Respect Wildlife
When you visit the national forests, know what to do when you see a bear. This BearWise Outdoors flyer can help protect bears and yourself.
Bears by nature are opportunists. In the wild, they will feed on whatever is readily available. Food odors and improperly stored garbage will attract bears to campgrounds and picnic sites. Bears become used to human food if it is readily available. Although they are naturally afraid of humans, bears lose this fear as they begin to associate human scents with the reward of food. Black bears can become a threat to humans, property, and themselves—a pattern that normally ends with injury or death. Protect yourself and protect the black bears by storing trash and food in safe locations when you visit a national forest.
- Keep a clean camp
- Don't burn food scraps or trash in your fire ring or grill
- Do not store food, trash, clothes worn while cooking or toiletries in your tent. Follow the Forest Bear Food Storage Order
- Never spray your tent, campsite or belongings with bear spray.
In the Backcountry
- Set up camp away from dense cover and natural food sources
- cook at least 100 yards from your tent (downwind if possible)
- Suspend "bear attractants" 12 feet off the ground and 6 feet away from any part of the tree