Even those who don't live in strictly rural areas have become aware in recent years that there's been significantly more black bear activity in many parts of the country. Black bear sightings have even been occurring in residential neighborhoods with some regularity. If you're planning a picnic, you may be wondering how you can minimize the chances of a picnic-prowling black bear making off with your basketful of goodies. Although nothing is completely foolproof when it comes to bears, strategies exist for preventing your picnic from attracting their attention. Here's what you should do:
Don't Pack Excess Food
The old Yogi and Boo Boo cartoons contain a great deal of truth -- the contents of picnic baskets act as major attractants to bears. However, it's almost unheard of for a bear to approach a picnic table where people are eating. The problems generally come after the meal is when picnickers are walking in the woods, relaxing in a cool stream, or otherwise enjoying the area. Bears see this as an opportunity to help themselves to whatever food is left over.
You can minimize the amount of leftovers you'll have by asking your local deli to prepare a basket containing yummy picnic items such as cold deli sandwiches, individual containers of potato salad, individual servings of dessert and just enough cold fried chicken to feed everyone in your group. Individual portions mean less leftovers. Bear in mind that even a few crumbs can attract a hungry bear, so clean up thoroughly, place any leftovers in Ziplock bags, and put them in a hard-sided cooler in your vehicle unless you happen to be picnicking in an area that offers bear lockers for food storage or bear-proof trash cans. Never leave anything on the picnic table.
As an added benefit, you're not in the kitchen preparing for the picnic and will therefore be more relaxed and happy when the time comes to enjoy the meal and the company of your companions
Schedule for Midday
Black bears are most active in the hours around dawn and dusk. Naturally, you aren't going to schedule a picnic for daybreak, but be careful not to linger until dusk at afternoon and early evening picnics. Keep in mind, though, that they may still make an appearance at midday, particularly in the spring when they're foraging for food after a lean winter.
Go Scentless
Black bears have amazing olfactory powers, and that dusting of powder under your T-shirt that provides a soft, sweet smell is going to provide a signal to a hungry bear that the berries are ripe for the picking or that there's a honey hive in the vicinity. Same thing goes with your deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, or any other body products you might usually wear. To a bear, sweet smells mean something good to eat is nearby, so opt for the unscented options when you're getting ready for your day.
For more help with planning your picnic, contact a company like Cogman's Creek .
Share2 August 2017
Hello everyone, my name is Jorgio Aislen. I would love to share my knowledge about specialty foods on this site. I have traveled all around the world, sampling each region's ingredients on their own and prepared in exotic meals. I would like to talk about the various ways these foods are prepared and presented. I will also discuss the nutritional values of foods found in each region. I hope you will visit my site on a regular basis to increase your knowledge of specialty food ingredients. I will update often to keep everyone informed about this interesting subject. Please feel free to visit often.
