27 Jun 10 Food Safety Tips For Bear Country

Camping in bear country is appealing to many, but you must remember that camping and hiking in bear country requires paying attention to what you carry and where you store it. When in an area that contains lots of bears, you must proceed with caution as bears can cause a lot of damage to your equipment or yourself. Bears are attracted by smells caused by food, toothpaste, candy or other treats. It is essential that you know how to properly keep your food while camping in bear country.

Many national parks and camping sites have rules on storing things in bear country. They design special lockers or wires in which to store food so that it is well protected from the bears. It is advised in many parks to carry food in special containers that trap the scents so that bears cannot smell the food. Other parks provide poles from which to hang your food or other gear. Many parks also have steel cables from which to hang bear bags.

Store your food in metal storage boxes or air tight containers in order to prevent odor from emanating. In case you do not have proper storage boxes, you can keep food, ice chest etc in the trunk of your vehicle. When you go camping in bear country, make sure you purchase bear bags just in case the park or camp site does not have sufficient food security infrastructure. These bags are made of nylon. You can toss in your food, waste and other scented or odorous items in the bag. These bags come with nylon ropes. Tie one end of the rope to the sack and tie a rock at the other end. Throw the rock over the branch of a tree, about 20 feet from the ground. Hoist the sack up over the tree such that the sack is at least 10 feet off the ground. This method can be used if you do not have quick access to your vehicle or you do not have proper storage boxes. However, keep this as the last resort since large bears can reach foods which have been suspended in this way.

A clean and tidy campsite is required at all times in national parks and other campgrounds in bear country. As soon as you are done cooking, clean up the mess. Make sure trash goes in bear proof containers. Do not burn your food waste or garbage in the fire pit. Insure that camp stoves are put away in bear proof storage or the trunk of your vehicle. Make sure uncooked food is put away again into bear bags or proper storage containers. Walk around your campsite and look for dropped scraps of food, particularly if you have kids.

Do not cook near the place where you have set up tent. Cook at least a hundred yards away from the place where you stay. The place where you choose to do your cooking should be airy and breezy. Never bring your food to the tent. Make sure there is no food in the tent. Check bags for foods like candies, cookies or chewing gum. These can be easily overlooked. If bears get whiff of these, they may even rip off the tent and bags to check for the food. Remember not to sleep in the clothes in which you have done your cooking. Clothes can carry smells and you may end up as bait for the bears.

It is fun and safe to camp in bear country if you follow the guidelines in this article. Always check with park staff for bear sightings & updates, as well as specific instructions for the area you are in.

For more information on Camping in Revelstoke please check out Jano & Sonia's Website.

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