Ten More Things NOT to Do when Camping

Eat berries or fruit you may find. We go camping to have a good time and get away from it all. We love to explore and find new things. However, unless you or someone in your group is an expert on the area and what is edible from all the trees and bushes, I recommend refraining from popping anything in your mouth. That's why you brought snacks.

Approach any animal or insect. This goes for the most harmless appearing squirrel or chipmunk to the most threatening looking snake or spider. The last thing one wishes for when camping is a trip to the emergency room because they foolishly tried to pick up some fuzzy animal they had no business touching at all. Once again, if there is an expert on local wildlife in your camping group who knows which creatures are safe and which aren't, things may be OK. Still, err on the side of safety if you are going to err at all.

Leave the flashlight or lantern on without a reason. When camping in the wilderness, things like batteries and lantern fuel become a pretty hot commodity. Setting a flashlight down for a while with it on makes no sense unless you have a ton of batteries with you - but I still wouldn't waste the energy. Likewise, going to sleep with a lantern on is not the brightest idea, either. Besides the risk of fire with the flame variety of lanterns, leaving a battery operated one on for extended periods of time when nobody is using it is just silly.

Sleep on the ground. This should be common sense, but I still see folks doing this from time to time. Depending on where you are camping, the creatures that could approach you at night may be unsavory to say the least. Snakes, spiders, scorpions, skunks, bears and wildcats probably top the list of things to be avoided. If there isn't a tent available, sleep in a vehicle - it is not worth the risk.

Kill any animal without knowing what you are doing. If you bring guns camping and intend to shoot something, check with the game warden or ranger's office first to make sure you know the limit on certain animals, and if it is even in season at all. Killing a deer out of season is against the law, and the fines can climb pretty quickly. Play by the rules, it helps all of us!

Bring illegal weapons to the campground. Yes, everyone back home is impressed that you have AK-47 and AR-13 assault rifles, and your Samurai Sword collection is to die for. However, these weapons have NO business on a campground, and I suggest you leave them home. Bring pictures of them if you want to be big man on campus.

Take things like trees, plants, rocks, or pinecones home with you. In some places this is a fineable offense, and in most it's just not a good idea. Just as the off-road crowd has been instructed to tread lightly and stay on the trails, there is no reason to dig up a tree or plant when you are camping. If you see something you want, flag down a ranger or local expert and ask what it is. If it's legal, you can probably purchase one. When you get home, head to the nursery with your wallet in hand.

Play loud music and swear at the top of your lungs. Remember, camping is a family friendly activity, and although you may have 600 watts of raw thumping power coming out of your stereo and a mouth like a sailor, try to think about the people around you and have some respect. At least take requests if you are going to blast music at volume 45 ½.

Let your kids out of site - EVER. There is simply too much that can go wrong in mere seconds to allow children to wander around unsupervised. Please, this one is important; don't turn a fun camping trip into the worst day of your life. There could be something deadly just ten feet away from camp, and it is a parent's job to keep children safe.

Chop a tree down for firewood. This one is pretty self-explanatory. Check first before cutting and burning ANY local tree or plant life. It could be highly illegal, and at the very least a huge fine could ruin an otherwise successful camping trip.