Portable Storage

[caughtacase73]

I just picked up a late season deal on an Otter Lodge. It appears the season is coming to an end (atleast the need for shelter)and I am preping for storage. What is the best way to store and protect the canvas on portables? I plan to remove the canvas and store it in a tub (rodent proof). Is there any type of treatment that can / should be done to keep the canvas in good condition?

[Big A]

If your taking the canvas and storing it in a plastic container. Your done and good to go.

Maybe throw a dryer sheet in the tub JUST IN CASE a rodent miraculously gains entry... but canvas in a tub and off the ground from what I hear is the best answer out there.

[Phred52]

caughtacase73, I remove the tent from my house also. I store it inside my house, no worries. If you're storing the tent in a tub in the garage, I'd suggest it be a metal tub or a 20 gallon trash can. My buddy stored his in a Rubbermaid tub and the mousies found it. They chewed right through the side of that darn tub, never would've believed it if I hadn't seen it myself! Also, prior to storing the tent, THROUGHLY dry it out. You'll avoid mold and / or that musty smell. Phred52

[NCLaker]

I' don't have much of a rodent problem in my garage. I store my whole Otter lodge (canvas left on) on a big wooden shelf, put all my gear in it. Before putting the cover on, I use pepperment spray just in case.

[Northlander]

I dont have mice in my garage so I just dry out the house real good and put dryer sheets in it and maybe a moth ball or 2 if I have some around. Then I put all my ice fishing hetaers etc. in it and cover it then wrap it in a tarp just in case the neighborhood fox and cats let a mouse by them. Some peppermint spray around it and I have never had a issue. Also make sure their is any food or crumbs in the house.

If you can hang it below your rafters. Mine arent high enough so all I would do is walk into it all the time so its best on the floor.

If I had mouse problems I would take the canvas off, dried of course, bag it and put it in the house where theres no mice. Flip the tub on end in a corner. Biggest thing would be making sure that you dont fold the windows up so you dont have wrinkles in them that may lead to cracking problems in the cold. This isnt as much of a issue with the newer houses and the much more plyable windows that have come out like on the New Otters.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

I dry mine out and put all my fishing stuff inside and put the snow cover on it. Hang it from the rafters high enough so the wife can still park under it.

Good Luck,

Mike

[stumper]

This yr I plan on building a 4 x 4 x 8 ft wood box to put my shacks in. I have plenty of cats around and actually this is to keep them out of the shacks as much as the mice. I stopped useing the dryer sheets when I found them shreaded being used as part of their nest a few years back.

BIGGEST THING TO REMEMBER TO DO IS MAKE SURE YOUR SHGACK HAS NO ODOR OF ANY FOOD!!!! If you have used your storage pouches in the shack to hold snacks, fabreeze these areas. They will go through just about anything if they smell food inside.

[Ed Carlson]

I recommend fix anything that may need fix'n now....and clean it out well, wiping it down completely with a light duty kitchen or bathroom cleaner, and make darn sure no bait of food is hidden away inside...then set up in the direct sun for a day to air out and dry completely.

Now pack it down with a handful of dryer softener sheets tucked under the folds and inside the sled, slip on the cover nice and tight...hang'r high out of sunlight and your way.

If you need to store in a basement environment do much the same but also be sure to keep it up off the concrete/floor and dry and again it's best to hang them to lessen access from curious critters both wild and domestic.

Don't assume because you never seen a mouse around, they will not find your shack handy and tasty...mothball or use the dryer fabric softener sheet method...the dryer sheets have worked well for me and smell a whole lot better come first ice then moth balls do.