Bearly Sleeping

Camping is the ultimate way to connect with nature but it's important to keep a safe distance from woodland creatures–especially after dark. While bears are the most notorious campground invaders, you may be surprised which animals are most likely to raid your food supply. Here a few prime suspects along with some helpful hints to keep them out of your campsite.

Bearly Sleeping

Lions, Tigers, And Bears! Oh My! How do you keep uninvited guests from invading your campsite?

Common offenders

If you are camping in bear country, know that bears should be treated with caution and respect, as they have the capability to harm a person, but cases of humans being attacked are actually very rare.

In fact, rather than getting mauled by a bear, a person is: 100,000 times more likely to get hurt in a car accident... or 100 times more likely to be harmed by a swarm of bees.

Though bears tend to get the worst reputation when it comes to animals invading campsites, the most common offenders are: Mice, red squirrels, birds, raccoons.

The biggest troublemaker is the raccoon, as it is typically found near water sources, such as streams or lakes, or in wooded areas.

Raccoons tend to invade food at campsites as well as shiny things, such as aluminum foil, aluminum cans, jewelry, care keys, and so on.

Camp pest proofing

Keep your campsite clean. Never leave stinky, dirty diishes or uneaten food lying around out in the open. Wash dishes immediately and burn any uneaten food or store it in your cooler

Store your food in a secure location. At night - preferably the trunk of your car. If you are camping on foot, get a cooler with a lock on it, secure it with rope, and hang it from a tree.

Bears love the smell of mint, soit's best to keep your toothpaste with your food.

Place fabric softerners throughout. Secure them in various spots around the perimeter, put some in your tent and even one with your food to mask its smell

Keep a flashlight on you at all times; it may scare off any animals that wander at night.