Moth Balls

[Macgregor]

A fellow just told me when he goes hunting in grizzly country he puts moth balls around his camp at night to deter the bears. Apparently they hate them. Anyone ever heard of this?

[Fisher-Dude]

Do you use a really small knife to get the moth balls off the moths?

[Steeleco]

Not heard that one before but it makes sense, no pun intended!!
I do know guys that will pee in every corner of camp as often a they need go. They are still breathing, maybe it works!!!

[StoneChaser]

A fellow just told me when he goes hunting in grizzly country he puts moth balls around his camp at night to deter the bears. Apparently they hate them. Anyone ever heard of this?

I'd sooner be mauled by a Grizz than smell those bloody things!

[colt52]

yes it does, a friend of mine who lives north of hope puts them on his fence about every second post he makes little bags with his wife's old stockings puts 2 or 3 in each, no more bear problem.

[Fisher-Dude]

yes it does, a friend of mine who lives north of hope puts them on his fence about every second post he makes little bags with his wife's old stockings puts 2 or 3 in each, no more bear problem.

How does he deal with Bartell stealing the old stockings?

[MB_Boy]

A fellow just told me when he goes hunting in grizzly country he puts moth balls around his camp at night to deter the bears.

It must be the high pitched screaming of the moths once they have had their "junk" removed. I hear they can wail the night away. Kind of like the insect world's answer to the "bear banger".

[newhunterette]

The reports are that they make great after-dinner mints for bears who have just snacked on your gear and grub. I have not used them, but have heard from others that they're no deterrant at all.

Your best bet is to hang your stuff in a tree, guard it yourself, or use an electric fence.

[newhunterette]

or maybe this will help
Dangerous Fallacy- Mothballs as a Bear Deterrent
Mothballs as a 'bear deterrent - they don't work! Have you ever heard the old tale about how cowboys would protect themselves from rattlesnakes by looping a horsehair rope around their sleeping area on the ground at night in the belief that snakes wouldn't crawl across the prickly rope? It may have made them feel a bit more secure, but to the snakes, it was a non-issue. Simply put, it didn't work. There's a lot of similar beliefs circulating regarding bears and safety around them. Some are amusing, or would be if they didn't present a danger to anybody that believes them, or the danger that they present to the bears themselves when victimized by a mis-informed public.
One misconception that I keep hearing over and over is the old wive's tale about how putting mothballs around your camp or in with your food will somehow deter bears from coming around or trying to get your food. The sage advice usually starts out the same way, "Now, Ol' Uncle Rusty wuz a mountain man, and now he really knew how to handle them damned ol' bears. He would just scatter some moth balls around the camp and he never saw a bear in all his years in the mountains."
Well, Ol' Uncle Rusty was probably lucky. Like the horsehair rope fable, mothballs do nothing to make your camp safer from bears. In addition to being worthless as a deterrent, they're highly carcinogenic. Do you really want that crap near your food, or in your pack where they'll fumigate your equipment? They're highly toxic to a variety of birds and small mammals, and the poison is long lasting.

[alremkin]

I belong to the pee around camp group like a dog or wolf. I go out about 100' from camp and walk as I urinate figuring this sets a scent barrier letting the bear know who's here. I wonder if it would help throw around a few empty 416 cases?:lol:

[Wildfoot]

A clean camp is the best deterrent.

[phoenix]

A clean camp is the best deterrent.
I second that! Another thing that I have used is a large container of Cayenne from Costco sprinkled around the perimeter of the camp, but it only lasts till it rains.
Kim

[quadrakid]

brother in law puts two in a mesh bag and hangs them on trees he plants in his yard to ward odff deer and moose, calls them his tree testicles.
moose still destroy his trees each winter

[highcountry88]

Wildfoot nailed it on the head with having a clean camp. My read on this is that the overwhelming smell of food will over come the the bears fear of the smell of man.

But I also pee around camp....well, not IN camp....you know what I mean....

[Dirty]

Mothballs don't work worth a crap for bear deterrent.

[stickbow]

:biggrin:lol
Do you use a really small knife to get the moth balls off the moths?

[stickbow]

Do ya really think a few mothballs scattered around camp is going to deter a hungry grizz lookin for food,doubt it,but I bet the 45-70 would :wink:

[eastkoot]

What a bunch of chicken s***s. You're in their territory, live with it..PS, if the bear is charging you, rather that having to smell your own piss for a week, just piss yourself when you see him and you'll be fine. Or better yet, carry moth balls where your real ones are and as you run from him, throw them on the ground.

[sparkes3]

point and shoot

[daycort]

what would you call them? to small to be called prarie oysters.

[Fisher-Dude]

What a bunch of chicken s***s. You're in their territory, live with it..PS, if the bear is charging you, rather that having to smell your own piss for a week, just piss yourself when you see him and you'll be fine. Or better yet, carry moth balls where your real ones are and as you run from him, throw them on the ground.

LMAO! Best advice on this thread yet! :biggrin:

[BCLongshot]

Y the green printing ????

I don't know why but it hurts my eyes for some damn reason.


Moth balls......U know they eat moths don't U. So balls could be a delicous little appy.

[300H&H]

"I do know guys that will pee in every corner of camp"

We had a bear comeing into our yard at night so I peed at the top of the trail he would walk up. The next morning there was a big bear turd right on the spot I peed on. :shock:

[Will]

We had a bear comeing into our yard at night so I peed at the top of the trail he would walk up. The next morning there was a big bear turd right on the spot I peed on. :shock:
What the pee trick didn't work ?...........impossible ! :roll:

Human Piss nor poop will deter Bears from investigating your camp should they encounter it...if anything urinating all over the place and stinking things up even worse will in all likelyhood attract more critters then it will deter.
Ever seen Bears at the dump ???

They Eat the diapers First......think about it :wink:

[tuchodi]

A friend of mine tryed the moth ball on his elk he shot. Didn't work on the Griz at all he came in and took the elk and even found some crunched moth balls, at least he didnt eat them all.

[oldtimer]

I know at some 3D shoots I have seen moth balls in a small sack tied to the animals so bears don't knock the targets around. Targets were still standing so who's to say. Oh yea an elk target that didn't have them was knocked around quite a bit. Mike