[pct-l] Fw: Safety on the Trail

[Reinhold Metzger]

Jon you are 100% right..........read my Feb. 13 post on this subject.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Jon wrote.......I  would imagine that the bears would approach the mothballs
out of curiosity ......but once close enough might have a repellent
effect......just thinking.....maybe on of you could try it in bear country
and let me know if I'm right.

> Karl Ellingson wrote..,,,,.on his 1978-1979 PCT thru hike his technique
for bears was to carry         > ziplock bag of mothballs and open it every
night and place it on top of his food bag....he did hang > his food 20% of
the time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Reinhold Metzger" <reinholdmetzger at cox.net
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 3:10 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Safety on the Trail


> SWITCHBACK,      FIRST OF ALL THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS.     HOWEVER,
WHEN
> I HIKE SOLO I ALSO GO STEALTH. I EAT ON THE TRAIL SO AS NOT TO CREATE ANY
> ODORS IN MY CAMP SITE. I GET AS FAR AWAY FROM DESIGNATED CAMP SITES AS
> POSSIBLE AND FIND A SECLUDED SPOT OFF THE TRAIL.
> THE FARTHER THE BETTER SO THE BEARS ARE LESS LIKELY TO SMELL YOU.
> REMEMBER BEARS LIKE THE PASS OF LEAST RESISTANCE ALSO AND WALK ON THE  >
TRAILS FREQUENTLY. I ALSO TRY NOT TO USE MY FLASHLIGHT OR MAKE ANY
> COMMOTION THATCOULD MAKE MY PRESENCE KNOWN. NEVER HAD ANY BEAR
> PROBLEMS THIS WAY.
>THE DOWN SIDE--IF A BEAR SHOULD INVADE YOUR CAMP SITE HE WILL NOT BE
> AS INTIMIDATED BY LITTLE OLD YOU AS HE WOULD BE BY A GROUP, AND IF
>  SOMETHING HAPPENS YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
> NOW, WHAT I REALIZED YEARS AGO IS THAT BEARS DO NOT LIKE THE ODOR OF
> MOTHBALLS. AS A MATTER OF FACT I CAN NOT THINK OF ANY ANIMAL THAT DOES.
> SO WHEN I GO WITH A GROUP OR THE BOY SCOUTS I ALWAYS BRING SOME
> MOTHBALLS.
> BOY, I KNOW IM GOING TO CATCH SOME SH#%?#T OVER THIS.      BUT HEY, IT
WORKS
> WE TESTED IT MANY TIMES. IT'S NOT GOING TO KEEP THE BEARS OUT OF THE CAMP
> SITE BUT, BY PUTTING A FEW MOTH BALLS ON YOUR BEAR CANISTER AND THE OPEN
> POCKETS OF YOUR PACK AND AROUND YOUR TENT, THE BEARS WILL MOST LIKELY    >
LEAVE YOU ALONE AND HEAD FOR THE OTHER CAMPERS WITH THE LESS
> OFFENSIVE ODOR.
> BOY I CAN HEAR THE CRITICISM ALREADY..........."WELL THAT'S NO GOOD ALL
YOU'RE    > DOING  IS SIC THE BEARS ON THE OTHER CAMPERS."
> I SAY YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF LET THE OTHER
> CAMPERS  DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. EVERYBODY IS
> RESPONSIBLE FOR THEY'RE OWN  BEAR PRECAUTION.  BEFORE WE STARTED USING >
MOTH BALLS  IT SEEMS WE WERE ALWAYS RUNNING BEARS OFF. NOW IT SEEMS >THEY
LEAVE US ALONE, MORE OR LESS, AND GO AFTER THE OTHER CAMPERS             >
FOOD................SOME PEOPLE SAY..........."BETTER THEM THEN US"
> I DO NOT, HOWEVER, USE MOTH BALLS WHEN I GO SOLO-STEALTH BECAUSE THE
> SAME ARGUMENT THAT THE MOTH BALL ODOR MAKES YOU LESS APPEALING ,TO THE
> BEARS, THAN THE OTHER CAMPERS MAY ALSO GIVE AWAY YOUR PRESENCE AND      >
DRAW A BEAR, TO INVESTIGATE THE ODOR, INTO YOUR CAMP.   BUT NOW THE BEAR
> DOES NOT HAVE LESS OFFENSIVE CAMPERS TO CHOOSE FROM. YOU ARE THE ONLY >
GAME IN TOWN AND HE IS THINKING IF  "SWITCHBACK"   GIVES ME ANY TROUBLE
I'LL
> KNOCK  HIS HEAD OFF.

> JMT REINHOLD,  YOUR COMRADE IN ARMS