PDA

View Full Version : I had a random thought this morning...



Lnj
10-05-2016, 16:46
I , along with many hikers here, have and love Dr. Bronners Peppermint soap. I originally bought it for hiking, and then due to the yummy smell, thought better of it and have just been using it at home instead. I got the unscented stuff for the trail.

My thought, while showering of course, was... for those of you who still use the peppermint soap, or any soap at all really, but especially the peppermint soap, on the trail... Has anyone been lurked at by a bear while splash bathing?

It occurred to me that this scent would certainly attract bears and/or any other wildlife that like peppermints and even if you did hang ALL your smellables, including your soap, what do you do if you have found your perfect little patch of privacy somewhere and your bucket or squirt bottle of water and are trying to freshen up a bit before hanging your bear bag and putting on your cleanest version of dry clothes for the night... and you feel like you are being watched, so you look for a peeper in the trees only to find a bear watching you, or worse yet APPROACHING??

Has that ever happened to anyone? I would love to hear the story if it has.:-?:eek:

Another Kevin
10-05-2016, 19:08
The idea behind using peppermint soap - and it's controversial whether it helps - is that peppermint grows wild in bear country, and bears don't eat it. The soap, therefore, shouldn't smell like food to a bear. And the hiker smells like human, which to most bears means DANGER!

The one time I saw a bear approaching, she hadn't seen me. I shouted, "Hi, Bear!" and she scooted! Any other time I've seen a bear, they've already started running by the time I spotted them.

saltysack
10-05-2016, 19:19
I've used the peppermint dr B for several years with no bear issues.....I buy it in bulk and use it at home as well. Don't try using it for toothpaste...I made that mistake....yuck! I recently bought the unscented for my Colorado hike....I usually sleep with my food so the peppermint probably doesn't matter.....just my $.02....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

swisscross
10-05-2016, 19:58
What about lavender sented soap?

Lone Wolf
10-05-2016, 20:09
using any kinda of soap in the woods is kinda dumb

eabyrd1506
10-05-2016, 20:57
Use ivory for hand washing but then I have to handle contact lenses

Wise Old Owl
10-05-2016, 21:03
Well - Bears are clearly opportunistic meaty scavengers - and peppermint has absolutely NOTHING to do with mammals... I understand there is some confusion here, but I dont get the premise for the thread.

Wise Old Owl
10-05-2016, 21:04
using any kinda of soap in the woods is kinda dumb

Well that will make you popular in a bad way.... just saying.:-?

theinfamousj
10-05-2016, 21:07
Bears want nothing to do with peppermint. That isn't why they are attracted to toothpaste (aka bear candy). It is the other components of toothpaste they find enticing, not the mint. Mint is a weed and they don't eat it. They don't care.

But if you do want to feed a bear leafy yums, black bears are big fans of cabbage. Or at least so sayeth the bear keeper at Grandfather Mountain.

Traffic Jam
10-05-2016, 21:09
using any kinda of soap in the woods is kinda dumb


Most of the time I don't use it but it comes in handy sometimes...like when you need to wash your Diva Cup and don't want to boil it in your cook pot...or when you have GI distress and need to clean real good to prevent chafing...or you unexpectedly have access to a shower.

Lnj, I've seen bears attracted to toothpaste and cooking odors but never soap, lotion, or balm. I used a DIY, emollient cream on my lips, skin, and feet on a recent hike that contains beeswax, coconut oil, sweet orange oil, etc., and did not have any problems.

Another Kevin
10-05-2016, 21:26
using any kinda of soap in the woods is kinda dumb

People like you are why I always wash my hands after checking out a register book.

Lone Wolf
10-05-2016, 21:34
People like you are why I always wash my hands after checking out a register book.

i don't touch registers. your point?

MuddyWaters
10-05-2016, 21:43
Bears want nothing to do with peppermint. That isn't why they are attracted to toothpaste (aka bear candy). It is the other components of toothpaste they find enticing, not the mint. Mint is a weed and they don't eat it. They don't care.

But if you do want to feed a bear leafy yums, black bears are big fans of cabbage. Or at least so sayeth the bear keeper at Grandfather Mountain.

Bears are pretty much attracted to unusual (to them) odors, not just things they think are food . If you smell a strange smell in your house....you will investigate it too. Even duct tape and lithium batteries have been proven to attract attention of bears.

kayak karl
10-06-2016, 01:28
using any kinda of soap in the woods is kinda dumb
i agree. never even thought of carrying soap, but i do carry hand sanitizer.

Dogwood
10-06-2016, 01:58
I regularly use both the bar and liquid Dr Bronners's pure castille soaps in Hemp Citrus, Hemp Eucalyptus, Hemp Lavender, and Hemp Peppermint. The one I have the most familiarity with on and off trail is the Hemp Peppermint which I use as a body, hair, and laundry wash. I'll occasionally brush my teeth with it. I like the Peppermint and Eucalyptus varieties for their "wake up bright eyes and shine" aromatherapy effect. Well beyond the natural fragrances of specific types I like the moisturizing effects of the coconut, hemp, jojoba, olive, palm and tocopherol(Vit E) oils.

I'm not accustomed to carrying it onto the trail but will include a 2 oz bottle in a resupply box for in town use. 2 oz isn't much and even after a shower entirely washing the trail grime off my body and out of my hair and doing a load of laundry I usually still have about 1/2-1 oz left over. In other words, I feel I don't over apply the fragrance. I've never had a problem in brown or black bear territory attributed to either the Hemp Peppermint or Hemp Eucalyptus liquid soap versions. If I do carry on trail it does get protected from bears in all brown bear areas and where mandated or with known human/black bear issues. It should be noted I vastly tend to camp away from others at unestablished campsites applying strict LNT Principles. I don't sleep how or where the vast majority of backpackers do. There is a reason why bears come back to the same places having the same behavior contributing to so called "bear problems" .... PROBLEMATIC HUMANS FREQUENTLY EXHIBITING PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR CONTRIBUTING TO OR CREATING PROBLEMATIC PLACES IN AN IGNORANT SELFISH STATE OF MIND!

On trail I don't allow myself to get egotistical or overly proud about how grimy or raunchy or unhygienic I can let myself become. Instead a simple washing while wearing in warm rain, in a large river, or away from smaller water sources and a dip under a waterfall or in a lake using no soaps scrubbing down with a microfiber ditty cloth does it for me. In town is where I really get cleaned up. Less need for soaps on trail too since I keep hair short including trimming armpits pre hike. Yeah, I do it.

I'll increasingly make my own home made bug juice made from essential oils which include citronella, clove, eucalyptus, lemon, tea tree, geranium, oregano, lavender, and peppermint in an almond oil or glycerin base too. It's a moisturizer, bug repellent(has to be applied more often and the ingredients get changed depending on what I'm repelling) and fragrance too so less or no need for masking fragrances in soap.

Also, I regularly carry Bert's Bees Lip Balm that usually contains peppermint and other ingredients that can have a mild fragrance which can be used to offset hiker funk. Best of all no one knows since I'm not running around the woods smelling like some artificially fragrant Pumpkin Spice scented candle.

saltysack
10-06-2016, 07:11
A few DROPS of DR.B peppermint from an tiny visene dropper really feels refreshing to wipe down with....especially your face....refreshing...~.5 oz lasts a few weeks including washing pot a few times....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

nuknees
10-06-2016, 07:58
Bears are pretty much attracted to unusual (to them) odors, not just things they think are food . If you smell a strange smell in your house....you will investigate it too. Even duct tape and lithium batteries have been proven to attract attention of bears.

I've read data studies on this and was surprised to read that the researchers found that the bug repellent had teeth punchers in it! Since then I've not used it. When required I put my long sleeve and head net on!
There's no telling what can entice a bears curiosity.

SWODaddy
10-06-2016, 08:54
No bears, but I got mugged by a herd of ponies in Grayson Highlands one morning while brushing my teeth. I popped the lid off my toothpaste and like a cartoon, every grazing pony immediately popped its head up and looked at me...then sauntered over. It was quite the scene.

SWODaddy
10-06-2016, 08:57
People like you are why I always wash my hands after checking out a register book.

Haha...yep.

SWODaddy
10-06-2016, 09:11
Just a thought - everyone here is pinging on the peppermint, what about the #1 ingredient (after water) - COCONUT OIL. It's saponified, of course, but how much that matters to a bear is beyond my knowledge.

Stuff like this is the reason I try to be aware of any attractant scents I put in the air, but I'm not OCD like some folks (ex: changing your clothes) before I get into my tent and chum the air with Mountain House Lasagna burbs all night.

Tipi Walter
10-06-2016, 09:18
Bears are pretty much attracted to unusual (to them) odors, not just things they think are food . If you smell a strange smell in your house....you will investigate it too. Even duct tape and lithium batteries have been proven to attract attention of bears.

Yes and no. I burn stick incense at every camp on my trips as it dispels bugs and brightens the mood. My current fave bronners is tea tree soap. I'd say my entire body and the contents of my stomach produce unusual and alluring odors to both bears and coyotes. You could hang your food all day but still campers practicing the best food techniques on occasion get bit and dragged off (i.e. kid in a hammock recently in the Smokies). Then again, you have a stomach full of food inside your tent but how are you gonna hang your stomach????

Another Kevin
10-06-2016, 09:39
i agree. never even thought of carrying soap, but i do carry hand sanitizer.
Ineffective against norovirus.

colorado_rob
10-06-2016, 09:47
A few DROPS of DR.B peppermint from an tiny visene dropper really feels refreshing to wipe down with....especially your face....refreshing...~.5 oz lasts a few weeks including washing pot a few times....
Yeah, very modest amounts of liquid "camp suds" or whatever are wonderful to use in the woods. One ounce will last me a month easily, just a drop or two now and then does wonders for cleaning up. But I'd personally always just use completely unscented liquid soap.

Another Kevin
10-06-2016, 10:04
Just a thought - everyone here is pinging on the peppermint, what about the #1 ingredient (after water) - COCONUT OIL. It's saponified, of course, but how much that matters to a bear is beyond my knowledge.

Stuff like this is the reason I try to be aware of any attractant scents I put in the air, but I'm not OCD like some folks (ex: changing your clothes) before I get into my tent and chum the air with Mountain House Lasagna burbs all night.

I'm fussier about bear measures in the "frontcountry" - shelters and campsites on popular trails. When I'm on the sort of trip where I can go two days without seeing another human being, I let my guard down a little. Black bears are very afraid of humans, and very hungry. In a spot where they haven't learnt "humans have food, which you can get if you're clever," they'll be scared off if you're right there. How often do you hear about a bear approaching a hiker and mugging him for his backpack?

The real underlying principle is, "don't leave food unattended." This means hanging your stuff when you stop to swim, for instance. Otherwise, you're likely to find you have a furry friend investigating it and doing damage while you're away - and need to deal with that furry friend while you're naked and without a lot of your usual equipment. For the same reason, if you are sleeping with your food, you have to take it with you when you leave your tent in the night. A bear won't bother it with you right there, but could easily ruin your whole evening in the time it takes you to lighten the load.

The other reason that I seldom sleep with food is mice, and chipmunks, and raccoons, and porcupines, and similar critters. I don't like them in my sleeping area. I've had a raccoon yank my pack out from under my feet at a shelter and start dragging it away, and had a porkie get in my tent to steal my sweaty skivvies. I do see coons and porkies approach me at twilight when I'm awake, and stay a short distance away, paralyzed by approach-avoidance. I've never, ever, seen a black bear behave like that. They run.

None of this goes for brown bears, but I've never hiked in brown bear country.

Lnj
10-06-2016, 10:50
using any kinda of soap in the woods is kinda dumb

:p You must have a high tolerance for your own stank. I just can't stand it. I also want to try to keep my PJs and sleeping bag as clean ss possible, so I try to start with me. Clean fanatical people are not dumb. They are just not Lone Wolf. :p

Lnj
10-06-2016, 10:55
Bears want nothing to do with peppermint. That isn't why they are attracted to toothpaste (aka bear candy). It is the other components of toothpaste they find enticing, not the mint. Mint is a weed and they don't eat it. They don't care.

But if you do want to feed a bear leafy yums, black bears are big fans of cabbage. Or at least so sayeth the bear keeper at Grandfather Mountain.

Well see... I didn't know that. I knew they liked toothpaste and candy and gum and stuff, so peppermint just seemed like a logical common denominator but this is interesting info and I will now be happy to bring my peppermint soap on the trail. I do love it at home! I do realize mint is a plant, but I don't get too many strong minty whiffs while I am out walking in the woods, so I thought maybe the concentration of the scent would mean "people candy" or "Yorks peppermint patty" to a bear.

Thanks infamousj for the intel.

Lnj
10-06-2016, 10:58
i agree. never even thought of carrying soap, but i do carry hand sanitizer.

Have you and LW ever met? From reading here, you two have very similar dispositions pretty often. Very entertaining! :)

Lnj
10-06-2016, 11:01
Bears are pretty much attracted to unusual (to them) odors, not just things they think are food . If you smell a strange smell in your house....you will investigate it too. Even duct tape and lithium batteries have been proven to attract attention of bears.

I didn't know this either, but it does make sense. I just assume they were on a constant hunt for food 24/7 and that was their main and only focus for coming near people. So they are just nosey/curious then? they will investigate a whiff of anything new or odd to them?

Lnj
10-06-2016, 11:08
No bears, but I got mugged by a herd of ponies in Grayson Highlands one morning while brushing my teeth. I popped the lid off my toothpaste and like a cartoon, every grazing pony immediately popped its head up and looked at me...then sauntered over. It was quite the scene.

Now THIS is what my original thread was asking about really. yes, the peppermint soap was a subtopic, but the question was, has anyone ever gotten peeped on by a bear or other wild animal while bathing? Brushing your teeth kind of counts too, especially since toothpaste attracts attention too. Can't believe you are the only on to have a story about this. Guess it doesn't happen very often then.

Lnj
10-06-2016, 11:15
I'm fussier about bear measures in the "frontcountry" - shelters and campsites on popular trails. When I'm on the sort of trip where I can go two days without seeing another human being, I let my guard down a little. Black bears are very afraid of humans, and very hungry. In a spot where they haven't learnt "humans have food, which you can get if you're clever," they'll be scared off if you're right there. How often do you hear about a bear approaching a hiker and mugging him for his backpack?

The real underlying principle is, "don't leave food unattended." This means hanging your stuff when you stop to swim, for instance. Otherwise, you're likely to find you have a furry friend investigating it and doing damage while you're away - and need to deal with that furry friend while you're naked and without a lot of your usual equipment. For the same reason, if you are sleeping with your food, you have to take it with you when you leave your tent in the night. A bear won't bother it with you right there, but could easily ruin your whole evening in the time it takes you to lighten the load.

The other reason that I seldom sleep with food is mice, and chipmunks, and raccoons, and porcupines, and similar critters. I don't like them in my sleeping area. I've had a raccoon yank my pack out from under my feet at a shelter and start dragging it away, and had a porkie get in my tent to steal my sweaty skivvies. I do see coons and porkies approach me at twilight when I'm awake, and stay a short distance away, paralyzed by approach-avoidance. I've never, ever, seen a black bear behave like that. They run.

None of this goes for brown bears, but I've never hiked in brown bear country.

Oh and a porcupine will trash a tent if scared!! Not a good scenario.

tdoczi
10-06-2016, 11:44
I've had a raccoon yank my pack out from under my feet at a shelter and start dragging it away, and had a porkie get in my tent to steal my sweaty skivvies.


lucky. fun stuff like that NEVER has happened to me :(

Sarcasm the elf
10-06-2016, 12:22
lucky. fun stuff like that NEVER has happened to me :(

Best part is that the raccoon incident happened in Harriman park and had several witnesses. :banana

Lnj
10-06-2016, 13:01
My pack is so heavy, I would be amazed and very impressed if a raccoon could drag it off more than a foot! That would be a meal well earned. So if a fellow heavy hauler needed yet another silver lining to carrying a huge heavy pack... there it is. Your welcome. :)

Uriah
10-06-2016, 13:06
Clean fanatical people are not dumb.

They are when in the woods.

tdoczi
10-06-2016, 13:16
They are when in the woods.


maybe not just in the woods-

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/scientists-discover-that-antimicrobial-wipes-and-soaps-may-be-making-you-and-society-sick/

so i first became aware of readily available hand san in i guess about 2008... so what did you hand san advocates do on your hiking trips before then?

eabyrd1506
10-06-2016, 13:36
i agree. never even thought of carrying soap, but i do carry hand sanitizer.

Putting contact lenses in after using an alcohol based sanitizer is not an experience one goes out of ones way to repeat

Farr Away
10-06-2016, 13:49
We had a raccoon grab our potty bag (toilet paper, wet wipes, etc) and start dragging it off. Four of us were in the campsite within about 10 feet of the bag when the little sneak grabbed it, lol. I guess it had learned that plastic ziplocs have tasty things in them because everything in the bag was unscented.

After tearing the bag open, the raccoon dropped it within about 50 feet - either because we were chasing it or possibly from sheer disappointment. :D

The campsite was about a mile from a front country campground, and saw a lot of use.

-FA

Venchka
10-06-2016, 14:27
In certain parts of North America, vehicles parked at traiheads need to be surrounded by wire mesh to keep marmots and porcupines from chewing through the brake lines.
Nylon packs and tents wouldn't be any problem for them.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lnj
10-06-2016, 14:43
They are when in the woods.

Love it when the WB posters get all warm and fuzzy like this. Thanks.

SWODaddy
10-06-2016, 15:35
In certain parts of North America, vehicles parked at traiheads need to be surrounded by wire mesh to keep marmots and porcupines from chewing through the brake lines.
Nylon packs and tents wouldn't be any problem for them.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is becoming more of a problem as manufacturers move to more "green" vegetable-based components...such as electrical insulation. I recall reading a story about hundreds of cars at a rail yard in the midwest being ruined by rabbits munching on the wires.

Uriah
10-06-2016, 15:43
Love it when the WB posters get all warm and fuzzy like this. Thanks.

I didn't mean to offend. My point was that a truly clean "fanatical" individual would likely not be in the woods or hiking on the AT, for obvious reasons. Otherwise, he or she would indeed be doing something contrary to his or her best wishes (remaining clean), and that's dumb.

It's equally as dumb to discard man-made chemicals in the backcountry, whether in water sources or not, and whether they're biodegradable or not, and whether a large man-eating carnivore lurks. Get Dr. Bronner's in your eyes, or in your stomach, and you'll learn just how "safe" it is. Or just squirt some in your pet's eyes, and save yourself the trouble. I doubt a pet or the little critters in the wild--soil bacteria included, of which much life depends--would be too appreciative of the act.

Just smell bad; the animal world does. If you're worried about what other humans might think of you, take up a new, cleaner activity. Most long-distance hikers get pegged as homeless hobos at one point or another (due to both sight and scent), and if it's really that much of a problem for you (caring what others think, that is) then maybe cleanliness shouldn't be your biggest worry.

Maydog
10-06-2016, 16:32
I can't say that it would bother me if an animal saw me stripped down while I was washing. It wouldn't really bother me if a person saw me, but it might bother them so I try to make sure that doesn't happen.

Lnj
10-06-2016, 16:43
I didn't mean to offend. My point was that a truly clean "fanatical" individual would likely not be in the woods or hiking on the AT, for obvious reasons. Otherwise, he or she would indeed be doing something contrary to his or her best wishes (remaining clean), and that's dumb.

It's equally as dumb to discard man-made chemicals in the backcountry, whether in water sources or not, and whether they're biodegradable or not, and whether a large man-eating carnivore lurks. Get Dr. Bronner's in your eyes, or in your stomach, and you'll learn just how "safe" it is. Or just squirt some in your pet's eyes, and save yourself the trouble. I doubt a pet or the little critters in the wild--soil bacteria included, of which much life depends--would be too appreciative of the act.

Just smell bad; the animal world does. If you're worried about what other humans might think of you, take up a new, cleaner activity. Most long-distance hikers get pegged as homeless hobos at one point or another (due to both sight and scent), and if it's really that much of a problem for you (caring what others think, that is) then maybe cleanliness shouldn't be your biggest worry.

Ya just took this entire thing way too far and way too seriously. Maybe lighten up a touch? I am a hiker, though amateur I may be, so obviously I am not fanatical about being clean, but I do like to wash up regularly on the trial if/when the opportunity presents. Dumb or not is just an opinion and of no interest to me as it isn't useful in any way. I am also not the only hiker that cleans themselves regularly. There are others here that have hiked hundreds, nay thousands, of miles and could be considered anything BUT dumb in any sense of the word, and they also wash.

Taking a break from the rat race and getting back in touch with yourself and nature, and in my case God, by going hiking and living in the animal's house for a little while doesn't instantly turn me into one. I am still human and it isn't about what others think, as I have said earlier in this thread... I can't stand the smell of myself. If I smell me, I am looking to change that as soon as possible. But that's just me. And in case you are a Newby, there's a thing called HYOH or "Hike Your Own Hike", that makes it officially "ok" for me to do as I please as long as it isn't killing anyone or anything.

Also, Dr. Bronners is as safe as it needs to be for its purpose. Because there is barely a trace of a rinse off left on a leaf in the woods where I wash up is not exactly the same and grabbing up an animal and squirting it into their eyes or down their throats and expecting it not to hurt them. If the soap doesn't attract them and they aren't fooled into thinking it's food, there is not reason to think they will try to eat that leaf with a soap bubble left on it. God gave animals a certain instinct and a nose to smell to help keep them safe in the wild. If an animal is stupid enough to want to eat my left over bath sprinkles... well he gets what he gets. BTW - a lot of kids with dirty mouths have ingested soap... I know because they are still a live today to tell the story. Also, a lot of kids and pets have had soap in their eyes, and though it stings like crazy for a minute, I know it happened because they are still alive to tell to tell the story.

As a side note.... if Dr.B's is so distasteful for wildlife, iw ill keep it in a good squirt bottle and use it as bear spray if I get caught in a bad situation. Thanks for the tip!

I was actually soliciting funny stories when I posted this originally. Didn't mean anyone, including myself to get all philosophical about it. I was looking for a few " Then I saw a bear and was jumping up and down naked at it when 3 other hikers came to see what the commotion was about and there I was ...." type stories, but apparently that has never happened to anyone tuned into WB today.

Rant over. Have a great day.

Lnj
10-06-2016, 16:45
I can't say that it would bother me if an animal saw me stripped down while I was washing. It wouldn't really bother me if a person saw me, but it might bother them so I try to make sure that doesn't happen.

LOL!! I am sure I have shocked a squirrel or two. I was thinking more of an animal that you might feel inclined to try to scare away versus ignore, or maybe a raccoon that grabs your clothes takes off through the woods or something of that nature.

Tipi Walter
10-06-2016, 16:48
Lnj---Herr Doktor Bronners has kept me in the woods for over 40 years . . . with a thousand scalp scrub sessions and . . . wait for it . . . . clean hair. No better feeling than being out for 15 days winter or summer and doing a thorough Dr scrub of the scalp and uh hair. Sometimes even at 10F.

Lnj
10-06-2016, 16:51
Lnj---Herr Doktor Bronners has kept me in the woods for over 40 years . . . with a thousand scalp scrub sessions and . . . wait for it . . . . clean hair. No better feeling than being out for 15 days winter or summer and doing a thorough Dr scrub of the scalp and uh hair. Sometimes even at 10F.

Don't I know it Tipi! I totally agree! And somehow, taking even just a little splash bath and cleaning the dirtiest places feels so much cleaner TO ME thaneven taking a long shower at home. Maybe its the fresh air, I don't know.

Traffic Jam
10-06-2016, 17:42
Don't I know it Tipi! I totally agree! And somehow, taking even just a little splash bath and cleaning the dirtiest places feels so much cleaner TO ME thaneven taking a long shower at home. Maybe its the fresh air, I don't know.

Yeah, it's funny. I can go days in the woods without washing my hair or bathing and as soon as I'm in the car driving home, my scalp starts itching and I feel disgusting.

Another Kevin
10-11-2016, 11:28
My pack is so heavy, I would be amazed and very impressed if a raccoon could drag it off more than a foot! That would be a meal well earned. So if a fellow heavy hauler needed yet another silver lining to carrying a huge heavy pack... there it is. Your welcome. :)

All that was in my pack when the beast dragged it off was my first aid and sanitary kits. The pack itself was extra insulation under my feet.. My food was hung up. I was wearing every stitch of clothing that I'd brought except for my hardshell (which was in a stuff sack serving as my pillow). It was COLD that night - about -5F, considerably colder than forecast.

I think the 'coon just had learnt that 'packs sometimes have good stuff in them', or wanted the pack itself for nesting material. He also made off with Just Bill's cookpot, apparently because 'coons like shiny things. (I got the pot back, but my TP was a total loss.)

Lnj
10-11-2016, 12:03
All that was in my pack when the beast dragged it off was my first aid and sanitary kits. The pack itself was extra insulation under my feet.. My food was hung up. I was wearing every stitch of clothing that I'd brought except for my hardshell (which was in a stuff sack serving as my pillow). It was COLD that night - about -5F, considerably colder than forecast.

I think the 'coon just had learnt that 'packs sometimes have good stuff in them', or wanted the pack itself for nesting material. He also made off with Just Bill's cookpot, apparently because 'coons like shiny things. (I got the pot back, but my TP was a total loss.)

LOL!!! That's funny....now. probably a great deal less funny at the time.

Tipi Walter
10-11-2016, 12:28
I think the 'coon just had learnt that 'packs sometimes have good stuff in them', or wanted the pack itself for nesting material. He also made off with Just Bill's cookpot, apparently because 'coons like shiny things. (I got the pot back, but my TP was a total loss.)

I was camping on Upper Creek in Pisgah NF in 1999 and got into camp on a nighthike with some friends and we decided to build a small sweatlodge with a fire to heat rocks and while I was constructing the lodge a raccoon discovered my food bag on the ground by my pack.'

George said, "Hey Walt, your food bag is moving to the creek." I found it exactly like an "Exploded View" (see pic) with the bag there and all food items lined up down to the creek, the cream cheese block half eaten with paw prints.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/bc/6d/08/bc6d08e9971e7e894f6002e6084da4e7.jpg

JLorenzo77
10-11-2016, 14:57
Whatever you do, don't use steak scented soap.

ryply76
10-21-2016, 15:33
Watch out for those bears with bad breath lookin for a mint :p