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Old 05-09-2016, 07:56 AM   #1
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snakes and bears

We are planning our first trip out west. our first stop is in Custer SD for 5 days then down to Colorado Springs staying at Cheyenne mountain state park. My wife doesn't like snakes and is very concerned about bears. anyone have any information I can use to ease her mind maybe some repellent tips? Thanks. I am trying to tell her that they are more afraid of us than you are of them but she isn't taking my word for it. Thanks we are very excited for our first trip out west with our travel trailer.
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Old 05-09-2016, 08:21 AM   #2
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Your chances of seeing a snake on your trip is fairly slim. Do you camp in Iowa? There are plenty of snakes there too.

Black bears are rather timid creatures and prefer not to interact with humans. While there are bears in the area you will be visiting the chance of seeing one is slim to none. Just don’t leave any food out on the picnic table at night.

If you go hiking on back trails you might consider buying bear spray for protection from bears but again, your chance of needing it is pretty slim. When my wife and I hike in bear country we carry UDAP bear spray. We’ve been doing this for years and have yet to need the bear spray.
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Old 05-09-2016, 08:46 AM   #3
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Your chances of seeing a snake on your trip is fairly slim. Do you camp in Iowa? There are plenty of snakes there too.

Black bears are rather timid creatures and prefer not to interact with humans. While there are bears in the area you will be visiting the chance of seeing one is slim to none. Just don’t leave any food out on the picnic table at night.

If you go hiking on back trails you might consider buying bear spray for protection from bears but again, your chance of needing it is pretty slim. When my wife and I hike in bear country we carry UDAP bear spray. We’ve been doing this for years and have yet to need the bear spray.
Thank you. I think she was more concerned with the rattle snakes then anything. Im really hoping we get to see some bears as thats a lot of the reason I want to go is for the wildlife. not necessarily the snakes)
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Old 05-10-2016, 05:09 PM   #4
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Lots of mean, poisonous, aggressive rattlesnakes here!
Lots of big, burly, nasty, hungy/angry (hangry), rabid black bears here!







I'm kidding of course. The newbies that have just moved here (millions at last count) would like to close the borders behind them so that the rest of you don't figure out how awesome it is here.

Been here 20 years and I've seen 2 bears in person and no rattlesnakes. Lots of gardener snakes though.

Now, if you like to walk in the forest with a ribeye tied around your neck, you're pretty likely to see chipmunks than bears but I wouldn't do it!
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Old 05-10-2016, 07:02 PM   #5
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Our Colorado bears are pretty timid. If you walk in the woods, make plenty of noise and they'll avoid you. There are rattlesnakes here, but you probably won't see one. If you travel with a dog, I'd advise against letting it run loose; it may find wildlife that would prefer to remain invisible.
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Old 05-10-2016, 07:09 PM   #6
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If you travel with a dog, I'd advise against letting it run loose; it may find wildlife that would prefer to remain invisible.
Sage advice from ekrus. Take heed.
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Old 05-10-2016, 07:50 PM   #7
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Snakes not an issue maybe a garden snake or two . there are rattlers but in 56 yrs of being outdoors in the west never seen one . the bears as others say are timid for the most part stay far away from cubs and bears with cubs . have seen many many bears in my time in Colorado and travels out west never any issues . Had a boar charge me once he got my scent and turned tail . you can chase them off with just loud noise and a big stance . enjoy your trip . i'd be more worried about the bison in SD then anything else
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Old 05-10-2016, 08:13 PM   #8
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I thought everywhere had snakes and bears
Plenty of both here in FL. (and 15ft gators, and sharks, and nasty spiders ... I got bit by one a couple of years back ... spider that is, not a gator)

Loved seeing grizzlies up north (Montana) tho, but if you use some common sense, and don't do anything to attract them then they'll leave you alone.

Hoping to see some more bears on our upcoming trip north and west, but probably more chance of seeing one on our street tbh
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Old 05-11-2016, 09:58 PM   #9
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I had a grizzly sniff my pop up at midnight in Yellowstone. Never saw it but heard three scary as hell huffs about 2 feet from my head. My poor lab both threw up AND took a dump on the floor!

That was 10-12 years ago and I remember it like it was last night.

I now dry camp and backpack with a .45 and bear spray.
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Old 05-11-2016, 10:45 PM   #10
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We camp with a .45 (and a .40) also, but they're for cats, not bears.
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Old 05-11-2016, 10:46 PM   #11
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Old 05-11-2016, 11:23 PM   #12
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Guess it depends on where you go, but I've come across several rattlesnakes in my 2 years in Colorado, all on the front range. But, like bears, they aren't aggressive unless you surprise one or act stupid around it.
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Old 05-12-2016, 12:12 AM   #13
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We have stayed at 7th Ranch in MT. next to Custer's last stand
a couple of times, nice RV Park, free Ice Cream at check-in.
Same with Chris's Camp in Spear Fish SD never seen any,
snakes, or Bears.

Same near Rollins MT at the Big Sky RV Resort & Campground,
no snakes or bears but a great Water park next door, I take it
back, they had big Wood Bears at the entrance to the water
park

As someone stated you make enough noise you will never
see either, never be quit walking a path or leave tasty
treats out on your picnic table and you not have to worry
about them.

An above all
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Old 05-12-2016, 03:37 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by GuppyWN View Post
I had a grizzly sniff my pop up at midnight in Yellowstone. Never saw it but heard three scary as hell huffs about 2 feet from my head. My poor lab both threw up AND took a dump on the floor!

That was 10-12 years ago and I remember it like it was last night.

I now dry camp and backpack with a .45 and bear spray.
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Old 05-12-2016, 04:32 PM   #15
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Our Colorado bears are pretty timid. If you walk in the woods, make plenty of noise and they'll avoid you. There are rattlesnakes here, but you probably won't see one. If you travel with a dog, I'd advise against letting it run loose; it may find wildlife that would prefer to remain invisible.
Thank you we travel with our 20 LB cavalier. we were thinking that we would have to keep him close
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Old 05-12-2016, 04:50 PM   #16
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No snakes or bears?

Don't come down here. Snakes, bears, mt. lions, hogs, mosquitoes the size of turkeys, turkeys (!!), coyotes, bobcats, every poisonous snake in N. America, and a huge pile of ne'er do wells.

But we carry............

and we have liquid water year round, and mountains and prairies and few people and..........

well.......it's yin and yang.
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Old 05-12-2016, 05:11 PM   #17
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Thank you we travel with our 20 LB cavalier. we were thinking that we would have to keep him close

Many if not all of the state parks in CO have leash laws, and several do not allow dogs on the hiking trails. Might want to look into that before you go.
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Old 05-22-2016, 07:55 AM   #18
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Many if not all of the state parks in CO have leash laws, and several do not allow dogs on the hiking trails. Might want to look into that before you go.
Thank you I am aware of that already
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