How to Keep Animals Away from Your Campsite
The most frequently asked questions when it comes to wildlife are about bears, but we researched multiple sources and found commonalities on what can be done proactively to keep many types of animals away from your campsite.
Camping near mountains, stunning lakes, and colorful meadows will continuously keep you in awe of your surroundings. Yet, an aspect of camping that can be nerve-wracking is getting comfortable with sharing the great outdoors with wildlife. The key is to know what you can to keep animals away from your campsite and be prepared if you do encounter wildlife. That’s where this article comes in. Keep reading to get proactive camping safety tips to avoid attracting bears, raccoons, and other wildlife. And what you should do in case you have a wildlife encounter!
WHAT TO DO TO KEEP ANIMALS FROM YOUR CAMPSITE
KEEP YOUR CAMPSITE CLEAN
Keep campsite clean to keep animals away from campsite
It is very important to take all the precautions when it comes to keeping the campsite clean and storing items. Animals usually wander into campsites because they smell something they’re curious about. Most of the time it’s food, but not always. Deodorant, perfume, dirty clothes, toothpaste, soap, bug sprays, etc, are all examples of things that may attract an animal.
For example, a helpful habit is after meals at the campsite, clean your dishes immediately. This will prevent animals from smelling food leftover on plates. And once you’re finished cooking, it is helpful to put food items away, or you could come back to a campsite with your bread pecked at and a bag of nuts scattered. That is a true story!
STORE FOOD AND SCENTED ITEMS
Campgrounds located in an area known to have bears have food storage boxes to use at every campsite.
Certified food storage containers will keep animals from smelling your food and sparking their interest. Campgrounds known to have bears in the area will sometimes provide bear boxes. If you see a bear box, it is highly recommended to keep food and scented items stored in them. The other option would be to put it all in a bag and hang it between two trees at least 10 feet from the ground.
CHANGE CLOTHES AFTER COOKING
Change clothes to keep the scent of food down
Food smells cling to fabric long after cooking is done. Since animals have an extremely heightened sense of smell, they can be attracted to it, making the clothes you wore during dinner could attract wildlife to your campsite.
After you have cleaned up dinner, change your clothing, and store in an airtight bag or container to prevent wildlife from catching a whiff.
MAKE NOISE TO AVOID SURPRISING WILDLIFE
Make noise means speaking in your normal talking voice while camping. Similar to people, wildlife do not want to be surprised and startled.
There is power in numbers. But more importantly, there is power in loud numbers. It may seem counter-intuitive, but animals do not want to bother you. So if they hear you in the distance, they will most likely stay away.
However, this does not mean shouting but making sure you’re actively communicating instead of moving in silence. As long as everyone is talking, singing, etc., it will do the trick. Just keep in mind to be respectful of other people around you.
WHAT TO DO IN CASE YOU ENCOUNTER WILDLIFE
Keep in mind that chances of you running into a wildlife animal from a close distance varies largely on where you camp and how you keep a distance from wildlife. Across sources, the consistent guidance is to keep a distance - at least 100 yards (8 school buses long) away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards (2 school buses long) away from bison and elk. Generally animals want to be left alone, so give them space and avoid approaching them. In return, animals will mind their own business if they are not surprised or provoked by humans. So even though you may be eager to have a souvenir picture of petting a wild animal, share the great outdoors with the wildlife and admire wildlife from afar.
In some areas, the most wildlife you may encounter are deer, racoons, and squirrels. In other areas, bears, bison, and other wildlife are so common that the area is called “bear country.” Research the area you will be traveling to to find out what wildlife is local to that specific place. Not only will this prepare you in terms of awareness, but it will also allow you to know the best way to respond in case of an encounter.
BEARS
Bears will generally run away in the presence of humans, but there is always the possibility of an unpredictable encounter. How you respond will differ depending on the type of bear you run into, so it is beneficial to take the time to learn the difference between a black bear and grizzly bear. It can be hard to tell black bears from grizzlies because both can range from blonde to black. Check out National Park Service for more details on identifying black vs. brown/grizzly bear. Check out REI for specifics on what to do if you encounter a Black Bear vs. a Grizzly Bear, here is an except:
Black BeaR
Black Bear rump is higher than front shoulder, ears are taller and more oval shaped and can appear very prominent on the head. Black bears are smaller than brown bears, standing 2-3.5 feet at the shoulder when on all fours.
If a black bear is coming toward you, raise your arms to look larger and yell loudly, bang pots together or throw objects to scare it off.
Grab a long, sturdy stick for defense.
If you’re in camp, quickly lock away any food in a bear canister or metal locker, or carry the food with you (even if it’s in a cooking pot) as you back away. It’s important to NOT let a bear get your food.
If the bear keeps coming toward you and seems more interested in your food than you, drop the food as a last resort and move away.
Even if a black bear comes near out of curiosity and seems harmless, keep trying to scare it away and back away.
Grizzly BEAR
Brown/Grizzly Bears have a distinctive shoulder hump, rump is lower than shoulder hump, and ears are short and round. Brown/Grizzly Bears are larger than black bears, standing at 3-5 feet at the shoulder when on all fours.
If a grizzly stands up to look at you, it’s assessing you. Talk to it calmly, do not make eye contact and back up slowly—you don’t want to appear a threat.
If a grizzly does a bluff charge, which looks different from a full-on attack, its ears will be up and it may huff and bound toward you. Try not to panic; stand your ground and talk to the bear to let it know you’re friendly. Get your can of bear spray ready—never turn and run! If the bear turns and retreats after a bluff charge, continue to back up.
BISON
Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. Yellowstone bison are exceptional because they comprise the nation’s largest bison population on public land. Unlike most other herds, this population has thousands of individuals that are allowed to roam relatively freely over the expansive landscape of Yellowstone National Park and some nearby areas of Montana.
Bison may appear tame and relaxed, but they are very unpredictable and contrary to popular belief, they are extremely fast. Like most animals, they do not attack unless provoked, but you do need to be extra cautious as they are extremely erratic in their behavior. While you may really want to get that epic picture of standing next to a bison at Yellowstone National Park, resist the urge. Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal, so avoid close contact and admire from afar. Check out The National Park Service to learn all about how to handle a bison encounter.
ELK
Elk primarily live in western North America, especially in mountainous landscapes such as Wyoming's National Elk Refuge and Yellowstone National Park. Some eastern U.S. states have reintroduced small elk herds into heavily wooded wilderness areas. Source: National Geographic
Elks are not usually aggressive, but they will attack if they feel threatened. View Elk from at least 100 feet away or about two bus lengths. Elk can show anxiety through grinding their teeth or sending their ears back. If you come into an area with an aggressive elk that is following you or approaching you back away slowly. If you see an elk calf, leave it alone. The mother is nearby; female elk rarely abandon their calf. Check out The National Park Service for more facts about Elk.
MOUNTAIN GOAT
The mountain goat is found among the steep and rugged mountains of northwestern North America from Idaho to Washington, through British Columbia and into Southcentral Alaska.
Mountain goats typically shy away from humans. Do keep a distance of at least 50 yards away - that’s half of a football field. If a mountain goat approaches, slowly move away from it to keep a safe distance. If it continues to approach, chase it off by yelling, waving a piece of clothing, or throwing rocks. Mountain Goats can learn to associate people as a source of minerals through our sweat and urine, so if you need to urinate do so away from trail or campsite. Check out the U.S. Forest Service and Hiking for Her for more facts about mountain goals.
