My bear encounter

The Original OldCorps ^ | 4OCT2021 | OldCorps

[OldCorps]

Last week I went tent camping with my son at a GA state park. When we checked in, I had to sign an acknowledgement that I understood bears would be in the area. Yawn. I didn't give it further thought.

The second day, at 0500, the food cooler outside my tent was knocked over. I thought, oh man, this is it. The cooler was about 8 feet from the entrance to the tent. It took me a while to get on my glasses, jeans, find the flashlight and get personal protection.

I got everything together and unzipped the flap. I shined the flashlight on the bear and made the requisite "go away bear" noises. I then got a good look at my visitor. He was a black bear, about 150-200 lbs and looked back at me without any fear whatsoever. I continued to make noises and did not back away from him. He grabbed a package out of the cooler and walked up hill above me about 40 feet and ate the contents of the package.

Well, you can't just go back to sleep knowing there is a bear right around you, so I stayed up and shined my light. About 5 minutes later, a security patrol pulls up with an amber light rotating. I signaled him with my flashlight and walked over to his truck. He said the bears will not attack you, but that's easy to say when he's not 5 feet from you. He got out a powerful flashlight and looked around the campsite. He shined the light up the tree trunks looking for the bear and or cubs. There were no cubs which meant the bear had probably moved off. The security guy found the box of Hershey bars....with the wrappers removed and the candy bars consumed by the bear.

The bear ate the following from my cooler (in addition to the box of Hershey bars): 1/2 lb of uncooked bacon, 1/3 lb of a mix of turkey and ham lunch meat, swiss cheese slices and a half eaten sub sandwich. He also went through the trash and found about the remnants of a Wendy's hamburger and french fries which he also ate.

The security guy told me they get very hungry this time of year in preparation for hibernating.

[OldCorps]

In my many years of outdoor camping, I've never had a bear encounter till now. This ended well for both me and the bear. However, I do have several conclusions.

1. Keep the food away from the sleeping area as far as possible. Most people know this, but I violated the recommendation.

2. Never ever keep food in your tent. You might get mauled.

3. Be prepared for a confrontation if it happens. I was and felt confident if the bear moved toward me.

[BenLurkin]

Stay safe!

[OldCorps]

You might find this interesting. Feel free to share with your list if you want.

[PGR88]

Leaving easily accessible food near you and your tent is a BAD idea.

[silverleaf]

Hey hey hey Yogi
What’s in the pick-a-nick basket?
Hershey bars! Ham! Turkey!
That bear acted like my teenage son on a midnite food raid.
At least he skipped the “ soft tacos”: campers in sleeping bags

[Magnum44]

I grew up in north GA back in the 60’s/70’s and never saw a wild bear. They were around but I never encountered one. Now I go back to Jasper area to visit my folks every year or two and I think I have seen at least one on every trip, climbing into garbage containers, once on the back porch, once by the community pool. Cant be helped to encounter them as we build into the habitat.

[ETCM]

Most places I camp have Bear Boxes to store food. If not, make sure you have a Bear Proof Cooler. They can be a bit pricey, but having to make a trip to town to replace food sucks. Having no bacon for breakfast is unacceptable!

[David Chase]

Small young bear if only 200 pounds.
Which is good for your situation.

Chocolate is very bad for bears…..as mush as it’s bad for dogs, can make either extremely ill of if to much is eaten they can die.

In Michigan they banned using chocolate to bait bears.

Now a Bull Elk confrontation……,that’s one you’ll want to avoid.
They’re not as compliant as a bear. Crazy Elk will charge a truck.
The Elk are in rut right now and they are nuts.

[microgood]

Last time I camped in Yellowstone the park rangers made us keep all our food and even our water in the vehicles. Of course that is grizzly country.

[sauropod]

Who cares?

Exactly whom is on top of the food chain?

[DannyTN]

I had a bare encounter.
I was dreaming.
She was sitting at the end of my bed without a stitch of clothing and she looked good.

So I asked her to sing.

There is something seriously wrong with my subconscious.

[Magnum44]

1/2 lb of uncooked bacon

Smarter than the average bear...

[SJackson]

Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me to be on or off . And ping me is you see articles of interest.

I'd add leaving food (or perfume, scented oils etc) in your car is a bad idea as well.

[teeman8r]

and how can you tell if it is grizzly scat?

grizzly scat smells of pepper and has tiny sliver bells in it.

[nuconvert]

“the bears will not attack you”

Famous last words....

[z3n]

Good advice.
Don’t a lot of people hang their coolers on lines well up into the air? Black bears can climb, but they can’t get into the coolers unless they knock the lines down.

Every time a bear gets into a camp site and finds goodies, the bear has been rewarded. Even if you don’t’ fear for your safety, you really should be making it as difficult for them as possible.

When I was a kid, in Yellowstone bears put campsites on their daily travel plans. lol. They were almost always very docile but it’s still un-nerving when they show up, specially with cubs.

“The bear ate the following from my cooler (in addition to the box of Hershey bars): 1/2 lb of uncooked bacon, 1/3 lb of a mix of turkey and ham lunch meat, swiss cheese slices and a half eaten sub sandwich.”

LOL! I wonder how much plastic wrap and packaging these bears poop out

[Political Junkie Too]

In 2006, Freeper kanawa killed a black bear with a hunting knife.

Read his story, posted here: Man (Freeper kanawa) stabs bear to death

-PJ

[UnChained]

If a human had come into your house and started helping himself to whatever he could find in your refrigerator, wouldn’t you shoot him? I see a double standard here...

[tet68]

I have seen several black bears while deer hunting,
usually from tree stands.

Last season I had to give up getting in trees and
was hunting from a ground blind when a good sized
black bear came over the ridge and made straight
for me, I was ready but fortunately he turned and
went to my right about 20 yds away. He never saw me
and didn’t wind me either. About 250+lb.
I was praying he would turn as I have never shot a bear
and tend to believe it’s his neighborhood, not mine.

[Yossarian]

1. Keep the food away from the sleeping area as far as possible. Most people know this, but I violated the recommendation.

If you're camping in bear country, use campsites with Bear Boxes (anchored bear-proof food storage.)

If the camping grounds don't have bear boxes (which they SHOULD in bear country), used dried food in a bear-safe container stored downwind by 100 feet or more.

Here's one I use, from Garcia:

Just be prepared for the bear to move the canister 100 yards plus before giving up on it, so use some bright tape on it.

2. Never ever keep food in your tent. You might get mauled.

Also: don't store food in your car, your car will get mauled.

Also, don't camp with people you don't know - they can be bear-stupid, and you might end up paying the price.

-Yossarian
(a little experienced in camping around black bears.)