How to shit in the woods

[Florian]

So, do you pack out your poop in the desert?

No. As i said, i poop in a shallow hole, cover it, and take the TP. Do you have a link to the Australian study?

-Florian

[Hikin_Jim]

So, do you pack out your poop in the desert?

No. As i said, i poop in a shallow hole, cover it, and take the TP. Do you have a link to the Australian study?

-Florian

There is a fee to get a copy of the study. Portions of the study were posted at one time on backpackinglight.com, but I am not currently a member there.

HJ

[Mike P]

There is a fee to get a copy of the study. Portions of the study were posted at one time on backpackinglight.com, but I am not currently a member there.

HJ

HJ, if you can get me the author, title and publication, I can access a Texas A&M service that can get me just about any article. I'll share it with the group.

I hate seeing toilet paper blooms in the forest... so it's best to pack it out.

[Hikin_Jim]

I have actually thought that it would be worth having a copy of the study for some time. I will have to go back on that forum and ask around. Unfortunately, it is not a free forum. I probably won't get a chance to look into it until after Memorial Day.

Regarding "blooms", those are from people who didn't properly bury things. I have yet to see even one "bloom" from a properly dug cathole. I do however defer to Florian's desert experience, but in that case, why wouldn't you pack out your poop too since it will get dug up and scattered, no?

What is your connection to Texas A&M, if I may ask?

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

Actually, it was easier to find that I thought it would be. I give you:
HUMAN WASTE CONTAMINATION AT HUTS AND CAMPSITES IN THE BACK COUNTRY OF TASMANIA. There may be other studies on the same subject. I seem to remember more information on feminine products.

On some points my memory was dead on. On some points it was off. Fecal material apparently doesn't decay well in dry soils or waterlogged soils.

HJ

[Mike P]

I have actually thought that it would be worth having a copy of the study for some time. I will have to go back on that forum and ask around. Unfortunately, it is not a free forum. I probably won't get a chance to look into it until after Memorial Day.

Regarding "blooms", those are from people who didn't properly bury things. I have yet to see even one "bloom" from a properly dug cathole. I do however defer to Florian's desert experience, but in that case, why wouldn't you pack out your poop too since it will get dug up and scattered, no?

Therein lies the problem. Many don't know how to properly bury poop and TP. Many folks don't know how to properly hang food, either.

What is your connection to Texas A&M, if I may ask?
HJ

Sure... As a feature of membership through one of my professional associations, I can utilize the services of the Texas A&M library to access any published article. (A&M has access to hundreds if not thousands of journals.) It's a terrific service - let me know if you need anything.

[Mike P]

Actually, it was easier to find that I thought it would be. I give you:
HUMAN WASTE CONTAMINATION AT HUTS AND CAMPSITES IN THE BACK COUNTRY OF TASMANIA. There may be other studies on the same subject. I seem to remember more information on feminine products.

On some points my memory was dead on. On some points it was off. Fecal material apparently doesn't decay well in dry soils or waterlogged soils.

HJ

Gotta' say Jim, that is a fascinating monograph. I'll need a bit more time to ponder the poop paper, however.

I noticed that the paper notes that there was low compliance with recommended poop practices. I bet you would find the same here in this country.

[Florian]

I do however defer to Florian's desert experience, but in that case, why wouldn't you pack out your poop too since it will get dug up and scattered, no?

Because my poo, in the sense that all animals do it, is natural. Dug up toilet paper blowing in the wind is not. And remember in the desert poo dries out and basically looks like coyote poop before too long. I suppose if i was a purist i would pack out my poo. But i'm not that pure. Yet.

-Florian

[Florian]

And thanks for finding the study. Looks interesting.

-Florian

[Hikin_Jim]

my poo, in the sense that all animals do it, is natural. Dug up toilet paper blowing in the wind is not.

OK, I guess I can follow that logic. I haven't ever experienced animals digging up a cathole, but if that were in fact happening, then I can see packing out used TP.

HJ