I knew there was a reason I didn’t like camping.

Two men were on a camping/fishing trip in Northern Ontario last week. Early one morning, one of the men was using the outhouse (with the door open to enjoy the sunrise) when a black bear decided he looked like breakfast. The bear attacked, hauling the man out of the outhouse. The man’s friend heard the screams, grabbed a rifle and headed out just in time to see him being dragged into the bush. Afraid he’d shoot his friend, the man followed with the rifle. Finally, the bear turned and faced the man’s friend, at which point the man shot the bear.

According to Canadian law, the man with the rifle was charged with shooting a bear without a license. It’ll get thrown out of court, I’m sure, but really, should he even have to go through the process? And will he now be left with a criminal record? I hope not!

Yep, roughing it is not on my list of favourite things to do, mostly because I’ve always had an aversion to outhouses. I like indoor plumbing, where the chances of wildlife interrupting are pretty slim. The worst I’ve had to deal with is an errant spider or mosquito, and that’s enough for me.

The lesson in this story: if you must use an outhouse, don’t be concerned with the view outside. It’ll still be there when you’re finished. And keep the door closed!