Originally Posted By: Roarmeister

Good tips - but my line of thinking is in regards to animals on the trail not other humans. Seriously, when would somebody be using a collapsible walking stick? On the trail. What do you meet on the trail that is dangerous? I am thinking of things like bears, cougars, wolves, coyotes, elk, and yes even deer.


Your experiences must be very different than mine. Apart from startling a bear, or encountering a mother with cubs, I don't worry that much about wild animals. Attacks do happen, but very rarely. Human beings and their animals (dogs especially) are way more dangerous. Most of the people I've encountered over the years in the woods have been fine, but certainly not all of them. "Friendly" dogs off leash have caused me far more scares than wilder critters and people though.
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Paul