A bear canister is a container of the sort that is utilized to store multiple items that a bear can detect through scent. These canisters are used for safety purposes but are mostly made to protect food, trash, and toiletries from bears who intend to commit theft.
Here we will be discussing more behind the bear canister. Including, but not limited to, where to keep it. Can we put these in our tents? Or should we place them away from our tent?
Let’s discuss everything you need to know about where to keep your bear canister on your next outdoor adventure.
Is it Dangerous to Keep it in a Tent?
Yes, it’s very dangerous to keep a bear canister in your tent – unless you are trying to sleep with a bear that may or may not want to maul you.
Bear canisters keep your food, trash, and toiletries safe from being stolen or ransacked – but they do not prevent the bear from smelling the contents of the canister.
If it’s not a good idea to keep bear canisters in your tent, then where should you put them? Let’s discuss more regarding the right and wrong locations where you should be leaving these devices on your camping trips and what might happen if you leave them too far away.
Is it Good to Put it in Front of the Tent?
While placing the canister in front of your tent is significantly less dangerous than leaving it in your tent, it’s still very dangerous and risky to do so. If the bear finds the canister, it could lead them to other areas of interest, like your tent – where you may or may not be.
None of us want to have encounters with bears, it can get scary, and many are uneducated about what to do when that happens. This is why placing your bear canister further away from your tent can lessen your chances of running into smokey the bear – it’s worth the hike.
Why Should You Leave it Far Away from your Tent?
You should leave the bear canister in a secure location away from your tent to ensure your safety and the safety of the people you may or may not be camping with. However, you might be curious about how close you should be placing the canister to your tent.
Let’s discuss more regarding how far away you should be securing the canister away from your tent, as well as what might happen if you leave that device too far away. You also might be wondering, how far is too far? So let’s jump into it!
What is the Closest you can Place it?
It’s best to place bear canisters at least 100 yards away from not only your campsite but from other campsites as well. Place them hidden underneath the brush on the ground in an open area.
Avoid hanging the canister, especially near a cliff or water source, to avoid damage to your property.
Now that we know how far to place a bear canister away from your campsite, how far is too far? And what are some situations you might run into if you do place it too far? Let’s discuss more.
What if you Leave it Too Far Away?
The idea of the canister is to protect your items. However, if the canister is placed on the ground, and the bear does manage to uncover and find it – the bear will likely try to open it, resulting in the canister being moved to an opposing location.
If you leave the bear canister too far away, and a bear does manage to find it, you might have difficulty finding it after the bear has given up and left it behind.
You also might find yourself struggling to commute to the canister’s location, taking too much time to get to the items you need.
Final Thoughts on Where to Keep a Bear Canister
Do not keep your bear canister inside or directly outside of your tent or other camping areas. Instead, it’s best to keep the canister in a secure place on the ground 100 yards away from your camping site and away from other’s camping sites to keep them safe.
Leaving the bear canister too far away or in the incorrect location could result in you losing the location of the items the canister holds, as well as damage to the canister and your items.