Problems with bears and cougars....

We do not boondock. But at a large (450 site) RV park in southern Colorado we often go to black bears are not unusual at all. Common to get up in the morning and find trash pulled from trash cans. One night one opened our neighbors latched ice chest and took food from it. Occasionally they will wander thru the park during the day.

Bought a winter home in Florida. Had one come thru the lanai screen. Could not ever BBQ outside. Was fishing on my dock and one came at me from the other side of the canal. Jumped in swam over and at me as I took off running for the house. Walked out to my MH one night and was pinned in by a bear. Working on the laptop by the front window when one punched in the screen with his paw. All big boys around 500 lbs. There were 4 all total.

Nope have no need for bears. It is THE reason I have decided not to travel out west with the RV now.

Bought that place in June sold it in October....because of the bears. Thankfully there is no reference to bears on the Sellers Disclosure.

I wouldn't mind a run-in with a cougar! ;)

I honestly believe that shopping at the mall is more dangerous than most any boondocking.

In Wi. Had a Black bear stand up and look in the window as we watch, looking out at him.

This past Memorial Day weekend. Black bear walked right under the kingpin of my 5er. COOL

Just had a black bear on our site at Devils Fork State Park, SC. Two weeks before that, we crossed one on our hike up Clingman's Dome.

Never while boondocking but I was ten feet from a bear at Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone and maybe 50 feet from one in a national forest in West Virginia.

I learned in Fishing Bridge that you should always look outside before you go outside in bear country. I startled him, a grizzly, as much as he startled me so we both ran in opposite directions - me back into the tt. It was early in the morning.

I learned in West Virginia that bears will pretty much ignore you and/or try to avoid you in most cases. We were sitting outside enjoying coffee and he was sauntering by until he realized we were there. then he ran.

I am more afraid of mountain lions while hiking than in camp. DH promised to glue giant googly eyes to my backpack...

When we were tenting with the girls back in the 70's we were camped at Crane Flats in Yosemite. A bear walked through camp at night, stopping at almost every site. He sniffed at some back packers sleeping without a tent, even came within inches of our tent, only problem in th whole evening, the dolts next door left all their food in their utility trailer and he filled up on their two week supply of food. I have never seen a mountain lion in the wild.

There is a video of a young black bear cub on face book eating a chicken and climbing and sitting on our daughters side yard fence in Eaton Cyn in Pasadena Calif. The chicken was our DDs next door neighbors pet. DD is a biologist with CDF&W and the cubs mother was napping in her back yard just shortly before guests arrived for our DDs 50 BD party.

Yes. A bear once visited our tent while we were gone. Minor damage. Never had any issues with Cougars and I'm a native country boy in Calif. Seen several of them.