Proper food storage and food related items in Bear country.

When camping in bear country, food and food related items must be stored properly by placing them in the trunk of your car, inside your hard wall trailer, motor home or a campground provided storage locker. Never store food or food related items in tents or tent trailers and never leave coolers or food boxes outside. Several campgrounds provide a hanging truss so food bags can be tied on the end of a rope and hauled high off the ground or Bear proof lockers.

The animals of concern are Grizzly, Black and Brown Bears. The picture to the left is a Grizzly coming out of hibernation in April, early spring. A Bears sense of smell is much better then it's sense of vision. Bears depend on their sense of smell for survival, if the wind is blowing in the right direction, a Bear can smell food over several kilometers/miles away.

Don't let the fear of Bears ruin your outdoor experience. Bear attacks are extremely rare and over 40 years of visiting Bear country I have only encountered three bears. You're more likely to see a Bear along the highway, if you do, don't feed it or better yet, don't stop. More injuries and deaths are created by car accidents, people pulling over and or stopping to look. I witnessed a car pull out in front of a tour bus, the car was completely destroyed. The occupants we're severely injured and the Bear they were trying to view was long gone.

More info on Hiking and venturing into Bear country.                   M.T.