Camping is great for getting away from the everyday worries and spending some quality time with your friends and family. When camping in the wild, we may seem like miles from anyone but you never know who is around, even in the most remote of places.
Even in campground you may feel safe because of the amount of other people around. You may think that everyone is the same as you but unfortunately you just can’t trust everyone.
A few quick examples of camping security would be to always lock down anything that can be taken like coolers, stoves and even clothes. Never take anything that you don’t need. Leave valuables in the car. You will also want a way to protect yourself and family from attack. All of which can be done several ways and I am going to take you through each if them.
This post isn’t made to scare you. The likelihood of you coming across any trouble is very small. However, it is good to be prepared for the worst as these things do happen.
Setting your camp
If you are new to camping then it may be good to start with a private campground. Most of these places have their own site security. If you’re going further off the beaten track then make sure you have the number of the local rangers office.
While camping at a campground is generally safe, you still don’t want to make it easy for people to walk off with your stuff. Leave any valuables in your car or at home. This includes stuff like your ID and wallet. You won’t need much money in the wild so just take a little cash and maybe a card if you intend on hiking through towns.
Have everything locked down while you’re out of camp and overnight. Lock larger object like your cooler to a tree. If you’re hanging out any clothes to dry then they too will need to be hidden away. These are all easy targets for an opportunity thief.
I have seen people put locks on the zipper of tents. To me this it just silly. Ok, maybe it might deter someone from having a look but for more hardened thieves this is like having a sign saying, this tent is full of goodies for your to have. A simple slash with their knife and all your stuff is gone, and your tent is ruined.
Get to know your neighbours before you set up. If you’re looking for some quiet time and they have cases of beer then you probably won’t be a good mix. Have a friendly chat with them to try to determine if they are trustworthy. You may have to rely on your sixth sense here. If you find that they are trustworthy then you can look out for one another when you are out of camp.
When you are backcountry camping you won’t have to worry about too many people coming across your campsite. However, you just don’t know who is around. There is a rise in gangs using backcountry that grow cannabis, working meth labs and a host of other illegal activities.
If you’re out hiking and you come across a campsite, don’t enter it unless you are invited. Even if they aren’t there. You can’t be sure where they are. You might be taken as an intruder and may result in a heavy confrontation.
Pick a secluded campsite. Somewhere that is hidden until you’re close to it. Dips in the landscape or behind an outcrop of boulder. This will depend on the terrain. Try to blend into the background by leaning branches against your tent. Anything that can break up the tell-tale shapes of your camp.
When lighting a campfire you will want to keep that low profile as well. That means not having it too big and to use as dry of fuel as possible. Wet sticks give off more smoke. Never leave camp while your fire is lit. It might draw unwanted attention to your camp when your not there.
Security isn’t the only thing to consider when selecting a campsite. I have made a post on how to select the perfect campsite here
Leaving the campsite
There will be a time when you want to leave your camp to enjoy other outdoor activities. If you have anything in your camp that you don’t want to be taken then make sure it is either locked down or placed back in your car, out of sight. Remember, cars can be broken into as well, so make sure you keep everything out of sight.
If you trust your neighbours then let them know that you will be out for the day. Maybe they could keep an eye out for you.
You could also use a sound grenade. These are handy little devices the come in two pieces with slide together. When they are slide apart they alarm very loudly. It will be enough to scare off any intruder, especially in a busy campground.
You tie one end to one zip tag and the other to the other zip tag or something heavy inside the tent. Have some slack on the lines. Enough so you can slip the device into the tent before you sip the tent fully. When an unsuspecting burglar zips open your tent, they will set off the alarm.
These devices can be used in lots of different ways. Sometimes when I’m out hiking I might want to scout ahead but leave my heavy backpack behind. I will do my best to hide my pack but I will also tie one side of sound grenade to my pack and the other to a branch. If someone tries to make off with my pack then the alarm will go off.
You could also use it as a trip wire alarm. Run a length of fishing line around the perimeter of your camp. Not too wide, you just want it to go off if someone actually enters your site. Tie one end of the wire to your sound grenade and the other end to your a tree or grass. When someone walks into your camp you will know about it.
When I camp down for the night I make a perimeter of with fishing line and the sound grenade. If anyone comes near my tent then the sound grenade will go of which will wake me and hopefully scare whoever or whatever it was away.
Securing against attack
Having your stuff stolen is pretty bad but coming under attack is much worse. It’s not too often it happens but there are attacks on campers.
So what should you do to defend yourself?
Ideally knowing some sort of self defence would be ideal. How cool would it be to kick a few scumbags asses? However, if you are like me and most other people you won’t know anything about hand to hand combat.
The next best thing and my personal favourite is to use mace. A quick squirt of mace into anyone’s eyes will buy you enough time to get away and call for help. This can also be used against animals to deter them from attacking you.
After that there are more extreme options, such as a hand gun and or knives. You must own a firearms permit to carry a gun. Most camping grounds don’t allow firearms and restrict the length of knife you are allowed. This will also depend on your local laws. Some countries prohibit the possession of firearms.
It is important to be able to contact the authorities at all times. Not just in case you bump into some unsavoury characters but it’s easy to have a accident and you might need to call for help. If you’re going into deep backcountry then don’t rely on your cell phone as you may lose signal . You should always take a satellite phone with you.
Securing from wildlife
Humans aren’t the only thieves you may encounter. Squirrels, raccoons and even bears can be a concern when out in the wild. Keep all food in an air sealed containers. This will stop wildlife smelling food and searching through your stuff to get to it. A cooler is great for storing food but always make sure it is locked and secured to a tree. Check out my favourite coolers here.
If you’re sleeping in bear country then don’t keep or prepare food near your camp. You will want to be about 100 yards away from your camp. Make sure all of your camping party know the importance of this including kids. Having even a few snacks in the tent late at night can draw bears to your tent. Don’t use perfume or deodorant for this same reason. Bears have a great sense of smell and they may think your deodorant is some sort of food.
As I said at the top. I don’t want this to scare anyone from camping. These sort of things can and do happen in everyday life. So be prepare for the worst and hope it never happens.
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