I was watching Scoutmaster OnTheAT2018 on youtube. He said that according to Loner Boner, a long time AT hiker....I don't remember if it was first hand or second hand.... anyway, the idea is to leave a little food out for the mice. The mice will fill up on that and with their bellies full they'll leave you alone.
It strikes me that this is somehow a really bad idea from an ethics standpoint..... but brilliant at the same time. Like a sacrifice to the trail god, Rodent.
So Scoutmaster tried it, and it seems to have worked.