alaska, pop ups and bears

[JRS907]

I'm excited to order a new FWC soon, as my old Northstar pop up is falling apart. Enjoying my the favorite spots where you cannot take a motorhome is a fun adventure. Most tourists will never see backcountry Alaska. I have see a few comments from hard side RVers about bears and feeling unsafe in pop ups. Has anybody ever had an animal try to get in their camper? I've seen photos of bears rip open cars and hard side RVs, but not a truck camper. I have never felt unsafe in a truck camper, ever. I have had brown bears run through my camp, but pay no attention to me or the camper. I do carry my .454 casull with me, for safety camping and hiking. I've had problems with 2 legged creatures but not animals. Anybody been invaded by critters? Mountain lions, bears, raccoons, chupacabra?

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Like the thread on "gray water when camping" reply's. IMO the best thing is a clean camp.Don't leave anything out to attract the critters,large or small.

Haven't heard about problems with campers.
Seems like most of those are in "real" campgrounds where there are campers who don't think or forget about leaving stuff out.

Check out that thread it might help.
Frank

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Been in many backcountry places in Alaska with the Hawk. Just got back from bear hunting up there (my home state), no issues at all. Biggest issues is condensation, but that can be reduced by keeping the heat way down low and putting long underwear on while inside and sleeping. I'll post up a photo when I get home. Nowadays, zombies are way more of a concern than chupacabras...

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Gotta watch out for those Zombies.
Does wolf bane or a cross work on them?
Frank

 

[craig333]

I've had more problems with small critters, birds and squirrels getting into stuff than anything else.

 

[Kispiox]

I do not know about zombies but spent about three months fishing around Forks, WA last year and had no problem with vampires. I posted some bear blog on the grey water thread that Casa mentioned. As for mold,... It has started showing up in the corners of my headliner and the edges in some places too. I keep the heat low, and dry out often but still have a problem. Anyone know how to kill it without damaging the headliner?

As for guns and bears. I have no problem wih guns and well trained myself. I do really believe that bear spray is a better deterrent. A shotgun is really the only firearm that will break down a bear before it kills you. With anything else unless you are real lucky it will probably bleed out after you are dead. Bears have a skull shaped like a funnel and their heads bounce a couple of feet when they charge so a COC shot is almost impossible. If you shoot a bear in AK there will be a thorough CSI type investigation and you had better have called it right or you are going to jail and fined up the wazoo. You had better be cool customer to figure out a false charge from the real thing. My advice is to read a good book on the subject. The first rule of self defense is not placing yourself in a position where you need to defend. The same is true with bears. Boat horns, whistles, bells and The Rodeo Song to let them know your coming. Buy bear bangers when in Canada, but I think a boat horn is better. Keep the site clean and have some bear spray handy but if you do the other you won't need it.

 

[Kispiox]

The zombies I'm referring to are sadly taking over many of our cities, and Anchorage is just as bad! Meth-Zombies... they're the worst.
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Roger that!!! I'd rather deal with a Gizzly. They are more predictable,.. Now there is cause to carry.

 

[JRS907]

I wasn't really wanting a firearm discussion, mostly if anyone has heard of breakins with a pop up. It sounds mostly a myth

 

[Kispiox]

I wasn't really wanting a firearm discussion, mostly if anyone has heard of breakins with a pop up. It sounds mostly a myth

I have spent quite a lot of time in BC and AK Grizzly country. I have never heard of them preying on pop-ups. I have never even seen a track sniffing around my greywater, nor has anyone else polled over on that thread. Here is a link to the grey water discussion. http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/9450-gray-water-container-in-national-parks/page-3#entry106708 Be prudent and enjoy yourself. Bears are cool, get a good book. Watch the movie The Grizzly Man then ask yourself if you would ever be as reckless and stupid as that smoked up trendy idiot. After watching it If the answer is no then go have fun.

 

[Kispiox]

Kilroy, thanks for the link. That's pretty amazing. I don't know much about bison but understand they can bust up a car if they decide to.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

That link was too cool.
Bison can be much more of a problem that bears.
Guess we need to get a pet Bison to keep the bears away.
Thanks for this thread.
Frank