Keep A Clean Camp To Avoid Conflicts With Bears

With summer camping season in full swing, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game cautions campers that most conflicts with bears are linked to careless handling of food or garbage. Most conflicts can be avoided by practicing the following: 1. Keep a clean camp. Pick up garbage and store it in a closed vehicle or in a plastic bag tied high on a tree limb. Store all food enclosed in an airtight container, camper or vehicle. Never have food in your tent. 2. Do not bury food scraps or pour cooking grease or anything that might be tasty on the ground or into the fire pit. Bears have a tremendous sense of smell and they will come looking for an easy meal. 3. If you observe a bear, watch it from a distance and leave it alone. Black bears are not usually aggressive, but the danger may increase as a bear loses its fear of humans. Most bear complaints occur in August, but with the dry forest conditions bear problems can begin earlier in the summer. In the past month, Fish and Game has relocated several young bears that have become accustomed to living off trash and scraps left by campers and even homeowners. "Anyone who leaves food out is actually baiting in hungry bears," said Mark Rhodes, conservation officer based in Orofino. "Once bears get used to finding an easy food source, they keep coming back and problems will occur." Black bears eat almost anything, including human food, garbage, birdseed, and pet and livestock food when available. Bears that become conditioned to raiding human food sources can lose their natural aversion to people and become nuisances or threats.