Popup truck camper with soft sides

About a year ago, camping in the Eastern Sierra, a female black bear (known to rangers) visited the campground after dark. People started yelling, banging pots, jumping in their cars, setting off car alarms, etc. :E

The bear came up to my popup TC and took a dump by the right rear tire.

I'm sure it was a message that my ol' softside was no match for her and, if she wanted to, she would have gotten in bed with me.

What did I do? :h

I put on my noise cancelling earphones and went back to sleep.

I think you will find it depends on the local situation and interpretation. We've hosted a campground where all types of campers and tents were allowed, until the time when a grizzly was hanging around in the campground. Then only hard sided campers were allowed and even pop-up truck campers were not allowed. There are some campgrounds where soft sided campers of any type are banned all the time. I think you shouldn't worry too much about it and just enjoy your camper wherever you want to take it. Observe rules about bear attractants and safety, and if you find a campground that bans your type of camper, find another campground or boondock it. Keep in mind, they do not enforce bans on soft-sided campers unless there is a credible threat. You have to consider the local situation, but the chance encounter with a bear should not be enough to deter you if that is the type of camper you choose.

I wouldn't worry about it..If you booked a bear or sheep hunt in AK,you most likely would stay in a tent.

It appears your in most danger here in the lower 48 than AK when visiting parks.

Grit dog wrote:
Only anemules in AK that aren’t down here that would be of concern are brown bear and grizz and of course there’s some grizz out west here.
No differnet than camping in the back country in the L48. Heck, a bear could rip through your camper in Alabama or Florida.

I disagree. Lots of difference between bears in AK and bears in the Lower 48. Most bear encounters in the Lower 48 are due to the bears being habituated to humans and their food. Not so in AK. I am always more concerned with bears in the Lower 48.

Only anemules in AK that aren’t down here that would be of concern are brown bear and grizz and of course there’s some grizz out west here.
No differnet than camping in the back country in the L48. Heck, a bear could rip through your camper in Alabama or Florida.

Yes. I used my Outfitter Apex 8 in quite a few remote places in AK and Canada bear country (2004-2013). No issues. No encounters. No hassles in Yellowstone (as a previous post mentioned).

I did put out three of these when I camped but they were never triggered (except by me): Critter Gitter. I used them to let me know if something came into my camp. Nothing ever did.

A clean camp is important no matter where you camp.

I wouldn't worry about any creature other than the two-legged one.

I think it is more of an issue that people either don’t know how to, or just “don’t” keep a clean camp, hence the varmit issue.
Today I have a nice camper to sleep in, but not many years back me and my buddies slept in tents while fishing and hunting. We never had an issue ever with any varmint beside a porky coming in and looking around.
Keep a Clean camp.... learn where to cook and where to store your garbage and your food...etc.....
My wife was raised in Stewart BC ( Hyder Alaska) and we just had a little mini “ Stewart Reunion with some of her school chums. One of the guys ( now a grandfather) talked about how they camped in tents along Fish Creek with bears everywhere...and he said they never lost a camping buddy ever...( he did grin, not sure why....)
Do some research on being bear aware... it’s pretty simple stuff.

Soup.

Don't think a raccoon would be an issue, too low to the ground for one and timid.

cewillis wrote:
I did it for 2 months a long time ago. Teklanika campground in Denali had a no popup camper rule, but that was for trailers. They considered a truck camper to be far enough off the ground.
But you realize, of course, that an Alaskan Brown bear (and others) gets into anything it wants to - hard side, soft side, whatever. I would not expect that to be a problem, though, unless you are extremely careless.

Reminds me of an old friend who lives near Warren, Pennsylvania on the edge of the Kinzua National Forest. He put his garbage in his International Scout one evening to take it to the dump and got sidetracked and forgot about it. Heard an awful racket in the wee hours of the morning and came out to see a bear shredding the side of the Scout to get to the garbage. Motto of the story is camp clean leave no garbage lying around and you should have no issue. Bears have wicked claws and are determined. You can always take a long gun along, in as much as you cannot transport a handgun through Canada but you can a long gun or shot gun provided you can show proof of ownership.

I did it for 2 months a long time ago. Teklanika campground in Denali had a no popup camper rule, but that was for trailers. They considered a truck camper to be far enough off the ground.
But you realize, of course, that an Alaskan Brown bear (and others) gets into anything it wants to - hard side, soft side, whatever. I would not expect that to be a problem, though, unless you are extremely careless.