Wanderer
Elite Member
Has anyone ever tried putting up an electric fence around a campsite to keep out critters? Any chance it would deter a bear?
Question for wilderness campers
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No it would probably not deter a bear. We have electric fence around our horse fields and occasionally the horses still run through it. You have to teach animals (horses) to have a healthy respect for the electric fence. I don't think a battery operated fence would get enough juice thru all that bear hair.
TGorman
Member
If you're so concerned about bears that you want to rig an electric fence, I'd suggest to just find a Holiday Inn. Not trying to be flippant, but really no need to put yourself in that much stress. Camping/riding should be enjoyable, if you're that fearful, it will ruin your nights sleep.
Just pack all your food stuff in sealed containers and leave it in your luggage and park your bike away from your tent. Bears/critters will be after your food, no you.
Just pack all your food stuff in sealed containers and leave it in your luggage and park your bike away from your tent. Bears/critters will be after your food, no you.
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Hyperborea
Member
Don't do that. You might lose the bike and be stuck somewhere you can't easily get out of. I had a co-worker leave food in the car at Yosemite and they lost the back door of their car. The bear ripped it open to get at a granola bar.
Might want to hang the food on a rope from a high branch. That's what I was taught as a Boy Scout.
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Unless you are camping in an area that is known for lots of people + (assumed Black Bears?) Bear interaction, or you deliberately ignore the basic rules:
- no food in or around your tent at night while you are sleeping
- hang the food and other food-like smelling things (don't keep clothes that have greasy or spilled food on them with you) in a bag from a tree branch up out of reach
- don't set up camp in the middle of an obvious game trail or where evidence of fresh activity is seen, or right next to a wild berry bush/fruit tree, or on a flat at a creek/river bed where there is easy access to fish for bears
- don't smear bbq sauce on yourself before bedtime (don't laugh, wash yourself well before bedding down, lol)
I would say you don't really have to resort to electric fences to keep bears away. Depending where you are, other thieving little furry/feathered buggers may be much more of a bother, and unless the fence is pretty fine, they will get through if determined, I would imagine.
Being born and raised in mega bear country (Northern Coastal BC) I fear mostly these things in this order:
-Moose, highway
-Deer, highway
-Bison, highway (Eastern, Northern)
-Sheep, highway
-Random object/furred/feathered/armoured/scaled critter, highway
-Rockslides
-Snowslides
-Idiots with guns, drunk
-Idiots with guns, not drunk
-Idiot teenagers with guns
-Idiots in pickups/cars/ATV's, drunk
-Idiots in pickups/cars/ATV's, not drunk
-Hunters, not drunk
-Hornets/Wasps/Yellow Jackets/Black Widow spiders/Ticks/Blackflies/Mosquitoes
-Moose, off road, pissed at you
-Cattle, off road
-Horses, off road
-Skunks
-Rutting Bucks (Deer)
-Mountain Lions
-Grizzly Bears
-Porcupines
-Wolves
-Black Bears
-Beavers
-Rattle snakes (South Central region)
Honourable mention, no fear per se; just annoyance lol
-Crows
-Raccoons
-Skwirls!
-Chipmunks
-Unseen Poison Ivy/Devil's Club/Thistle/Thorns/Blackberry bushes/Jumping Cactus (South Central region)
-Whiskey Jacks (I like the damned things, but they are pesky little cute moochers that will steal food right out of your hand or off your plate)
As you see, Bears are pretty low on my worry scale. They get the headlines on the news and in lots of people's imaginations, but in reality? In 53 years of living, any I've personally encountered have utterly ignored you if you keep your distance, or run like the dickens when (accidently) approached, and I've never had one wreck my stuff.
Maybe it's a completely different story everywhere else in the world though, so all of the things listed could take on a different order, where you plan to go.
- no food in or around your tent at night while you are sleeping
- hang the food and other food-like smelling things (don't keep clothes that have greasy or spilled food on them with you) in a bag from a tree branch up out of reach
- don't set up camp in the middle of an obvious game trail or where evidence of fresh activity is seen, or right next to a wild berry bush/fruit tree, or on a flat at a creek/river bed where there is easy access to fish for bears
- don't smear bbq sauce on yourself before bedtime (don't laugh, wash yourself well before bedding down, lol)
I would say you don't really have to resort to electric fences to keep bears away. Depending where you are, other thieving little furry/feathered buggers may be much more of a bother, and unless the fence is pretty fine, they will get through if determined, I would imagine.
Being born and raised in mega bear country (Northern Coastal BC) I fear mostly these things in this order:
-Moose, highway
-Deer, highway
-Bison, highway (Eastern, Northern)
-Sheep, highway
-Random object/furred/feathered/armoured/scaled critter, highway
-Rockslides
-Snowslides
-Idiots with guns, drunk
-Idiots with guns, not drunk
-Idiot teenagers with guns
-Idiots in pickups/cars/ATV's, drunk
-Idiots in pickups/cars/ATV's, not drunk
-Hunters, not drunk
-Hornets/Wasps/Yellow Jackets/Black Widow spiders/Ticks/Blackflies/Mosquitoes
-Moose, off road, pissed at you
-Cattle, off road
-Horses, off road
-Skunks
-Rutting Bucks (Deer)
-Mountain Lions
-Grizzly Bears
-Porcupines
-Wolves
-Black Bears
-Beavers
-Rattle snakes (South Central region)
Honourable mention, no fear per se; just annoyance lol
-Crows
-Raccoons
-Skwirls!
-Chipmunks
-Unseen Poison Ivy/Devil's Club/Thistle/Thorns/Blackberry bushes/Jumping Cactus (South Central region)
-Whiskey Jacks (I like the damned things, but they are pesky little cute moochers that will steal food right out of your hand or off your plate)
As you see, Bears are pretty low on my worry scale. They get the headlines on the news and in lots of people's imaginations, but in reality? In 53 years of living, any I've personally encountered have utterly ignored you if you keep your distance, or run like the dickens when (accidently) approached, and I've never had one wreck my stuff.
Maybe it's a completely different story everywhere else in the world though, so all of the things listed could take on a different order, where you plan to go.
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TGorman
Member
How am I supposed to hang my bike up from tree? lol just kidding. Yes I stand corrected, hang the food.
I'm trying to remember if I ever saw a high branch in the Far North.
Use the listed precautions and don't worry about bears. Instead, worry about mosquitos. I came back from Alaska / Yukon / NWT with a full unused bottle of bear spray and two empty bottles of DEET.
Wanderer
Elite Member
It's not so much that I'm worried about bears. I've tent-camped in Yellowstone and Yosemite. Just curious.
Wildfire
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Bear fences work but I would rather just do a bear hang if a tree is available. Or put pots and pans over the food container to wake you up when the bear starts rummaging around your stuff. Don't leave the food on your bike...
Wake me up? If I am going to be eaten alive, I would prefer to be eaten asleep.
Wanderer
Elite Member
Yeah I don't think my 9mm would do anything other than annoy a bear, and I'm not carrying a 300 win mag on the bike.
itlives
Site Supporter
Logistically speaking, I don't think an electric fence is doable on a motorcycle.
I made a bear angry one time by setting camp on his (her) trail. I learned to look for signs of trails. Thankfully, nothing happened. I did have my cheap "Judge" - a pistol that shoots .45's and 410 shot gun shells. I had slugs in the 410's. and came very close to pulling the trigger. Two charges and she was satisfied we wouldn't do it again - she was right! This was in Arkansas where the bears are not Grizzlies!
I made a bear angry one time by setting camp on his (her) trail. I learned to look for signs of trails. Thankfully, nothing happened. I did have my cheap "Judge" - a pistol that shoots .45's and 410 shot gun shells. I had slugs in the 410's. and came very close to pulling the trigger. Two charges and she was satisfied we wouldn't do it again - she was right! This was in Arkansas where the bears are not Grizzlies!
JamesD
Member
According to an article on the Backpacker website, there are only about 3 deaths per year due to bears.
There have been 27 bear fatalities in North America in the 2000s.
15 took place in Canada, and 3 were in Alaska. The rest are spread out over 7 other states.
So if you stay away from Canada and Alaska, that's less than 1 death per year.
Every year around 90 people in the US die from lightning strikes, so that is a much bigger risk.
If you are still worried...
There was a portable electric fence unit designed for backpackers, but I don't know if it's still being made or how effective it is.
Tests have been conducted where an electric fence was placed around a deer carcass, and it did prove effective at deterring a bear... right up until the bear knocked over the battery and knocked the clamp off of the battery terminal. That was a car battery and the same type of electric fence you use for cattle though.
FWIW, there are different strength electric fences for cattle. Cattle will sometimes ignore the weaker units, but the strong ones are pretty effective.
As for carrying a gun...
There have been at least 2 recent instances where a grizzly has been killed with a 45 semi-auto.
In those cases (one in Denali Park AK, the other in Idaho), an entire magazine of bullets did not immediately kill either bear.
I believe a 2nd magazine did the trick for the Idaho bear, and the other ran off into the woods and died later.
Bears are tough animals. Black bears have been shot with magnum rifle rounds and not even flinched. They ended up dying but they could inflict a lot of damage before doing so.
A handgun can be pretty effective against a mountain lion or wolf since they have much thinner hides and skulls. You just need nerves of steel to aim and shoot at an attacking animal.
If you don't practice with the handgun and aren't used to hunting, you might want to use the bear spray.
Handguns can be pretty effective at dealing with belligerent idiots. Just remember that belligerent idiots can have guns too.
There have been 27 bear fatalities in North America in the 2000s.
15 took place in Canada, and 3 were in Alaska. The rest are spread out over 7 other states.
So if you stay away from Canada and Alaska, that's less than 1 death per year.
Every year around 90 people in the US die from lightning strikes, so that is a much bigger risk.
If you are still worried...
There was a portable electric fence unit designed for backpackers, but I don't know if it's still being made or how effective it is.
Tests have been conducted where an electric fence was placed around a deer carcass, and it did prove effective at deterring a bear... right up until the bear knocked over the battery and knocked the clamp off of the battery terminal. That was a car battery and the same type of electric fence you use for cattle though.
FWIW, there are different strength electric fences for cattle. Cattle will sometimes ignore the weaker units, but the strong ones are pretty effective.
As for carrying a gun...
There have been at least 2 recent instances where a grizzly has been killed with a 45 semi-auto.
In those cases (one in Denali Park AK, the other in Idaho), an entire magazine of bullets did not immediately kill either bear.
I believe a 2nd magazine did the trick for the Idaho bear, and the other ran off into the woods and died later.
Bears are tough animals. Black bears have been shot with magnum rifle rounds and not even flinched. They ended up dying but they could inflict a lot of damage before doing so.
A handgun can be pretty effective against a mountain lion or wolf since they have much thinner hides and skulls. You just need nerves of steel to aim and shoot at an attacking animal.
If you don't practice with the handgun and aren't used to hunting, you might want to use the bear spray.
Handguns can be pretty effective at dealing with belligerent idiots. Just remember that belligerent idiots can have guns too.
itlives
Site Supporter
Good post, James.
Bear spray would bring me more confidence than my 9mm.
I believe the common word is "idiots". Far too many have failed the Darwin award - so far.....
Bear spray would bring me more confidence than my 9mm.
I believe the common word is "idiots". Far too many have failed the Darwin award - so far.....
Look up "bear bangers". They look like fun. By my calculations bear spray is within effective range when a charging bear is about 1/2 second from you. The 9mm is best used on yourself.
Interesting that there are several different types of bear charges. If it is a predatory charge, he is going to kill you. Congratulations, you are one of the three people per year. If it is a warn-off, he might be satisfied to slam you and see if you stay down. The guaranteed loser is to make it a foot race. Camping with a slower friend is a good defense for this.
Interesting that there are several different types of bear charges. If it is a predatory charge, he is going to kill you. Congratulations, you are one of the three people per year. If it is a warn-off, he might be satisfied to slam you and see if you stay down. The guaranteed loser is to make it a foot race. Camping with a slower friend is a good defense for this.
Old Can Ride
Active Member
Once upon a time in Canada, while stopped at a red light, a big griz in the ditch on the side of the roadway popped up eating road kill, and got very mad at me for stopping. So, I quickly stopped stopping for red lights while in Canada.
JamesD
Member
I'll just leave this here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA_DXeWTOG8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA_DXeWTOG8
JamesD
Member
The 9mm is to shoot your friend in the leg.
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netizen
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I will be sure to have a riding partner with a limp or disability if I head up in Bear country... thanks for the idea! ;-)
