throw away your bear bells. They are worse than useless. -- Sing or periodically shout out when hiking in bear country. -- Creeks are notorious for encounters because they can't hear you over the water noise. Cheers AJS
FINALLY! someone on here making comments that are true and useful! I lived in Montana for 16 yrs....I used to sing ( and trust me...my singing voice would drive anything away) or click rocks together as I hiked, mostly alone, throughout those 16 yrs
Been backpacking for over 40 years, but am fixing up my SUV to sleep in it at trailheads or in dispersed camping locations. He is right about treating different situations. I’m I have a certified bear resistent cooler and I will leave it outside in certain situations and keep it inside in other situations have it outside with the padlock. No cooking or dishes from the tailgate
Bear encounter this past weekend. He was a lone male that frequented the small campground we were tent camping. Sighted him in the middle of the night. All food was locked up in the car. Still was a sleepless night after that.
Although Locking Food Supplies up in the Car , Sounds Secure.... I have Seen in Broad Daylight ,2:30 pm in the Curry Village Parking Lot of Yosemite National Park ...A Bear Stuck His Claws in the Top of The Door pulled the Door Down ( in Half....Shattering the Window , Then Jump halfway inside the Passenger Window... With His Bear Ass Hanging Out..!! In 5- 10 Minutes the Ranger Truck Arrived... I did Not Stick Around Any Longer... Keep Your Cameras Ready... I would Re- Think Locking Up Food in A Vehicle...Especially Overnight. It is Better to Secure the Food in A Large Blanket or Tarp...With a Rope...Hanging From A Branch in a Tree. Where only You Can Lower it Down Safely...!! ( FOOD FOR THOUGHT....!! ). BillinL.A. 3-21-22.
My husband and I are planning a long road trip and will car camp most of it. Rocky Mountain NP, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier. Very informative! Thank you!
Excellent advice and enjoyable wandering video! Here in Sth Aus we are rather blessed in that it’s almost advantageous to leave small foods out. It brings in the unique and curious wildlife. Half a chocolate cake went missing one time camping. Roos, koalas, wombats, possums, emus and many other birds but no real crazy predator. The smaller critters are the real danger but also a completely different prevention strategy compared to powerful beasts. 6 meter crocs aren’t far away though. Hazardous environments & people are my only concerns. Cheers for the vids!
SUV RVing Yeah, it was a slight bummer but the cunning and tastes of whatever the creature was, was easily more amusing than the loss of the cake. Responding to your fans? That’s pretty rad dude! Love your content and demeanour.
Good info! Believe it or not, bears eat tobacco too. One time (in the early 80's) while camping at the Devils Postpile National Monument, we left some food and cigarettes in the cab of a small Toyota pickup. A bear was able to get a claw in between the window and frame and pulled the manual roll up window right down. The bear ate mostly peanut butter and cigarettes, then went on it's way. Go figure!?
There are about 150 000 black bears where i live in Northern British Columbia Canada and about 15 000 grizzly bears throughout the whole province. Anytime we go camping or hiking we bring a backpacking shotgun or a folding carbine something considered "non restricted" to our laws. As thats all we are allowed to bring for wildlife defense.
I learned so much from this video and the comments but one thing I didn’t see addressed in either (other than as general comment in the video) was toilet issues. I’ve been enjoying dispersed camping, with friends, for about a year now (not in bear or BEAR country) and have a potty that I put beside the car at night. I gather this is not something I should do in any type of bear/BEAR country but what is the best way to handle this human necessity. And what does one do when nature calls at 2 am?
I'm watching this video because I came back from Yellowstone yesterday at 11 pm. And guess what we been in yellowstone 2 full days and saw 2 times grizzly bears. We stayed 3 nights at campground and had a bear box but also we had to store some stuff in the car because it's a share box . They told us we have to store in the car or bear box but nothing in the tent beside sleeping bag, pillow and bear spray.
Thank you for posting this. I am getting ready to head out on a road trip to the Tetons and Yellowstone. I will be sleeping in my jeep and bought a small portable fridge to keep my food cold. I started getting nervous because I am hearing conflicting information as far as food storage. Some say do NOT leave food in your vehicle and others say that you can. I will have window covers so they will be hidden from view but the smell is what concerns me. I will do a little bit more research before deciding what I am going to do but this is a starting point for me. I value any and all information and will be doing what I feel is safest. I really enjoy your videos, thank you!
You definitely want to string your bear bag in a tree, then. It also has to be mouse-proof. The places you’re going to, the bears are the smartest. Do not have food, toothpaste, soap, perfume, or deodorant anywhere near you if you can avoid it.
@@AudiAddict Thank you so much for your response. I will be boondocking out side in between both parks. I definitely plan on setting up a "cook spot" about 100 feet away from the Jeep and making sure I have nothing inside it while sleeping. I will for sure put any clothes that I cook in into a separate bag also out side of the Jeep. Maybe I will bring clothes just for cooking and use those every time I cook. I truly do appreciate you responding. I have never been more serious about my safety and doing things the right way the first time as I am about this trip.
I just stumbled on this video. I've watched much of your stuff and this one is just a great reminder. I live in N. Lake Tahoe area and the surroundings are chock full of Black bears. I've had many encounters but only one one spooky one while backpacking to a remote fishing spot. It turned out OK but was a surefire wakeup call. I also had a bear tear into my car by pulling out a window. This was parked outside the house in a residential area. There were zero foodish items inside but the Ranger that took the report said that a large toolbox in the back might've been mistaken for a cooler. Bear got in, couldn't get out and destroyed the car (totaled). Thanks for all your videos, I refer to your Tenkara stuff quite a lot.
Really good video. Be aware, be smart (food storage), and be calm. Very unlikely to have a dangerous encounter in black bear areas like Colorado, Utah or California (Yosemite). Griz are definitely higher risk but only live in select areas in the lower 48. I was tent camping at Yosemite last August 2022 and I woke at 4am one night to rangers with large flashlights chasing a bear out of Upper pines campground (i never saw the bear, it was along the tree line across the way from our camp). Interesting, bear spray is actually not even allowed in Yosemite, though there have been bear/human encounters, there has never been anyone killed in a bear attack in yosemite.
Hey, thanks so much for a great instructive video. We are planning a winter tow camper trip for couple of month in Sweden, Finland and Norway. These are grizzly bear counties with most bears in Sweden and Finland (population around 2000). We really will not be able to remove everything smelly from the camper especially during blizzards and temperature of -13 Fahrenheit. Even if we would store the food away in the boxes we would still cook inside the camper. Plus there are things in the camper besides food like chemicals that you practically can't remove, and that don't smell for humans, but definitely smell for bears. Most bears hibernate during winter, but sometimes they can wake up. What precautions would you recommend in such scenario?
Good video. I lived in Alaska for about 6 years, that's BEAR COUNTRY. 😲😞 Bears are always on your mind. Brown's and Grizzlies will actually track you. We carried a rifle anytime we left the city. Anyway, good advice.
I have always wanted to see the beautiful places where grizzly bears live. Why is it that some of the most beautiful country is grizzly country? There is no way i would tent camp in BEAR COUNTRY but i would definitely consider sleeping in my SUV, especially after watching this video. I have so many unfounded fears to face. I have this irrational fear of retrieving my food after hanging it and finding a bear waiting to ambush me. Irrational, i know, but it's a real fear for me. I don't think i would be brave enough to go to Kodiak Island or anything like that but i'd dearly love to see Montana. For me researching and educating myself about camping in BEAR COUNTRY will go a long way toward helping me have a more pleasant and memorable trip. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
I admire you that you realize your fears and that they may be a bit irrational....and, especially, that you mean to face them and work it out! You are being very wise in researching bear behavior.....I lived in Montana in grizzly country for 16 yrs. Did quite a bit of tent camping in high country with horses very near Yellowstone......never had a bear encounter. Always carried bear spray just in case did. Don’t let those people who live life afraid cause you to fear with their BS about wild animals
Great video. It is always the joke between my husband and I that where we sleep (tent or my CRV turned microcamper) depends upon MY "bear o' meter" reading. I hope people who are new to camping remember that many toiletries or First -Aid kits have things that smell enough to attract a bear and those should never be in the tent with sleepers. Most people think of food, but forget things like cough syrup, mints, perfumes, etc. We have camped many times in Utah in areas where bears have been and have never seen one (fine with me). Some campgrounds are right near visitor centers (places with large garbage areas and sometimes careless visitors) and we never camp at those places (if we use a campground at all). Good advice...I've always put food in plastic bags while in the cooler or plastic bin anyway so this is an added reason (mostly I cook a lot when we camp and I cannot stand food in my ice, etc.). Thanks and happy travels through Idaho!
thanks Robin, that's actually really good to think about! I normally have a couple of packages of gum with me in my car and use fruit scented body wash that I would never have thought would attract bears! Thanks for the tips and video,Trystan. I have been wanting to go to a private campground in Yosemite but I am a tent camper now (more for space) and am scared crapless of doing so. I was even scared of SUV camping originally but I know they have bear lockers and feel like I could suv camp now.
Once I was staying in a campground in grizzly bear country, Bowron Lake BC. I was the only camper there except the host. I was sleeping in my car. One afternoon I took a nap with the back hatch open. The host came by and told me not to do that. It is extremely dangerous. Obvious once he pointed it out of course.
Tristan would be willing to do a vlog about your past encounters & circumstances of the event? The short fishing clip happened pretty quick but, I am glad you shared it. A coworker was trout fishing about a mile up a tributary (in NC mtns) & had an encounter where the 'healthy' large black bear 'interestedly " started walking towards him from about 30 yds across the stream. He moved around a bend and post haste exited the stream to his car. Well done as usual.
They're not all that interesting. Most just involve me hiking and coming around a corner to see a bear nearby walking along a stream or something. I wave my arms and shout and the bear runs away.
Great video & info, thanks. You mentioned squirrels, I remember years ago where we saw a squirrel chewing through a plastic ice type chest to get to the food.
James Palmer I live in Houston and the squirrels are THUGS lol they run in packs too (gangs) destroyed my garden..thought it was petty neighbors until I put up cameras lol little assholes
Excellent video. Well researched and practical. How about storing food at night in the cargo box on top of the car? I will be using an SUV tent, attached to my car. I can get in the car and close the hatch easily if scared by a bear. But to me it makes sense to have the food in the cargo box, locked, on top of the car, instead of inside the car. Thanks for this video and your comments. I'm sharing this video with my women's camping group!
I avoid camping where there are bears however that being said bear sightings in residential neighborhoods here are more and more common. The only problem I’ve had during camping is snakes.
I was so scared when a bear came into my campsite. I was at Franconia Notch out in New hampshire but i just turned my vehicle on amd turned on all the lights and that pretty much scared it away. I was afraid because i had my two chihuahuas with me and it was a cub and did not want ro meet mama bear or papa bear but lights scare them off usually
Really appreciate it when guys like you share their expertise.....nicely done...impressed that you're in good enough shape to walk/talk/film at elevation...AND do a systematic, logical, easy to follow point by point on your topic. THANKS
For some reason, I pictured a bear rocking the car, then maybe slicing it open like a can with its claws. It's never that bad. Well, until it gets dark in the woods....
Well done sir!. Have had a handful of bear encounters while in both "bear country" & "Bear Country" none of them close thankfully. My closest encounter was in Michigan's upper peninsula which is "bear country" back in the day (1960's). At local town dumps the bears would congregate there at sundown to sample the local cuisine, like you said "quick & easy". It was thrilling to see people get out of their cars to get a better look at the bears or to get a closer photo. Risky business to say the least.
Excellent, I live in Montana and camp in BEAR country. We even carry bear spray in our own back yards at certain times of year.. We have had multiple bear encounters while camping so as we switch to SUV RVing, I was wondering about that while you are camping in your car. We don't eat meat so, we rarely have any food attractants, but they come and the cubs are curious and knock stuff off tables. We never leave food outside but was a bit concerned about the food being in the car with us since bears can get into the cars so your points about that being only a problem for habituated bears is some what comforting. We camp in and around the Glacier Park and Yellowstone area.. so we are in BEAR country. You are correct that generally people scared of bears are those who don't get out much, because according to the NPS bear encounters only end badly in about 1 in 2 million encounters, and for the most part, the human was the problem that caused the bear to react badly.. Humans that are ignorant of their surroundings are generally the problem.. more then bears are. We have only had very positive bear encounters, so I speak from my own personal experience of being within several yards of bears, and even mama bears with cubs. In the wild they have no desire to bother you, if you don't bother them or get between them and food.
Hi there. You now have camped wirh your dog . What suggestions would you have about dogs and bears while car camping. I have a 55 pound dog that will go with me and sleep in the car with me
I think that dogs can be great alarms for when there is a bear around. And if I were in serious bear country, I wouldn't let my dog stray very far from me.
@ barabralister....when living in Montana, had several bear experts say.....do NOT take dogs into bear country.....they can rile a grizzly, and make for very bad dog/human/bear interaction
@@SUVRVing I lived in Montana for 16 yrs...talked with a few bear experts.....they say do NOT take dogs into bear country. They can cause very bad outcomes for dog and human....and if they chase after a bear, can then run back to you and bring a very pissed off bear into your campsite....just fyi
Good video and tips. I was just camping last night in the mountains of North Carolina in my Subaru Crosstrek trying it out (new video out). I was laying there in bed with the windows down and started thinking about what would happen if I woke up to a bear at my car. I rolled the windows up most of the way. lol.
@@stepheng.5623 awesome let me know how it goes...thinking of heading up that way next weekend. My closer to Blowing Rock. Wanna find somewhere that will be cooler. Hopefully rain will hold out.
In Lone Pine ranger station where we got our day hike permit for Mt. Whitney, there are pictures of cars and trucks on the trail head parking lot after being mangled by bears. We were warned never put scented items and food inside vehicle because the bears there could rip doors down as easily as opening a can of sardines.
I live in Connecticut and we have bears coming into our town ( they said it one was a black bear) near Fairfield University which is a stone throw from my house.. For those who don’t know the geography I’m about 2-3 miles from the beaches on Long Island Sound. Deers are common and so is the bobcat. Like you said, more or less, you have to use best practices as you described. I enjoy your videos.
My advise is stay away as I was at a condo in High in the Smokies and my son and I went down to the pool and a big black bear was in the hot tub in the pool area and I said to my son Chris the Bear is in control of the pool area and we cant go swimming now
I love Yosemite! Hope you have fun! If you have time, try to check out Mariposa Grove. It's about 45 minutes from the valley floor but so beautiful and they recently renovated that area.
This is a great video, Tristan. All common sense. I like your distinction (bear vs BEAR). Saw a bear once and was quite far away. Never carried bear spray in "bear country", but always in BEAR...My understanding is keep coolers out of view. Bears do recognize at least common brands (like the red and white igloo). Cover them up. If you are worried a few brands are bear resistent), this means aside from rotomolded they are lockable. I got one for that reason and a lock but ended up feeling that it wasn't all that needed--never saw or heard bears. But you can do it. Yep and save the bacon for another breakfast. Anything we love, they love more. In your car you have another tool--your key. If you have an emergency signal on your key--damn that sucker is LOUD.
but you most likely will not see a cougar even less so than a bear....and if they are stalking you, you won’t know they’re there until they pounce on you....so bear spray pretty much useless for cougars
Here in Ky. there is now bear country and BEAR COUNTRY! We are in rare bear country but are headed to Glacier N.P. in two weeks car and tent camping. Your vid is one of the best on this but my wife is still .............well you know.
I know a guy who NEVER eats where he camps. He cooks food while the sun is still up a few miles away from where he camps before he gets to that destination. He's never had a problem with bears and he's been doing this for many years.
I'm still a novice at camping (still in campgrounds - no boondocking) and I've never had a site with 100yds away from car/tent for cooking. That's a football field! How does that work?
once again I cannot stress it enough how nice is that you dont put any sh**y music over your videos. Just natural sounds and your rants. Thanks.
Ditto. With most videos my finger is hovering over the mute button. I can’t understand why folks put (usually horrible) music over their videos, it often partially drowns out their words or makes it otherwise unpleasant.
Snowflakes gonna flake.
Ten Minute Tokyo 2 - you're comment is an example of same. 😂
“Urban music” lmao wtf ^
Thumbs down for the clickbait thumbnail.
I was camping in Wisconsin deep woods, and I was hiking and walked around a bend and came face to face with large bear. Honestly, I was petrified and did the worse thing by turning and running without thinking, but luckily the bear was running faster in the opposite direction. That was a lucky day for me
Wisconsin? That's a black bear, and while you should be careful when dealing with them, they are skittish creatures. Make a lot of noise and act tough and they will run away.
Don't do that you idiot!!
Good Job Forrest, happy to know you made it......🤣
Because black bears in WI are hunted. Although brown bear and grizzlies are another type of”bear”.
Lifelong Montanan here. Excellent video! For a moment, I thought you were going to neglect the car horn aspect, but you came through at the end. All my life in the outdoors, I never worried about bears, but in recent years, it is a bigger issue with increasing encroachment by humans into their habitat. Great video!!! Not long ago I made a video for my week long tent camping in bear country and a bear horn was part of my bear 'arsenal' since there was no car nearby. Just an added note.
While camping in Yosemite I woke one night to a bear scratching on my sleeping bag. She had made one cut in my tent and stuck her paw in. I had left a piece of gum in a baggie, in my backpack from hiking earlier that day. My feet were elevated on my pack and I guess she smelled it. As soon as I screamed she pulled her paw back, sat there for a moment, and then climbed the tree behind the tent. Knowledge is so important. Thanks for this !!
Time for my bear story from Yosemite back in the 1970's:
My room mate and I were tent camping in the North Pines CG in Yosemite. About 3 AM there was a loud ruckus about 3 sites down from us. Pot banging, yells, and loud screams. Instantly obvious it was a Bear in the camp. We got up to see a women in her night clothes and a fellow jumping in their car leaving their stuff behind. And a black bear racing off in the opposite direction. A crowd of campers milled around.
Turns out the women, wearing apricot face creme was asleep in her bag, no tent, only to wake with a bear sitting on her chest licking the apricot stuff off...heh.
No joke, I ask the rangers about it when ever I get back to Yosemite and they say the story still is being told but was assumed to be just a legend. But it happened. So add to your list, leave off the fruit flavored face creme at bedtime.
BTW they never came back for their minimal gear, rangers collected it a few days later.
🤣
That made me laugh, sure wasn't expecting that! I bet that lady never went camping again!
Yosemite is one place in the world that bears have been able to learn that humans store food in cars. The Park at one time fed the bears in a Valley dump and built bleachers so humans could watch them feed. Ive never heard of a bear breaking into a car at Yellowstone. HMMMM
LMAO did he leave his wife too :D
I'm a newbie to car camping/dispersed camping and backpacking. I feel like there's so much information and stuff I don't know. I appreciate this so much!
Gawd...where's the snake video...there must be one of those too.
7-09-21 ktla channel 9 News, Calif. Woman, 66 yrs. Old, was killed by a Grizzly Bear, dragged from her Tent, while Bicycle/ trek camping, in Montana." The Bear was Tracked Down and Killed...
BillinL.A. Calif.
@@williamwatson3567 she had food in her tent, major no no. So sad. :(
@@cristianozwife Thank You for that Reply , and Insight.... If She would have hung the Food in the air in a bag from a higher tree Limb , with a Rope.... She'd still be Alive Today.... I've seen a Bear pull the Pass. Door/ window-shattered, with its Claws....and Climb inside for Food Items left inside...in A parking Lot, at Curry Village, Yosemite National Park, @ 3pm, 10 years ago.... They are Not to be Underestimated.... Very Clever and Determined....
BillinL.A. 8/04/21.
@@cristianozwife And bear pay price for human error. These people need to stay in city parks. Clueless about nature.
Travelling through bear country I ALWAYS sleep in my car and am extremely cautious about food and trash in my vehicle. I back into my escape route so I can make a quick retreat in the event I need to leave abruptly and I do not cook in the campground where I plan to spend the night. I'm a surgical nurse and when I lived in Alaska I was involved in an all-night emergency surgery with 2 surgical teams repairing the damage done when a brown bear protected its territory from a couple who were picking blueberries. It was a mess.
Tristan, former 8B and 7B guy here. I heard you say that you can crack your windows if you're sleeping in your car. I agree that I often need to do so. An 8B friend of mine cracked the windows of his van, while he slept in his nearby tent. A bear got its claws in the crack and ripped the window down. It then crawled in and ripped everything apart. I enjoy your videos. Thank you.
Good Video. My experience with black bears had taught me that 99% of the time they want nothing to do with you and will run. But if they smell food they will find a way to get it unless they are scared off. I spent 3 years on a remote location on an island in southeast Alaska where black bears were an every day thing. Last summer I spent my time in Interior Alaska. My experience with the grizzlies there is to stay alert while cooking and keep your kitchen 100 yards away. Use bear resistant coolers with a padlock or bear canisters and you'll have no problem unless you are around a mother and cubs. Keep bear spray on your hip not in your bag in interior alaska
If you've ever been chased by a bear, you're not likely to regard bears lightly. My sister and I were on a path in the Smokey Mountains. My Aunt was at the top of a slope above us when she told us to come to where she was. We knew from her tone of voice something bad was about to occur. As we went to meet her, I looked back over my shoulder and saw a large bear quickly approaching us. We got to the top and into the car just in time. The bear even chased the car out to the main road with an angry look on its face. We were scared witless. I guess it didn't want us on its path. After that, I take bears seriously.
Well done. Maybe make a video about desert safety too, ie: rattlesnakes and scorpions. ALWAYS check your shoes and pants before you put them on in the morning. If you're climbing, watch where you put your hands. Rattlesnakes and scorpions might be very small, but a bite can be lethal.
I would also add never go to bed in either tent or car wearing clothes that smell like fish, BBQ or spilled food.
Good point
I use to hike as a trail scout for the forest service, the biggest problem people have is believing they won't have problems. I have hike a lot of miles in Grizzly country and have seen many. I have never had a problem with them, they are smart, I mean smart.
They don't want trouble any more than you. They will wander into your camp at night to check things out and you'll never know it. They for the most part only become a problem after you do.
Black bears that's not true. Black bears account for the vast majority of attacks and deaths from bears. As a note, you are not going to hide orders from a grizzly. They are the only predator out there that can smell calf moose, which are basically orderless. That being said, camping isn't a time for the beauty make-over. leave the perfumed item home. If the people before you have left a dirty camp, find another place to camp.
I always made people empty their backpacks for me before I allowed them to join me on hiking trips. Many times I found hand lotions and minted tubes of toothpaste, smelly soap in their pack. Leave them home, there not for bear country.
It was a good video but remember your not the only thing that uses the trails, bears know them and use them, in addition to cooking away for your camp, camp away from the trail. If possible camp away from the trail at least 50+ yards.
Camp a lot in black bear country, northern Minnesota. Had one snorting and grumbling at my open truck window last month. Probably smelled something in my vehicle. He just lumbered off after a few minutes. Nothing has scared me more than a full grown bison sniffing around the door of our tent in Custer State Park. Great channel! Your videos are getting me through the cold weather here in the Midwest.
I have a Native American from who walks among his Buffalo. He once took me out with him on a tractor. They were bigger than the tractor. Geeze.
Super useful as I've become massively more into car camping lately and I recently moved to an area known for its black bear population.
I kept turning over in my head how the forest rangers advocate a sort of unachievable perfection and then on the other end of the spectrum I see so many campsites/trailers/RVs that I just KNOW are not doing a SINGLE thing to prevent bear incursions.
This video really, really helped me understand the "Goldilocks zone" of realistic & achievable safety measures from someone who's clearly been there, done that. thanks :)
I live in bear country (black bears) even tho I'm in a city (just outside of Vancouver) and the bears love garbage, have no interest in hurting a human. They live alongside us and if we can manage to keep our food waste in locked bins there are no problems. But BEAR COUNTRY with grizzly bears makes me nervous! I'm always thankful I can sleep in my car where all my food/garbage/cook stove get stored. I do leave my windows down a little but keys are always beside me, I have a good panic alarm on my car to scare them away and I can always drive off if need be!! Btw such a pretty trail you're on!
Using the panic alarm, good idea. 👍👍
I do the same thing, Nancy. Keys nearby, car pointed out of the campsite so I could drive out quickly if necessary.
I started reading and thought you were Chrome Valdez....then I finished your post.
I lived in a house In Bear Country. I would get home from work at 2 a.m. and the Bears waited until after I was in the house he check out the garbage. Anything that would be stinky I would put in Ziploc bag and storage in the freezer until trash day. Then I would put it out in the trash in the morning that it was going to be picked up. Worked out well for me
I love black bears, grizzlies are a whole different ballgame...
Just a thought, leaving your window down even little bit, a bear could get his claws in and rip the window out. Stay safe, thanks for sharing.
From an old Montana guy I agree with you. Very excellent advice.
On another note - I was once followed by a mountain lion. I watched him and he knew I was watching him so he didn't get too close. It helped that I was packing heat at the time so I wasn't too worried about him. Bears, on the other hand, tend to run away. They want nothing to do with humans unless you surprise a mama with cubs.
The Big Cats scare me the most . They don’t run away if you are on their radar .
Keeping food in most plastic bags won't help much because they are porous at the microscopic level and odors go through easily. However there are bear specific odor-proof bags (green tinted) that are fantastic for keeping food in your car. Also, many backpackers are ill advised to use a trash bag as an inner backpack liner because those bags are scented and will attract bears. However I believe there are odor-free trash compactor bags that are available at the hardware store.
Agreed. Bears can smell up to 20 miles away. I have black bears in all the mountains of my state and have never ever seen one, saw signs once at the entrance of a trail, but I still take precautions because I don't assume or trust others to be wise. I have found odor free reusable bags and use those. They are inexpensive on Amazon. My first rule of thumb, I never have fish or seafood!
Separating the eat/cooking area from the sleep area by 100 yards is good advice. Also every camper needs to hone their bear bag skills this is something that takes more work but does provides a large amount of safety.
Great video...well done....I had my bear encounter alone camping in the middle of the night....the most important thing about bear encounters is to keep a calm state of mind..I kept reminding myself that I am at the top of the food chain and I acted like it and showed no fear...that being said that encounter is always on my mind when I am solo backcountry camping
great tips as always Tristan! Practical and to the point info as usual. When we camp on our family camping trips my wife sprays an ammonia mixture around camp..... years before, we had an interested bear in camp several times before we started doing that.... since she started the ammonia thing, no mas! I prefer to use the 'man method' of doing some 'dust control' around camp through out the day...haha ;)
can u please ask your wife what brand it is and what the mixture with?
Urine apparently does attract curious bears, I've read.
Kodiak Bears are scary. I was sitting on the beach one morning,' August '98 or '99 about 12 miles south of Larsen Bay, on Uyuk Bay, Kodiak, , and I watched a bear swim across the bay, get out of the water about 300 meters up the beach from me, and go ambling off, up a hill and into the brush. Big one, maybe 400-500 kilos I do not ever want to get any closer. And those guys can SWIM!
We've camped a LOT in bear country (Northern California and Yosemite). We completely agree. We've seen bears but have only had problems with raccoons, and chipmunks.
Yep, it's the smaller critters they seem to cause the most hassle!
Those small critters are more nuisance! I’ve had bags nibbled on!
I live in lower bear country in the NC mountains and when traveling and car camping overnight at Dingman’s Ferry park, PA, I woke at 4am to a gigantic black bear rocking my Toyota RAV4 so much that I was rolling around like a marble. I only had the sun roof open a little with magnetic screen for ventilation and I could hear the Chewbacca breathing as it tried to get in through that way. Thankful for a loud mouth to yell at it as I managed to get into the front seat and lay on the horn and headlights. Still have the nail scratches on the passenger side door.
Loved the reminders and great idea to double or triple bag items. They like the scent of toothpaste, even from inside a storage bin .
Great video! I host a tent camping group on FB and bear questions always come up with members who are new to camping. In response to those questions I put together a pdf guide for them to reference. Now I’ll be sharing your video as a reference as well. Nicely done, and thank you!
Great video! Answered the question in my head on whether or not it was a good idea to keep our food in our car with us while we slept. Will probably wrap everything as much possible just to be safe.
My most exciting bear encounter was when a griz spit in my face...true story! hubby and I were hiking in Glacier Part in MT (I am a native of Montana)...griz was walking about 100 feet to our left... he turns and comes towards us...we froze... he came right up to my left side, sniffed up to my head, down to my feet, up to my head again, then snorted in my face... I had bear snot running down my face... then he simply walked away. Thankfully he did not feel threatened and he wasn't hungry!
Wow..Scary..I would had to change my underwear after he left..
You are one fortunate person to have survived
@@1jackvalley580 Very true!!
😲😳😇
--😱. O. M. G . ! ! !
This vid was EXACTLY what I was looking for. We’re car camping in a remote desert area with few trees, several people & a lot of food, limited space in the campsite to spread out. I think we’re in lower case bear country so this makes me feel better about staying safe overall. Thank you!!!
In 1989 my husband and I and our two kids were camping in the Joshua tree national Park in Northern California. We were warned upon entering the park that it had been a particularly dry and scarce season for food for the Bears and to make sure that all food was stored in the metal boxes provided. As we were putting our food away we looked at the neighboring campsite where they had left all their food on their tailgate and gone to the bathroom or something they were just gone. And here was a mama bear and her cubs helping themselves and having a feast. needless to say we followed instructions. In the middle of the night I was awakened by a big bear rubbing against my body with only the tent between us. My husband was a little mad but I told him since we had no gun or no form of protection we shouldn't be sleeping on the ground where hungry bears were roaming and that we were packing up and leaving the next morning. Well the kids are grown. It's been about 25 years since we've been camping. And we're planning to go tent camping again in just a few short weeks in the Ozarks. Thanks for the video
Joshua Tree is in SoCal by Arizona border. It is a desert park, no bear.
Also Never go to bed wearing the same clothes you wore all day and while cooking. Bag them up. You can put bleach in baby food jars have two lids for each jar poke holes in the top of one put bleach in them and place them around your campsite area, Don't use the baby size jars, use the bigger ones for like toddlers or two year olds and you bury them halfway and that bleach will keep your bears away from you.
Do not pour the bleach on the ground like a ranger told somebody to do that's not that good for the ground but you could contain it in jars and switch the lids when you're going to transport them.
Thanks for sharing, WLG!
@@SUVRVing most welcome!!!!
Good tip about the bleach. Would ammonia work just as well?
@@catherinehazur7336 I don't know, does ammonia bother their senses like bleach does?
@@weekendlovinggypsy1737 I would think so......it smells VERY strong
In glacier a couple years ago, I was told to throw some coins in a can and shake it as I was walking down a trail and that would scare them.
Bear bell 🔔
Bears have a better nose that a K-9 bloodhound.
Sounds do not scare them, just gives them a heads-up that there is something up ahead that is making a VERY odd noise. Krystal Hatch is right, bells that are pinned on you/your shoes and are ringing are another way to transferring sound (up ahead to?). Boat "fog-horns" in a can are very load, bear spray in a can is better than any pistol you might bring. Remember it's their home and we're just out for the day. If a bear wants to party with you, your food and drink, never ask why until you're safely home then ask why from your favorite chair and not some hospital bed or morgue. Bikers and bears both party to hardy for me anymore, 79 and just getting a little older one day at a time, I like it!
Carry a small air horn.
We went camping 🏕 in lake alpine in California we slept in camping ⛺️ tent, and every night we saw a bear crossing by our tent. We just used our car alarm control and turned it.....and that was it. I told my story in my channel but you have to put your translation on your settings cause I speak Spanish in my channel. But, so far in 3 years in a row we had bears in this particular camping site.
I revisited this video looking for info on bear canisters. In one of your videos, you mentioned that you keep your food in bear canisters inside of your car. On my trip to the Appalachians last Fall, I did what you suggest in this video. I kept everything in zip top bags (double bagged usually) and kept those inside a sealed plastic container and had no problems. Still, I've ordered two large bear canisters for food and toiletries for my next trip out. Would you please consider a video showing how you pack your canisters for long trips? I have two trips tentatively planned, one to the West, one to the East back to my favorite place near Boone, NC. Thank you. Your videos have been most helpful!
I don't think it's necessary to put food in bear canisters inside your car. When I've done it in the past, it's been out of convenience (i.e., I need the bear canister for a backpacking trip and figure I might as well use it for other food while sleeping in my car too), not out of fear or necessity. I don't think I have any special tips about packing a bear canister. Just stuff your food in the best way you can! Thanks for watching.
I have had 5+ experiences with bears while camping. I agree with you 100%! Excellent video, excellent advise!
Thanks Glenn!
@@SUVRVing what about sticking motion sensor lights on car
Great tips! I've carried bear spray before when hiking in certain areas. Never had to use it yet. I once read about someone carrying an air horn to scare off bears. I've never tried that myself. Back in the early 80's, I pulled into a campground in Glacier National Park. The Rangers were not letting anyone into the campground unless they had a hard sided vehicle. No tents or tent trailers. Apparently there were Grizzly problems. I was travelling and sleeping in my VW camper so I was allowed to stay.
First used an air horn and bear spray in 1991. Worked at Glacier NP and a ranger recommended carrying both, for different reasons. Have been using both ever since. Still above ground!
Most Grizzly Bears would use that Bear Spray as an Appetizer, the only thing effective against Large Brown Bears (Grizzly) is a .45Mag or in my book go someplace less threatening unless you like swimming with Piranha that is?
@@TBI-Firefighter-451, There are numerous studies that show bear spray is effective. Some studies indicate more effective than guns. The CBC News reported in March of '08 a study conducted by bear biologist, Thomas Smith from Brigham Young University and Stephen Herrero, bear expert and Professor from the University of Calgary that bear spray is more effective than guns against bears. The study was published in the April, '08 issue of Wildlife Management if you care to examine it. Basically, it said that bear spray was effective 92% of the time. Guns were effective 67% of the time. The National Park Service in the USA recommends bear spray.
Ricardo roams I’ve lived in Alaska my whole life, 62 years now. I carry both depending on where I’m at and what I’m doing. There are definitely parts of the state I would not go out into without a weapon. The best weapon for bear protection hands-down is a short shotgun. It’s a little more trouble to carry but just about anyone is more accurate with it. I know many people over the years that buy a pistol for bear protection up here and they go out and shoot it a couple of times when they first buy it and then pack it around for years without training with it. Very hard to hit a bear with a pistol if you don’t train a bit. At lest put a box a year through it. Whereas a shotgun most people have a chance to put a rifled slug into a target at a fairly good distance. That being said most bears that have to be shot are fairly close and a 450 grain rifled slug backed up with some 00 buck shot would be my first choice over a pistol.
From the research I've done, bear spray is never effective if bear attack is predatory in nature. 10mm and magnum 44 and up all may stop a predatory attack if you get enough rounds to get a good hit in Brain or cns. Many go with 10mm's high capacity of 15+ rounds and quick reloads with hardened, deep penetrating ammo to back up their bears sPray...if they have time. Most 44+ magnums only have 5 or 6 rounds, slow to reload...is why many hunters and outdoors people run the 10mm. Tom above is right about a slug in a good shotgun...but wit 4 or 5 rounds max...better hit the mark. Most hunters carry a pistol and their long gun. The pistol is always strapped on, but a rifle is manytimes set down when working on a kill, suooer, etc
A bear charging at 30 mph will cover 50 yards in less than three seconds. Hitting a bobing and charging head won't be easy. Bear spray can work, but if wind is against you, or changes, the spray will disable your further response. Dead calm is best...how many days are like that out west?
With both spray or gun need to be right with God, for success, or in case of failure in defense and practice, practice, practice...stay alert a d follow all recomended precautions!
Daniel(Ch5) and his friends(Ch3) knew God well and trusted when in their life or death crisis their life would be preserved in the event, or in the ressurection at the 2nd Coming. Daniel laid out the future history of the world empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece,and Rome Pagan and Rome Papal, 4 times (Chaps 2,7, 8-9, 10-12)in the book of Daniel. He did this with so much detail that it makes a concincing argument for Bible authenticity. Fables are the arguments against the Bible from my research and study.
Daniel lived about 626 to early to mid-ish 500's B.C..
Isaiah lived and prophecied about Cyrus by name, and told clues to how he would eventually conquer, unconquerable Babylon. He wrote this 150 before the event and before Cyrus was even born! You can find this in Isaiah 44(last verse or so) and first few verses of Isaiah 45.
Thanks for your work Trystan. Hope I spelled your name right. We enjoy SUV RV ing but wife and Iuse a truck camper ourselves in our retirement.
Thank you so much for these tips, it’s my first time car camping in bear country . You answered all the questions I had in my mind
I'm a year late...but l'm in Alaska and we have black bears and grizzlies everywhere. Saw lots in Denali Park.
Of course there are Kodak Bears on Kodak island. Let's not forget Polar Bears.
I bought a Lifetime Cooler that is built and certified “GRIZZLY BEAR PROOF”, with a gasket around the lid - similar to a fridge\freezer.
I also refrain from taking or cooking food with me, but use prepared food, like protein bars, etc.
When it says bear-proof I think that just means they can't open it but doesn't mean they can't smell what you have in it...?
Man.. I've been in the mountains in Utah for several camping trips during the summer and have never seen a bear. What a cool encounter! Thanks for sharing! Amazing you got it on video.
like he said bears tend to hang around creeks and that was exactly what happened!
Prevent, but deter as well with a portable electric bear fence. 2.4 lbs of kit (the best fence) that brings huge peace of mind.
I was on greenbelly website the Applachian Trail interactive map to see if there were more trail shelter closings. Quite a few this year due to people leaving food etc causing bear interactions in the Smokey Mountains mostly. Before long there will not be any shelters left there.
That's a shame. Yep, people just need to stop leaving their food and trash out!
Thank you sooooo much!!! I have no experience with bears, but I have researched bear etiquette and there is a lot of conflicting info out there. After much reading, thinking, and planning, I had come to the same conclusions as you presented, except I will keep pepper gel with me at all times. Also, I decided to get the gel despite the range being only 18 feet, because I figure that if a bear is charging me, by the time I aim, the bear will be that distance or closer. Also, if I am sleeping with the windows a few inches down for ventilation and a bear decides to try to pull my window out, I can spray the gel from the smallish opening and not worry about blowback in my car.
You have put my mind at rest! Also the information was well presented. I am subscribing. Thank you again. Happy travels.
Thx for the additional info sounds like good advise to me.
@@ljaysperspective1775 I have since realized that pepper gel is illegal in some states because of its strength, and the purpose is to dissuade contact, not to do harm.
So Bear Spray is probably the only real option for most situations.
However, I read somewhere that bears do NOT like Ammonia. So I decided to keep it in a spray bottle and guess what? It works fantastically to keep mice out!!! :-D
I sprayed it behind the stove when I knew they were there, and boy, the RACKET they made all trying to get out through the same small hole was hysterical - they were bouncing off the back of the stove! I'll never forget it! I periodically spray when there is aromatic food (esp. tuna) and rarely get any more visits :-)
@@cathycotton9635 Great I've heard of the mint thing but not the ammonia. Everything is illegal in NJ.
I'm going to try and get the bear gel not that i would need it. But i will feel better knowing that i have it. Thx again
I was watching "camping with Steve" he mentioned bears and ur vid popped right up after his. When i saw the intro to ur vid how convenient. Good info i have a heart for camping I'm planning a short trip in the next couple of weeks. i have little to no experience i enjoyed ur vid and insight. Thx for sharing and subscribed!
Was camping with my neighbors several years ago, two pair of adults, and two passels of kids, making a lot of noise. My neighbors wife grew up in these mountains and went everywhere without a thought, but now, any whisper she heard in the grass had her sounding alarms that could be heard 230 miles away in Phoenix. You can probably guess about how close the bears were going to get to us. I finally got her to quiet down by telling her the best way to keep bears out of camp was to not make a noise like dinner. She spent the rest of the evening trying to figure out what dinner might sound like to a bear.
Great tips. I like the one about turning on your headlights and honking your horn.
Wouldn't allow me to write my own comment so I'm choosing a reply! Lol I'm excited to scroll through your videos! I've never been camping and I'm planning a 1-2 month SUV canping trip on a 3000 mile loop through the East Coast. I'm SUV RVing but I'll have an attached tent to my SUV hatch so it's sounding like I'll be hanging my food if I find myself concerned. Thanks again for the great content!
Informative video. Some additional things I feel worth mentioning:
-- Dogs (especially off leash) can get you into huge problems with bears.
-- Bear spray is incredibly effective when used properly.
-- Throw away your bear bells. They are worse than useless.
-- Sing or periodically shout out when hiking in bear country.
-- Creeks are notorious for encounters because they can't hear you over the water noise.
Cheers AJS
FINALLY! someone on here making comments that are true and useful! I lived in Montana for 16 yrs....I used to sing ( and trust me...my singing voice would drive anything away) or click rocks together as I hiked, mostly alone, throughout those 16 yrs
Been backpacking for over 40 years, but am fixing up my SUV to sleep in it at trailheads or in dispersed camping locations. He is right about treating different situations. I’m
I have a certified bear resistent cooler and I will leave it outside in certain situations and keep it inside in other situations have it outside with the padlock. No cooking or dishes from the tailgate
Bear encounter this past weekend. He was a lone male that frequented the small campground we were tent camping. Sighted him in the middle of the night. All food was locked up in the car. Still was a sleepless night after that.
Although Locking Food Supplies up in the Car , Sounds Secure.... I have Seen in Broad Daylight ,2:30 pm in the Curry Village Parking Lot of Yosemite National Park ...A Bear Stuck His Claws in the Top of The Door pulled the Door Down ( in Half....Shattering the Window , Then Jump halfway inside the Passenger Window... With His Bear Ass Hanging Out..!!
In 5- 10 Minutes the Ranger Truck Arrived... I did Not Stick Around Any Longer... Keep Your Cameras Ready...
I would Re- Think Locking Up Food in A Vehicle...Especially Overnight. It is Better to Secure the Food in A Large Blanket or Tarp...With a Rope...Hanging From A Branch in a Tree. Where only You Can Lower it Down Safely...!! ( FOOD FOR THOUGHT....!! ). BillinL.A.
3-21-22.
My husband and I are planning a long road trip and will car camp most of it. Rocky Mountain NP, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier. Very informative! Thank you!
Thanks, glad you found it helpful!
Excellent advice and enjoyable wandering video!
Here in Sth Aus we are rather blessed in that it’s almost advantageous to leave small foods out. It brings in the unique and curious wildlife. Half a chocolate cake went missing one time camping.
Roos, koalas, wombats, possums, emus and many other birds but no real crazy predator. The smaller critters are the real danger but also a completely different prevention strategy compared to powerful beasts.
6 meter crocs aren’t far away though. Hazardous environments & people are my only concerns.
Cheers for the vids!
Oh man, I'd be so mad if a creature ate half of my chocolate cake 😂 But yeah, it sounds like you've got some interesting animals around!
SUV RVing Yeah, it was a slight bummer but the cunning and tastes of whatever the creature was, was easily more amusing than the loss of the cake.
Responding to your fans? That’s pretty rad dude!
Love your content and demeanour.
Good info! Believe it or not, bears eat tobacco too. One time (in the early 80's) while camping at the Devils Postpile National Monument, we left some food and cigarettes in the cab of a small Toyota pickup. A bear was able to get a claw in between the window and frame and pulled the manual roll up window right down. The bear ate mostly peanut butter and cigarettes, then went on it's way. Go figure!?
There are about 150 000 black bears where i live in Northern British Columbia Canada and about 15 000 grizzly bears throughout the whole province. Anytime we go camping or hiking we bring a backpacking shotgun or a folding carbine something considered "non restricted" to our laws. As thats all we are allowed to bring for wildlife defense.
I learned so much from this video and the comments but one thing I didn’t see addressed in either (other than as general comment in the video) was toilet issues. I’ve been enjoying dispersed camping, with friends, for about a year now (not in bear or BEAR country) and have a potty that I put beside the car at night. I gather this is not something I should do in any type of bear/BEAR country but what is the best way to handle this human necessity. And what does one do when nature calls at 2 am?
I'm watching this video because I came back from Yellowstone yesterday at 11 pm. And guess what we been in yellowstone 2 full days and saw 2 times grizzly bears. We stayed 3 nights at campground and had a bear box but also we had to store some stuff in the car because it's a share box . They told us we have to store in the car or bear box but nothing in the tent beside sleeping bag, pillow and bear spray.
Thank you. I am going in a month and wasn’t sure how safe car storage was.
Great info and nicely presented. I was looking for info on sleeping in car with food and you answered it.
Thank you for posting this. I am getting ready to head out on a road trip to the Tetons and Yellowstone. I will be sleeping in my jeep and bought a small portable fridge to keep my food cold. I started getting nervous because I am hearing conflicting information as far as food storage. Some say do NOT leave food in your vehicle and others say that you can. I will have window covers so they will be hidden from view but the smell is what concerns me. I will do a little bit more research before deciding what I am going to do but this is a starting point for me. I value any and all information and will be doing what I feel is safest. I really enjoy your videos, thank you!
You definitely want to string your bear bag in a tree, then. It also has to be mouse-proof. The places you’re going to, the bears are the smartest. Do not have food, toothpaste, soap, perfume, or deodorant anywhere near you if you can avoid it.
Also, change and bag/seal your clothes after cooking anything.
@@AudiAddict Thank you so much for your response. I will be boondocking out side in between both parks. I definitely plan on setting up a "cook spot" about 100 feet away from the Jeep and making sure I have nothing inside it while sleeping. I will for sure put any clothes that I cook in into a separate bag also out side of the Jeep. Maybe I will bring clothes just for cooking and use those every time I cook. I truly do appreciate you responding. I have never been more serious about my safety and doing things the right way the first time as I am about this trip.
@@graydogadventures I am also a solo camping female next month and I’m looking forward to learning new things!
@@AudiAddict I hope you make videos of your trip. I just subbed to your channel and I cant wait to see your adventures.
One thing that folks in Colorado told me is moth balls can be a deterrent. So I plan to string some around my tent and car. Thanks for your video
oh, fun.....camping with moth balls that stink to high heaven!
I just stumbled on this video. I've watched much of your stuff and this one is just a great reminder. I live in N. Lake Tahoe area and the surroundings are chock full of Black bears. I've had many encounters but only one one spooky one while backpacking to a remote fishing spot. It turned out OK but was a surefire wakeup call. I also had a bear tear into my car by pulling out a window. This was parked outside the house in a residential area. There were zero foodish items inside but the Ranger that took the report said that a large toolbox in the back might've been mistaken for a cooler. Bear got in, couldn't get out and destroyed the car (totaled). Thanks for all your videos, I refer to your Tenkara stuff quite a lot.
Really good video. Be aware, be smart (food storage), and be calm. Very unlikely to have a dangerous encounter in black bear areas like Colorado, Utah or California (Yosemite). Griz are definitely higher risk but only live in select areas in the lower 48. I was tent camping at Yosemite last August 2022 and I woke at 4am one night to rangers with large flashlights chasing a bear out of Upper pines campground (i never saw the bear, it was along the tree line across the way from our camp). Interesting, bear spray is actually not even allowed in Yosemite, though there have been bear/human encounters, there has never been anyone killed in a bear attack in yosemite.
Hey, thanks so much for a great instructive video. We are planning a winter tow camper trip for couple of month in Sweden, Finland and Norway. These are grizzly bear counties with most bears in Sweden and Finland (population around 2000).
We really will not be able to remove everything smelly from the camper especially during blizzards and temperature of -13 Fahrenheit. Even if we would store the food away in the boxes we would still cook inside the camper. Plus there are things in the camper besides food like chemicals that you practically can't remove, and that don't smell for humans, but definitely smell for bears.
Most bears hibernate during winter, but sometimes they can wake up. What precautions would you recommend in such scenario?
Good video. I lived in Alaska for about 6 years, that's BEAR COUNTRY. 😲😞 Bears are always on your mind. Brown's and Grizzlies will actually track you. We carried a rifle anytime we left the city. Anyway, good advice.
Glad you agree, thanks for watching!
I have always wanted to see the beautiful places where grizzly bears live. Why is it that some of the most beautiful country is grizzly country? There is no way i would tent camp in BEAR COUNTRY but i would definitely consider sleeping in my SUV, especially after watching this video. I have so many unfounded fears to face. I have this irrational fear of retrieving my food after hanging it and finding a bear waiting to ambush me. Irrational, i know, but it's a real fear for me. I don't think i would be brave enough to go to Kodiak Island or anything like that but i'd dearly love to see Montana. For me researching and educating myself about camping in BEAR COUNTRY will go a long way toward helping me have a more pleasant and memorable trip. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
I admire you that you realize your fears and that they may be a bit irrational....and, especially, that you mean to face them and work it out! You are being very wise in researching bear behavior.....I lived in Montana in grizzly country for 16 yrs. Did quite a bit of tent camping in high country with horses very near Yellowstone......never had a bear encounter. Always carried bear spray just in case did. Don’t let those people who live life afraid cause you to fear with their BS about wild animals
Tristan you're right about mostly bears I have the spray ready when sleeping in a car just in case
Great video. It is always the joke between my husband and I that where we sleep (tent or my CRV turned microcamper) depends upon MY "bear o' meter" reading. I hope people who are new to camping remember that many toiletries or First -Aid kits have things that smell enough to attract a bear and those should never be in the tent with sleepers. Most people think of food, but forget things like cough syrup, mints, perfumes, etc. We have camped many times in Utah in areas where bears have been and have never seen one (fine with me). Some campgrounds are right near visitor centers (places with large garbage areas and sometimes careless visitors) and we never camp at those places (if we use a campground at all). Good advice...I've always put food in plastic bags while in the cooler or plastic bin anyway so this is an added reason (mostly I cook a lot when we camp and I cannot stand food in my ice, etc.). Thanks and happy travels through Idaho!
Thanks Robin. Thanks for the tips. I always have mints with me.
thanks Robin, that's actually really good to think about! I normally have a couple of packages of gum with me in my car and use fruit scented body wash that I would never have thought would attract bears!
Thanks for the tips and video,Trystan. I have been wanting to go to a private campground in Yosemite but I am a tent camper now (more for space) and am scared crapless of doing so. I was even scared of SUV camping originally but I know they have bear lockers and feel like I could suv camp now.
Gum, shampoo. deodorants anything that is perfumed or 'scented' can be
a possible attractant. www.bearsmart.com/play/camping/
You're exactly right, you need to be careful with anything like that that smells. Thanks Robin!
@@SUVRVing Thank you for bringing this subject up.
Once I was staying in a campground in grizzly bear country, Bowron Lake BC. I was the only camper there except the host. I was sleeping in my car. One afternoon I took a nap with the back hatch open. The host came by and told me not to do that. It is extremely dangerous. Obvious once he pointed it out of course.
Tristan would be willing to do a vlog about your past encounters & circumstances of the event? The short fishing clip happened pretty quick but, I am glad you shared it.
A coworker was trout fishing about a mile up a tributary (in NC mtns) & had an encounter where the 'healthy' large black bear 'interestedly " started walking towards him from about 30 yds across the stream. He moved around a bend and post haste exited the stream to his car.
Well done as usual.
They're not all that interesting. Most just involve me hiking and coming around a corner to see a bear nearby walking along a stream or something. I wave my arms and shout and the bear runs away.
@@SUVRVing How about breaking them down BEAR co vs bear country
& ty.
I'm about to move into my van and travel. You've eased my mind a tad. I've always had a fear of bears. Thank you.
Good luck on ur travels. Im saving now. Will be a few years though
You'll have a great time!
Great video & info, thanks. You mentioned squirrels, I remember years ago where we saw a squirrel chewing through a plastic ice type chest to get to the food.
I believe it! I've had squirrels chew through my backpacks to get at the food inside. Crafty little suckers.
James Palmer I live in Houston and the squirrels are THUGS lol they run in packs too (gangs) destroyed my garden..thought it was petty neighbors until I put up cameras lol little assholes
Excellent video. Well researched and practical. How about storing food at night in the cargo box on top of the car? I will be using an SUV tent, attached to my car. I can get in the car and close the hatch easily if scared by a bear. But to me it makes sense to have the food in the cargo box, locked, on top of the car, instead of inside the car. Thanks for this video and your comments. I'm sharing this video with my women's camping group!
A bear would have no trouble getting into a cargo box. They can actually tear cars up pretty badly.
I avoid camping where there are bears however that being said bear sightings in residential neighborhoods here are more and more common. The only problem I’ve had during camping is snakes.
I was so scared when a bear came into my campsite. I was at Franconia Notch out in New hampshire but i just turned my vehicle on amd turned on all the lights and that pretty much scared it away. I was afraid because i had my two chihuahuas with me and it was a cub and did not want ro meet mama bear or papa bear but lights scare them off usually
We were back in the Idaho wilderness. Kept seeing bears.. Turned out, it was an area where they release problem bears from the National parks.
Really appreciate it when guys like you share their expertise.....nicely done...impressed that you're in good enough shape to walk/talk/film at elevation...AND do a systematic, logical, easy to follow point by point on your topic. THANKS
Very good advise and broken down into good segments .I'm no newbie but reminders can't hurt. Thanks!!
I’m in FL and saw a black bear just off a dirt road in a dispersed camp site. This is good information to know.
You did an excellent job. 1K Gold Stars for you Tristan.
From someone in bear country, that was good bear advice!
Also a good way to store food is in a dry bag
Thank you for good straight forward useful information! You are the only one that I found, that has answered all my questions. ❤
Lowercase bigfoot country & uppercase BIGFOOT COUNTRY.
Do lower case bigfoots have smaller feet?
For some reason, I pictured a bear rocking the car, then maybe slicing it open like a can with its claws. It's never that bad. Well, until it gets dark in the woods....
Just caught this video.....thank you for doing this, I'm a car camper, but will tent it with others
Take care and keep going, be safe
Well done sir!. Have had a handful of bear encounters while in both "bear country" & "Bear Country" none of them close thankfully. My closest encounter was in Michigan's upper peninsula which is "bear country" back in the day (1960's). At local town dumps the bears would congregate there at sundown to sample the local cuisine, like you said "quick & easy". It was thrilling to see people get out of their cars to get a better look at the bears or to get a closer photo. Risky business to say the least.
Excellent, I live in Montana and camp in BEAR country. We even carry bear spray in our own back yards at certain times of year.. We have had multiple bear encounters while camping so as we switch to SUV RVing, I was wondering about that while you are camping in your car. We don't eat meat so, we rarely have any food attractants, but they come and the cubs are curious and knock stuff off tables. We never leave food outside but was a bit concerned about the food being in the car with us since bears can get into the cars so your points about that being only a problem for habituated bears is some what comforting. We camp in and around the Glacier Park and Yellowstone area.. so we are in BEAR country.
You are correct that generally people scared of bears are those who don't get out much, because according to the NPS bear encounters only end badly in about 1 in 2 million encounters, and for the most part, the human was the problem that caused the bear to react badly.. Humans that are ignorant of their surroundings are generally the problem.. more then bears are. We have only had very positive bear encounters, so I speak from my own personal experience of being within several yards of bears, and even mama bears with cubs. In the wild they have no desire to bother you, if you don't bother them or get between them and food.
Hi there. You now have camped wirh your dog . What suggestions would you have about dogs and bears while car camping. I have a 55 pound dog that will go with me and sleep in the car with me
I think that dogs can be great alarms for when there is a bear around. And if I were in serious bear country, I wouldn't let my dog stray very far from me.
barabra lister Found you on another site. Hope you will check us out at Roamingwithrover
@ barabralister....when living in Montana, had several bear experts say.....do NOT take dogs into bear country.....they can rile a grizzly, and make for very bad dog/human/bear interaction
@@SUVRVing I lived in Montana for 16 yrs...talked with a few bear experts.....they say do NOT take dogs into bear country. They can cause very bad outcomes for dog and human....and if they chase after a bear, can then run back to you and bring a very pissed off bear into your campsite....just fyi
Good video and tips. I was just camping last night in the mountains of North Carolina in my Subaru Crosstrek trying it out (new video out). I was laying there in bed with the windows down and started thinking about what would happen if I woke up to a bear at my car. I rolled the windows up most of the way. lol.
Glad you're still alive. Lol Will be car camping in the next few weeks at Mt. Mitchell. Hope you had a good time.✌️
@@stepheng.5623 awesome let me know how it goes...thinking of heading up that way next weekend. My closer to Blowing Rock. Wanna find somewhere that will be cooler. Hopefully rain will hold out.
Lol yep, that would be an unpleasant way to wake up, for sure!
In Lone Pine ranger station where we got our day hike permit for Mt. Whitney, there are pictures of cars and trucks on the trail head parking lot after being mangled by bears. We were warned never put scented items and food inside vehicle because the bears there could rip doors down as easily as opening a can of sardines.
Will definitely keep the jambalaya off the camp recipe list 😀
I live in Connecticut and we have bears coming into our town ( they said it one was a black bear) near Fairfield University which is a stone throw from my house.. For those who don’t know the geography I’m about 2-3 miles from the beaches on Long Island Sound. Deers are common and so is the bobcat. Like you said, more or less, you have to use best practices as you described. I enjoy your videos.
My advise is stay away as I was at a condo in High in the Smokies and my son and I went down to the pool and a big black bear was in the hot tub in the pool area and I said to my son Chris the Bear is in control of the pool area and we cant go swimming now
Thanks for this informative video 🤗 I'm going camping next month in Yosemite for my birthday...
You'll love it!
I love Yosemite! Hope you have fun! If you have time, try to check out Mariposa Grove. It's about 45 minutes from the valley floor but so beautiful and they recently renovated that area.
That is definitely BEAR COUNTRY
This is a great video, Tristan. All common sense. I like your distinction (bear vs BEAR). Saw a bear once and was quite far away. Never carried bear spray in "bear country", but always in BEAR...My understanding is keep coolers out of view. Bears do recognize at least common brands (like the red and white igloo). Cover them up. If you are worried a few brands are bear resistent), this means aside from rotomolded they are lockable. I got one for that reason and a lock but ended up feeling that it wasn't all that needed--never saw or heard bears. But you can do it. Yep and save the bacon for another breakfast. Anything we love, they love more. In your car you have another tool--your key. If you have an emergency signal on your key--damn that sucker is LOUD.
Thank you for this. I've camped a lot but not in BEAR COUNTRY. Great, useful tips!
I think you should carry bear spray always. If there are bears, then there's probably cougars too, right?
but you most likely will not see a cougar even less so than a bear....and if they are stalking you, you won’t know they’re there until they pounce on you....so bear spray pretty much useless for cougars
Here in Ky. there is now bear country and BEAR COUNTRY! We are in rare bear country but are headed to Glacier N.P. in two weeks car and tent camping. Your vid is one of the best on this but my wife is still .............well you know.
I know a guy who NEVER eats where he camps. He cooks food while the sun is still up a few miles away from where he camps before he gets to that destination. He's never had a problem with bears and he's been doing this for many years.
Thank you Tristan! I don’t camp anymore but my grandchildren do so I will relay this information to them!❤️😀🇺🇸🌏🚙
I'm still a novice at camping (still in campgrounds - no boondocking) and I've never had a site with 100yds away from car/tent for cooking. That's a football field! How does that work?
Ikr