How do you keep the backpack away from prowling possums when

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How do you keep the backpack away from prowling possums when

Postby johk » Sun 30 May, 2021 9:40 pm

Hi,

In my younger years I did plenty of hiking in Sweden before I moved to Australia.

I have finally done got back into here in Australia and New Zeeland.
The walks I have done so far here in Australia The great walk on Fraser Island and the Overland track.

My question is how do you ‘protect’ the backpack (or keep the possums from ripping the pack) during the night when tenting? Never had to consider this when hiking in Sweden.
This has not been an issue with the above walks as there the walk on Fraser had ‘boxes’ for the bags at the campgrounds to prevent the dingos getting too nosy.
If I only have 2 men tent and we are 2 people there are no room to have the backpack in the tent. The bag can fit in the vestibule but that will not keep curious possums away.

Might be a silly question but have read notes that some campers have encountered possums on campgrounds which are trying to get to the food.

Thanks
J
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Re: How do you keep the backpack away from prowling possums

Postby ChrisJHC » Mon 31 May, 2021 8:41 am

I carry a 2m length of thin Dyneema line and, when I’m particularly worried, suspend my pack from a convenient branch.

The line is (I assume) too thin and slippery for the possums to climb down.
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Re: How do you keep the backpack away from prowling possums

Postby Lamont » Mon 31 May, 2021 10:55 am

The thing I have found, so far :D , is to ensure none of your stuff (that's everything and anything!) does not smell of food. I double wrap all food (anything that's been near food-rubbish especially that's sealed in a berry bag ends up triple wrapped) of any sort in two Nylofume bags, (one bag is a liner the other is cut down as an inflator for my mat) stuffed inside my rucky outside standing upright in the porch. No (food laden) air is leaving that thing-it's air and water tight.
Cheers
Last edited by Lamont on Tue 01 Jun, 2021 7:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How do you keep the backpack away from prowling possums

Postby wildwanderer » Mon 31 May, 2021 11:24 am

Some suggestions.

As mentioned hanging food in a silnylon stuff sack by a rope to a branch is a good prevention method. However it can be time consuming to throw the rope and manage to hook it over the branch. Tying a stick around the rope helps give it enough weight to throw.

Other methods include not camping at camp grounds. (As possums will get to know the area has food and where to look)

Double bag your food in zip locks or odur proof bags. I use a zip lock then all my food goes in a waterproof siknylon rolltop sack. Then put them in your pack. Preferably the pack has a waterproof liner which is also rolled up and secured. All your cooking gear should be clear of food scraps and also inside the sealed liner. Make sure there is no food wrappers in hipbelt pockets or trousers pockets. Rubbish also double bagged and put in the pack liner. So three layers of smell protection and then the closed pack.

I mostly use the later method combined with keeping my pack in the tent. I also rarely camp at campgrounds. Haven't had a possum get into my stuff so far.. touch wood.

Final method.. move to NZ. They hunt em there.. :twisted:
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Re: How do you keep the backpack away from prowling possums

Postby Aardvark » Mon 31 May, 2021 1:22 pm

If you suspend your pack on a cord between two trees, thread the cord through 600ml soft drink bottles so as to have them either side of your pack. The animal will perhaps try to walk along the cord but the bottles will spin and deny them progress. This worked for us on Hinchinbrook Isl where white tailed rats were a problem.
We only used old film (camera) containers then.
Ever on the search for a one ended stick.
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Re: How do you keep the backpack away from prowling possums

Postby Eremophila » Mon 31 May, 2021 3:11 pm

I have a couple of these which I reckon I picked up half price in Woolies a long time ago:

https://www.paddypallin.com.au/coghlan- ... l-bag.html

They are a strong thick plastic, we used them in Tassie as possum protection. 2 x 60-70L packs fitted inside with the end of the bag able to roll and seal firmly underneath. We could hear them having a bit of a scratch through the night but they didn't actually penetrate the bag at all.

Or if you know someone who works for a vet, ask them for a large body bag. They are super thick and strong.

Can also double as a pack liner.
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Re: How do you keep the backpack away from prowling possums

Postby johk » Mon 31 May, 2021 9:32 pm

Hi,

Thank you for your replies.
Most of the dry food is already wrapped etc.
Might get a bag from kmart to use for rubbish https://www.kmart.com.au/product/5l-dry-bag/1713896 - seems like better alternative than using a Coles bag which I did on the last hikes.

Thanks
Jonas
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