Wilsons Sandbox

If you are camping it is really important to keep food and cooking smells away from your tent and clothing. Sleeping next to an open cooler of food is asking for trouble and not just from bears. Pepper Spray can be effective but can also backfire on you if the wind is in the wrong direction. Hang your food supplies up high using a long tree limb or the racks provided just for that purpose at most bear country campsites. There are pamphlets available regarding bear behaviour and protection that you get when entering the National Park like Banff or Jasper. I think Glacier park has them as well. Some ideas may work others may not...it depends on the bear and the encounter situation. When I go on a back-country hike I carry a "Bear Banger". This is a little pen shaped flare gun that fires colored flares into the air or a loud noise charge that will frighten the daylights out of just about anything. I keep it in very close reach so that I don't have to fumble for it when I need it..never have had to use it yet. I also make a lot of noise and shout out a warning that I am coming every five minutes or so. Keep Punky tied up at night so that he doesn't rustle up a bear then lead it directly back to camp. Hope this helps, Peter B punkynsquirt@... wrote: I am willing to hear some advice on how best to keep me and my Yorkie

> from becoming dinner for a bear or some other wild animal while camping > during my Americas Motopaseo. Feedback please. > > Lew Waterman > Punky & Lew's Americas Motopaseo > Greenacres, Florida > >