[pct-l] Bear deterrence thoughts (long)

[spiritbear2k@xxxxxxxxxxx (Ginny & Jim Owen)]

Bob -
No way.  You can't pick up moth flakes - and if you use mothballs, you
should for sure pick them up.  For one thing, they're reusable - so you
don't have to use a whole new set every time you put them out.  That could
get expensive.  That's the self-interest angle.

More importantly, if you leave them on the ground, they're a pollution
factor.

Re: moth flakes (as opposed to hiker flakes) - A year or so ago we pulled
into a trailhead in PA where a group from another email list (not at-l) had
arranged a group backpack trip. One of their cars was surrounded by a 2 inch
"dike" of moth flakes.  Another was surrounded by about 2# of moth balls.
We parked at the other end of the parking lot (100 yards away) and the smell
was still "very" noticeable.  There was no way those people were gonna pick
up all those moth flakes (and they didn't pick up either the flakes or the
mothballs).  The runoff from that parking lot feeds into Pine Creek - one of
the prime recreational streams in northern PA. Happens that Ginny knew which
group had been there and somewhat gently reminded them about their faux pas.
  When one of them complained about how much of a bitch she was being about
it, I got into the act and had some not-so-gentle words to say about it.

Message is - there's a right way to use them - and a wrong way.  And moth
flakes can "only" be used the wrong way.

I don't know about the tire thing - but it could well be true.

The Ruck was great - cold, but no rain or snow (except on the ground).  Lots
of good food, good friends, good slide shows and good information for the AT
Class of '03.

Have a good Super Bowl day,
Jim





Bob Ellinwood wrote:
>
>Glad to see the cold didn't freeze your...ahem...off at the Ruck!
>
>2 things I've heard on the car/mothball thing - one I understand, one I
>don't.  "They" say not to let the mothballs touch or lie against your tires
>when using them to repel rodents, etc. Could hurt the rubber compound. OK,
>I
>guess that makes some sense.   The other: Our jeep dealer says one should
>use mothball flakes, not actual mothballs.  Geez, I'm scratching my head on
>that one! I dunno!
>
>Bob


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