Let’s chat about something women go through when we're hunting, camping, hiking, backpacking, or all-around roughing it in the woods. Sometimes we do those activities when we're on our period. It happens. I realize it's a topic that not everybody wants to talk about, especially men, but it happens. It's something that can happen out of the blue and it's something that you can definitely be prepared for.
Let’s start with getting a few myths and wives tales out of the way.
When you're on your period, the animals don't want to hump you. It's just that's not how the world works.
If you hang your bloody tampons around your stand, you're not going to attract the deer. This has nothing to do with your estrus. In fact, your level of estrogen is not high when you're on your period. It is when you're ovulating.
Animals are naturally curious. If you do hang something that is disgusting out in the woods, they're going to want to check it out.
There are problems that can arise from being on your period with the scent of
blood with bears and predators. They can certainly be attracted to the scent. We know they scavenge or feed on things that are dead so that is a situation that can come into play.
A lot of it has to do with how you take care of yourself, your hygiene, and your products when you're outdoors.
Here's how to Head Outdoors while on Your Period
- Use a DivaCup. Another brand to try is the FLEX Period Cup. The FLEX is my personal preference, but pads, tampons, or any other feminine product are also fine to use.
- Wipes are your friend. Unscented is best. My favorites are from Dollar Shave Club. They are the One Wipe Charlies in Peppermint.
- Use a Ziploc bag to keep your DivaCup or FLEX, wipes, pads, panty liners, and tampons together.
- The most important part of the “process” is how to pack out your used items. Bring a set of Trail Essentials Toilet Bags to use as garbage bags to pack everything out after use. Bring one for each day you will be menstruating. The idea is to put used products inside of the bags to keep them completely scent-free. You can then put these inside your pack to give the most protection against any kind of nuisance animals.
{Read More: When Nature Calls: A Guide for How to Pee in the Outdoors}
Basically, that's it. That’s how easy it is to be on your period out in the field. If you are in a blind, where you're coming in and out, this is very easy to throw in your pack bring it home with you at the end of the day. If you're on a backpacking trip, these products all together are not much bigger than the size of a hand and it weighs absolutely nothing.
It’s better to have this than to be stuck at home because you thought that you couldn't make it in the field on your period.
