[pct-l] Number Two

Sat Feb 2 22:30:37 CST 2013

Hi C and Cat,

I store them in a small OP sack while on the trail. At camp I make a circle around my tent about 15 feet from the tent. I bring 20 bear charms. The circle placement is important in that it makes it easier to find all 20 in the morning. I also store all food, at night, in an OPSac an extra precaution. The only problem that I see with using film canisters rather than tobacco sacks is that they would be bulkier when packed for the trail. You will find cotton tobacco sacks for sale from sporting goods stores where there is surf fishing. Surf fisherman use them rather than lead weights. They just fill them with rocks or sand. In Fort Bragg, Ca. I could buy them at Rite Aid.

MendoRider-Hiker

________________________________
 From: C <chrisfoley81 at gmail.com>
To: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com> 
Cc: Cat Nelson <sagegirl51 at gmail.com>; "pct-l at backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net> 
Sent: Saturday, February 2, 2013 6:37 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Number Two

Wow...I love that idea...my pack with be dancing with bear charms!  Sounds a lot quieter than bear bells 

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 2, 2013, at 7:20 AM, Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hi Cat,
>  
> I first read of that in the book "Never Cry Wolf" by Farley Mowat. He would urinate little squirts in a circle all around his campsite to mark his territory and to discourage wolves. I also recall seeing Les Stroud on the TV series Survivorman, do it. The idea is that it might keep certain animals away. I wonder if it works. To discourage bears from coming into my camp areas I do something similar using cotton tobacco sacks with two or three mothballs in each. Bears dislike the smell. it does not represent something to eat. It repels them. I have used them for about 23 years now and it seems to work. In some rural areas (I am from the Mendocino Coast) I know some people who use mothballs to keep bears away from their garbage cans. Trail Angel Firefly has neighbors in Old Station, near the PCT, who also use them for that purpose. In parts of the Yukon they are called "Bear Charms" when in tobacco sacks. I also use odor-proof OPSaks to contain
> food smells. So, the only smell they get is one that they don't like. I place them in a big circle surrounding my tent and recover them in the morning.
>  
> MendoRider-Hiker
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Cat Nelson <sagegirl51 at gmail.com>
> To: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com> 
> Sent: Friday, February 1, 2013 7:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Number Two
> 
> 
> I have read in several journals where the hiker urinated  around the  perimeter of the camp site to deter critters at night. What's the point of that?  
> On Feb 1, 2013 5:32 PM, "Edward Anderson" <mendoridered at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> Great, I did expect that of you - the good aim.  And, there's no problem with urine on the surface. Women doing #1 should not toss their TP. It is best to carry it out in a Ziplok. Or, better yet, they should do as you do.
>>  
>> MendoRider-Hiker
>> 
>> 
>> ________________________________
>>  From: Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
>> To: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
>> Cc: "pct-l at backcountry.net" <pct-l at backcountry.net> 
>> Sent: Friday, February 1, 2013 5:24 PM
>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Number Two
>> 
>> The water falls in my cathole. I guess being a girl I have good aim when squatting. This method works great for number 1, for which girls end up wasting a lot of TP. In fact, most of the TP you will see on the trail is from girls going number 1.
>> 
>> On Feb 1, 2013, at 1:18 PM, Edward Anderson wrote:
>> 
>>> The problem that I might have with the squirt bottle approach is - where does the water fall? It will contain human fecal material, which is very high in pathogens along with dog and cattle poop. This is not true of horse manure. Or might the water end up on the surface? Rain could wash it into water sources. If you can aim well enough for it to fall into the cat hole, no problem. Of course, if people wash or swim in streams, creeks ponds, or lakes they will contaminate them. That's one reason why piblic swimming pools are chlorinated.
>>> 
>>> I have used plant material as well as TP. (I use bio-degradeable TP and bury it in the cat hole - which I am careful to dig in organic material so that the bacteria will start the decomposition. It's also a good idea to pee on the TP to wet it before covering hole). Two good plant materials are a lichen called Grandfathers Beard that you will often find hanging from dead branches of fir trees. Different species will often be light chartruse green and sometimes very dark green, almost black. Of course, you bury it in the cat hole. It is very lightweight and can be carried in a Ziplok bag. The other that I have sometimes used is called Mules Ear. I have sometimes carried used TP out in an OP sack if my next stop is likely to have a trash can for disposal. Remember, I don't hitch into towns since I ride a horse.
>>> 
>>> MendoRider-Hiker
>>> 
>>> 
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