Heated floorless shelters/rodent issues

[Reload]

Lets hear your remedies on how to combat these issues. I'm certain some have some great ideas given their experiences.

 

[Hall256]

Have not had an issue with rodents in my tipi so I cannot add any personal experience. However, last year there was a thread on floorless shelters and the topic of rodents came up, it seemed like a few guys simply packed in a few mouse traps. They weigh next to nothing, and when placed outside the tipi it seemed to keep them at bay.

Wish I could remember the tread it was discussed in because people had some good/funny stories and ways to deal with them.

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[epfd217]

I haven't had any problems with the mice damaging anything. We had a day when we left our dishes out and the mice made their way into the bowls and cups. After a thorough cleaning, we made sure to turn all the dishes upside down before we left. No issue since. We also use a tupperware tote inside the tent as a "nightstand/dresser" and that keeps anything else you need secure.

I also have read the guys who pack in a couple traps.

 

[Kevin Dill]

If rodents are around, you can count on them getting in. Nothing worse than rodent dung in a dish or your food. They can ruin a good sleeping bag, air pad, etc. Do whatever it takes to keep them out. Lesson 1 is to keep all food securely contained and DON'T leave any scraps around. Even the tiniest crumbs and particles will attract them. 4 plastic mousetraps weigh next to nothing and will do a good job guarding your stuff. Bring a tiny bottle of Tomcat brand gel bait for the traps.

Mice are attracted to food and food smell. Believe it or not, bacon and greasy odors pull mice like a magnet. If you cook in your tent just know the smells will remain in there and local mice will be attracted.

 

[oldgoat]

Danny from rmsgear had problems with pack rats once, he told me they tore up everything that was salty, chewed the brim of his hat all up and I think some straps on his pack and this was above treeline as I remember, he figured he must of been around a whole nest of them.

 

[Tim in Wa.]

yes anything salty including sweaty dirty socks and underwear,don't leave the stuff laying around.And for what its worth the same stuff will attract them in a floored shelter and the floor will hardly even slow them down

 

[huntsman22]

take some bait (stale crackers, chips, cereal and the like) and toss some a few yards from camp.

 

[huntsman22]

Nothing worse than rodent dung in a dish

Au Contraire..... You musta never had a hunting pard poop in a bowl and toss it out the tent door instead of 'hunkering' during the snow storm......

 

[realunlucky]

That's just nasty

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[danarnold]

We had em bad in a wall tent several years in Wyoming, in EVERYTHING, climbing the inside walls and all over your bag while trying to sleep. I made a bucket trap first year then brought snap traps

 

[Lawnboi]

They are not solely a problem to floorless. Iv had those buggers chew right threw a tent to get in.

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

snake in a can

 

[huntsman22]

That's just nasty

Hey, it wasn't MY bowl.....

 

[texag10]

Danny from rmsgear had problems with pack rats once, he told me they tore up everything that was salty, chewed the brim of his hat all up and I think some straps on his pack and this was above treeline as I remember, he figured he must of been around a whole nest of them.

I had rodents chew the grips of my trekking poles. They were being used as support for my shelter at night and were sweaty from that day.

 

[Grambo]

Huntsman22 So nasty . I hope he washed out your bowl before he gave it back .

 

[Reload]

Thank you men for your responses. I wondered if proper precautions are still taken with food, would the warmth from the stove be enough to draw them in? I'll throw in some traps as you've suggested, appreciate the replies.

 

[Beendare]

If rodents are around, you can count on them getting in. Nothing worse than rodent dung in a dish or your food. They can ruin a good sleeping bag, air pad, etc. Do whatever it takes to keep them out. Lesson 1 is to keep all food securely contained and DON'T leave any scraps around. Even the tiniest crumbs and particles will attract them. 4 plastic mousetraps weigh next to nothing and will do a good job guarding your stuff. Bring a tiny bottle of Tomcat brand gel bait for the traps.

Mice are attracted to food and food smell. Believe it or not, bacon and greasy odors pull mice like a magnet. If you cook in your tent just know the smells will remain in there and local mice will be attracted.

^exactly.
I've had it where there was a circus in my tent at night...turned on my light to 30 of the buggers. Not much worse than a mouse running across your face while sleeping. Mostly it isn't a big issue.

I do bring a little baggy of D Con on many hunts

 

[BroodBuster]

The best way to avoid mouse problems I've found is to not camp at established, bare dirt, sites. Popular horse camps seem to be the absolute worse. And I've found sweat/salt to be the number 1 attractant. I also stuff all of my gear in a 3-mil contractor bag when not in use which really seems to help.

 

[Rthur]

The crew got a little lazy in 15, base camp version, knew we had a problem started.
Midday sun/relaxing heard a ruckus in the food tent.
Little bastard made it into the peanut m&m's
As these are camp favorites the 17hmr came out.
Colorful bait was deployed around camp.
Took back our pound of flesh and then some.
We always bring traps with, mouse and rat.

R

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Pack a chlorine tab (used in pools) and smash it in a ziplock to make a powder. Sprinkle it around the perimeter of your tent. A ring of tiny chunks around the camp helps keep mammals away. They hate the stuff. One whiff messes with em. I do this to protect my truck at the trailhead too.