Keeping Mice out of Fish House

[Getanet]

I have a 14-foot camper that's been converted into a permanent fish house. I'll be storing it outside at a friend's cabin near Brainerd from now until the ice freezes again.

Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping the mice out of it? I realize some mice will get in regardless, but maybe they don't like dryer sheets, moth balls, etc???

Any help is much appreciated.

[Ryan_V]

I put dryer sheets in my perm house. use them in my camper as well, never had a mouse yet...

[mnbuckhunter]

Had a mouse or two in the camper years ago but then started putting a bunch of dryer sheets all over ... in the draws, under mattresses etc.... and haven't had one since.

Plus it smells nice and fresh after storage! :-D

[Steve Foss]

Any particular brand of dryer sheets?

[Getanet]

Thanks, I knew there would be some good ideas here.

[Northlander]

I have used Bounce or whatever they are. I dont have many mice in town though. I also use them in my boat compartments and it works. Moth balls also work but stink for a while after taking out. Make sure you change the sheets once a month. If they dry out the mice will actually use it to build a nest with.

[mntim]

Yep, dryer sheets is the winner. I cover my boat with them every year and have never seen any hint of mice. For as cheap as they are, fill your house with them and you'll never have a problem.

[ANYFISH2]

Place a cotton ball soaked in peppermint oil in a plastic container (I use a wax worm cup), place near any place a mouse may get in. 3-4 should be able to cover the entire house. I works!

[landscaper]

I also use dryer sheets and just in case that doesnt work i also open some poisin and place on the floor in the container it comes in.(not dumping it all over)

[Big-Al]

Bounce sure seams to work for me. I usually use half a dozen sheets cut in half in the boat or camper and about half that in the otter. I have not had an issue since I started doing that. It doesn't seem to deter red squirrels quite as well as mice.

[Gordie]

Big Cat with a dryer sheet tied to its tail works really good and is funny to watch

[Supercrew]

Lawn chair, shotgun, 12 pack.. , if nothing else you will have a full time job. Maybe hang it in the air?

[JSK76]

I had a mouse build a nest from a dryer sheet. I put one under the hood of a snowmobile and when I open the hood there the mouse was dead in it's nest.

[buckhunter21]

Irish Spring soap is what I always use. Just break off some chunks and place them throughout your fish house. Ive never had a problem with mice since I started doing that and you get the bonus of a good smelling house by next fishing season.

[mainbutter]

Snakes

[Steve Foss]

Slices of Irish Spring keep the deer out of the garden, too. We were told to use the original scent, and to change them out every couple of weeks, and it's been working ever since on the deer. I'm thinking some Bounce and Irish Spring in the Otter in a week or two will be just the ticket. Might kill the smell of decomposed cisco.

[leech~~]

Forget the Moth Balls! I had my father-in-law talk me in to putting little trays of Moth Balls all around the inside of my RV one year. Next spring, Mouse droppings every where still and had to live with the Moth ball smell most of the summer! Never again.

[wplatehunter]

I use moth balls in my boat. I have never seen any signs of a mouse in the boat. Yes they smell, but if they keep them out I don't care. I have not checked the boat this year yet, so lets hope they worked.

[Ed Carlson]

Best way is to clean it completely of any food, paper, clothing, or anything Miss Mouse may think is handy to build a nest from..or in.

A good strong bleach wipe down along with a generous dose of fresh dryer sheets and seal it up as tightly as you can.

Stuff steel wool or SOS Pads in areas that they can wiggle in from, block as many entrance points as you can.

If it's clean and tight, this will discourage them. That is the best you can hope for.

[Northlander]

If you use moth balls put them in some old nylons.

[leech~~]

If you use moth balls put them in some old nylons.

And learn to like smoking Cigars next winter so you can stand fishing sleeping in your house!

[jdsmi]

Make your own conclusions... I used to swear by moth balls & dryer sheets. Used them in fish house, snowmobiles, campers, etc. Last summer I hung my new, freshly washed & cleaned flipover on the wall of my shed, loaded with mothballs. Last fall revealed 3 nice sized holes that were chewed through the canvas. My camper was stored last fall with dryer sheets in all compartments, etc. I fought mice all winter (till I set out D-Con trays). Can't wait till this spring to open it up & access the damage.

The kicker - My last cat disappeared last summer.

The conclusion - If there are mice around, don't risk your investment on either sheets or balls and get either a cat or poison.

[Grayfox]

I'm a bounce guy. I take a whole box and line the inside perimeter of my boat and all the compartments get a couple sheets. Haven't had an issue yet. When I store my portable for the season I just take the canvas off,roll it up and put it into a storage tote and use duct tape to seal all openings to keep the little buggers out. Only takes about ten minutes to put it back on next winter.

[JacobMHD]

If moth balls work so well on mice, wouldn't they be called mouse balls???

I have seen success with bounce dryer sheets. I've also seen mice ignore the generic brand dryer sheets so for what it's worth, I would use Bounce dryer sheets.

Sounds like a great job for Mythbusters to work on.

[Ed Carlson]

If moth balls work so well on mice, wouldn't they be called mouse balls?

But they apparently work wonders on bats...never seen any complaints about bats in ice houses with moth balls in them yet...not one.