Critters

[TSWisla]

Other than not keeping food in my tent, how can I keep mice away from me while I am sleeping? Last year I had them running all over my tent one night. The thought of them chewing my tent and running all over me at night made me mad! A lady told me that she had mice running all over her while sleeping in a shelter! I would have lost it! Thank you.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Often there are less mice away from shelter and designated camping areas, but they are still out there, especially at night during warmer weather. I think you will ultimately have to come to grips with the fact that you share the planet with lots of other creatures.

[Hangfire]

Usually in the shelters mice like to just run laps around you, I used a Tyvek sheet under my sleeping pad and all night you could here little pitter patter of mice feet running around you. It's bothersome at first, but after a while you are just so physically exhausted that there could be a t-rex sniffing around you and you wouldn't care. Keep your food out of your tent and the mice won't chew in, and if you leave your backpack outside your tent (vestibule) then make sure and leave all of the pockets open so that when the mice come to investigate (and they will) they won't chew through your bag to get to a tiny crumb of food that you didn't was in there. Many a night I could here the mice coming, swarm all over my backpack crawling through all openings and then leave, it usually was less than a minute.

[Second Hand]

I'm a section hiker and I've had a few occasions in Shelters with Mice running all over me. I'm with you, it's disgusting and doesn't make for a comfortable night sleep.

My advice. Get an Ursack S29 to store your food in. The S29 is bear proof and critter proof, but if your only concern is mice you can get an Ursack Minor. Hang your food from a tree a little ways away from your tent. I like to stay in shelters for the convenience, but if I catch word that one is particularly infested I move on and make camp away from the designated camping areas.

One thing with the Ursack is, it's not waterproof, so if there is a threat of rain throw a trash compactor bag around it.

[saltysack]

I always hike with my lil jack Russell and have never had a mouse come near my tent...a few years back my bro in law wanted to rent my dog as he was over run with mice at hawk mtn shelter while I slept mouse free less then 100' away in my tent w the dog. Mice are nasty tick carrying creatures


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[saltysack]

He said he counted 30 mice at one time...his food and pack were on the bear cables while mine were in my tent


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[MuddyWaters]

If you sleep at shelter, expect mice. Sleep head out, they run along walls a lot. Put in earplugs and go to sleep.

I recall i had mouse in tent at Hawk mtn sheltr, i didnt zip it all way. Leads to a few lively minutes...

[kayak karl]

the mice at the shelters have poor attitudes. the mice in the woods are more laid back. don't stay at shelters.

[Slo-go'en]

Keep your beard clean! Or the mice will do it for you

It also helps to keep food odors off your tent by not cooking in or near them when set up and separated from the food bag while in the pack. When in a shelter, use the broom! Sweep the place out to remove any crumbs the last tenets might have left.

[TSWisla]

Thank you everyone. Hangfire-you described my experience precisely. They swarmed for about a minute or two and then they were gone. I have no problem sharing the world with critters, some are nastier than others. Mice and ticks are some of the nastiest!

[misterfloyd]

when I was going through the roan highlands I hung a bear bag, all food was out. What did the mice chew on? my trash compacter bag in the pack.

Go figure. If you stay in a shelter expect mice. Even in winter.

Floyd

[3_dogs]

Around the house I use rubber snakes to keep away birds and critters away from the house. I haven't tried this when hiking, but putting one outside your tent, beside your pack, or in a shelter may keep away the mice. Worth a try.

[saltysack]

Around the house I use rubber snakes to keep away birds and critters away from the house. I haven't tried this when hiking, but putting one outside your tent, beside your pack, or in a shelter may keep away the mice. Worth a try.

Haa most birds I have around the house love snakes!


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[tagg]

when I was going through the roan highlands I hung a bear bag, all food was out. What did the mice chew on? my trash compacter bag in the pack.

Go figure. If you stay in a shelter expect mice. Even in winter.

Floyd

I had a similar experience, except the little bastard chewed up the bite valve to my water bladder on the first night of a 10 night trip, rendering it useless and essentially turning it into a 5oz paperweight for the next 9 days. The silver lining was that I learned I no longer need to carry it, because a Gatorade bottle served me just as well.

I was in my hammock nowhere near an established campsite, with my bladder on top of some of my gear below me. Mice are everywhere.