Going camping!?

jverne

jverne

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hurray i'm going camping next month, have any good tips for a newbie camper?

What's the best way to scare off wild animals (bears, hogs,...)?
 
why would you want to scare the bears away?
I do my best to attract the animals cause they're sweet
 
Firstly tell me what environment you are going to be staying, country and area e.t.c (and how long, number of poeple, what you plan e.t.c) and i can give you some excellent advice
 
jverne said:
hurray i'm going camping next month, have any good tips for a newbie camper?

What's the best way to scare off wild animals (bears, hogs,...)?
Click to expand...

More info.

EDIT: what he said :D
 
I go camping just to get really wasted, it's good fun. Follow in my foot steps young one.
 
Well, be sure to use an AWP, camping with a shottie or something is almost useless, and stay close to the bomb site too
 
Don't be a pussy about animals, you won't need to scare them away. Be prepared to get wet...a lot. Bring spare clothes, mainly socks.
 
xLostx said:
I go camping just to get really wasted, it's good fun. Follow in my foot steps young one.
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This man knows the truth. We even went camping in a garden to do that... it was fun. But out in the lake district, its far far better :D
 
Farrowlesparrow said:
This man knows the truth. We even went camping in a garden to do that... it was fun. But out in the lake district, its far far better :D
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Camping in the lake district? Pffft. I'd rather be snugly and warm in my log cabin than out there :laugh:
 
I hate camping :( make sure you have a good sleeping bag. Airbeds are awesome. And bring loadsa spare clothes. And lots of chocolate :P

Ugh, camping :(
 
I go camping with a survival knife, a machette, 1 litre of water, some small bits and pieces (string, fishing hooks e.t.c) and a small bag of penuts.

It was so funny on boxing day with my mate when we were up in the hills, snow everywhere, mid day we got raided by loads of hounds from the boxing day hunt.....that was slightly worrying but fun at the same time.
Then at about 11 at night we heard something that sounded like a 747 flying extremely low overhead.......it was rain, i have never seen rain like that, our bivvy had been holding off the drizzle for about 2 hours, within 10 seconds of this rain it was just coming straight through, with windchill temp was down to about -5 and my thin sleeping bag/jacket was soaked through........the fire was simply put out by the shear volume of rain.

After a few hours we decided that we would be ****ed for the next day, seriously ****ed if we didn't do something (-5, soaking wet, very dangerous) ......we packed up what little we had and walked a number of miles (mostly uphill) to where the land rover was parked, cos it was pitch black and the roads were iced up we had to stay put, hmmmmm only then did i wish landys were not made of alluminium, the floor in the back was conducting my heat away......it was so bad i sacrificed having the sleeping bag/jacket on me so i could have it underneath me, doubled up to try and keep warm.
Hehe, we had plenty of water colected from melting snow though and a reasonable amount of food so it wasn't too bad.
 
camping's fun, but if it rains it can be a drag. don't worry about wild animals (they're generally not a problem, I was camping in Yellowstone for 2 weeks and we didn't have any problems with wild animals around our campsite, and Yellowstone is infamous for incidents like that). To avoid animals from raccoons to bears coming in your site, put all your food and stuff in your car at night and don't bring it in your tent.

Also, have a tarp up over your table. Otherwise it'll definitely rain and you'll get wet and miserable.
 
Ennui said:
camping's fun, but if it rains it can be a drag. don't worry about wild animals (they're generally not a problem, I was camping in Yellowstone for 2 weeks and we didn't have any problems with wild animals around our campsite, and Yellowstone is infamous for incidents like that). To avoid animals from raccoons to bears coming in your site, put all your food and stuff in your car at night and don't bring it in your tent.

Also, have a tarp up over your table. Otherwise it'll definitely rain and you'll get wet and miserable.
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No, don't put it in a car, they will rip the car open, hang all food high up in a tree with no low branches......bears can climb but if you choose a good tree they won't get up there, make sure it is at least 20metres from where you are sleeping.
 
short recoil said:
No, don't put it in a car, they will rip the car open, hang all food high up in a tree with no low branches......bears can climb but if you choose a good tree they won't get up there, make sure it is at least 20metres from where you are sleeping.
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Make sure to keep it about 6 feet from the tree too, otherwise they will just climb up there and get to it.
 
I've never been but i'd expect it to be great fun with a few mates. So much to mess around and do, i'm sure it will be really good, these kinda things always surprise you. Take a good knife, and know how to use it safely.
 
short recoil said:
Firstly tell me what environment you are going to be staying, country and area e.t.c (and how long, number of poeple, what you plan e.t.c) and i can give you some excellent advice
Click to expand...


it a semi dense forrest with a rather small river (creek) near. It's rather "hilly" but nothing you couldn't walk or climb trough, with some mini-plains almost perfect to set a small camp with a great view. I heard it's rather cold but in summer you can even go for a swimm so temperature shouldn't be a problem.
I'm just going with my GF for 2-3 days (or longer if everything goes well). Planning to cook some food etc. Shouldn't be too demanding. If it rains we'll just wait in the tent till its over. I was looking at map where it said that it's bear country, but i have talked to a local there who says he hasn't seen a bear for years (probably just some rough predictions on the map). But just in case!?

Any tips to make camping more enjoyable are welcome!

heres some pics during autumn a friend sent me:

http://obala.net/ObalaKLUB/albumi/37244/113989/e76dc030740424a6828124b891eb433cb.jpg

http://obala.net/ObalaKLUB/albumi/37244/113989/bd8639df59d3ce4d9d1c5364098073d5b.jpg

http://obala.net/ObalaKLUB/albumi/37244/113989/3292a6b561df74727c39c46f3f10813ab.jpg

what do you think?
 
Sorry no tips from me, but just looking at the pictures and what you've got planned, ill just reliterate that you'll have an awesome time. Looks really nice there, lucky bastard!
 
Hmmm nice place.
If you do encounter a bear and it comes at you, you can actually scare them off with a bin liner.........just flap it round madly making air expand into it (making noise), this scares them off.
mosquitoes shouldn't be a problem with faster moving water.

Take not of the advice earlier in the thread about keeping food hung high up in a tree, the only food you should have in your tent is stuff unopened in tins e.t.c (no smell)

Best bit of advice for camping i can give is be organised, tell people where you are staying and for how long, don't just chuck stuff in a bag, think about the order you will take the gear out and pack it away again, this way you spend little time setting up and packing away.
 
SHIPPI said:
I hate camping :( make sure you have a good sleeping bag. Airbeds are awesome. And bring loadsa spare clothes. And lots of chocolate :P

Ugh, camping :(
Click to expand...
I think you just need the right person to share a tent with and yes air beds are awesome :naughty:
 
short recoil said:
Hmmm nice place.
If you do encounter a bear and it comes at you, you can actually scare them off with a bin liner.........just flap it round madly making air expand into it (making noise), this scares them off.
mosquitoes shouldn't be a problem with faster moving water.

Take not of the advice earlier in the thread about keeping food hung high up in a tree, the only food you should have in your tent is stuff unopened in tins e.t.c (no smell)

Best bit of advice for camping i can give is be organised, tell people where you are staying and for how long, don't just chuck stuff in a bag, think about the order you will take the gear out and pack it away again, this way you spend little time setting up and packing away.
Click to expand...


i'll try to remember!

i'm certainly try to be organised as much as possible (only 2 of us, so ther should be no bigger problems) and try to keep everything clean...my GF relative lives in those places so he'll be aware, there should be (i think!?) mobile phone coverage in case of an emergency. As my first real trip i plan to do some area exploring, swimming, watch the stars due to low "light pollution" test my outdoor skills, but i wont get drunk with only two of us it's safer to be sober!

This is my first real "adventure" so i'm really looking forward to it!

You seem like an experienced camper Recoil, what are the common problems during campingm probably rain, snow,...any other, more human based (injuries, personal higiene,...)?
 
xLostx said:
I think you just need the right person to share a tent with and yes air beds are awesome :naughty:
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Are you implying what I think you're implying? :naughty:
 
i went camping the other week.

my advise, dont go to sleep. :)

or else
 
short recoil said:
Firstly tell me what environment you are going to be staying, country and area e.t.c (and how long, number of poeple, what you plan e.t.c) and i can give you some excellent advice
Click to expand...


Same, I go camping a lot! mostly in the summer in the mountains.
 
The worst things that can happen on camping trips are:
Getting wet, this is very bad news, obviously you need to get dry ASAP, waterproof clothing, tent shouldn't be a problem.

Food hygeine, only take water from a fast moving stream (only in emergency take from slow rivers/ponds) boil the water for 2 mins and it should be fine to drink.
As for wild food, i doubt you will be getting any.......this is a completely different kettle of fish so i wont go into it.
I have never been ill from a camping trip cos i'm careful, if you have the shits real bad you could die easily......complete dehydration leads to confusion, not a good situation to be in.

I hope you know how to use a knife properly, injuries are terrible, i've had the fun of a gash on my hand from rocks which i had to use grass wrapped around as a dressing, moss (dry) makes a good natural absorbant when dressing wounds.


Dehydration can come easier than you think, when i work hard i have to force myself to drink to stay hydrated, if you feel thirsty it means you are already dehydrated, it is very easy to get dehydrated, i have done it many a time.
Cos i'm a big guy i need to drink a lot of water but most people should aim for at least 2-3 litres a day, obviously this varies greatly with climate.
 
short recoil said:
The worst things that can happen on camping trips are:
Getting wet, this is very bad news, obviously you need to get dry ASAP, waterproof clothing, tent shouldn't be a problem.

Food hygeine, only take water from a fast moving stream (only in emergency take from slow rivers/ponds) boil the water for 2 mins and it should be fine to drink.
As for wild food, i doubt you will be getting any.......this is a completely different kettle of fish so i wont go into it.
I have never been ill from a camping trip cos i'm careful, if you have the shits real bad you could die easily......complete dehydration leads to confusion, not a good situation to be in.

I hope you know how to use a knife properly, injuries are terrible, i've had the fun of a gash on my hand from rocks which i had to use grass wrapped around as a dressing, moss (dry) makes a good natural absorbant when dressing wounds.


Dehydration can come easier than you think, when i work hard i have to force myself to drink to stay hydrated, if you feel thirsty it means you are already dehydrated, it is very easy to get dehydrated, i have done it many a time.
Cos i'm a big guy i need to drink a lot of water but most people should aim for at least 2-3 litres a day, obviously this varies greatly with climate.
Click to expand...

...doesn't sound like you bring much with you :P
 
Foxtrot said:
...doesn't sound like you bring much with you :P
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I don't, i'm trying to give advice for someone with a bit of gear.

Typically i will have a small bag with everything i need, nothing else.
I build a shelter or set up a tarp hung between 2 trees.
Machette (15") serves well for most cutting e.t.c, it is good to have a swiss army knife or survival knife as well (try gutting a rabbit with a machette)
Bottles are useful, or even condoms.
A cleaned condom inside a large sock makes an excellent water carrier.

I just survive off the land, eat all sorts, rabbits, fish, squirrels, wood pidgeons.........all sorts, and theres plenty of roots e.t.c as well to be had
(tip: DO NOT try to eat any mushroom or fungus unless you really know what you are doing, even i avoid them)

AHHHHH my head is full of survival, i'm gonna turn into ray mears!
 
^^ i usually dont survival camp. Sometime for funn me and my friends do but mostly ill just use a tent with some clothes and an axe plus bigg ass knife or machette.
 
I hav done few campings but I think I cant help you
 
you'll be fine, it's really no big deal, I've been camping in the NC mountains several times a year (as well as in utah, arizona, and wyoming) since I was 5. it's a bit of work but it's safe and fun.
 
If it's bear country you'll probably want to put up a bear hang every night. Basically every night you take anything that has any odour in it, all food, toothpaste, sunscreen, pots, you put in in a bag. Then you take some rope throw it over a high branch and haul the bag up half way. If it's a popular area, the bears might have gotton smart and you'll have to tie a second line to the bag to pull it away from the tree so that a bear can't climb up the tree and claw at it. Not just bears, but squirrels, chipmunks, and racoons like your food too.

A few years ago in the Adirondacks I was camping with a group of about 10 people and bears took down bags of food from a bear hang twice. The first time the hang was too close to the tree trunk and a bear climbed up and cut it down. The other one we actually saw the bear, blew air horns at it, shot bear-bangers, which are like loud firecrackers, at it. It didn't even flinch. Not much else you can do except to try to attack it, and that's just gonna get you killed. The funny thing was that it ate an entire bag of pancake mix and then threw up over all the food it didn't eat.

Mmm.. other advice... keep a pocket knife and a lighter handy. Bugs are a bitch, cover yourself in deet, just don't wear anything plastic or synthetic cause bug spray will melt it.

Don't forget to bring tp, leaves suck!
 
change your clothes after you cook, and string your trash up in a tree maybe 100ft out from your tent.
 
xcellerate said:
change your clothes after you cook, and string your trash up in a tree maybe 100ft out from your tent.
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You don't really need to change clothes, when I went camping where there actually was a bear problem I never did that and never had a problem. No one does that, and there never are problems.
 
Short Recoil is the Einstien of camping, trust him.

Oh, and everyone has basically said what I was going to say with the don't get wet and hang your food on a tree etc.
 
NEVER EVER camp near a military camp. you keep waking up in the middle of the night.

Battlefrank said:
and when i woke up, i saw that it was 4:67 in the mornig
Click to expand...

^ that might happen.
 
Pack all your clothes in plastic bags (but make it so that t-shirts are in one bag and socks in another etc.) no wet clothes, ever. Also pack the heaviest stuff at the bottom, keep your raincloaths in such a way that you can easily take them out. Get GOOD hiking shoes, and make sure they aren't too large or small or you'll get LOADS of blisters. Keep your feet dry, NOTHING is worse than wet feet. Take LOADS of socks with you, they get we alot and often. Make sure you bring enough water with you, but also think about how much you'll be carrying.
Flashlights are good, but i prefer headlamps, they are lighter and cool :P
Bring candy, really helps when the weather sucks. I would avoid alchohol, if you bring some, don't bring alot. Getting totally wasted in the woods can be dangerous.
Get a good first aid kit with bandaids, dressings, scisors and the most common medicins like asprin and stuff.
Get a good outdoor cooker, either gas or spirit. I don't know if they sell these in the US but the outdoor cookers from Trangia are very good.
Get a good backpack with a hip strap, otherwise you won't be able to carry much stuff. Don't wear jeans, they are heavy when wet and otherwise uncomfortable. And they don't dry, ever.
But most importantly, have fun :)
 
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