Backpack Camping: Don't Feed The Bears
Many families and groups of friends have gone backpack camping in
North America. With the variety of backpack tours and trail
backpacking available, you can be sure to get breathtaking scenery
all around. While you can enjoy backpack camping and the views of
the surrounding nature, don't forget that there are many things to
be on the look out for in the wilderness.
The United States and Canada are home to a wide variety of wildlife.
Many backpack tours are specifically geared towards giving tourists
an up close view of these animals. Trail backpacking on your own
will also bring you into contact with much of the wildlife as well -
and some of these encounters are ones you may not want.
Bears are North America's largest and most unpredictable predator.
You can find bears in the northernmost tip of Canada and Alaska to
as far as the deep South of the United States. While bear attacks
are considered rare, they still happen and you have to be prepared
should you find yourself in this situation.
There are three basic reasons that cause of bear attacks while trail
backpacking or during backpacking tours: One - the bear is caught by
surprise; two - you've run into a female bear with cubs; three - the
bear smells food near you.
Backpacking through the woods and staying as quiet as you can sounds
like a great idea. After all, you want to see the wildlife before it
runs away, right? Howver, unless you're hunting, moving through bear
territory quietly while trail backpacking can be dangerous. If you
should suddenly appear in front of a bear at close range, the bear
is going to be startled and angry. Make noise, talk, sing, or rattle
cow bells as you hike to give the bear fair warning that you are in
its territory. The bear will hear you and move off. The denser the
area, the more noise you need to make. Bears have very poor
eyesight, and they won't see you coming through dense underbrush.
Even though cubs and bears are adorable, that doesn't mean you
should try to approach them. Even bear cubs, as harmless as they may
seem, can be dangerous if you try to pet them. Their mama is
definitely keeping watch. If they feel that their cubs are in any
danger at all, they will do what they need to do to get rid of the
threat. If you come across any animals during your backpacking tour,
resist the urge to approach them as this could be an extremely
dangerous thing to do.
A backpacking tour might take you a few days, so your trip will
include camping overnight. Bears might not be able to see very well,
but they have an amazing sense of smell and they will definitely
sniff out any food that you have with you. If you have food hidden
anywhere in your gear or tent, they will find it. To help keep them
away from your campsite, hang the food in a tree at least fifteen
feet off the ground away from the campsite. Be sure to hang it in
the middle of a branch where a climbing bear won't be able to get to
it.
Before leaving on your backpack camping trip, know the dangers in
the wilderness. With the unpredictability of the animals in the
wild, you never really know what they might do. One thing is for
sure, though. They will always protect themselves and their babies
if they feel threatened. If you're unsure about what to do regarding
the animals you encounter, the safest thing you can do is stay as
far away from them as possible.
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