Imagine this: You’re hiking alone through a serene forest when suddenly, you lock eyes with a curious black bear just 50 feet away. Your heart races – what do you do?

How do you handle a wildlife encounter when you’re alone? As solo travelers, we often dream of connecting with nature, but wildlife encounters can be both thrilling and terrifying. Black bear encounters alone are on the rise all over the US.

That’s why it’s important to be prepared. In this guide, we’ll explore how to handle unexpected wildlife encounters safely and responsibly.

Know the Wildlife in the Area

Certain parts of the US are known for the wildlife that live there. For instance, if you’re visiting states like Wyoming or the Dakotas, you will likely see buffalo. Montana and Wyoming also have a healthy grizzly bear population, while in the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Appalachian Mountains, black bears are common.

When you arrive in a new area and set up your RV site, learn about the types of wildlife that make their home in that area. Talk to the park ranger or campground host for information on wild animals in the area or if there have been recent sightings of more dangerous wildlife like bears or mountain lions.

Look for other signs such as footprints, scat or droppings, or small trails. It’s not uncommon to go outside in the morning and find racoon prints or deer prints in your campsite letting you know they paid a visit.

Whose Scat is That?

Understanding Wildlife Behavior: The Key to Safe Encounters

Once you’re familiar with the type of animals in the area, the next step is to understand their natural behavior, body lingual and vocalizations. Imagine sitting by your campfire alone and you hear a strange scream in the distance. Knowing what’s out there screaming will help you decide if you want to stay outside, or retreat to the safety of your RV. Here are just a few examples of common animal vocalizations, but a quick internet search will help you find more.

Skunk Noises at Night

A Mountain Lion’s Cry

Racoons

An Elk’s Call

Recognize signs of aggression vs. curiosity in different species. If you encounter a deer that’s eating grass and ignoring you, or if it’s still and watching you, keep your distance but enjoy the encounter. This is not aggressive behavior. But, if that deer is stomping its front legs, that’s a sign that you’re too close and you need to back off.

Also, understand seasonal behavior patterns such as hibernation or mating. For example, spring is generally the time where there are more young animals like cubs or fawn. A protective mother is more likely to be aggressive. Male elk can be aggressive during mating season, which usually

Wildlife Encounter Tips for Solo Travelers

Once you know the wildlife in the area, there are several things you can do while hiking or sitting around your campsite, to reduce or deal with wildlife encounters.

If you encounter wildlife when you’re on a hike alone, follow these tips:

• Tell someone where you’re going. This can be as easy as texting a friend. Tell them where you’re going and when you’ll be back and don’t forget to check back in when you return.
• Make noise while you hike. While it’t nice to enjoy the quiet of nature, making noise while you hike alone will let animals know you’re there and most animals will avoid humans if they can. Attach a bell to your pack. Sing, whistle, or talk to yourself while you hike. Listen to music or a podcast.
• Cary a wildlife deterrent device like an air horn. If you see an animal in the distance, blast the air horn to let it know you’re there, and hopefully scare it away.
• Cary bear spray if you are hiking in bear country and make sure you’ve practiced how to use it. You can also cary pepper spray for smaller animals like coyotes or foxes. Keep in mind that spraying wildlife is a last resort. Make sure you’ve tried all other methods to deter an animal before using pepper spray.

If wildlife is in your campsite:

Don’t leave food or trash outside your RV during day or night. I remember accidentally leaving a small bag of trash outside my RV door overnight (I was supposed to walk it to the dumpsters). While there were no dangerous animals in the area, there were feral cats that took the opportunity to dig for scraps and scatter trash all over my campsite.

If you’re tent camping in bear country, many campgrounds will provide bear boxes for food storage. If you can’t store your food in your RV, or if you have a soft sided RV like a pop-up trailer, use the bear box for all your food storage and any item with a scent.

Skunk Encounters: Avoiding the Dreaded Spray

Skunks are very common all over the US and they become active when the sun starts to fade. Several times I’ve watched a skunk enter my campsite at dusk, sniffing around, looking for food. Here’s the best way to deal with a skunk.

• Watch the skunk for warning signs like stamping feet or a raised tail.
• Slowly back away from a skunk and do not try to approach it, threaten it, or shew it away. Let it do its thing and it will move on.
• If you or your pet ends up getting sprayed by a skunk, a mix of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap will neutralize the smell. It may take 2 or 3 washes, but this recipe works.

Raccoon Encounters: Protecting Your Campsite and Food

Racoons are another common campground visitor looking for a good meal. To prevent racoon raids, follow these tips:

• Securing food and trash.
• Use light and noise to deter raccoons. Keep lights on outside or under at night. Or, use motion sensor lights around the peremeter of your campsite.
• If a racoon visits your campsite while you’re outside, avoid direct confrontation as they can be aggressive when cornered. Instead, use deterrents like bright lights or loud noises to encourage them to leave. If those methods fail, contact the park ranger or campground host to get professionals for assistance. Never attempt to handle or relocate raccoons yourself, as they may carry diseases.

Elk and Deer: Respecting These Majestic Creatures

One of my favorite RV parks in Norther California is a Thousand Trails park called Lake of the Springs. It is known for its large deer population and deer walking through your campsite daily is common. Even though these deer are used to being around people, they are still wild and should be left alone. Here are some tips for deer or elk encounters.

• Let the deer be. Enjoy their visit from a safe distance, stay calm, and enjoy their company as they pass through.
• As they pass through, keep something between you and the deer such as your picnic table or a chair.
• Recognize their signs of aggression such as huffing or stomping feet. If you see this, back off.
• If you’re in elk country, keep a much farther distance away from elk. They are very large and can be especially dangerous if a bull is in rut.
• What happens if an elk or deer charges your? Stay as calm as possible and do not run. Instead, back away slowly and try to appear large by raising your arms or your jacked. Put a large object like a tree or rock between you and the animal. In the event of contact, protect your head and neck, and try to get to the ground in a fetal position. Once the animal retreats, leave the area calmly and seek medical attention if you’re injured.
• When driving through deer country, obey the speed limit, especially at night. Watch the sides of the road for glowing eyes and stay alert.

Black Bear Encounters: Stay Calm and Stand Your Ground

Bear encounters on the hiking trail:

• Make your presence known to avoid surprising bears. Make noise. Talk or sing while hiking, or carry a bell. Yell out “Yo bear!!” every once in a while
• If you see a bear in the wild, stay calm and back away slowly. Most of the time the bear is not interested in you and will do everything to avoid coming close. So, if a bear sees you, yell at it. Raise your hands and make yourself look large and intimidating.
• If a black bear charges at you, stand your ground. Often the charge will be a bluff or a warning. Then slowly back away while talking calmly to the bear.
• Use bear spray to deter an attack.
• If a black bear makes contact, fight back. Punch, kick, scream, and fight.

Grizzly bear encounters on the hiking trail:

If a grizzly bear approaches you on a hiking trail, stay calm and avoid running. Slowly back away while speaking in a low, calm voice to make your presence known. Avoid direct eye contact, as this can be perceived as a challenge. If the bear continues to approach, use bear spray if you have it. As a last resort, if a grizzly attacks, play dead by lying face down with your hands clasped behind your neck. Remain still until the bear leaves the area. In contrast, if it’s a black bear, fight back vigorously.

Bear encounters in your campsite:

• Avoid visits from bears by keeping your campsite clean. Store food and trash properly. If a campground dumpster is bear-proof, always make sure the lid is completely latched and the lock is back in place when you through your trash away.I remember seeing a black bear standing on top of a trash dumpster have a meal because someone didn’t take the time to make sure the dumpster lid was latched.
• If a bear shows up in the campground, yell out “Bear in the camp!” to warn other campers that it’s there. Make loud noises, bang on pots, yell, and clap your hands to scare it away.

Mountain Lion Safety: Vigilance is Key

Black bears, racoons, and skunks are not nearly as scary as mountain lions, in my opinion, and they can be found nearly anywhere in the western United States. Here are some tips to stay safe if you are camping alone in mountain lion country.

• Recognizing signs of mountain lion presence. Look for scat, footprints or scratch marks. Ask the park ranger or campground host if there have been any recent sightings in the area.
• If you know there’s a mountain lion in the area, avoid hiking alone, especially at dusk or dawn when they are most active.
• If you do hike, carry an air horn and bear spray.
• If you see a mountain lion, stay calm, make yourself appear large and intimidating, yell at the cat, and back away slowly.
• Mountain lion attacks are very rare, but in the case of an attack, fight back aggressively. Don’t play dead. Try to stay standing to protect your neck and head. Use any weapons available – rocks, sticks, or your bare hands.

Encountering wildlife while traveling solo can be an unforgettable experience – for better or worse!

By arming yourself with knowledge and the right gear, you’ll be prepared to handle any animal encounter that comes your way.

Remember, respect for wildlife and their habitats is paramount. As the famous naturalist John Muir once said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” So, go explore with confidence, stay alert, and enjoy the incredible beauty of the natural world. Your solo adventures await – just don’t forget that bear spray!