Keep Critters Away
You’re camping in the woods and of course you’ll find animals there, too; it’s their home more than yours. And although it sounds lovely to be like Snow White and sing songs with a bunch of friendly animals, real life doesn’t work like that. No one likes trying to sleep at night to have an unknown rustling noise startle them awake. And no one likes waking up the next morning to find their trash bag torn into and garbage strewn around their site. Luckily, animals are fairly easy to keep away with three simple rules: don’t feed the animals, securely store your food, and keep your site clean.
Animals don’t like people but are usually drawn to campsites in search of an easy meal, and they’re led there by a strong sense of smell. Human noses aren’t as sensitive to smell as the nose of a possum or a bear, and while we can’t smell the food lying around, they can. If an animal finds an easy meal out in the open in one location, they’re likely to return looking for more. When you aren’t eating, keep your food in your car or in a wildlife proof storage canister— and make sure the car windows are completely shut. Some animals have the ability to break the glass if the windows are cracked open. The same goes with water and with toiletries such as shampoo and toothpaste; we know it isn’t food, but the animals don’t. Never cook or eat inside your tent, the odors linger. And lastly, throw the garbage away in a designated trash bin; burning leftover food in a campfire leaves behind odors, and a trash bag left lying around is asking for trouble.
On a last note, yes– a bunch of animals look cute and sometimes you want to pet them. But at the end of the day, they’re wild animals—you don’t know what diseases they may be carrying, and an animal that loses its fear of people is likely to be captured and euthanized. Don’t try to lure them; I promise you that raccoon does not want to cuddle.