Crapping in the woods - an experiment

before this gets ugly:

This was an experiment in DECOMPOSITION RATES, conducted in an area where NO ONE hikes or has access to, or can get access to unless your into brutal bushwacking to get there. In 10 years i have seen exactly zero people attempt to even cross the river to get here.

I do properly dispose my own waste when out in the woods, this was merely an experiment to see which method decomposes faster.

that is all.
 
Masteroffajitas said:
Burned paper eh? I just barry it.
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It is important to bury it not just for decomposition, but also so squirrels don't string it up in the trees like tinsel at Christmas. :(:barf:

My dad has been using method #3 for something like thirty years as a guide and it works amazingly well, even for a camp full of people. It may be important to tell someone who has never used this method that it is easier and cleaner to light another sheet of tp and drop it onto the stuff you want to burn rather than reaching into your biffy. It may seem like common sense, then again common sense ain't quite common anymore...
 
Here in Australia, a guy burned down a huge area accidentally when he tried to burn his toilet paper. One of the most famous climbing areas in the country was made completely bald and barren. So do make sure it's definitely out. Probably teaching everyone to suck eggs, but it'd be a crying shame for it to happen again.

Personally, I'd prefer to have other people's crap covered up, even if it doesn't break down as quickly, so as to avoid seeing uncovered crap on my walks, or worse yet, sitting down on it. But that's just me :)

Good experiment nonetheless!
 
dig a hole a few inches down, do my business, burn the paper and bury the poop.

usually 3-4inches deep is what i dig and cover it with ash if i'm at base camp and there is some readily available from a camp fire.

i tend to just put the dirt on top loosely without packing it down. my theory is (although its not verified) that the loosely topped dirt will allow some air flow as opposed to packing the dirt down.

you can also snap a twig/small branch off a tree and mark the spot so you dont end up digging in the same spot. nothing like pulling your shovel outta the ground and realizing you just pooped there :D
 
so, in the interests of keeping this in WS&S, lets review basic woods sanitation shall we?

- pick your latrine AWAY from camp and water sources.
- dig a hole, use it, burn your TP if not fire season, and cover with a bit of mixed soil and leaves.
- wash hands with soap and water, or if camped for some time, use a bucket with bleach and water in it.
- scrub under nails very well.
 
Zaner01 said:
The standard advice is not to bury it 10 inches deep, because it won't decompose at that depth.

Leaving it on the surface allows rain, etc., to carry it directly to water sources.

So bury it under a few inches of soil.
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This is what they teach in the Boy Scouts. Dig a shallow cat hole and cover it with a few inches of soil when you leave. Earthworms and such, down here, will make short work of it.

Also, do your camp mates a favor and flag your shit. We always carry some sort of field marker to designate the latrines when out in the woods.
 
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I honestly thought when you posted results: it was going to have pictures next. I'm so glad you didn't.

Here's my personal sh!ting in the woods tip:

Please make sure you are 100% far far away from any other people possibly in the area. I had the unfortunate pleasure one time of walking up on another hiker at just the wrong moment and at just the wrong angle and got an image burned into my brain that I never ever wanted to see.
 
Bushman5 said:
so, in the interests of keeping this in WS&S, lets review basic woods sanitation shall we?

- pick your latrine AWAY from camp and water sources.
- dig a hole, use it, burn your TP if not fire season, and cover with a bit of mixed soil and leaves.
- wash hands with soap and water, or if camped for some time, use a bucket with bleach and water in it.
- scrub under nails very well.
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Good advice. Especially the one about being far from a water source. If your hiking along a river or stream path and need to do your business, just head away at least 100ft or so. The farther the better. Same for a camp area, again it need not be a mile hike but for craps sake:p at least walk 200ft away and outside of camp. Don't crap along the trail. And in high altitudes smearing on rocks is best....but....not the rocks in camp.
 
With all the wildlife around in some areas, have you ever wondered why you aren't walking on "crap" all the time? Most animals don't bury it, the elements take care of it. Otherwise, we'd be knee deep! ;)
 
I like option 5. Doodie in a hole, drop T.P. on top. Burn a small fire (really just enough to get the TP lit to hell + some twigs to produce a small ember) and then cover the whole shebang. Viola, no trace...
 
Bushman5 said:
it appears to me that leaving your doody on the forest floor and burning the TP on top of it, is the best method of disposal.
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You REALLY want to have your firesteel technique down pat before you attempt this one... hate to bump the tinder! :eek:

:D
 
When I went camping I had a need to test my folding shovel - I dug a hole not caring about how deep it was and used it, then I covered it in. I don't really care how long it takes to decompose - I doubt that it will be disturbed in the next couple of years. I would think that the paper and all would completely decompose given enough time and that is good enough for me.
 
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