Should You Take Bear Spray On Your Camping Trip?
It is always best to come prepared for anything and everything that life has to offer. Of course, the same idea applies to camping trips where, if you are lucky enough, you may get the best experience of your life (and not encounter any grizzlies).
Of course, it has also been said that luck is actually preparation getting to meet that ever elusive opportunity. So when out on a camping trip, how could you attract luck to your side without ever having to catch the attention of bears that may be gazing and grazing around the camp area.
1. Bear spray your way to safety
This may or may not be a good idea. Carrying a bear spray with you may be an effective way to feel safe and secure, however it is always not the best idea to bear spray the tent you are in as well as any of the areas near or surrounding you. It is also better if you do not bear spray any items that you regularly may be using.
2. Why bear sprays may be unsafe too
Believe it or not, it has been proven that bears are attracted to those items that have already been sprayed with bear spray. So even though a bear spray may come in handy when that moment comes (God forbid) that a grizzly bear happens to wander in your camp premises, spraying one before a bear does arrive may actually be calling them prematurely.
3. The best way to stay away from bears
The most convenient and logical way to stay a bit far away from any bears is to stay in a camping area that has no obvious and clear evidence of any forms or signs of bear activity. These signs include bear tracks, any forms of bear diggings as well as scat.
4. The best way to ward off bears
Fortunately, it is now a federal rule and regulation in camping trips that those campers who bring food must now suspend the food they bring on trees or that they should use boxes that are bear-proof.
Bears have been known to be very much attracted to odors that come from food. Therefore foods that are very odorous must best be not brought during camping or even cooked outdoors.
Camps should also be clean. Food must not be stored or cooked inside the tent, unless you want to wake up one morning with a grizzly bear staring at you.
There are now campsites that provide poles wherein food, gears used for cooking, and any articles that are scented may be suspended in place when it is not yet to be used. The same process also applies to deodorants, soap, and toiletries. Prevention and pro-activeness is always better than prevention. Packs of food must never be left unattended even for as short as a minute or so.
Bears have been known to become aggressive once they get that opportunity to obtain foods consumed by humans. They may in turn be aggressive to obtain similar types of food in the future and so they may pose a threat to the safety of humans. They may then have to be removed from the park or destroyed.
5. How to sleep well and keep food well
One hundred yards from where your food is located or hanging from is the minimum distance for one to sleep in. Of course, your sleeping area and gear must also be free from the odor of food and should also be clean. It is never a good idea to sleep in the clothes you have worn while cooking or eating. Keep these clothes inside a plastic bag and hang them in a considerable distance away from you.
6. Stay away from garbage
As much as possible, check out the area of where you will be spending the night. If there is a garbage nearby or any items of food scattered about that were left by other campers, it is highly recommended that you stay a good distance away from such an area. Double your distance at least. It would also be best that you report such an incident to the park rangers.
7. Report any bear incidents immediately
Even if your brush with bears was minor, always report them to the park ranger. The safety of other future campers, as well as your own, may depend on you. All in all, bear sprays are okay to use. But the best way to ward off bears is by being aware of how you camp and being cautious of the way you keep food and other bear-attracting items as neat and clean as possible.
Source: Free Articles
Autor: infocus
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