Greater than a 3rd of Appalachian Path hikers sleep with their meals of their tent. Is it actually all that harmful? We requested a bear (and a bear professional) to seek out out.
Ask a Bear (Picture: Rob Sawyer)
Up to date Might 1, 2026 08:11AM
You’ve acquired questions; the bear has solutions. Bear Month 2026 is right here, and that signifies that our resident bruin recommendation columnist is as soon as once more fielding your queries about bear biology, security, and extra. Learn on for the most recent, or try the remainder of our Bear Month tales.
Q: I’ve been sleeping with my meals in my tent for years. Most bears are afraid of individuals and don’t assault occupied tents—so is it actually that harmful? —R. Swanson, Muncie, IN
A: I used to be just lately overjoyed to find that a couple of third of Appalachian Path hikers nonetheless sleep with their meals in bear nation. Sadly, the identical article additionally concluded that this was a foul concept. The author made some form of loopy declare that the food-in-tent state of affairs generally results in bear assaults. Psh.
I imply, it does occur. Simply not that always. And even when there’s some form of scuffle, everybody often survives. For instance, in 2025, a grizzly attacked a tent in Yellowstone. The tent was destroyed however nobody was in it. No hurt, no foul, proper? Then there was that point in 2022, when a bear attacked a household of their tent within the Smokies, leaving a girl and baby with accidents. (I imply, not best. However, hey, no person died!)
Oh, and that very same yr—and this was actually loopy—one other bear attacked a camper in Montana after discovering meals in her tent. That bear actually went for it. Insane conduct. And, properly, uh…properly, the camper didn’t make it. Not our proudest second as a species.
OK, OK, so bear assaults generally do occur. And folks generally do get harm. However absolutely you’ll be able to all maintain sleeping together with your meals, proper?
To get some backup, I attempted calling up my ol’ pal Frank T. van Manen, the famend ecologist who led the Interagency Grizzly Bear Examine Staff from 2012 to 2025. He had loads to say, however I can’t say it was useful to my trigger:
“There could also be some reality to the truth that each black bears and grizzly bears would typically keep away from folks and campsites or different areas of human exercise, however bears are additionally extremely particular person,” he says. “They’re virtually as completely different as people are. There’s this complete spectrum of behaviors. So, even when 95 % of all bears need nothing to do with folks, it simply takes a couple of bears that may wish to take a extra daring strategy and take a look at one thing somewhat bolder.”
In different phrases, simply since you’ve gotten away with sleeping together with your meals previously doesn’t imply the subsequent bear you come throughout—or the subsequent inhabitants of bears in a brand new forest or area you’re not used to—gained’t give your tent a attempt.
Do I like shredding via nylon to get a midnight snack? No. As a genteel bear who doesn’t take pleasure in geting his claws soiled, I need to say it’s not my desire. But it surely’s oh so good to have the choice. So, please, proceed to play Russian Roulette together with your bear encounters. Will that Snickers in your pillowcase appeal to a deadly bear assault this time? Possibly! Possibly not! See, isn’t it extra enjoyable this manner?
So, as soon as extra for the folks within the again: Please maintain your meals in your tent! Higher but, maintain it outdoors your tent. Throw away your bear canisters, say no to bear containers, abandon the pesky bear dangle—and make it as straightforward as doable for me, your loved one neighborhood bear—to get at your snacks.
Unrelated: I additionally suppose summer time sausage, Nutella, and Rainier beer are all particularly great issues to maintain in your tent. Ideally in family-size parts, and ideally within the vestibule. Simply saying.
—BEAR
