Bear Safety Tips While Camping

Camping can be a fun and exhilarating experience, but at the same time it can be very dangerous. One of those dangers is bears. This article will explain a few of the most important precautions to exercise so you can have a safe and fun camping trip.

The number one rule to follow is to never, under any circumstance, store food in or near your tent. This also includes any items that may smell like food. Toothpaste, lozenges and breath mints have all been known to attract bears. And don't forget that when cooking, your clothes can absorb food like smells.

Camp Kitchen

You will want to setup a kitchen area that is at least 50 yards away from your tent. Pay attention to the wind direction when setting up your kitchen area as well. You will want to make sure this area is downwind from your sleeping area. And just remember to do all of your cooking, cleaning, and hanging out in the kitchen area. I like to designate one set of clothes to sleep in and change into them in this area.

Always make sure your food smelling items are stored properly. If your car is located near by it is a good idea to lock these items in the trunk of your car. Many campgrounds now offer storage bins to safely store your food smelling items. When you are deep in the country camping and you have no access to a storage bin or car, then all you will need is a tree and about 25 feet of rope. This way you can safely hang your gear in the tree for the night.

If for whatever reason there is no trees in the area you plan on camping in, there is bear proof canisters that you can purchase to store the food smelling items. These typically range from - and can be found at most outdoor stores. This is also an easier alternative to hanging your food from a tree. Keep in mind that you still want to leave the container in your kitchen area, and not in your sleeping area. While the container might be bear proof, it's not a chance you want to take.

So next time you decide to camp in bear country just exercise a little caution and you will have a safe camping trip!

Bear Safety Tips While Camping

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Safety Tips in Making a Campfire

People say that camping is not really camping without a campfire. Camp fires serve as the ultimate symbol of camping out. It is the center of attention when cooking outdoors or having camping outdoor activities at night. Undeniably, the pleasure of building a camp fire brings much delight to every camper - newbie and avid campers alike. However, despite the fun it brings, campfires can be really dangerous. That is why you should always take precautionary measures in setting them up.

a. If you are setting your camp in a popular camp site, look for a campfire pit. If your campsite has been used by many campers before, there is a high chance that a campfire pit already exists. As such, you won't have to worry about preparing the grounds for a safe camp fire.

Camp Kitchen

b. If your camp site is relatively new or if the last camp on your site is a month ago, then the task of setting up a fire pit lies on you. Building a fire pit is not really that easy. It requires very important steps that you should follow in order to ensure that the camp fire will be safe. In creating the pit, you can start by digging the soil up to 3 feet. Place some rocks around the fire pit. Make sure that there is no dried debris around it. When setting the actual campfire, place the combustible debris inside the pit. Keep in mind that if you fail to place the debris properly, they might fly out of the fire pit and cause a debris blow out.

c. All of the burning materials for the camp fire should be placed inside the pit area and inside the rocks that you arranged. The arrangement of the materials play a vital role in making sure that your fire will light up faster and that debris will not fly out of the pit. Make sure that you place all of the light materials first. After the lighter materials, place dry woods, and then the coal.

d. When setting up your camping kitchen, make sure that it is not near your camp fire pit. Avoid setting your fire pit near dried trees or hanging vines as well. This way, you can avoid causing a blow out or a forest fire the moment some of your burning debris flies out of the fire pit area.

e. When setting your camp fire, keep a handy water bucket or sand bag near you. In case the fire blows out, you can use these to stop the fire from spreading. These natural fire extinguishers are much preferable camp sites because gas fire extinguishers can cause a big wood blow out.

f. Do not leave your campfire unattended. Before you leave the campsite, make sure that you completely put off the fire and the flame. Also, if you leave the campsite, never leave any campfire ingredient such as dry woods, coal, or debris near the camp fire pit. Maintain a distance of at least 1 meter from the campfire ingredients to the fire pit.

Safety Tips in Making a Campfire

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