Bear proof ice chest

[Camper_zito]

Hello. I'm new to the forum and for the most part camping. I went camping as a kid with my parents but it's been many years since I have camped. My question is I can't afford one of the super fancy bear proof ice chests. So what do you do with your ice chest at night? Do you tie it up and hang it from a tree? Thanks in advance.

[Happy Joe]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

Mine normally rests in or under the pickup bed, sometimes in the Jeep.
I personally have never had a bear problem ... did have some adult beverages and steaks go missing in Moab one year; (I have seen vids of bears tearing a car apart in search of food... so inside the vehicle or in the vehicle trunk might be a bad idea...
A friend had a bear roll his old metal Coleman ice chest around but the bear didn't get into it (probably a young/inexperienced bear).
There is nothing in the cooler that cannot be replaced easier & cheaper than the vehicle can be fixed!

Enjoy!

[terasec]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

are you talking black bears or brown bears?
personally bear proof or not i wouldnt want something that attracts bears near my camp when sleeping,
if car is nearby, camp is cleaned up and cooler goes in the car,
i never brought a cooler where i hiked any distance from the car so hanging was never an option,
i have no experience with browns, thats a different realm let others chime in on

[toedtoes]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

There are two ways a bear "finds" food. Smell and sight. If the bear can smell the food, he will go for it. If the bear sees something that he has connected to food, he will go for it.

Out here, many bears have connected the sight of a cooler to food. If you put the cooler in the back seat of the car or the truck bed and the bear sees it there, he will do what he has to in order to reach that cooler. If you put the cooler in the trunk of the car or under a tonneau cover in the truck bed, then the bear can't see the cooler, so he doesn't try to reach it.

I've known folks who have had their coolers stolen by bears and I've known folks who have had their cars destroyed by bears looking for food (some have connected cars to food now).

You don't mention where you'll be camping - that can be the deciding factor. In your situation, I would just call the campground service and ask them what they recommend. They'll tell you if hanging the cooler is necessary or not - and any other precautions you should do. And it will ease your mind a lot more than scouring the internet looking for answers.

Oh, and DO NOT watch Night of the Grizzlies the night before your first camping trip - just trust me on this one.

[Camper_zito]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it. I think I remember as a kid we just left the cooler out. But I just thought maybe there's something better your supposed to do.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

Hello. I'm new to the forum and for the most part camping. I went camping as a kid with my parents but it's been many years since I have camped. My question is I can't afford one of the super fancy bear proof ice chests. So what do you do with your ice chest at night? Do you tie it up and hang it from a tree? Thanks in advance.

Haven't had to deal with the concern yet but I guess if I knew there were bears in the area I'd camp where they have bear proof cabinets on site.

[Happy Joe]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

We consider the trip a success if we see a bear... Have never seen a provided bear proof cabinet in person...
Locally we have (hopefully timid) black bears... One of the women that I used to work with chased mama Bruin and her cubs away from the trash with a broom (definitely not recommended).

Enjoy!

[MacGyver]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

Supposedly, the State Forest where we're always camping is black bear country. In 30 some years we've never seen one. It's come down to this: "Man, I'd really like to see a bear out here. Then again, I don't wanna see no bears out here".

[toedtoes]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

The majority of camping I do is in black bear country. Bear proof lockers are the norm here - as well as latching garbage bins. I have not seen a bear, but there was one that came into the campground while I was camping - it found a juice box that some little kid left on the picnic table in their campsite and scared the heck out of the family that night.

My dad had some occasions with bears coming into his campground - once he ended up chasing the bear away with his cooler going along for the ride.

I also had a co-worker who had a run-in with a bear. She had gone to her family's cabin at Tahoe and was in the bedroom when she heard a ruckus outside. She looked out the window and saw a bear at her car. It was pawing at the doors trying to get in. It finally got the door open and climbed inside - unfortunately, the car was parked on an angle (left side higher than right side) and when he climbed in through the left door, it slammed shut behind him. She called the rangers and they all stood around watching and saying "I'm not going to open that door!" The bear finally managed to hit the right side door just right and it opened and he went racing off into the night. Her car was totaled - insurance company had a field day with that claim.

So I take my bear precautions pretty seriously and follow the rules of the campground/forest.

[tplife]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

We camp in black bear country, see them occasionally at a distance (outside of campgrounds), and NEVER keep food in our cars. Bears can smell through cans, just like dogs can, and will shred your vehicle to get food. Keep food out of your car and if not using a bearproof container or bear locker, place your cooler on a picnic table with a rock or log on your cooler (or a strap like we do) to keep the raccoons out and the bears from bothering us or our cars. Don't be this guy!

[Irate Mormon]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

Supposedly, the State Forest where we're always camping is black bear country. In 30 some years we've never seen one. It's come down to this: "Man, I'd really like to see a bear out here. Then again, I don't wanna see no bears out here".

"Let me tell you somethin' for nothin: There ain't no bears in there. "

[James.]

Re: Bear proof ice chest

My older brother and I were out squirel hunting with his son a year ago and he (my brother) saw a bear. We just turned and walked in the other direction and the bear did the same. That was the only time I have ever seen a bear outside the zoo.....and I technically didn't even see it.

I don't do anything special with my cooler. It usually stays next to the chuck box and grill.