Avoid The Raccoons, Keep Your Food Safe!
If you are an experienced camper, you may remember back on your first camping trip when the raccoons got into your food. Raccoons and many other animals will be visiting your campsite while you are sleeping or off on a hike, so you need to safeguard your campsite. This can be a very unpleasant situation if you are not prepared, as you are left without food and will have a big mess to clean up. In addition, raccoons will sometimes fight over food they find, making it hard for you and other visitors to sleep. Many people leave their cooler or food box out at night and learn to regret it later that night or upon returning from a hike or swim. Raccoons are very smart animals and have learned all the tricks of the trade from the many previous campers who visited the park. Before you go to sleep or leave your campsite make sure you do the following: Clear your picnic table of all food items (Snacks, condiments and spices) Clean all dishes in your dishwashing tub, ensure no food traces are left Bring your garbage bag to the park's enclosed bin; do not leave around the campsite. (The scent alone will bring many visitors) Place your cooler and food container in your vehicle. Tricks like placing heavy items on top of the cooler or food box will not work Never keep food in your tent. Most tents are made of very thin materials and are no match for a raccoons teeth and claws. You should always read the park provided materials or speak with the park management regarding such issues, as some parks will have unique guidelines regarding garbage and local wildlife.