I am wondering if...
#21
02-28-2012, 02:55 AM
Grand Champion
Wow, thanks. And you're welcome!
You're probably not going to work anywhere near hard enough at it to make a bear want you dead. If you're going old school, though, be aware that to a bear clicking noises are perceived as threatening so don't use an autowinder or even rapidly cycle a manual film advance where he can hear it. He'll think you're clicking your teeth at him and in bear speak that's an ultimatum: get gone or get bit.
Bears generally aren't much of a problem and if you're smart about wandering around in bear country you'll be just fine. The more worrisome critters are rabid skunks, raccoons, and foxes, all small enough that a .22LR pistol will dispatch them handily if they're close enough to be a worry. All are rare enough (being rabid, that is) that if you don't live full-time in critter country you're highly unlikely to ever see one. Skunks generally don't worry too much about who's nearby because nothing in its right mind tangles with a skunk, and they'll warn you and warn you and warn you some more before letting you have it, so the fact that one's about isn't in and of itself cause for concern. If the skunk isn't behaving very strangely (turning circles, flitting about, growling at nothing) it's best to just let it be. Raccoons are just salty little dudes all the time anyway, so the fact that one's hissing and growling at you doesn't mean he's rabid. Momma raccoons are real bitches about if if you get between them and their babies, too. They behave like you'd expect a momma bear to behave, only pissier. (Here come the FraudBoy jokes!). Anyway, if there are no kits about and the grumpy raccoon doesn't split when you hurl a chair or some other large object at it, then it's time to consider poking holes in it. It's not uncommon for foxes in NP's to come skulking around at night, or in the desert for kit foxes to sneak right up and sniff your face while you're sleeping outdoors -- if they don't scare off easily, think about maybe poking holes in them.
Oh, yeah: Of all the NP's, Yosemite has the biggest problem with park bums and opportunistic hillbillies so don't leave valuable stuff unattended there or it might end up in a Fresno pawn shop. The park bums will help themselves to your food while they're at it, but the locals generally don't get into the foodstuffs unless you've left liquor handy. In/near both Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic you want to be careful not to encroach on any cannabis growing operations, but they're generally not too close to heavy tourist traffic. Get too close to one that's protected by the feds and you'll not be telling your grandkids about it. At Grand Canyon, the other tourists will get yer stuff on the rim so lock it all up (even your tent) before you go down. Once in the canyon you can pretty much just leave your stuff out if you're not near the heavily traveled trails. I've not heard of any other routine trouble at other western NP's.
Taking a vacation and not inviting your truck along. Seems unnatural.
Either way, go have a good time, share some adventure stories and pictures with the rest of us, and if you find yourself in my neck of the woods with some time to spare drop in for a drink or two. I might even feed ya.
You're probably not going to work anywhere near hard enough at it to make a bear want you dead. If you're going old school, though, be aware that to a bear clicking noises are perceived as threatening so don't use an autowinder or even rapidly cycle a manual film advance where he can hear it. He'll think you're clicking your teeth at him and in bear speak that's an ultimatum: get gone or get bit.
Bears generally aren't much of a problem and if you're smart about wandering around in bear country you'll be just fine. The more worrisome critters are rabid skunks, raccoons, and foxes, all small enough that a .22LR pistol will dispatch them handily if they're close enough to be a worry. All are rare enough (being rabid, that is) that if you don't live full-time in critter country you're highly unlikely to ever see one. Skunks generally don't worry too much about who's nearby because nothing in its right mind tangles with a skunk, and they'll warn you and warn you and warn you some more before letting you have it, so the fact that one's about isn't in and of itself cause for concern. If the skunk isn't behaving very strangely (turning circles, flitting about, growling at nothing) it's best to just let it be. Raccoons are just salty little dudes all the time anyway, so the fact that one's hissing and growling at you doesn't mean he's rabid. Momma raccoons are real bitches about if if you get between them and their babies, too. They behave like you'd expect a momma bear to behave, only pissier. (Here come the FraudBoy jokes!). Anyway, if there are no kits about and the grumpy raccoon doesn't split when you hurl a chair or some other large object at it, then it's time to consider poking holes in it. It's not uncommon for foxes in NP's to come skulking around at night, or in the desert for kit foxes to sneak right up and sniff your face while you're sleeping outdoors -- if they don't scare off easily, think about maybe poking holes in them.
Oh, yeah: Of all the NP's, Yosemite has the biggest problem with park bums and opportunistic hillbillies so don't leave valuable stuff unattended there or it might end up in a Fresno pawn shop. The park bums will help themselves to your food while they're at it, but the locals generally don't get into the foodstuffs unless you've left liquor handy. In/near both Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic you want to be careful not to encroach on any cannabis growing operations, but they're generally not too close to heavy tourist traffic. Get too close to one that's protected by the feds and you'll not be telling your grandkids about it. At Grand Canyon, the other tourists will get yer stuff on the rim so lock it all up (even your tent) before you go down. Once in the canyon you can pretty much just leave your stuff out if you're not near the heavily traveled trails. I've not heard of any other routine trouble at other western NP's.
Taking a vacation and not inviting your truck along. Seems unnatural.
Either way, go have a good time, share some adventure stories and pictures with the rest of us, and if you find yourself in my neck of the woods with some time to spare drop in for a drink or two. I might even feed ya.
#22
02-28-2012, 05:32 PM
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Wow, thanks. And you're welcome!
You're probably not going to work anywhere near hard enough at it to make a bear want you dead. If you're going old school, though, be aware that to a bear clicking noises are perceived as threatening so don't use an autowinder or even rapidly cycle a manual film advance where he can hear it. He'll think you're clicking your teeth at him and in bear speak that's an ultimatum: get gone or get bit.
Bears generally aren't much of a problem and if you're smart about wandering around in bear country you'll be just fine. The more worrisome critters are rabid skunks, raccoons, and foxes, all small enough that a .22LR pistol will dispatch them handily if they're close enough to be a worry. All are rare enough (being rabid, that is) that if you don't live full-time in critter country you're highly unlikely to ever see one. Skunks generally don't worry too much about who's nearby because nothing in its right mind tangles with a skunk, and they'll warn you and warn you and warn you some more before letting you have it, so the fact that one's about isn't in and of itself cause for concern. If the skunk isn't behaving very strangely (turning circles, flitting about, growling at nothing) it's best to just let it be. Raccoons are just salty little dudes all the time anyway, so the fact that one's hissing and growling at you doesn't mean he's rabid. Momma raccoons are real bitches about if if you get between them and their babies, too. They behave like you'd expect a momma bear to behave, only pissier. (Here come the FraudBoy jokes!). Anyway, if there are no kits about and the grumpy raccoon doesn't split when you hurl a chair or some other large object at it, then it's time to consider poking holes in it. It's not uncommon for foxes in NP's to come skulking around at night, or in the desert for kit foxes to sneak right up and sniff your face while you're sleeping outdoors -- if they don't scare off easily, think about maybe poking holes in them.
Oh, yeah: Of all the NP's, Yosemite has the biggest problem with park bums and opportunistic hillbillies so don't leave valuable stuff unattended there or it might end up in a Fresno pawn shop. The park bums will help themselves to your food while they're at it, but the locals generally don't get into the foodstuffs unless you've left liquor handy. In/near both Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic you want to be careful not to encroach on any cannabis growing operations, but they're generally not too close to heavy tourist traffic. Get too close to one that's protected by the feds and you'll not be telling your grandkids about it. At Grand Canyon, the other tourists will get yer stuff on the rim so lock it all up (even your tent) before you go down. Once in the canyon you can pretty much just leave your stuff out if you're not near the heavily traveled trails. I've not heard of any other routine trouble at other western NP's.
Taking a vacation and not inviting your truck along. Seems unnatural. Either way, go have a good time, share some adventure stories and pictures with the rest of us, and if you find yourself in my neck of the woods with some time to spare drop in for a drink or two. I might even feed ya.
You're probably not going to work anywhere near hard enough at it to make a bear want you dead. If you're going old school, though, be aware that to a bear clicking noises are perceived as threatening so don't use an autowinder or even rapidly cycle a manual film advance where he can hear it. He'll think you're clicking your teeth at him and in bear speak that's an ultimatum: get gone or get bit.
Bears generally aren't much of a problem and if you're smart about wandering around in bear country you'll be just fine. The more worrisome critters are rabid skunks, raccoons, and foxes, all small enough that a .22LR pistol will dispatch them handily if they're close enough to be a worry. All are rare enough (being rabid, that is) that if you don't live full-time in critter country you're highly unlikely to ever see one. Skunks generally don't worry too much about who's nearby because nothing in its right mind tangles with a skunk, and they'll warn you and warn you and warn you some more before letting you have it, so the fact that one's about isn't in and of itself cause for concern. If the skunk isn't behaving very strangely (turning circles, flitting about, growling at nothing) it's best to just let it be. Raccoons are just salty little dudes all the time anyway, so the fact that one's hissing and growling at you doesn't mean he's rabid. Momma raccoons are real bitches about if if you get between them and their babies, too. They behave like you'd expect a momma bear to behave, only pissier. (Here come the FraudBoy jokes!). Anyway, if there are no kits about and the grumpy raccoon doesn't split when you hurl a chair or some other large object at it, then it's time to consider poking holes in it. It's not uncommon for foxes in NP's to come skulking around at night, or in the desert for kit foxes to sneak right up and sniff your face while you're sleeping outdoors -- if they don't scare off easily, think about maybe poking holes in them.
Oh, yeah: Of all the NP's, Yosemite has the biggest problem with park bums and opportunistic hillbillies so don't leave valuable stuff unattended there or it might end up in a Fresno pawn shop. The park bums will help themselves to your food while they're at it, but the locals generally don't get into the foodstuffs unless you've left liquor handy. In/near both Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic you want to be careful not to encroach on any cannabis growing operations, but they're generally not too close to heavy tourist traffic. Get too close to one that's protected by the feds and you'll not be telling your grandkids about it. At Grand Canyon, the other tourists will get yer stuff on the rim so lock it all up (even your tent) before you go down. Once in the canyon you can pretty much just leave your stuff out if you're not near the heavily traveled trails. I've not heard of any other routine trouble at other western NP's.
Taking a vacation and not inviting your truck along. Seems unnatural.
Either way, go have a good time, share some adventure stories and pictures with the rest of us, and if you find yourself in my neck of the woods with some time to spare drop in for a drink or two. I might even feed ya.Again, thank you, you have given me a lot to think about and ideas of what to prepare for ! I am less worried now. What I have heard from everyone is just use a healthy dose of common sense.
#23
02-28-2012, 11:51 PM
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I have some advice about Dodge trucks and bears. I worked as a wildland firefighter with the Forest Service for several years. Around 99-2000 I was in Cimmarron, New Mexico on a large fire they had out there. Being it was so dry, the bears had less forage, berries, campers, and what not to eat. We were told to be especially careful because the hungry bears had become more "opportunistic" feeders. The story going around was that on the day prior to the be careful with bears speech, a Forest Svc employee had left his Ram unattended with the door open and his lunch in the truck. When the guy came back, he discovered the bear in the cab, shut the door with the bear inside, and ran. I didn't get to see the truck, but others told me bears don't waste time looking for door handles. So, for the advice part, don't do that. Lol