Mice, etc!

[6 feet over]

I noticed in a few threads that people mention leaving packs unzipped and pockets open so mice will have easy access, rather than have them chew a hole.

I'm wondering if anyone has had mice, possums, raccoons, squirrels or anything else use their suspension lines to visit them while hanging. If so, have any of you ingenious people come up with tactics to avoid this. I wouldn't be so worried, but if this should happen to my young daughter, that could very well be her last night in a hammock.

All critter stories welcome!

6

[gclimb]

I have not had that problem but, I know that when I visit Lake Powell we put paper plates on the ropes to keep mice out of the house boat. Cut a hole in the middle of the plate then a slit into the hole and put it over the rope. This mite stop any critters from crawling in.

[slowhike]

Here's one short thread that talks about critters & hammocks but I thought there was another one (maybe titled "things that go bump in the night"), but I didn't find it.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ngs+bump+night

Of course there's the bear thread!

[animalcontrol]

had mice using my suspensions lines to get into my pack (still had breakfast in it) just last night!
I kinda felt like a spider in it's web as the hammock body transferred the vibration stright to my back!
I got up and grabbed the food and put it inside with me. First time I ever had to go that far.

[jeffjenn]

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ghlight=racoon

[6 feet over]

Do many of you hang your food in non-bear areas just to keep mice & raccoons out? Is it common for the lesser creatures to make successful raids on your food?

[slowhike]

Do many of you hang your food in non-bear areas just to keep mice & raccoons out? Is it common for the lesser creatures to make successful raids on your food?

Yes & yes.
You may get away w/ it a fair amount of times, but sooner or later the smaller critters will make you wish you had protected your food<G>.

For a while now I have just kept my food in a Ursa sack in the storage area of my hammock rather than hanging it.
It's a little on the risky side, but so far no problems. The risks are that if a critter were to smell food & was determined to get at it, he/she would probably damage the silnylon storage end cover trying to get at it.

[DGrav]

Do many of you hang your food in non-bear areas just to keep mice & raccoons out? Is it common for the lesser creatures to make successful raids on your food?

The smaller creatures are the primary reason I tend to hang my food.

I have never had problems at night while my food is hanging but I have had chipmunks and mice take a run at my pack while it has been sitting on the ground at a trailhead and while I was setting up camp. Both times I saw the critter before it got to the food or chewed on my gear.

Last week when we were kayak hanging I considered putting our food in one of the "water tight" compartments of the yak, figuring that there is a good chance that no odors would seep out and attract critters. Any one have any thoughts on this message of food storage?

[Coffee]

No animals, but I found bugs in my hammock this weekend that either crawled down the suspension lines or dropped in from my tarp. The biting bugs were not out where I was at and I opted out of using the bug netting.

[Peter_pan]

The smaller creatures are the primary reason I tend to hang my food.

I have never had problems at night while my food is hanging but I have had chipmunks and mice take a run at my pack while it has been sitting on the ground at a trailhead and while I was setting up camp. Both times I saw the critter before it got to the food or chewed on my gear.

Last week when we were kayak hanging I considered putting our food in one of the "water tight" compartments of the yak, figuring that there is a good chance that no odors would seep out and attract critters. Any one have any thoughts on this message of food storage?

Dgrav,

When I was the operations officer for the Army's Navy we taught folks emergency damage repairs..... You may need to learn how to whittle a plug and jam int into a mouse chew hole to keep you afloat until ya get home...

Seriously. hope you never have such a problem....

That said, I have found that taking a short cut or having an excuse for lazy/indiciplined approach is normally the sure path to "He** in a hand basket"problems.... Recommend to continue to hang the food bag.... How are those adwalla bars?

Pan