Backpack Camping: Don't Feed The Bears

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North America offers some of the best backpack camping in the world. There are hundreds of backpack tours and trail backpacking trips that will take you through some of the most stunning landscapes on the face of the earth. However, when backpack camping it is very easy to be caught up in the scenery and forget that there are dangers you need to be aware of.

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.

We all know how cute bear cubs can be. Even adult bears are cute, and we can't resist the urge to pet them or try to make contact. If you spot bear cubs during your backpacking tour, you can guarantee that Mama Bear isn't far off. If she feels that her cubs are threatened in any way at all, she will charge the threat. Leave the cubs alone. They're not abandoned or lost. Mama is taking good care of them.

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.

Hope this article was just right, take a look at our other articles while you're here.

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