Keep a clean campsite, day and night. Wash dishes ASAP, strain out food particles from dishwater and pack them out with your garbage.
Source: Gila National Forest (via Facebook)
Photo: Courtesy
The Gila National Forest and Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument received another report today of bear activity in the Gila Wilderness, where a bear destroyed a tent in an unattended camp near Jordan Hot Springs yesterday. This adds to several other recent incidents with bears. At least one bear has approached groups of people, entered vacant camps, and destroyed personal property. New Mexico Department of Wildlife has attempted to locate the bear without success.
To help keep yourself and wildlife safe, follow these rules of camping etiquette from New Mexico Department of Wildlife:
1. Keep a clean campsite, day and night. Wash dishes ASAP, strain out food particles from dishwater and pack them out with your garbage.
2. Put trash and food in bear-proof containers or hang it in a bag with a rope between two trees or from a high tree branch.
3. Set up your tent 100 yards from cooking areas if possible.
4. Pack it out! Never bury or burn garbage. The next group of campers may encounter the bears your trash attracted.
5. NEVER keep in your tent any item of food, or strongly-scented items such as gum, mint toothpaste, shampoo, baby wipes, or other items which may smell like food to a bear.
6. Change your clothes after you cooked. Yes, really! Place the cooking-odor clothes in a bear-proof container or location.
7. If you bring pets or horses, keep pet or horse feed in airtight containers after the animal has been fed. Keep pets tethered.
If you see a bear, stay calm, do not run or make sudden movements, and do not approach it. If the bear has not seen you, calmly back away (continue facing the bear as you back away) and leave the area, talking to the bear to let it discover your presence – a surprised bear is a dangerous bear. Look for cubs – do not come between a mother and her cubs. Bears often run from humans, but if it feels cornered or threatened, it could attack, especially if it has become habituated to humans. Finally, fight back aggressively if a black bear attacks you, Black bear attacks have been driven away when people fought back with rocks, sticks, binoculars; or use pepper spray.
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