[at-l] Mice

[m_factor@hotmail.com (Mara Factor)]

Mice are most likely to be the "worst" wildlife encounter you'll have.  I
consider myself lucky to see a bear or moose.  :-)

Anyway, when staying in shelters, use the mouse hangers (the dangling
striongs with upside down cans hanging from them.  Just make sure the let
you hang your pack far enough away from the walls of the shelter so the mice
don't just jump.  The mouse hangers work most of the time.

For sleeping arrangements, in general, the mice prefer to keep to the edges
of the shelter.  Leave enough running roon for them to pass between your
head and the wall and they're more likely to keep to the floor instead of
your face.  Same goes if you're against the side wall of the shelter.  The
mice even run along the front edge so I leave room there, too, when
possible.

Leave the pockets of your pack open.  In general, the mice look for the easy
way in before chewing through the fabric.  If there's no food, they'll
usually leave.  Sometimes, however, they'll nest...  or leave a collection
of nuts...  or poop...

Just shake the pack out in the morning if neessary.  Same as your boots.

My first morning on the trail on Springer Mountain, one guy woke up to find
a bunch of gorp in one of his boots.  We all had a good laugh at that.
Then, I discovered the results of their feast in one of my boots.  I
groaned.  Everyone else laughed again.

Some people will bring mouse traps.  It seems to be a waste of time.  All
that happens is they keep going off and the snaps keep everyone awake.  I
usually give the trapper one snap before I ask them not to set the traps
again.

If I'm woken up to a mouse in some food, sometimes I would just move the
food away from the people and packs.  This seemed to keep the mice away for
a while.  In general, I do NOT advocate feeding the critters.

FWIW, shelters with snakes have fewer mice.  :-)

Mara
Stitches, AT99

>From: Caroline Cook <cjcook@zoominternet.net>
>Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 22:27:58 -0500
>
...What do you do about the mice in
>the
>shelters, ...

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