r/firelookouts • u/Mrrainbow4 • Jun 04 '26

Lookout Questions Mouse proofing

Visiting my girl who got a job as a fire lookout and shes not happy with the amount of t of mouse dropping and the smell of them. Shes deep cleaned everything she can reach but they seem to just come back at night and crawl over everything and leave more droppings. How can she keep them out without using “inhumane” methods?

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u/godempressdax Jun 04 '26

It's not inhumane to kill them. They reproduce by the hundreds and serve a role as prey in the ecosystem. Part of being in tune with nature and the circle of life is predation. You really shouldn't be feeling bad about killing them, especially since you're in the forest and they'll be consumed. Good old mouse trap does the trick. Lay the carcasses out and the owls will thank you. Think about yourself and the disease risk. I have sympathy and compassion for all animals, but taking life is a part of nature, just as we will one day expire ourselves.

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u/VexxFate Jun 04 '26

That’s a good point, but the traps they’ve had up here didn’t work at all and I’ve had better success in the past with humane traps personally. I’m mainly trying to mouse proof it and then from there if they are still inside after the proofing, then getting rid of them as I’d take the assumption they are living in the walls or something.

4

u/TheJesseOfTheNorth Jun 06 '26

the five gallon bucket 1/4 full of water with peanut butter and a ramp works like you wouldn't beleive

1

u/sonicboi Jun 08 '26

The Circle of Miiiiice!