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Thread: Latrine

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    Member Okwaho's Avatar
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    Default Latrine

    When you gotta go, you gotta go. All I really know about a makeshift wilderness latrine is that make it downhill from your campsite and far away from your water source. Anything else I should know about? I think I heard something about incinerating the waste but im not sure if thats true.
    If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both.


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    That was the only question I got wrong on the Alaska Registered Big Game Guide/Outfitter exam.

    Question: How deep should the "Cat-Hole" be.....? The right answer was 6". I said at least 16" and I was wrong.

  3. #3
    Senior Member 2dumb2kwit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hope View Post
    That was the only question I got wrong on the Alaska Registered Big Game Guide/Outfitter exam.

    Question: How deep should the "Cat-Hole" be.....? The right answer was 6". I said at least 16" and I was wrong.
    Didn't say anything about a door, did it?
    Writer of wrongs.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Your waste should be no closer than 50' from any fresh water source. \

    There are two schools of thought on how to properly dispose of...you know. The first school of thought has been around for a very long time and Hope eluded to it. The proverbial cat hole. You simply dig a hole, as he said, about 6 inches deep and cover up everything. But recent studies (yes, people do study that) suggest human waste can remain unchanged for several years when buried. The problem is the aerobic bacteria (bacteria that needs oxygen) required to break it down can't function properly when it is buried. So a second school of thought peaks on the horizon called the smear technique.

    As it turns out, sunlight and aerobic bacteria work hand in hand to break down waste so the smear folks contend that by breaking up the waste you create the greatest surface area for both sun and bacteria to do their number...in this case, 2.

    Most folks are averse to playing in their own poo so the cat hole people are still the predominant group. But if you insist on being green (brown?) then the smear technique will rid the woods of your waste much faster than burying it.

    Is that what you wanted to know or were you asking more of an outhouse question?
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

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    Senior Member SARKY's Avatar
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    Hey! My sister was one of those smearers when she was a kid.....as in all over the walls.
    I know what hunts you.

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    Senior Member Stairman's Avatar
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    Short term Id say bury it. For longterm and remaining green Id say compost it. A search on humanures explains it well.

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    Member Okwaho's Avatar
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    What about burning?
    If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both.

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    burning is gonna stink!!
    GUN TOTEN REBEL

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    Assuming it was dry, you might be able to do it. People aren't ruminates so our diet is pretty low in grasses making it more difficult to burn. But I guess you could if it were very dry.
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

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    Senior Member red lake's Avatar
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    Pack it in pack it out! Yech, not for me.

    Dig a 6" hole? In 2 inches of forest duff on bedrock? Good luck!

    I don't smear, but I do kick a bit of duff over it. I figure it will decompose almost as quickly, no fear of sun cause I always do it where the sun does not get through so much and if somebody happens to come by in the next 24 - 48 hours or so they won't get a foot full of Ship High In Transit.

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