Store food properly. Keep food in sealed, animal-proof containers — sporting goods stores sell these special containers. If you are in a populated area that does not have bears, you can keep food in a cooler in your car's trunk. In bear country, however, hang the containers in a bag at least 12 feet off the ground, and at least 10 feet out from the trunk of a tree. If your campsite has a bear pole installed, hang food bags from the pole.
Tidy up picnic tables and cooking areas. Don't leave food or dirty dishes laying around and don't leave food or trash in your tent. Don't leave out any items that have fragrances, like toothpaste or scented wipes. Bears are attracted to mint, and any bath product may smell like food to animals in the area.
Store dirty clothes, especially those that have absorbed cooking odors, in bear bags and hang them from trees or the bear pole.
Create two campsites, in a manner of speaking. Set up your tent at least 100 yards away from the area where you will cook and hang your bear bags. This way, even if animals do visit the campsite, they'll probably stick to exploring the food area.
Do not pile up firewood near your campsite. Smaller critters like snakes and mice look for small, dark hideouts. Try to have only the amount of firewood you need for that day near your campsite. If you feel the need to stock up on firewood, store it away from your campsite.
Close up your tent when you go out for the day, especially if you're in an area with a lot of insects or mice.
