Outside of bear country, how do you place food and water stashes for a long hike?

Here's the deal: I'm hiking a fairly long trail in winter, when I'm heavier and bulkier. I'd like to divide food up into stashes, a couple of which I'll either mail to myself or get my sister to bring to me at a given trailhead. But there are a couple spots where neither option is really feasible.

I'd like to pack them in five gallon buckets with a sealed lid, which I would place right before my hike and remove quickly after. I think raccoons and possums are the worst I'd expect, and I doubt I'd run into ant problems in February, even down here. Then if I could hide the bucket out of sight and mark the spot on my map, I doubt anyone would mess with it (and I can leave a note, too).

But I want to hear from you before I just go off and do that.

I've never done this but have read several accounts from people who have. The 5 gallon bucket works well, so does an empty paint can (never filled). Either should protect from raccoons and possums. You can put things in nylofume bags to reduce the odor, though its not clear how effective that is.

Hide it out of site just off the trail and as you walk back to the trail, turn around and take a picture of the location you hid it.