I am new to this forum. I camped in my backyard last fall with no problems (loved it!), and had only a few animal experiences: a couple of times I woke up to the feel of the floor being tugged beneath my face, from an animal nibbling or pulling at the edge of the tent, and a couple of times I woke up to the feel of moles running beneath the tent floor. Nothing major.

Now it's spring, and I want to get back out in my tent, but I've developed a newfound fear of animals because I was attacked by a goose a few weeks ago while I was riding my bike, and just last week, another goose came flying at me to attack (it gave the warning hiss before charging me and then flying at me), but yelling "NO!" at it seven times made it land instead of knocking me off my bike.

Despite this "success" with the second goose run-in, I am now afraid of what other animals might do while I sleep in the tent. I've seen raccoons, deer, rabbits, squirrels, skunks, foxes, and coyotes in our backyard or area (of those, the fox is the only one I've seen while bike riding in the area, but not specifically in the back yard).

Am I safe to camp out there? It's spring. Any special concerns with animals trying to aggressively guard their young, as with the Canada geese? Are any animals going to rip into my tent? Should I be worried about neighbors having food out, or does next door not matter? I found a Slim Jim wrapper on the ground that blew in from I don't know where. I threw it away, but could things like that cause me problems if I don't catch them before bed time?

Another factor contributing to my new fear is that last year's tent was huge, and this year I'm using a smaller one so I don't destroy so much of the lawn as I did last fall. But now my feet and head are right up against the tent walls.

What about motion detector lights? Will that help scare off animals?

Amy,

I have no experience with geese, but I've been backpacking in most regions of the US (and a whole lot of Canada) for a whole lot of years, and the only critters that have even threatened to attack me were a moose (in the fall "season") in Maine, plus a whole lot of ticks, chiggers mosquitos and blackflies.

Oh, forgot, a tiny baby skunk once stomped its feet (threat display) on a trail in the Shenandoah. I just waited a couple of minutes and he wandered off. Oh, remembered another, a tiny coperhead (size of a half-used pencil) struck my hiking pole on the AT in Georgia.

That's the whole list for about sixty years of backpacking, day hiking and canoe tripping. I wouldn't worry too much.

I have even had a close encounter with a mountain lion (in virginia) and it just bounded off. Also once got between a bear and her cubs. She was close, but didn't even growl (I didn't even see her until later) One proviso, in some places (Nova Scotia, for instance) some coyotes can be dangerous.

best, jcp

It might help to know where you're from. Here in the relatively populated Ohio Valley, most of the small animals have become pretty well habituated to people, and mostly don't bother us. (At a local campground, I've tripped over a skunk in the dark, and all I got for it was a look that said, "Use a flashlight, stupid.")

I'll occasionally hear a critter outside my tent, but if I just move around and make some noise, it wanders off; I've not had any serious encounters where they tried to chew into my tent. (However, I do usually hang my food bag; not really bear-bagging, but just up on a limb high enough that the raccoons, skunks, and field mice can't get to it.)

Geese, around here, are affectionately referred to as "rats with wings," though I've seen 4 lanes of traffic come to a complete halt when they decide to cross a busy road. On the golf course, they're a nuisance (nothing worse than putting across goose crap), but I've had to walk toward them to get to my ball, and they just move off - of course, I'm carrying a seven iron, and am not afraid to use it.

I've never had problems with deer; they will wander through yards and eat flowers, etc. (infuriating my gardener-wife), but they won't try to approach people, and will take off if people approach them.

We have fox and coyotes, but both tend to be very shy of people (maybe because the farmers carry guns in the tractors and shoot them?) We'll often hear coyote in town, but I've never had one come anywhere near a campsite in the woods, and I've never seen one in town.

So, in our area, there seems to be a general tolerance for one another, with respectful distance kept. I don't know what your area might be like (for example, bear activity might change everything), but I wouldn't let a couple of goose encounters put you off backyard camping - unless the geese live in a pond in your back yard. If you're worried, you could take a hiking pole (or ball bat) with you and put it in your vestibule, for peace of mind.

I should have added that I am backyard camping in the illustrious suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. (Hey...everybody's gotta live somewhere...someone's gotta live here.)

There are no bears in the lower part of the state, I don't think, so I'm good on that front. I only eat in the house, with the single exception of this morning, when I ate some yogurt in the tent while I zipped the windows up before work. After I did it, I thought, "What am I doing??? I'm so concerned about animals and I'm eating in my tent!!!??" Hopefully the smell of yogurt, if such smell exists, will not linger into tonight. Maybe I should have left the windows open for the smell to air out, but I wasn't sure if it was going to rain today. Probably BECAUSE I zipped up the windows, it's gorgeous out :-/

Do you think I should stop the practice of other household inhabitants filling the bird feeder in the backyard where I camp?

If you're sleeping outside in the 'burbs of Detroit, I'd be more concerned with 2-legged predators.

I heard a gun shot last night and the night before, and it is not hunting season, nor are there any legitimate hunting grounds near my home...but I chose to igore the shots and focus on my fear of animals

If you are really reluctant to go out because of fear of animals (whether it is real or not) there is pepper spray designed for bears. You probably would never use it, but it may give you peace of mind. It is pretty potent stuff so you need to handle it properly. If large animals are not of concern, the smaller pepper spray used for self-defence in urban areas may be sufficient. Most animals will not get inside your tent. I just put in ear plugs and sleep. Last trip small rodents chewed up my tent line at night. The key to having less animal problems is to keep a really clean campsite. Hang all food in a scack lined with an odor proof plastic bag. Wash dishes well away from camp. Do not leave dirty dishes out - wash them or put them in with the food. With experience you will become less fearful of animals. Another plan is to go with someone else- you will feel less vulnerable.

I grew up in the UP and I agree geese are mean birds. I remember them attacking the wheels on our truck as we drove by. I found it was only the more habituated geese that gave us problems. The ones that live in parks or in our case on the pond at our farm. Our house was located on a hill between a lake and a farm. The geese would fly between the two, but we never had any problems with those geese.

Animals in general, particularly out in the woods pose very little danger to humans. There are some animals that want your food. You are most likely to interact with these animals in established camp grounds were they have learned to get food from humans. You need to protect your food and you should never sleep with food, but they don't really pose a risk to you unless you corner them. They are very good at searching for food and can tell the difference between a stain on your shirt and an entire doughnut. Not just any smell will bring animals in. They have to smell enough food to make it worthwhile.

The fact that everyone is so focused on food in regards to attracting animals is making me feel better. I won't be having any food in or directly around my tent. I can't control what my neighbors do, unfortunately, but at least their trash cans aren't in my back yard.

Maybe I will be okay and can find the courage to get back out there....because last (fearless) fall was AWESOME!!!
http://backyardamy.blogspot.com/

D*** geese, giving me new, possibly unfounded, fears!

p.s. Never bike ride ANYWHERE NEAR a Canada goose in the spring time!

Wow, quit the blog. You are braver than I. I would rather sleep in grizzly bear land covered in salmon than sleep in the backyard in Detroit.

If I sleep in my backyard, my dog pretty much keeps all other animals out. The only animal to worry about is the 2 legged variety. Of course, my dog barks at everything that walks by, so she gives me a little time to be prepared.

I'm hoping you meant "quite the blog" and not "quit the blog" because no way can I quit the blog!

I am out in my tent right now, and about to start blogging. Darkness has not yet fallen, and I'm feeling brave. I just heard a bird chirp, but I'm okay, because it definitely was not a Canada goose! I can do this thing... no 'yotes, no 'yotes...

I'm getting used to the sounds in the light, while I can look around and see what's causing them.

It usually takes me a night or two to get rid of those fears in the woods, but one has to sleep eventually. I once had a mouse keep me up for hours in the Sierra's while it was cleaning my spoon off in my tin cup. I was thinking bear until I got the nerve to investigate.
Funny thing about the things that go bump in the night. Could be anything, but usually not much to worry about. Just got get used to it eventually, and the backyard is a good place to start. To many uncontrollable barking dogs in my neighborhood.

I did it!! I slept outside last night. And no animals ate me or even woke me up to a man vs. beast duel.

I read backpacking.net threads until I got so tired that I just fell asleep. It was GREAT! I woke up at 2:00 a.m. and was like, "I'm doing it!!" and then I woke up again in the morning light. I'd forgotten how great it is to wake up from the dawn of morning, instead of from an obnoxious alarm tone! My phone was set for 5:52 a.m., but I woke up naturally somewhere between 5:30 and then.

I love sleeping outdoors SO MUCH! This is going to be my year that I finally get off the back lawn and go somewhere a little less... suburban.

You guys are great. And so is sleeping with a mat! Big difference from last fall, having the mat, even though it is very thin.