[pct-l] Bears...Deodorant & Mothballs

[Reinhold Metzger]

Yes,
MendoRider is right.
I have used mothballs for many years when I hike with friends or the 
Scouts and they work.
The bears seem to stay away from the campers with the mothball odor and 
go after the campers with the cosmetic odors and the food odors instead.
I have been accused, on this list, that all I'm doing is sicking the 
bears on the other campers.
I say  "Better Them Than Me".....besides, everybody is responsible for 
their own bear precaution.
I use pieces of stockings (they allow the odor to escape freely) to 
attach a mothball or two to my pack, bear bag or whatever and place a 
few loose ones around my tent or sleeping bag.
In the morning I place all the mothballs in a zip lock and put the bag 
in my sleeping bag.
Gives the bag a slight mothball odor, and me also, to keep the bears 
away and mask that on the trail to long hiker odor.
The slight mothball odor is less offensive than the on the trail to long 
hiker odor and makes the other hiker dudes wonder why all the hiker 
babes hang around me, instead of them.

So, if you girls get tired of your smelly boyfriends, come and see me,  
JMT Reinhold with the mothball odor.

I do not, however, use mothballs when I go  "STEALTH"  on my solo "JMT 
Fast Packs"  for the simple reason that the mothball oder may give away 
my position and defeat the "STEALTH"  prime objective of staying undetected.


JMT Reinhold
You Western USA mothball distributor
------------------------------------------

Edward Anderson wrote:
> Alexandria,
>
> Reinhold mentioned mothballs. He's right. That's one odor that repels bears rather than attracting them. I have used them in bear country for about 20 years. I used them during my ride (by horse) of the PCT. I first learned of them from friends who are canoeists and who have taken several trips in Alaska and the Yukon. In parts of the Yukon, I was told, that moth balls in cotton tobacco sacks (2 or 3 in each) are called "bear charms". I usually carry about 20 of these. I store them in an OpSak when not in use. I also store my food and my horse's processed food in OpSaks and am careful not to get food smells on the outside of the sacks. At night I surround my saddle and saddle bags and all of the food sacks with bear charms. I also surround my tent at a distance of about 10 feet. I would like to point out that, while bears are repelled by moth balls, rodents are not. Fortunately, not even rodents can smell food stored inside an OpSak.
> Have a great hike - and leave out the deodorant. Sweat is the smell of honor on the PCT. 
> MendoRider
>
>
>
> --- On Sat, 4/3/10, Reinhold Metzger <reinholdmetzger at cox.net> wrote:
>
>   
>> From: Reinhold Metzger <reinholdmetzger at cox.net>
>> Subject: [pct-l]  deodorant
>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net, aalarsen at uwalumni.com, "Hiker97" <hiker97 at aol.com>, "patti kulesz" <peprmintpati88 at yahoo.com>
>> Date: Saturday, April 3, 2010, 10:30 AM
>> Alexandra,
>> Bears are attracted to odors and they do not discriminate
>> against cosmetics.
>> You will be a favorite target.
>> You might be better of sticking a moth ball into each
>> ear(just kidding).
>> Bears do not like moth ball odor.
>> The moth ball odor will overpower your body odor and even
>> keep the moth away.
>> Sleep tight, for you need not fear the bears tonight.
>>
>> JMT Reinhold
>> -------------------------
>> Alexandra wrote:
>>
>> random question maybe, but does anyone bother bringing
>> deodorant on the
>> trail? I find it hard to imagine life without it, but my
>> boyfriend is of the
>> opinion that it really won't make a difference, and I'm
>> starting to worry he
>> might be right!
>> Any input is appreciated!
>>
>> Alexandra
>>
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