(Article #2) How to Bear Proof your camp - Rick Curtis

By:Suryadev.A       2014/10/27

Article Assignment

How to Bear Proof your camp - Rick Curtis

Rating - ****

Bear Proofing is the number one thing you can do to avoid bears, this article shows you how.

People have heard of bear proofing and how it is supposed to keep away bears but how does bear proofing actually work? This article by Rick Curtis shows in detail the different methods to bear proof all of your food and why it is useful to do so. He states that the whole purpose of bear proofing is to minimize odors that will attract bears and to also keep your food and anything that could potentially attract a bear safe. The recommendation is to sleep upwind from your food and kitchen areas so the wind doesn’t push the odors of your food towards you and instead it pushes it away from you. The article also shows you sensible things to do when hanging your food. Make sure the tree you will be using is away from any campsites. You should also use long rope in order to tie it multiple times for guarantee that the food will stay up. You should also try to keep the stuff you are hanging at least 5 metres from the ground and about 3 metres from the tree but before hanging check the branch to see how thick it is so you are sure that it can handle the weight of the food. After you have checked all of this you can either use the Counterbalance method or the Marrison Haul system. Both are similar. If done properly the bear should not be able to reach your food and valuable stuff easily. The author also realizes that not all campsites will have trees nearby so he has also stated that in treeless areas put all of your food in a plastic container that is bear proof. The bears may be able to smell the food but will not be able to open the container to get at it. The last thing the author mentions is to have pepper spray with you. Although your best defense is to not have bear encounters if a bear does get way too close or decides to attack you, you can use the pepper spray as a defense.

This article written by Rick Curtis has increased my knowledge in how to avoid bears and the procedures required to do to make sure your food will be safe after hanged. The article has made me think about how dangerous it can be if you don’t hang your food or if it isn't done properly. If you don’t put away your food than the bear can roam into your campsite which can get quite dangerous if not handled properly. I learned that the you should set up camp upwind from the kitchen and food area. Which is really smart because then the wind will push the odor away from your campsite, I also learned the recommended height the branch should be and how to hang your food properly using one of the procedures. It has inspired me to continue being safe when camping and following all of the safe procedures to stay safe and keep the people with me informed on bear safety. Although the article is extremely detailed and succeeds to provide the necessary information that is required my behaviour will not change much since I barely go camping at all and the only time I see myself going camping in the future is the next outdoor ed camping trip.

Curtis, Rick . "How to Bear Proof Your Camp" OutdoorEd.com. 13 May,2013. 27 October,2014 <https://www.outdoored.com/articles/how-bearproof-your-camp>.