Campsite security

[Arkansas Paul]

Hide your picanic baskets. Bears love picanic baskets.

 

[conw]

I'd be very careful about setting up what essentially equates to deliberate trip hazard on a public camp ground.

I would too. But that's not what was proposed .

For that alarm method to work the line is rigged to the rubber band and the amount of force required to trip the alarm by pulling the rubber band is equal to the force required to pull a rubber band. A rubber band and fishing line would break before anyone tripped.

 

[conw]

This is the best option.

Yeah, for people who already have a dog or are getting it for reasons other than an alarm when camping occasionally

Nothing personal I just hate seeing dogs who are neglected, taken poor care of, taken to the pound when the owner gets bored of it, etc, which is very common in my experience. So I don't really just recommend a dog lightly as a good solution to anything unless it is a good idea for other reasons.

 

[conw]

Just to clarify, when I'm setting up perimeter security, its generally for four legged critters, and since in don't camp in public camp grounds. Since my buddy had an encountered enter with a black bear in the area where we set up, security has become more of a concern.

Sorry to triple post in the thread but I actually don't find dogs are great alerters to animals. Their response can be very unpredictable.

High prey drive dogs may just go after them without a lot of noises, others may be curious, etc. Dogs I've met or owned with good judgment for how people should act and good ability to deter strangers through barking and posturing etc wouldn't be worth anything to alert you to the presence of an animal reliably and safely for the dog.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Sorry to triple post in the thread but I actually don't find dogs are great alerters to animals. Their response can be very unpredictable.

High prey drive dogs may just go after them without a lot of noises, others may be curious, etc. Dogs I've met or owned with good judgment for how people should act and good ability to deter strangers through barking and posturing etc wouldn't be worth anything to alert you to the presence of an animal reliably and safely for the dog.

Don't know if you quoted my post accidentally, but I've said nothing about using dogs as security. The one time I took my dog camping, he whined until he was let into the tent, then farted. Nope, no more dogs on camp outs.

 

[*Kemosabe*]

ColtPythonElite - "I tie one end of a piece of fishing line to my big toe and the other end to the beer cooler."

USAF Vet - "The one time I took my dog camping, he whined until he was let into the tent, then farted. Nope, no more dogs on camp outs."

You guys are hilarious!

Every time I get those mental pictures I bust out laughing. The wife thinks I've lost it!

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I was on a campout with fallout mike and about a half-dozen other guys on a Mississippi River sandbar once and he brought his pit bull along. The thing was a big baby that wouldn't have bit a biscuit but was strong as an ox.

Anyway, Mike ties him to a tree before we go to bed so he won't keep us up all night. The next morning he's on his knees, untying the rope so the dog can run free. As soon as he gets it untied the dog takes off running towards the river. Mike is holding on to the rope being drug on his stomach like he's weightless. The dog runs into the river and when he stops, Mike's head is a foot from the water.

I'm not sure why he didn't just let go but it was pretty darn funny.

Not really on topic, but a funny dog/camping story. And I'm sure he did add an element of security. Not many people will come up starting trouble with a full grown pit bull there.

 

[<*(((><]

I'm with Mainsail, "go where the lazy people don't." That is the reason why I have my 4door tacoma, 4x4, lifted with a locker. It gets me and my family places that others can't/won't, and typically if you run into people with the same idea as you, they are after the same thing...SOLITUDE, and will keep to themselves. I find that most tweekers, bangers, etc are lazy and will inhabit places that are easy to get to. As for me I have been camping a lot in the PNW, never in Washington but all the others and have never had a problem. And it doesn't take a 4x4 pickup to find solitude, my two legs with a backpack and supplies have got me further than my tacoma. And the suggestions on getting a dog or two are great ones, probably the best thing you can do for campsite safety in my opinion.

 

[fallout mike]

Haha, I remember that. He would bark at strangers while foaming at the mouth then if he could get close enough he would try and lick them to death. Most people never got close enough though. They were scared of him.

 

[Mainsail]

Yeah, for people who already have a dog or are getting it for reasons other than an alarm when camping occasionally

Nothing personal I just hate seeing dogs who are neglected, taken poor care of, taken to the pound when the owner gets bored of it, etc, which is very common in my experience. So I don't really just recommend a dog lightly as a good solution to anything unless it is a good idea for other reasons.

Agreed. I live in a townhouse near a navy base. Whenever someone new young couple moves in they feel like they should buy a puppy. Then reality hits and the dog suffers. My current neighbor has a dog that only sees the sunlight for about 30 seconds in the morning and 30 seconds in the afternoon when they let it out to go. The rest of the time it lives in a kennel from morning until they get home in the evening, then back in the kennel for bed. The rest of the dogs in the complex don’t fare much better. A dog is a serious commitment- like having a baby and never diapering it.

EDIT to add: Wife just texted that the neighbor is beating the dog again. Yeah...

 

[CopperFouling]

If I felt the need to set up a security perimeter every night I would just stay home.

This, or find another place to camp, somewhere far away from other people.

 

[riceboy72]

As much as I'd like to go elsewhere, we have turned this lakeside place into our family tradition and have been going there since we met years ago. As such, we will probably continue to go there to support the owners, and to enjoy the fishing and overall area. The one incident is not marring my enjoyment of this lake; it just heightens my awareness when we're there.

I'm not looking to put up tripwires, or dig out a punji pit, or set up a sentry tower. I just wanted to know what any of you do when you tent camp to make yourself a bit more secure around your site. Again, I understand that there is some risk when you tent camp. I have accepted that risk, and that's why we go and why we choose a tent over a cabin. It doesn't mean my guard is down the whole time. We all talk about keeping our awareness up and honed when we're home, and for all intents and purposes, this is our home for a few days.

 

[Deaf Smith]

I tie one end of a piece of fishing line to my big toe and the other end to the beer cooler.

I tried that once... dang near took my toe off those beer robbers did.

Deaf

 

[ROAshooter]

I concur with all recommending a dog.....from my own experince ....my dog sleeps like a dead dog in the comfort of his home....but out in the boonies...where we camped....my dog...was very alert...I would wake up from a dream....take a peek out...and that dog was just laying there...his head on a swivel....looking around.....I never saw him sleeping at night.....just all the next day.....I beleive in my heart that dog knew his responsiblities and took them serious.....probably knowing we were not at home...and he was our "watch dog"....wife once told me she slept very well knowing our dog was on duty....we miss him after 14 years and a lifetime of memories.....

 

[coloradokevin]

1) I typically camp in places where I don't expect to encounter too many other campers. If I find problem people it is most generally in developed campgrounds, and I let the camp hosts deal with those issues. Still, most of my camping is either deep in the wilderness, or out in the middle of nowhere, in the back of my truck.

2) My gun is always in reach when I'm in a tent (or sleeping in my truck). I'm a light sleeper in the backwoods, and there's no way that anyone is going to get to the gun before me, which is kept mere inches from me while I sleep (I have a small backpacking tent, so it couldn't be further away if I wanted it to be).

3) I often have my two big and alert dogs with me while camping. There's no greater early warning system that I've ever found, but a raccoon or squirrel might trigger a false alarm!

4) When I'm sleeping in the back of my truck (on a camping platform that is covered by a hard truck bed topper) I probably feel the most secure, but also the most targeted. It's certainly far more protected from critters than a tent, but is also probably far more enticing to a criminal (the old: "I wonder what's in there" idea). But, fortunately there's no way anyone is getting into the truck while I'm sleeping in it without me noticing.

I agree with the comments made by others that crime rates have decreased in many areas, and that camping is a relatively safe activity. Still, very bad things have happened to people while far from the comforts of home. Just like anything else in the outdoors, you have to be prepared to deal with any threats you may encounter out there in the backwoods, and you need to be prepared to deal with them on your own.

 

[David E]

As much as I'd like to go elsewhere, we have turned this lakeside place into our family tradition and have been going there since we met years ago. As such, we will probably continue to go there to support the owners, and to enjoy the fishing and overall area. The one incident is not marring my enjoyment of this lake; it just heightens my awareness when we're there.

I'm not looking to put up tripwires, or dig out a punji pit, or set up a sentry tower. I just wanted to know what any of you do when you tent camp to make yourself a bit more secure around your site. Again, I understand that there is some risk when you tent camp. I have accepted that risk, and that's why we go and why we choose a tent over a cabin. It doesn't mean my guard is down the whole time. We all talk about keeping our awareness up and honed when we're home, and for all intents and purposes, this is our home for a few days.

Then a high capacity concealed semi auto. Maybe something for the wife, too.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

We just go to the KOA or Good Sam club approved places.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

My dogs and my pistol are really about as far as I go with physical security. Everything else is making smart decisions about where I camp and how I conduct business. I'm out there to enjoy myself, not be paranoid about everything that could happen.