Does a Bear Shit in the Woods? Do Other Mammals Poop in the Wild?

Is it Okay to Poop in the Wilderness? Is that Sarah Palin in Africa?

April 5, 2011

Obviously, humans have been pooping au natural for eons. But lately, there's a movement to get campers and hikers to treat poop like garbage—which means packing it out. Is that really necessary? And if so, what's a squeamish environmentalist to do? Kathleen Meyer, author of the aptly named book How To Shit in the Woods answers all your urgent outdoor-defecation questions.

To collect data for her book, the author spent more than two years (not all at the same time) traveling to out of the way places and wilderness areas, in order to poop. Making sure you have all the right supplies is essential to a good outcome. Though not mentioned by Meyer, a large bottle of Milk of Magnesia is a must, to make sure there is actually going to be some poop in the shute when opportunity strikes. A can of Off can be helpful, to ward off mosquitoes and other insects attracted to your backside. Let's face it. Only humans have developed disgust for the odor of all poop other than their own. Every other animal and insect on the planet finds the smell of fresh poop impossible to resist.

BizarreStuff was able to enlist the support of a hugely popular mystery political figure to demonstrate good outdoor pooping posture and practice.

Uh oh! Be sure to watch out for bears and other large mammals, less you become poop.