# security while camping in a tent



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Okay - I've not been a camper, and I am a person that locks doors - been brought up that way.

So, I've wondered about going camping where there are others. National parks, camping parks, etc.

I know that in many of these places there are park workers, gate money keepers, pick up trash, clean the bath houses, but not security. Park rangers are available if you call them, etc.

But, tent camping there - nothing to keep your stuff staying there while you river raft, or such things.

Also, camping near regular people in a not park situation, what do you do to stay safe, or keep the animals from making your tent their new home?

I know some of you camp basic style. What do you do to stay safe, and keep your supplies safe so you'll have them when you need them?

I'm thinking these things are good to know when camping, or if you'd need to leave your home or if needing to stay in a tent after a major weather event.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

AngieM2 said:


> Okay - I've not been a camper, and I am a person that locks doors - been brought up that way.
> 
> So, I've wondered about going camping where there are others. National parks, camping parks, etc.
> 
> ...


That is all part of basic survival skills. Food hanging high in a tree. Keeping food away from where you sleep. All basics skills that I would think most preppers are already learning.


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## bassmaster17327 (Apr 6, 2011)

When I camp it is usually only for one to two knights so we do not have a ton of supplies with us. Anything that is high value or I think other peole might want I just lock in the car, really their is not a whole lot that I take that would be worth stealing. It semms like most of the people that camp are good friendly people and most of them have families


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

What do you do if not with others, just beside a stream or such? 

What keeps an animal of human or other type (bear, etc) from coming through the canvas walls of a tent?


And saying, others should already know - does not help others at all.

There is more to staying safe, and such than just keeping the food high and away from the actual camp.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

angie...no food in a tent.not even bubble gum helps. its the reason most keep a long rope to hang gear in a tree away from camp and no cooking close by sleeping areas.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

[youtube]l_WA-ZWv4cA&feature=fvwrel[/youtube]


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

AngieM2 said:


> What do you do if not with others, just beside a stream or such?
> 
> What keeps an animal of human or other type (bear, etc) from coming through the canvas walls of a tent?
> 
> ...


I understand it does not help. I just am having trouble understanding how a long time prepper would not have already taken steps to learn those types of things. It is parts of the basics of survival when away from home.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

one thing too...women on their monthly need to watch out especially in grizz and brown bear country.my former boss in the usfs sister got treed by a grizz in yellowstone while on her cycle.

in grizz country i wont be without a firearm.


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## Bandit (Oct 5, 2008)

While camping off and on during the last 25 yrs. , in mostly private but a couple of state parks . In the state parks we have lost firewood and could see that our coolers were gone through , but we don't drink , so nothing taken except a coke or two
I will mention that at Dolly Copp Campground , in the White Mountains National Forest , where we camped when I was a kid , we stopped going there when they were forced by the ADA law's to switch from pit style out houses ( that Really Stunk ) to nice modern " Accessible Vault Toilets " as the camping crowd seemed to change drastically .
After My divorce , I stopped by on My motorcycle for a weekend looking for some fresh air , set up camp , and the couple in the next site walked over and offered the key of her car's trunk to put everything in but the tent , or else it would be gone when I returned .
I haven't been back , but I guess it would be ok if someone stayed in camp , unlike me as I went hiking .
Bandit


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Use the same methods as you do at home. Tight containers, if an animal can't smell it they won't bother it. Keep important things with you at all times. Keep things to a minimum so they are not a temptation for others. I camp alone all the time and have never had anyone try to take what I have, animal or human. Most "bad" people don't go way out where I go to harm someone. Be alert and don't show weakness. Good time to open carry....James


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

]Okay - I've not been a camper, and I am a person that locks doors - been brought up that way.

So, I've wondered about going camping where there are others. National parks, camping parks, etc.

I know that in many of these places there are park workers, gate money keepers, pick up trash, clean the bath houses, but not security. Park rangers are available if you call them, etc.

*Police will come too, if you call them...*

But, tent camping there - nothing to keep your stuff staying there while you river raft, or such things.

Also, camping near regular people in a not park situation, what do you do to stay safe, or keep the animals from making your tent their new home?

*Except in bear country, no extraordinay steps are needed to keep kirtters out of your tent other then zipping it up....Keeping your camp clean, food locked up or hung up, keep animals away. Some palces the bears have learned how to harvest bear bags, so bear canisters are the way to go. They are hard and cannot be broken into by animals. I have one and prefer them. When you go away for the day, you take your valuables WITH you. People generally don't mess with tents and sleeping bags that are left at camp. But then, I don't generally CAR or RV camp where there are lots of people, I'm usually in the back country away from the yahoos so don't have to worry about strangers staling my stuff. If I am car camping, rare, but it happens, I will lock everything in the car before going away for the day if I'm worried.*

I know some of you camp basic style. What do you do to stay safe, and keep your supplies safe so you'll have them when you need them?

*All my gear fits into my backpack, all my food and water and everything else too, so it's no biggie to pack up and doesn't take me long at all. Thats the beauty of not bringing everything and the kitchen sink, ease of camp. The biggest threat is from weather, keep your stuff dry and you will be fine. You face many more dangerous types in the city then in the woods.*

I'm thinking these things are good to know when camping, or if you'd need to leave your home or if needing to stay in a tent after a major weather event


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## hsmom2four (Oct 13, 2008)

painterswife said:


> I understand it does not help. I just am having trouble understanding how a long time prepper would not have already taken steps to learn those types of things. It is parts of the basics of survival when away from home.


Some people might be new here or new to camping and may stumble upon this thread and gain some life saving information. Just because you already know doesn't mean that every single person here knows. 

I, for one, have never slept in a tent except in my back yard.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

thank you, hsmom2four, for saying again what I was meaning.

Just cause we have regulars, we do have new people, or new to a situation.

Including lurkers and guest readers.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

NickieL - I hoped you'd post on this thread since you go wild hiking and camping whenever you can.

What is your basics that you take on a hike and staying a night or more in the woods?

Any advice you'd care to share with those that have not your experience?


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

hsmom2four said:


> Some people might be new here or new to camping and may stumble upon this thread and gain some life saving information. Just because you already know doesn't mean that every single person here knows.
> 
> I, for one, have never slept in a tent except in my back yard.


I think it is great info to know and a thread worth adding to.. I was just surprised about how the question came about.

Camping for us always followed the same lines as how you would travel with what people here call a bug out bag. One back pack that contained all you needed to survive for the length of the camping trip. You always include the extras that you needed for survival in case of an accident or being lost. The bags contents would change depending on the season of the year.


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## stickinthemud (Sep 10, 2003)

Bears are not the only reason to practice food security: First lesson circa 1967--graham crackers left on the picnic table after lunch. Chipmunks nibbled thru the package. 
Lesson two in 1986--Open food container briefly set on picnic table while unloading car after dark. Bold, human-acclimated raccoon climbed up back side of table, grabbed food, & left quickly when DD sitting there screamed. 
Lesson three about 1993--hot dog fell in the fire & wasn't picked out. Middle of the night awakening found skunk cleaning up the fire pit. Potty visit wasn't deemed necessary after all. As for two-legged threats, I lock everything but the tent in the car when we leave the site.

And when camping with young kids, I always arranged sleeping bags so they would have to crawl over me to get to the door.


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## whodunit (Mar 29, 2004)

We've camped in some fairly remote areas (still accessible by car) and never had an issue. I would say that most theieves are too lazy to go that far out of their way to steal your camping gear. I do have to admit, backpacking would be another issue. In thatcase, your gear being stolen could possibly endanger your life.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

AngieM2 said:


> NickieL - I hoped you'd post on this thread since you go wild hiking and camping whenever you can.
> 
> What is your basics that you take on a hike and staying a night or more in the woods?
> 
> Any advice you'd care to share with those that have not your experience?


Basics:

Shelter-tarp, tent or bivy depending on how many are with me and the weather. Sometimes we go really wild and make our own shelters with found materials like reeds and branchs. A good 3 season tent is the most I use, even in winter. make sure there is plenty of ventilation in the tent, especially in winter to help prevent condensation in the tent. Condensation= cold and wet in winter.

A ground pad is helpful and makes sleeping on the ground more comfortable. I love to make a mound of leaves if available under the tent as well to insulate me from the ground and make it more comfy. In winter, I use two ground pads, a self inflating and a blue closed cell foam. Its important to have that insulation, especially in winter camping to keep the ground from sapping away your body heat.

sleeping bag---my favorite style is mummy, and I prefer down. I have several down and synthetic rated for diffrent temps. the more expensive ones are worth thier weight in gold, believe me. They pack up very small and light weight compared to cheap ones. Make sure to keep down bags dry, they are no good when wet which is why some prefer the synthetic ones which still can retain heat while wet. But, if you are careful and keep your backpack lined with giant garbage bags, it should not be an issue even if you fall in a river crossing.

Cook stove and fuel...I prefer my homeade campstove as its tiny and light weight but you can buy commercially made ones as well. I use a commercially made one in winter as alcohol does not burn well when cold. A good pot and pan set for backpacking, depending on who's with me, I bring diffrent pots. If it's just me I have my little pot/lid and a cup and that's all I need.

First aid kit. Emergency blanket, whistle, compass, map, etc.

Water filter and water bottles. and a bandana to "prefilter" with if the water is extra chunky.

Food.

good sturdy hiking boots and water/camp shoes. You don't want to cross streams and rivers barefoot, too much chance of hurting yourself. some just cross in their boots but I don't like to do that. The water shoes also doubles as camp shoes to let your feet breath once in camp.

"backpacking clothes" anythign NOT cotten. Cotten is useless if wet, and down right dangerous in the winter. So synthetics and wool is good. Synthetics are very lightweight and packable. A good fleace jacket is a must. Layer, layer layer to keep warm in winter. I generally wear a wicking layer, then a light weight synthetic layer over that, then fleace and a windbreaker/rain suit over that if it's cold. Knit or fleace hat and gloves/mittens in winter.

around here I add bug netting for my head, a sun hat, bug reppellent and sunscrean in the summer.

and of course toiletries, whatever you prefer. Be careful with these in bear country as bears are attracted to sparkling fresh breath and deoderant and soap so its best to just be stinky while camping in those areas as well as cook away from camp and change into clean "sleeping" clothes before getting into your bag at night.

also, a good trowel for digging cat holes with.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Years ago we were camping in a park that was owned by the corp of engineers. Very nice park right on the lake. We had our camper but there were no hook-ups, just dry camping. So we only used it to sleep in, not cook in. We had been there a week so needed to go wash some clothes. The camper was a really old one and had a hasp with a pad lock on the door. We locked it when we left, but we left our groceries on the picnic table along with our Coleman stove and utensils. While we were gone someone stole our groceries and my best knife so they could peal the potatoes. (This was back in 1974, that year potatoes were very expensive for some reason). The went to the camp next to us and stole their Coleman stove and lantern. 

Then a few years ago we were at Brazos Bend State Park for a family reunion. We knew raccoons were bad there but never thought they would bother something that was sealed in a can. We left an almost full case of Coco Cola on the picnic table. The next morning we only had one can that hadn't been punctured. The rest of the empty cans were scattered on the ground. From then on when we went there we always strapped the coolers closed and put anything else in the pickup.

That one time back in '74 is the only time we've ever had anything stolen. I'm wondering if who ever did that was maybe on the run and needed something to camp with. I'm thinking they might have raided other campsites also. Only talked to the ones next to us, about it.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

NickieL - thanks for that run down. I'm sure it's helpful to a lot that have not thought to camp the way you do.

And thanks to the others contributing to this thread.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

If anyone has anyquestions about gear and otherwise they can always ask and I will do my best to answer if I'm around. LOL.


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## Daryll in NW FLA (May 10, 2002)

Mr. 9mm always within reach camping or otherwise. Never had a problem so far.


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

I have never in all my 40 some years of camping had anything stolen or bothered in a campground; national forest, state parks (sc, wv, and nc), corps of engineer parks (several states) or anywhere else for that matter. I don't take flashy electronics and stuff with me. A basic radio/cd player bought for $25 and my kindle. Those go in the car with us if we leave. We have left all our other equipment right where it sat and no issues.


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## pumpkin (May 8, 2012)

If you are looking for security while camping you need an RV. In a tent you can aim for safety by following all the common sense rules but once you leave the safety of a campground it is all about the wildcard. And even in a campground you can&#8217;t control Mother Nature.

If you are camping in a tent then there is always the chance of a security breach. Kids are not going to keep it zipped so you may well find yourself sharing your tent with a mouse or a snake and definitely spiders. And hanging your food in a tree cache can stop bears but raccoons are sneaky and they can climb and jump and chew. We have a friend who is a wilderness hiker aand she had her tent trampled by a moose in a mood. Another got his crushed by a falling branch (he was off to a call of nature at the time and his tent was not under any tree) and we had our tent shredded by a bear while we were sleeping inside and were marooned when beavers dammed a creek cutting us off from the trail that led down the moutain.

We have returned from all day fishing to find that we did not even have matches to light a fire to cook the fish. This was in a campground but no one saw a thing. But over the decades of camping we have not had much bother with people at all. Most people who camp do so because they enjoy nature and for many it is quality family time so they don&#8217;t want to spoil it. The only real trouble has been with men who think that camping is synonymous with getting drunk. Don&#8217;t take anything of value with you and if you are not wilderness camping then lock as much as you can in your vehicle if you are leaving for the day. This is usually not hard to do since you need to be organized to camp and less is best.

Our best security for wilderness camping has always been the dogs. BUT your dog needs to be trained and obedient otherwise they can create the problems you are trying to avoid. Chasing deer and porcupines will get everyone in trouble and just leave the skunks alone. 

And if you camp leave as little sign that you were there as possible.


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## Wanderer0101 (Jul 18, 2007)

AngieM2 said:


> Okay - I've not been a camper, and I am a person that locks doors - been brought up that way.
> 
> So, I've wondered about going camping where there are others. National parks, camping parks, etc.
> 
> ...


Hang food in a tree, lock valuables in the car out of sight, carry a gun. Works for me.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

We've had many 4 legged visitors while camping but I can't think of anything that went missing while camping. Most of our camping gear went missing out of our garage once though. Also, if you decide to outsmart the ***** and put the food in the car, make sure the windows are up! My DH and his friends spent hours cleaning up the mess "they" made last time hubby took my truck camping.


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## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

We've never had a problem with theft while camping. My dsis still camps with a group of women around the lakes here. You cannot just come through the camping areas at a lot of the lakes here without paying to get in most of them. That keeps out a lot of people and rowdiness is discouraged by the armed park rangers around here. We have big corp of engineer lakes that are patrolled by off-duty police officers, there are few problems at our lake camping sites.


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

Security while camping? I camped with a bunch of guys for a year and a half one time. First thing we'd do was build bunkers, string concertina wire, set mines, OH, you mean here in the US!

In several years of camping I've never had a serious problem with either animals or people. Like anywhere else, situational awareness is paramount. Pay the same attention to your surroundings you would anywhere else and you'll be fine.

A couple things I've learned over the years: Don't pitch your tent on a game trail, look like you know how to use the gun on your hip, and don't put your tent close to 1. people who snore 2. people with small bladders.


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## salmonslayer (Jan 4, 2009)

We used to tent camp all over Alaska and north west Canada and never had a problem from people or animals but we followed common practices like others have noted about food storage etc. But...the Mrs was always nervous about brown bears and I would calm her by telling her they wont bother us in the tent (I always had my bear gun with us) and then I would promptly fall asleep and snore. On one of our trips a man was dragged out of his tent and mauled by a brownie not too far from our camp site...thus ended our tent camping.

We then camped on our fishing boat for years and since moving to the farm we are looking for an old 14 foot Aristocrat camp trailer or something to rehab and use. All we need is a place to get out of the rain, a bed and a place for a porta-potty.


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## Pam6 (Apr 9, 2009)

We don't leave anything of value in our tent. We have never had any trouble at the camp we go to. We have even gone sight seeing for the entire day and left our lanterns, coolers, and cast iron and many other items out on the picnic table without a problem. We don't have bears around here and the local campground must take care of the nuisance animals.
We used to go to Salt Fork State Park when I was younger and the raccoon and skunks were TERRIBLE!! They would get into EVERYTHING!! They even knew how to open up the coolers with the metal animal proof latches! My parents built a wooden box that went up in the back of our Suburban that we kept everything in when not in use. 
My biggest concern is having my children in a tent of their own. Even though 3 or 4 of them are in it together the thought of someone quietly unzipping their tent and grabbing one out freaks me out!! The younger kids all sleep in my tent with me, just the older kids 10 and up sleep in the other tent.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

A gun, a music/noise producer, bear spray -never any food, perfume like stuff ie berry scented soaps, cleaners ect. and a dog


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Living right next to a major camping and fishing area I know of many times when people return to the campsite to find that they have been raided. There have been guns drawn, This is WHY I offer my place to everyone I know. Since it is a tourist place it is under reported.


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

Camp with a group of other campers so the sites can be watched by multiple eyes. Only time we had trouble was in the Smokies when a bear raided our tent while we were site-seeing. It tore up our sleeping pads, rifled through stuff, made a mess and left.

A leaky tent is no fun and damages your stuff and then it's all wet. Seal well.

Don't buy a piece of crap tent. I just threw out a well used Kelty tent (first internet purchase ever and only $139.00 for a 8 person tent) that we used to death since 1999. It finally dry rotted. 

-scrt crk


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

secretcreek said:


> Camp with a group of other campers so the sites can be watched by multiple eyes. Only time we had trouble was in the Smokies when a bear raided our tent while we were site-seeing. It tore up our sleeping pads, rifled through stuff, made a mess and left.
> 
> A leaky tent is no fun and damages your stuff and then it's all wet. Seal well.
> 
> ...



I love the older tents. I have a small Ozark Trails tent that I bought back in 91 and its the only one we have that will stand up to our desert winds. Can't find another like it, at least not an affordable one. Paid $25 for at at WM. Its dry rotting but the kids still use it in the yard.


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## tiffnzacsmom (Jan 26, 2006)

I keep food in the cooler locked up in the car due to critters and don't take anything I would hate to lose. I have camped at a number of state parks in PA and a national park near DC with never a problem.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

AngieM2 said:


> Okay - I've not been a camper, and I am a person that locks doors - been brought up that way.
> 
> So, I've wondered about going camping where there are others. National parks, camping parks, etc.
> 
> ...


Imho, NPS camping has to be the safest... not saying bad things don't happen, but they don't happen repeatedly. I spent ten years at Denali, and occasionally something would go 'missing'... staff would set up a camp, and someone would be awake and alert, and if it happened again, they were snatched up, and 'escorted' to Fairbanks, to the local jail.

Most larger parks have lockers... put your valuables inside while gone.

I'd not dream of camping in a tent anywhere close to others, outside of a park. Camping out in the woods or in the wilderness, is safer... "most" hoodlums don't want to work for it.

And, best to carry a sidearm... pretty much every bad guy learns at bad guy academy, the sound of a hammer being pulled back, or an action being cycled.

As far as myself.... I will not camp anywhere near other humans... I can't sleep with noise (too many years sleeping in tents with grizzly bears about... a twig breaking will bring me wide awake 'right now').


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## logbuilder (Jan 31, 2006)

Years past I hiked a lot of the AT. There were bears. One thing we never did was brush our teeth before bed, only in the morning. It was said the bears would smell it and come in. Food always hung in a tree along with anything that might smell like food. Never had a problem however it can get a bit scary in the middle of the night and you start hearing things. Hard to get it out of your head.


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## Billie in MO (Jun 9, 2002)

We've never camped in a national park or a state park. The only places we have tent camped are up in Marble, CO in the middle of the aspens and up on the Uncompahgre Plateau while elk hunting and a couple of other out of the way places.

In Marble we are always there for at least 10 days or more and camp on private land while attending the Marble/marble symposium. We typically have the tent, tarp for putting under the tent, and a smaller tarp outside the the front (to keep dirt/mud out of the tent). We also have larger tarps that we hang from the trees over the tent to help with heat and helps keep a larger area dry during our afternoon t-storms. We also bring along our shower tent and solar camp shower bags. We put the bags on the hood of our truck to get warm during the day and take a shower early evening. One bag will yield 2 showers for us with a little left over.

Food stays in the truck till we need it as there is a resident bear who strolls thru at night. Only thing he has ever bothered was at the camp kitchen of the M/m symposium. He destroyed the fridge one year. Tore the door off and mangled it all up. Deer will stroll thru early evening.

Never take what I call valuables with me, wallet stays locked in the truck as there is no need for it while there. Only time paperwork is needed is if a ranger comes by when we are elk hunting and he asks for the licenses.

Bill and a friend have gone deep into the Sweetwater area on horseback and took 2 packhorses in carrying what they needed. No need for security as it was just them, horses and elk. I slept in the back of my truck for 4 days while they were gone.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

last year at boy scout camp a bear entered one of the platform tents and was snuffling around one of the leaders. He lay still, and the bear left. Our best guess is he had a "smellable" on...his night clothes had a schmear of food perhaps...Or maybe he had donut breath, or maybe it was just a curious bear. My guys (DH and 2 of my sons) just returned from hiking the very challenging Loyalsock Trail. Loyalsock Trail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
they keep separate night clothes for sleep only, and their day wear stuff gets tied up in the bear bag. No bears this trip, but a few rattlesnakes sunning themselves on the rocks, and some strange painful bug bites. One of our leaders is an MD, and he drew a circle in pen around the bite so he could determine if it was getting larger and needed more attention than benadryl.
The water bottle they mix powdered gatorade in also goes in the bear bag as a smellable.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

beaglebiz, they did everything right! glad to hear it


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

AngieM2 said:


> What do you do if not with others, just beside a stream or such?
> 
> What keeps an animal of human or other type (bear, etc) from coming through the canvas walls of a tent?
> 
> ...


Good advice so far, but bottom line is, if a bear or racoon or whatever wants to get in your tent, they will. I never had problems with animals getting in the tent is it's kept zipped up and no food is in there, other than a snake. When you're at the camp site, keep a fire going. Sometimes the smell of smoke will linger at the camp site and that will help keep the wild life away to an extent.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Another thing we started doing, after camping in a state campground once in Florida, where a man was attacking women who used the public bathrooms at night was keep a port a pot or even a coffee can with a lid to use as a chamber pot at night, so no one had to go out at night. We just used blankets to close off an area in the tent to offer some privacy.


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

We camp out in the national forest.... no camp grounds. No likey campgrounds unless they are primitive and mostly unused.

Never had any problems.

We take dogs. Little dogs are the best early alarm system we think. Dh and I before kids went camping out in the woods. Seemed we sent up our camp on a wild game trail LOL Yorkie was growling just loud enough to wake us. Fortunately, the moose was kind enough to go around our tent. Dh and I laugh that the 20 feet to our rig seemed like a couple of miles with a moose so close.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

we have never had a problem in 30 or so years of camping 

we have a bear season in Wisconsin that includes a dog season where the bear are chased with hunting dogs 

like wise , bear aren't much of a problem , they generally avoid people and dogs , the 2 things that are common in most state parks camp grounds .

racoons , you keep your food clean and put away in your car or in a hard sided cooler with a tie down strap around it holding it shut 
i have also seen people lift one end of the picnic table and set the bench on top of the cooler lid the weigh keeps the ***** out 

as for theft , tents sleeping bags and pillows are about all you leave in the tent , and they go unbothered 

never had a problem with anything stolen , but most of the time some one is around camp. and the rangers make regular drives through the camping areas , also each camp ground area has a camp host 

a few things most Wisconsin state parks have going for them is you have to purchase a state parks sticker 25 dollars annual or 5 dollar daily and go thru the gate , that is watched by a warden some have a camera on the gate , then usually a 5 to 20 minute drive to the camping areas , so you have to basically drive past and wave to a cop , on the only road in or out , if you hike it in you have to carry anything you take usually at least a half mile , and there are people every were and you have know idea who knows who , many families get to know each other from camping the same weekends or know each other from back home and take trips together. when we would go for labor day some years we would have friends or relatives camping up and down the hole camp rode some years we had every site on the road for a stretch , many groups go camping and have people on multiple sights 

and they take , quite time here very serious , the range drives around at about 10 and makes sure he can't hear anything , even when we have 5 sights in each direction and a guitar and flute playing with some singing in the middle of all of our sights they ask us to stop at 10 they are generally nice and let us finish the song first


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Here is an article from today about a man being dragged from his tent and mauled by a bear. Tents aren't secure. Man injured in 3rd bear attack in Payson area(AZ)

Houses aren't that secure either. The main house at our ranch has been broken into by bears twice since we've owned it. Both times, the bear made a huge mess, tore up the fridge, and STOLE MY CHOCOLATE STASH!


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Common Tator said:


> Here is an article from today about a man being dragged from his tent and mauled by a bear. Tents aren't secure. Man injured in 3rd bear attack in Payson area(AZ)
> 
> Houses aren't that secure either. The main house at our ranch has been broken into by bears twice since we've owned it. Both times, the bear made a huge mess, tore up the fridge, and *STOLE MY CHOCOLATE STASH!*


I'd be hunting a bear! Both of those cases are instances where the bear has learned where the easy food is. I'd bet it was the same bear in the Payson area attacks.


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

Pam6 said:


> My biggest concern is having my children in a tent of their own. Even though 3 or 4 of them are in it together the thought of someone quietly unzipping their tent and grabbing one out freaks me out!! The younger kids all sleep in my tent with me, just the older kids 10 and up sleep in the other tent.



This is what I came up with when I camped with my 3 very young children in the Sequoia National Forrest. We have a 1968 Montgomery Ward Tent Trailer that I used exclusively back then, I attached a window alarm using duct tape & very large saftey pins to the door zipper. For my son the incredibley quiet monkey boy I simply tied paracord to his ankle & mine. That worked until he learned to untie knots :sob:

Granted if someone wanted in all they have to do is make a slit & come on in but for that we had an ex-military police dog. 

Because my three children are all a year apart I also would saftey pin large jingle bells to their clothes. Yes I often looked like a mad woman running amuck amuck chasing the sound of bells. Ah good times. 

Our other two man tents are labeled with Lopez. We normally only keep the sleeping bags out everything else is packed in the car while we are out hiking. Started chaining the tent trailer a few years back because of a comment we got from the guy @ the site across from us,"that would make a nice trash hauler". It was his tone that got me most people comment how their parents had one seeing ours brought back good memories.

If someone really wants yoru stuff they will smash & grab outta your vehicle. 


~~ pelenaka ~~
thirtyfivebyninety


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## Bandit (Oct 5, 2008)

Houses aren't that secure either. The main house at our ranch has been broken into by bears twice since we've owned it. Both times, the bear made a huge mess, tore up the fridge, and STOLE MY CHOCOLATE STASH![/QUOTE]

I can just picture My wife chasing after the bear with what ever she grabbed first . :frypan:
Bandit


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> nothing to keep your stuff staying there while you river raft, or such things.


I know a man who went camping in a National Park to ride horses, but when he woke up, he found someone had STOLEN both his horses

I've personally never lost anything over the years camping.


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## Billie in MO (Jun 9, 2002)

AngieM2 said:


> What keeps an animal of human or other type (bear, etc) from coming through the canvas walls of a tent?


Nothing at all. It doesn't matter where you are. It can even happen in your own backyard........a member of Bill's family was camping in her backyard with her two sisters when she was kidnapped by an already accused murderer.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Bearfootfarm said:


> I know a man who went camping in a National Park to ride horses, but when he woke up, he found someone had STOLEN both his horses
> 
> I've personally never lost anything over the years camping.


Are you sure the horses didn't take off? Mine did that once, from our ranch, which is surrounded on all sides by National Forest. I spent days looking for them.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Are you sure the horses didn't take off?


They were tied, and they found tracks where someone had lead them away and loaded them in a trailer


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

APD dispatch tell us officers are inside a Hillside home, opening doors trying to get a bear to leave. People in home are safe upstairs. We'll pass along details as they come in.

Channel 2 new.

So, far I know of 3 people who have had bears in their home. One had only a13 year old boy at home --and 3 brownies well he shot them all and by the time Fish and Game got there they were all skinned out.(note the family lived alone on an Island and had only a radio for call--Parents had flown to town to do the yearly groc. shopping trip. So it took some time for F& G to rush out there--I do not want to slam F&G ) There was major damage to the home, smashed in wall and teeth marks in the vinal at was in a roll to be installed. 

In bear are wear bells, I put them on all the goats.

sourdough KNOWS bear country--he should write.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

kasilofhome said:


> APD dispatch tell us officers are inside a Hillside home, opening doors trying to get a bear to leave. People in home are safe upstairs. We'll pass along details as they come in.
> 
> Channel 2 new.
> 
> ...



I was gonna say what iin the world were the parents thinking leaving a 13 yr old alone like that but if he was able to shoot and skin 3 bears..... I don't have a problem leaving my 12 & 16yr olds but I'm on the same chunk of land as them and can get home from town in 20min, much faster if an emergency comes up.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Many movies were made about the family --Mary and Bob Haeg. "HELL IN THE BUSH" and OFF THE BEATEN PATH> they are wonderful movies of how they lived and very real.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

AngieM2 said:


> ..... or keep the animals from making your tent their new home?


Looks like everyone else has already mentioned the basics about camping but here's one little extra tip of my own. Never underestimate the value of spraying vinegar (or combination pee'n'vinegar) as an extra precaution around and just inside the perimeter of your campsite. Most animals don't like it and tend to avoid it because it messes with their sense of smell.

.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

naturelover said:


> Looks like everyone else has already mentioned the basics about camping but here's one little extra tip of my own. Never underestimate the value of spraying vinegar (or combination pee'n'vinegar) as an extra precaution around and just inside the perimeter of your campsite. Most animals don't like it and tend to avoid it because it messes with their sense of smell.
> 
> .


In Denali, all the rangers, male and female, made it a habit to hold their bladders (as much as possible) till a campsite was set up, so that a 'mark line' could be made around the tent area. I've always pee'd all around my campsite, if there were bears in the area.


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

Our only problem was last year ---
one very ambious racoon that was intent on trying to chew its way into the strapped shut cooler.

We lock most anything of value in the car.
But we always leave tackle and fish rods outside the tent and never had any thing lost......................well, except for the bucket of bait which the ***** had for a snack.


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## pumpkin (May 8, 2012)

And don't take soaps and shampoo and detergents with you. Bears love soap. A little baking soda and vinegar and sand will get most things clean enough. The main word being "enough". When you are camping you may not be as daisy fresh after a wash in the creek as you would be coming out of your bathtub at home but that is part of the adventure of camping. If you want the same old same old then camping will be a disappointment.


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