Hygiene, The Outdoors, And You

How about your campsite? Is it clean? Do you have a designated “trash container”? Or, do you have cola cans, wrappers, and other liter scattered around your camp? Keep in mind, in most States you can be fined for a messy campsite. I separate paper items, cans, bottles, and recyclable items. Each day I burn the paper stuff and food scraps (if you bury them, wild critters will just dig it all up), place the other stuff in large trash bags, or laundry bags, and place it yards away from my camp, usually tied high up on a tree limb. By hanging it in a tree I keep the small hungry critters and insects away from my camp. Raccoons love liter and will make a lot of noise at night as they feed in your camp. Then again, nothing is worse than bees buzzing around the remains of a cola can or spilled sweets. Stay clean and keep the uninvited guest list down.

Clean cooking and eating utensils are an absolute necessity! This means not only cleaning your plates, pots, pans, knives and forks, but rinsing them off well also. Have your cooking utensils been properly washed? Have they been washed at all? If they were washed has all the soap been rinsed from them? Guess what happens if you ingest soap? Yep, you could get diarrhea. My son once (sorry Dave) gave the whole group a bad case of the “leaping revenge” because he failed to rinse the dishes after he had washed them. Live and learn, but dirty, or poorly rinsed, utensils will knock even the strongest person on their knees quickly. Keep your dishes and eating utensils as clean as possible.

Now, speaking of “leaping revenge.” At some point or another all us in the woods will have to use the “bathroom.” You can take a portable toilet, use a “honey bucket”, or use public restrooms. If no public restrooms are available, use some common sense. Do not designate a toilet area near your water source, up hill from your camp, or near where you store or prepare the food. I usually make my designated toilet at least 100 feet from the camp. Make sure each person, especially children, are reminded to only “go” in the area you have designated as the toilet. Have a shovel, roll of toilet paper, and loose sand or soil near your pit. Now, your pit can be as long as you like, but I suggest it be at least 12 inches wide. Once you do your thing, add a few shovels of dirt or sand over your waste. This will assist in reducing the smells from your bathroom (when the wind shifts) as well as the number flies and other insects down.

When you construct your toilet area you can make elaborate chairs, support beams, or whatever you want, but make sure everyone uses the pit when they have the need to go. You can also screen the area in with a tarp, or just make sure it is in some bushes. Everyone wants some privacy when taking care of business.

Finally, let’s discuss how first aid plays into the hygiene picture when we camp, fish, or hunt. Most of the injuries we sustain in the outdoors are very small cuts, punctures, burns or scrapes. You know the kind of injury I am talking about; you cut a finger fixing dinner, you get a fish hook in a thumb, or you fall and scrape a knee or ankle as you hike. It is important to immediately wash the injury with soap and water, and then cover it with a protective material. Now, there are liquid bandages out there, band-aid strips, and other material for coverings. You should use the one you prefer, as long as you use one. These steps are to avoid infection. I always carry a basic first aid kit when I am outdoors and recommend you do the same.

I have seen the smallest of cuts become major injuries due to infection. By washing the injury you are removing foreign matter and when covering the injury you’re attempting to keep foreign matter out. If you keep your body clean, wear clean clothing, keep your campsite clean, and protect the injured area you will reduce the chances of infection. Of course, with any serious injury or infection seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

Camping or spending time outdoors does not have to be a painful experience. Use common hygiene sense and your time will be spent enjoying nature, instead of continuously answering “natures call.” Remember, keep everything, including yourself, clean and you will do just fine. Enjoy your time outdoors!

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