Camping & Exploring Safety Tips

Spending time in the great outdoors can be very beneficial for the mind, body and spirit. However, it’s also important to care for it while you borrow it from nature. The cliche to take only photos and leave only footprints exists for a reason. And since wildlife can be everywhere these days, it’s important to take them into account when planning an adventure. Humans notoriously do things that can attract wild animals, and animals are just doing what wildlife does–looking for food.

We’ve compiled some tips from our experiences over the years for keeping a clean camp that is safe and enjoyable for everyone. Some may be new to you, some may be good reminders for veteran outdoorsy people.

Food Storage & Prep

Animals have a keen sense of smell and can catch the scent from miles away. We watched a black bear and her cubs ransack an enclosed trailer this summer, and it was latched shut. If you can, prepare food in advance so you only need to heat it up to consume it. Wash containers and dishes quickly, and the less trash you can have, the better.

Vaccuum sealed or containerized food is a great option and sold in most stores with camping sections. They’ve got lots of options that may only need to add water and heat, and some don’t even need that.

Be sure to store food in animal proof containers and away from your sleeping areas. Store it in a locked vehicle or a bear box, whether provided by the campsite or purchase a portable one, to deter them from getting to it. If those aren’t an option, hang it in a tree away from your campsite.

While it may be cute to have that squirrel climb on your leg for a treat, or fascinating to see a bear up close, it can be dangerous. Whether to you, a future human, or to the wildlife. It’s tragic to have to see a wild animal relocated, or worse, euthanized, because it learned to associate humans with food and either lost fear or became aggressive.

Waste

Even the most prepared campers will have some trash. You’ll want to treat this the same as you do food since it can be fragrant and attract animals. Clean it, if you can, then seal it, and keep it away from your camp. Dispose of it whenever you find a responsible place for it.

Fire rings and pits are NOT for trash. It can be harmful not only to the air, but to any food cooked over it, whether that is you or the next camper.

Many trailheads and day use or camping areas will have trash cans that are animal proofed for the wildlife in your area, or you can secure it in your vehicle until you can find a place to toss it.

If there are not toilet facilities where you are camping, be sure to bury your waste at least 6 inches down, and bury waste or urinate at least 200 feet away from a camp or water source.

Pets

Many of us like to take our pets camping, they can enjoy the great outdoors, too! We need to keep them safe, but we also need to keep wildlife safe from them. Be sure to secure their food, just as you would your own. Remember those bears I mentioned? One of the things they made off with was a huge sealed bin of dog food!

You’ll also want to keep them secured unless they are well trained to recall and have your full attention. Wandering off or catching the scent of an animal can be a danger to them, and to the wildlife.

Also, be sure to collect or bury their poop. Yes, wildlife poops in the woods, however, domestic animals can carry bacteria and diseases that can transmit to wildlife that aren’t vaccinated.

Lighting

Visibility at a campsite after dark is important, but it doesn’t need to be lit up like the Vegas Strip. Many campers leave lights on, even when they are tucked inside for the night. Whether it’s a lantern, head lamp, a string of lights, or built in lighting on your vessel, only have them on when you need them, especially if there may be others around you.

If you have color changing LED lights, opt for red to help with night vision, and if it’s adjustable, set it as low as is useful for you. It takes about 20 minutes for eyes to adjust, and you’ll be surprised how much you can see when they do. We have so much light pollution these days, it’s sad how many places we visit that we cannot see stars, even on the clearest nights.

Outdoor Voices

When outdoors, be mindful of your volume, especially if you have a powerful voice. When our sons were young, we taught them the difference between an outside voice and an outdoor voice. Outdoor voices should be at a lower volume and power so as to not disturb the peace of nature to other humans or animals. Unless there’s a safety issue or a distress call, this should be the practice for adults and children.

Exploring

Whether driving into a wild area or forestry service area, or going on a hike, it’s important to head the signs. The trailheads or entries will have signs and guidelines about where to explore and what to watch for. Always be sure to stay on the established trail and pay attention to signs, chains or barricades that may be blocking off sections for restoration or for safety.

Just today we saw someone parked at a boondocking area next to a sign saying it was not a parking spot due to restoration. Luckily, he was friendly when we pointed it out to him and he moved. He hadn’t seen the signs since he was so capitivated by the views, and it previously had been fine to park where he was at.

Signs & Research

Be sure to research the area you plan to camp. Whether an established camping area or back country camping, the forestry services or camp managers will have information to find in advance for what type of wildlife to expect, how to store things, and what safety equipment may be needed.

Be sure to also check the information boards and read signs in the area since websites can be outdated, especially if something comes up suddenly. We stayed at a campground this summer that had to restrict camping to hardsided camping only since bears were tearing up tents and pop up campers searching for food.

Wildlife in Your Camp

If you spend enough time camping, eventually, wildlife will come through your camp. If you keep a clean camp, you may never know it, unless you keep game cameras set up or they wake you. We’ve had squirrels, birds, raccoons, deer, moose and black bear all wander through our camp and move along when there was nothing to find. And we often still talk about whatever it was that trip over our tent’s guy line in the middle of the night on a camping trip in the Massachussetts woods.

Leave it better than you found it

When you arrive at a campsite, do a quick walkaround to ensure that previous campers didn’t leave anything that could be an attractant so it won’t be an issue for you. Keep it clean while you are there, and before leaving, do a quick walkaround. Even in an established campground with a crew that comes around, things can get missed. We make this a practice with our teenager, even keeping track of it for his volunteer hours.

If you have other tips, or some interesting stories, share them with us! We love to learn from others as much as we love sharing.

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