Just got back from 17 days in the previous Arctic Wrecktum (on January 20-21-22)---up on State Line Ridge on the BMT---
Trip 195 (179)-L.jpg
I guess my dog isn’t very smart. I hid a mouse trap under the kitchen sink in the cabinet baited with cheese. It was behind a big box. Dori really likes cheese.
Yup. Two in the morning a god awful squeal, a very reproachful dog. Next morning a scurrying mousie. Cat unconcerned.
Those rat traps are really big and powerful. They could hurt another dog or a hiker. Harm a skunk or marmot. The mouse traps I can understand. Rat traps will break fingers and toes, knock out a dogs teeth. Please leave rat traps at home.
Some people think mice are rats, so maybe he was really thinking mouse trap. I have yet to see an actual rat on the AT. Couple of mice here and there, some are quite bold.
I got bit by a mouse trap once. Was set up along the edge of the wall on the upper bunk in a SNP hut. Brushed my arm along there and SNAP. I swore profusely.
Follow slogoen on Instagram.
I'd assume the most abundant rodent around AT shelters are mice. It can be difficult to turn a gung ho dog's hunting instinct off once it's turned especially if not field hunting dog trained to only go after rats and mice. I'd assume that same dog or dogs who hunt mice and rats would likely go after other wildlife possibly recklessly. Some folks bring along ferrets, cats, and even parrots on the AT. I've twice seen two different people with leashed pot bellied pigs on the AT. Some dog breeds are notorious for not getting along with other dogs or animals. And some dog breeds are very mouthy or alert or bark or are aggressive against anything including other humans. I say this not because I'm anti dog or anything like that, only because I've made the mistake of taking dogs on trail that were not always under my command and caused problems for others and wildlife.
Not a good idea for a couple of reasons. 1st, you need to train your dogs for hiking first, then backpacking. There are several good books on this subject. I have trained dogs all my life. AKC show dogs and dogs for the outdoor life. My favorite hiking dog is a hound ! Have backpacked in Pisgah Forest, AT, Foothills Trail and many more with a Treeing Walker, Walker/ Border Collie mix and now with a Bluetick Hound that I rescued. I have already spent a year retraining this dog not to hunt but to hike. So far, so good. She did great on a backpack up in the Mt. Mitchell State Park in October. There is NO way your dogs can live on and hike on a diet of mice and rats.Best of luck !
If we look at the path, we do not see the sky. We are earth people on a spiritual journey to the stars. Our quest, our earth walk is to look within, to know who we are, to see that we are connected to all things, that there is no separation, only in the mind.
- Native American, source unknown
Some years ago there was a thru hike attempt by a woman with trail name "Girl who hikes with dogs". As I recall she had at least four large aggressive dogs. I met her at two different spots in Virginia (her husband drove the car around to pick her up every day). But the dogs were massively annoying, invading private space, threatening, barking, you get the picture.
One dog is enough trouble, I recommend that you do not hike with two. Maybe even not one.
Notice the OP's last post was at the end of March, 2019 and seemed to indicate she was ready to hit the trail. Since there have been no followup posts, no telling if the hike was a success or had an early termination.
Follow slogoen on Instagram.