Over the years I've noticed something that brings a question to mind.

Does anyone have any experience with adverse reactions (from animals) to human waste?

Here is why I ask:
30 years ago I was camped in a remote area and had a "nature call" before I had set up a latrine. I went out in the woods a ways and did my business. That night something investigated it and also came into camp. Whatever it was, it was large and seemed to be sneaking around camp.

Last year I was in a nearby area where there used to be some structures from the 1800's. The only thing left is a large outhouse. Occasionally people will camp illegally in this spot. The outhouse is big, and over the years the earth has backed up against it and it's foundation. Last year I noticed that something or someone had attempted to push the outhouse over. It was dislodged from it's stone foundation and tipped about 30 degrees. The force necessary to move it like this had to be large. People might have done it, but it would have required 3 or 4 people. It was not moved by snow either; it was tipped in the wrong direction. This outhouse is large, at least a 3-holer, and well built from large timbers.

Last weekend, when I got to my campsite, something had demolished the sewer pipe from my trailer. It was strung out across the property, but still attached to the trailer. It had been pulled so hard that it was reduced to a wrangled wire (the wire inside a trailer sewer pipe is kinda like a slinky) that stretched out for about 75 feet and was left there. It was dark when I arrived, and I tripped on the wire not seeing it at first.

So my question is this:
Could this just be bear activity? Are they interested in this kind of thing? Or, could this be something's way of saying, "stop crapping in my territory"? I was told once by an investigator that BF do not like it when we dump in their areas.

Any thoughts?

Spazmo,

As I understand the animal kingdom, in as much as it pertains to any capable of this kind of destruction or outhouse tipping, the marking of territory is a basic function. Although bears have such a large and more times than not, a very spread out territory, I doubt that even an overly aggressive male would give a flying scat sample when he sticks his nose into a pile, puddle, or brick of human excrement. It simply means that the enemy dropped a load here...be a little more cautious? BF's reaction on the other hand to the same pile, puddle or brick might be more direct?

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Bears are trying to find 20,000 calories / day right now. They will investigate anything rotten, smelly, nasty right now. Especially if the natural crops in your area were undersized this year.

Very true.

I dare 'ol hairy ass to check out my latrine!

just imagine encountering a sasquatch in sewer areas hmm makes ya wonder to be contonued interesting new thread.

We had a bear sow and two cubs get into the community garbage dumpster earlier this end of summer...... The sow had to be the one to grab the bags and she went after the neighbors trash with all of the smelly baby diapers. She moved on soon after wards and there has been no issues with bears since she moved on.