Idaho’s New Number One Concern: Bears

Living in Idaho in 2022 gives one plenty to worry about. Traffic. Rising gas prices and rent. Which vendor in downtown Boise has the best street hotdogs. It can be a lot.

Making matters worse? Feral beasts are on the lookout for a nice tasty treat. Your tasty treats, to be exact.

Idaho Fish and Game say that wild bears are targeting Idaho campgrounds, due to campers leaving food out ripe for the picking for the Gem State's family Ursidae. Idaho Fish and Game had this to say:

Once a bear becomes food-conditioned they present a threat to residents and campers since they can become aggressive as they protect their human-sourced food.

As of late, bears have been spotted at camps in both North Fork as well as Baumgartner. That doesn't mean there aren't bears at your favorite camping site, so make sure to use caution.

A few tips to avoid a bear encounter on your next camping trip:

• Don't camp near any bear-friendly food sources such as berry bushes.
• If you're in the backcountry, keep your cooking area at least 100 yards from where you'll be sleeping.
• Pick up any food or drink you drop. Don't leave any behind.
• This may sound weird, but bury your poop. Trust us.

Have you ever encountered an Idaho bear face-to-face while out in the wilderness, or did you have personal time with another wild animal? Jump on Facebook and let us know where we should take a doubletake before setting up camp. We don't want bears stealing our snacks.