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Date:         Sat, 14 Feb 2004 09:20:39 -0800
Reply-To:     David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject:      Re: RoadHaus - Bear Country Precautions
Comments: To: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <005101c3f308$a02df440$1edd91a6@laptop>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Larry and the list, My experience living in bear country indicates there are two kinds of bears. City bears and country bears. City bears are basically glorified garbage dump rats and these are the most dangerous as they associate humans with food and they are *not* afraid of you. Unfortunately this is the type of bears most of us see and these can be very dangerous bears because they have no fear of humans (see the movie "The Great Outdoors"). I had a 2 year old sow around the property this summer, she was looking for apples from our apple tree (I and my neighbours was a source of food). She was certainly not afraid of me or my Boarder Collie who would always bark her fool hear off at the bear. I though I would tolerate her and in a few days she would be gone. I came home from town one afternoon and while I was walking my two children to the house the bear came walking towards us and was huffing and puffing aggressively. I got the kids in the house and called the conservation officer for advice. They told me to destroy the bear myself or they would come by in the next few days and to it themselves. The bear was still around the house and I went outside with a 20ga shot gun and a pocket full of slugs. I figured I would be a little more brave and see if I could encourage the bear to leave by firing a shot into the air. Instead it sort of looked at me like "I'm not afraid, ya wanna piece of me punk!?" and went on walking slowly towards me. The bear didn't like what I did next. This is my big bad encounter with a bear - at my house and not in the back country. Back country bears, real back country - not bears near established campgrounds or parks and other places where humans frequent, but real back country bears are pretty safe unless you totally invade their space. I seldom see a bear in the back country, as soon as they see us they're gone as they know humans are bad news and not considered a source of food - with that in mind - DON'T FEED THE BEARS OR LEAVE GARBAGE BEHIND. The only time when you are in danger is if you sneak up on one - no one would (I hope) purposely do that, but when you are on a nice and peaceful walk you could just happen to go around the next bend and be right next to a bear - we'll you are now in the bear's personal space (they do need more than us) and it will protect itself by doing nasty things to you. Best thing to do in the outback is make noise why you go for a walk and make sure your dog doesn't get to far ahead. Bears and dogs don't like each other and once your dog pisses off a bear and decides 'help' it will run back to you with a POed bear right behind it. Take bear bells or a small bike horn and make yourself known in bear country - you'll never see a bear and really that is a good thing - make your dog wear a bell too. I never take a fire arm camping, but I do have a canister of bear spray which is basically industrial strength pepper spray in the BIG bottle format (coke can size) - that's it. The most important thing is knowing how to tell the difference between Black bear and Grizzly bear droppings. Black bears have little droppings with little berries in it, Grizzly bears have bigger droppings with bear bells and it smells like pepper! In short, treat all bears like city bears, don't be a source of food, don't leave anything behind when you are back country camping.

David Marshall

Fast Forward Automotive Inc. 4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3

http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160

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-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf Of Larry Chase Sent: February 14, 2004 6:41 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: RoadHaus - Bear Country Precautions

John,

First of all .... Thank you taking the time to email and offer encouragement.

Notes like this provide a great deal of inspiration and motivation to keep on trucking :)

Secondly, you bring up a very good point and one of concern.

This past year I've traveled from Baja, Mexico to Chicken, Alaska, much of the Yukon, BC and parts of Alberta.

Any much of it has been in wild back country rather than developed campgrounds.

As you can imagine, I've been in a fair amount of bear country.

"be sure to keep anything that might attract Yogi & company (that includes scented stuff like deodorant) well away from the RoadHaus,"

That has posed a real problem ....

When one is traveling and living fulltime in one of these rigs, you end up with stuff stashed into every available nock and cranny.

Reality ... it's darn near impossible to remove everything each night that might attract one of these noble beasts.

Of course I do sensible things like not Popping the Top and not leaving trash and such outside.

I've talked with a fair amount of Rangers and Outdoors people about what to do.

In short ... I have not identified the perfect solution.

What I do.

1. Put out an outside spot light that can be turned on from inside the Van. - Will scare away some critters when turned on

2. Keep my Car Alarm Remote handy so I can activate the ear Piercing Alarm. - Will scare away some critters when turned on

3. Keep the Van ready for a quick getaway in the middle of the night. - Keys in the ignition and pointed at a good evacuation route

Other that those things, I'm a little stumped.

Suggestions most welcome.

Larry Chase Email: RoadGuy@RoadHaus.com Web: WWW.RoadHaus.com Cell: 408.202.1217 What: North American Road Trip How: RoadHaus - 1990 White VW Westfalia Syncro Today: Florida

-----Original Message----- From: John F. Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2004 2:26 AM To: Larry Chase Subject: Re: Antifreeze and pests and pets

Clipped >>>>

Anyhow, just wanted to drop one quick note. Living near bear country as

I do (Yosemite, CA), be careful stashing food and any other scented items that may attract critters inside of the van. Nutria are harmless enough, and their maneuvering for your foodstuffs makes for great storytelling. But animals of greater capacity are just as intersted in what you might have stuffed away and won't stop at just scurrying up the

side of the van to get at things. If you're ever in bear country, be sure to keep anything that might attract Yogi & company (that includes scented stuff like deodorant) well away from the RoadHaus, or you might get an uninvited (albeit furry and warm) visitor.

<<<< Clipped


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