Camping can be a fun and exhilerating 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.

Most importantly you should never store any food in your tent. In fact, never store anything that will give off a food like smell even near your tent. Bears have been known to be attracted to the scent of toothpaste, minty smelling soaps, breath mints, throat lozenges, etc. Plus, keep in mind that when you cook food the smell might stick to the clothes you are wearing. This will attract bears, as well.

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.

One often overlooked piece of advice is to store your food smelling garments appropriately. If you happened to drive to your campground then store these items in your locked car. I have seen a few campgrounds that offer storage bins in order to securely seal your food smelling items. BUt if your deep in the wilderness then all you will need is a tree and about 30 feet of rope. Use the tree and rope to hang your gear for the night. And make sure your tent is at least 50 yards away from the tree, as well.

No trees? No problem! Any established outdoor store will sell bear proof containers for you to store your food smelling items in. These containers will range in price from about $25 - $75 and can be a life saving investment. 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!

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