# Survival > Primitive Skills & Technology >  Wilderness toilet paper and pooping in the woods

## Wildthang

An excellent link for pooping in the woods! Okay come on guys, the jokes start now!!! :Laugh: 

http://ultralightbackpackintips.blog...let-paper.html

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## Rick

I will still take my toilet paper. I use it because I can. Because mankind found a better way. And because the heavenly butt scuff is just not done in polite circles....or Kroger as it turns out.

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## Old Professor

A very good and important skill set that we al need to practice.  I can also highly recommend the book 'How to **** in the Woods" by Kathleen Meyer ($8.37 from Amazon).
Another book co-authored by Meyer and Wilson-Howrath, "How to **** Around the World", looks like a good read for world travelrers.

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## Lamewolf

2 red corn cobs and one white one !  Red ones to clean with, white one to check with....nuf said !  :FRlol:

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## WalkingTree

Well, I'm in trouble then. I forgot what TP even looks like. I'll go shopping for it before a trip, and not be able to find it.

No but seriously...

"I said I never had much use for TP; I never said I didn't know how to use it."

- Matthew Quigley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwDmV1KWrKQ

I wonder if Marston and his guys had on clean underwear.

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## hunter63

Wear long socks.......the longer the trip, the longer the socks.....just keep cutting a bit off for each trip to the bushes....
Comfrey leaves work well....but don't dry well.

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## Faiaoga

> A very good and important skill set that we al need to practice.  I can also highly recommend the book 'How to **** in the Woods" by Kathleen Meyer ($8.37 from Amazon).
> Another book co-authored by Meyer and Wilson-Howrath, "How to **** Around the World", looks like a good read for world travelrers.


I think the barefoot hippy survival instructor, Cody Lundin, has a section about sanitation in his book "When All H--- Breaks Loose".  You could also put a live rattlesnake on the toilet seat and be scared s---less. :Wink:

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## nell67

> I think the barefoot hippy survival instructor, Cody Lundin, has a section about sanitation in his book "When All H--- Breaks Loose".  You could also put a live rattlesnake on the toilet seat and be scared s---less.


 There is no such thing as being scared s---less, people have been known to have the s--- scared out of them, usually in such a manner as to having shat themselves.

 This subject was covered a few years ago, not sure just how serious the thread was, or if we ever really got down to business, I believe Muellin was discussed at some point as being the Natures TP of choice. And as always the thread was pretty darn funny at times, and just plain stank at other times.

Here ya go, some heavy reading for your pleasure!

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...t=poopin+woods

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## hunter63

> There is no such thing as being scared s---less, people have been known to have the s--- scared out of them, usually in such a manner as to having shat themselves.
> 
>  This subject was covered a few years ago, not sure just how serious the thread was, or if we ever really got down to business, I believe Muellin was discussed at some point as being the Natures TP of choice. And as always the thread was pretty darn funny at times, and just plain stank at other times.
> 
> Here ya go, some heavy reading for your pleasure!
> 
> http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...t=poopin+woods


Wow, had to dig for that thread..........I'm thinking that You, Crash and Rick are the only ones left?....That have posted this year?

Even before my time........
Pretty funny though, thanks for finding it.

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## natertot

I still use TP because it is lightweight, works good, and can be a "multi-use" item. I typically bury mine about a foot deep. I do find it annoying when others do not and leave piles everywhere. Kinda kills the scenery. 

I have used rocks, leaves, and pinecones. They do work, but when I really have to go I am not trying to find sufficient tp replacement before getting down to business.

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## madmax

While I have gone many times with natural material for cleanup,  I like a little tp and a wetwipe.  I'm just not concerned with that little of weight.

 I've been to several "Pack it out" areas.  I agreed with some and thought, "This rule is only because of the slobs that don't bury it'" in others.  Like most of us, seeing tp gardens by (and even in) the trail makes me sick.

I have gone UL a few times and didn't think it "freed" me from anything.  I don't care what someone else carries in their pack.  But for some reason some Ul's want to preach to me and/or snicker at my non-UL load.  Not cool.  But I have become more weight conscious since trying UL.

I admit to being a bit crass when camping with people who have a problem with going in the woods in the past.  I finally realized that it is very uncomfortable in many ways for many people who haven't done it a lot.  I try hard to be more sensitive to their plight these days.

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## crashdive123

Like the Charmin commercial says.....we all have to go.  Why not enjoy the go?  Yep, I carry TP.

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## WalkingTree

From reading ya'll, I find myself a bit surprised that people leaving used TP just laying on the ground happens very much. I can imagine that not being something to be polite about when finding it and want to gripe at someone about it. Are they not even digging a hole in the first place?

What is UL?

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## Rick

UL = Ultra Light

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## Lamewolf

Well this sure has turned out to be a crappy thread !  :Taz:

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## natertot

> UL = Ultra Light


Underwiper's Lavatory!

Unfortunately, many people are not conscious of their TP remnants. The worst I saw was two summers ago when my brother and I canoed out to a remote spot on a lake in a national forest. Beautiful camp spot right on the lake with fantastic fishing. Behind us was a pretty big hill with a trail that went straight up it to from our camp. The first morning after breakfast, we decided to hike up the hill to check it out. When we got to the top, we turned around and looked down towards camp. White blotches everywhere! Couldn't see a single one from camp though, but from the other side it was pretty bad. Really killed the feng shui of the outdoors.

Back to the OP, I think TP and biodegradable wet wipes are the best things to keep on hand. It is just a common courtesy to bury the deed and do it away from trails and water.

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## Rick

The worst I've ever seen was in college when the tail of a guys white shirt got in the way. As he walked through the student union there was a really really weird wave a disgust moving through with him. It was pretty bad.

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## Lamewolf

> The worst I've ever seen was in college when the tail of a guys white shirt got in the way. As he walked through the student union there was a really really weird wave a disgust moving through with him. It was pretty bad.


That was no skid mark, that was a burnout !  :Tank:

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## Wildthang

Well I suppose if we were Arabic, there would be no issue with tissue. They just use their hand.......Ewwwwwwwwww!

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## Rick

You can wipe a tear, you can wipe that smile off your face but you can't wipe your buddy's.....Oooh. a nickel.

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## Loneviking

Yep, tp and wet wipes. I aint scrubbing my heinie with pine cones or corn cobs!! I have used Mule Ears and Skunk Cabbage leaves, but TP is far better.

And pick your spot carefully--- seriously, middle of the trail?? Have you no shame? I'll never forget my embarrassment at being discovered taking a dump. I'm out backpacking, two or three days out so I'm out beyond the day hikers. I find a log to perch on and there seems to be nothing around. I get comfy and mid dump, around a bend and down a trail section I missed comes two good looking gals.  I froze, hoping not to be noticed, didn't work.  They were laughing as they went by. Sometimes you just can't win.

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## Lamewolf

> Well I suppose if we were Arabic, there would be no issue with tissue. They just use their hand.......Ewwwwwwwwww!


I heard they use their hand full of sand - OUCH !  :Arabia:

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## NightSG

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

When all else fails, just pull on yesterday's underwear and hike down to the river.

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## hunter63

While on week to 10 day hunting trips....we always changed out under wear daily......
Day 1- OK
Day 2-turn around
Day 3 turn inside out
Day 4 turn around back
Day 5 change.....
Mine  to Ron, Ron to Brad, Brad to Joe, Joe back to me.....
Day 6....... Start over........

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## Rick

I just threw up in my mouth a little...again.

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## hunter63

Well as been brought up....this is a crappy thread......and some things will "crack you up"........

I refrain from more anecdotal responses.....LOL

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## WalkingTree

I won't be asking to borrow anything from that dude's backpack.

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## RobinD69

> Well I suppose if we were Arabic, there would be no issue with tissue. They just use their hand.......Ewwwwwwwwww!


They use their left hand and are offended if you try to shake hands with your left hand. But doing it the Arabic way requires a water source and some type of soup or cleaning you hand in sand or dirt. Me personally I would find some nice sized leaves or some thick grass or moss even.

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## Billofthenorth

I always try to burn or bury my TP.
 So far I've been lucky, the only place "we" were required to carry it out was Norway and the specific We that got to carry the *pizza boxes of partially frozen excreta (no matter how cold it got, it never fully froze)  were the poor Navy Corpsmen under whose duties it fell.
Fair seas and following winds Doc.

* Plastic bag lined cardboard that always looked like something was leaking.

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## pete lynch

> I just threw up in my mouth a little...again.


So did I, but not from Hunter's underwear rotation protocols: I just noticed billofthenorth's avatar. Good lord, botn.

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## johnnyb1946

Wet wipes are very useful for this.  If the tube is pulled out of the TP roll,  the roll does not take up much space.

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## 1stimestar

Even when I was an UL back packer, I still found room for a bit o tp.

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## milkyway12

I am very confused on how you keep poop off your hands. It seems like an impossibility. How would you get the bacteria off? I am one of those has to wipe 50 times and it's horrible. I use wet wipes for everything. I just dont understand how you're able to get completely clean down there in the wild with a rock or stick. It seems like there will always be something sticking to your butt and hands.

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## hunter63

> I am very confused on how you keep poop off your hands. It seems like an impossibility. How would you get the bacteria off? I am one of those has to wipe 50 times and it's horrible. I use wet wipes for everything. I just dont understand how you're able to get completely clean down there in the wild with a rock or stick. It seems like there will always be something sticking to your butt and hands.


Maybe you better stick with modern technology.......
Life  and most anything from the good old days were stinky...

People didn't bathe, was considered un-healthy, probably was as the water was all contaminated, sewage was thrown in the street, people worn powdered wigs because of fleas........clothes were washed in urine to "whiten them".....

And yup, wiped their butt with their hand smooth rock, corn cobs, leaves...or a sponge on a stick soaked in vinegar....paper was too valuable to wipe your butte.

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## madmax

> I am very confused on how you keep poop off your hands. It seems like an impossibility. How would you get the bacteria off? I am one of those has to wipe 50 times and it's horrible. I use wet wipes for everything. I just dont understand how you're able to get completely clean down there in the wild with a rock or stick. It seems like there will always be something sticking to your butt and hands.


Well.  If you're that worried about germs maybe the outdoors isn't for you.  Man survived a long time before TP.

That said.  Diarrhea killed more in the civil war than bullets.  Aaaah.  10 lbs lighter.  Jerky?  No thanks.

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## M118LR

Back in the half-moon house day's, thousand page mail order catalogs were all the rage.

Worst situation I ever experienced was at a French Foreign Legionnaires base in Djibouti: The tiny stall made me turn my shoulders on a 45 to gain access, I learned what Africa HOT meant, and the French use waxed onionskin paper for TP. Even if you wiped with your finger, it was sweating so much, the waxed onionskin paper would slide off even a finger without moving the feces. Those French Frogs have quite a sense of humor.  :Lol:

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## Rick

No. Oh, no. He didn't survive. He existed. That's all. He bemoaned every tummy rumble and morning urge knowing that he would have to wait hundreds of years for TP. What do you think made Billy the Kid so angry? Or Attila the Hun? Lack of TP. Of course, Attila the Hun could always use someone's head. I understand he had a few of those floating around.

Hand sanitizer is your friend.

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## M118LR

> No. Oh, no. He didn't survive. He existed. That's all. He bemoaned every tummy rumble and morning urge knowing that he would have to wait hundreds of years for TP. What do you think made Billy the Kid so angry? Or Attila the Hun? Lack of TP. Of course, Attila the Hun could always use someone's head. I understand he had a few of those floating around.
> 
> Hand sanitizer is your friend.


Perhaps we shouldn't discuss the toiletry habits of Southeastern/Asian folks and the Japanese! Consider that they were civilized long before America was even discovered. Poop is a time honored question.

This reminds me of the Rabbit and the Bear.

The Rabbit was honored as the mighty BEAR asked him if stuff stuck to his fur, when they were pooping side-by-side in the woods. The Rabbit told the mighty bear that he had never experienced poop sticking to his fur while doing his business in the woods. The mighty bear Thanked the lowly rabbit for his input, then proceeded to wipe his behind with the rabbit upon completing his toiletries. 

I'm a little aged, what was the moral of this story again?

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## hunter63

Morel to that story...."Nothing good ever comes from speaking to bears......?"
"Please don't throw me in the brier patch"

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## Orbean

I am all about TP, bring a lot and keep it dry. Baby wipes and hand sanitizer are a must have.

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## ForsakenRecluse

In a survival situation this could be a life or death situation if you decide to stay in one place. 
So no matter how you clean yourself make sure it's away from water and do make sure you clean yourself as not only can it make you sick it can give you nasty sores as well. And don't go wash your feces hands in your water source. If you're going to do that. Try to make like a little water hole away from the water source before your dump.  But honestly I like the sand/dirt idea. 

Personally the only time I have pooed in the wild without wipes was in the middle of the desert so I just used some rocks.  It didn't touch my hands and I was able to just throw them far away.  - Just make sure you don't scratch yourself. (and if you're sticking around I wouldn't throw them,  but if you're traveling I guess it wouldn't matter to you.) But whether you care or not always void allowing any bodily fluids to go into the water.  (this includes urinating when swimming)

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## Rick

I'm not much into flinging poop laden rocks. If you are going to be staying in one location wouldn't you establish a latrine? Have you thought though that sand idea? Can't say I like the idea of sandpaper on my cute little tushy.

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## hunter63

Not into throw poopy rocks either.......rather bury my little load along but off the trail.....and use a cigarette paper.
Fold in half, then fold in half the other way.......now you have a folded envelope...where the 4 side come together, tear off the corner, but save it.....
To use...... stick finger thru the little hole in the middle, then use your finger to clean your butt.....next use the paper to wipe off finger.
Now use that corner you saved to clean out your fingernail...

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## Batch

> But whether you care or not always void allowing any bodily fluids to go into the water.  (this includes urinating when swimming)


Not much effort put into that in the areas I camp. Messic pineland is as dry as you get. And in the summer that is wet. Just swamp.

Here is a video I shot in someone elses camp two weeks ago. If you look at the swimming hole the water from Lake Okeechobee flows south through here. The over flow culverts over flow to the south. If you look at my brother Sean he is right up against the culverts.  That is where folks ask you to pee if your going to pee in the water. It just flows down stream to the next camp. 

The way they figure it, there is a alligator, turtle, fish, otter, deer , hog or what have you just in them yellow spadurdock lilly pads to the right. Just doing his or her business without regard. 

BTW, in this video is Sean who most here have seen many pictures, then in the chair is my older brother just moved back from Colorado. This is my first camping trip with him in decades. Then my sister's husband in the camo shorts and then the bearded Abner. Finally my big sister.

https://youtu.be/HTLzISbusVM

It is great having most of my siblings back out in the woods with us. We camped at least once a month back when we were young. 

Though each of us has a different way of doing our business in the woods. Some go back in the palmettos and leave surface piles of paper and poo. I take a shovel and dig a hole and back fill. I always have TP.  I have used leaves and grasses. But, it is just too easy to pack TP and I always have a pack of some sort. Plus tp in the truck, UTV, ATV and all packs.

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## Rick

Oh. Oh my. Get...out...of...the...WATER!!!!!!!!!! What is wrong with you people??? Don't you know there are alligator, turtle, fish, otter, deer , hog or what have you just in them yellow spadurdock lilly pads to the right?!!!!!!

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## Wildthang

Never poop on an electric fence, it's a gut wrenching experience!

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## Zachary Fowler

o man do i have some stuff to say on this subject but i cant say much without giving away any show spoilers from my alone Patagonia adventure.   There is oldmans beard (Spanish moss) in Patagonia and that works. You just have to be shur to grab the fresh stuff otherwise it's it kind of a pain in the butt  :Wink:

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## BENESSE

> Not into throw poopy rocks either.......rather bury my little load along but off the trail.....and use a cigarette paper.
> Fold in half, then fold in half the other way.......now you have a folded envelope...where the 4 side come together, tear off the corner, but save it.....
> *To use...... stick finger thru the little hole in the middle, then use your finger to clean your butt.....next use the paper to wipe off finger.
> Now use that corner you saved to clean out your fingernail.*..


I've got to ax...is this for real?  :Lol:  (Is there a video?)
Not only would I _not_ want to touch anything, but cleaning a fingernail afterwards?! 

Remind me to excuse hunter63 from cooking duties.

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## Rick

A video? Seriously? I demand a disclosure statement before posting!!

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## crashdive123

There is a video.  I think the same person that is in the picture that we will not speak of stars in it.  He might be wearing a different colored hong though.

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## hunter63

> I've got to ax...is this for real?  (Is there a video?)
> Not only would I _not_ want to touch anything, but cleaning a fingernail afterwards?! 
> 
> Remind me to excuse hunter63 from cooking duties.


Yeah....works every time.....
The cigarette method was relegated to me by MF....referencing his bomber crew in WWII......and was known to pull my leg a tad....as most of my relatives did/do.... 

Then we get to changing underwear methods....while on long wilderness trips with the group.

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## BENESSE

If in doubt....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpcg0AziP2Y

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## hunter63

That's the dirt and sand method......
"Oh Look, Skippy learned a new trick!

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## alaskabushman

I went hunting with a guy a few times that would always forget the TP, so he would use his sock...and toss it afterwards. This left him hunting with only one sock, unless he had to go again...

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## Rick

Oh man. I'm not sure what is worse. Your butt smelling like feet or your feet smelling like butt. Either way that would be a show stopper on a date I'm pretty sure.

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## hunter63

> I went hunting with a guy a few times that would always forget the TP, so he would use his sock...and toss it afterwards. This left him hunting with only one sock, unless he had to go again...


The reason you wear those... long, tall/hunting socks.....just cut a piece off the top for a-wipe.....so you kinda whittle them down  slow like....
You have 2 socks (well most people do) so you should be able make it a few days..... anyway

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## BENESSE

If you're gonna be like that, just wear diapers.

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## hunter63

> If you're gonna be like that, just wear diapers.


Well...... That depends.....

The pitch...... is right there in the zone....here is the swing, .......CRACK.....It going, going ...GONE~!
That was too easy.......Bhohahaha

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## Rick

I saw what you did there.

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## fjrmurph

I am shocked , three pages on how to or how not to poop in the woods !!!!  This is just a ****ty subject .

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## Batch

You haven't been hunting until you have a guy in camp with only one long sleeve on his shirt and no socks. 

Back when they had if its brown its down rule during archery (no spotted fawns). We had a guy in our camp who could get a deer every weekend. But, couldn't remember to pack in TP or use what nature provides.

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## hunter63

> I am shocked , three pages on how to or how not to poop in the woods !!!!  This is just a ****ty subject .


The dream of every 12 year old...to talk about poop.... an make every one nervous...
The first "bad word: I ever learned in my life was "poopy"...as in "You are a poopy"....must have been around age 8 .....or so.

Girl across the street about the same age........Janie, taught me that....as we were standing on our sides of the street.... Throwing rocks at each other.

Neither one of us could throw a rock all the way across the street....so was pretty harmless.
But she did call me a "poopy"....she had older brothers and sisters so was better educated I was.....in the ways of the world.

Anyway....used that word "Poopy" I front of my mother....got slapped, and told that was a bad word,... not use it ever again....
That told me " Hey cool, must be a good one...but save it for special occasions......LOL 

PS..... Always carry 3 pairs of hunting socks, cold weather,...wear two.....and carry one pair in the game bag....old pair on the outside, newer on the inside.....dry ones with plastic bags ....JIC.

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## ChuckDT

Just never attempt to use snow, trust me.

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## crashdive123

If I waited to use snow where I live, it might be a long, long time before I ever............well, you get the picture.

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