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#181932 - 09/11/09 12:57 AM Re: LONG Wild animal attack preparation [Re: NightHiker]
James_Van_Artsdalen Offline
Addict

Registered: 09/13/07
Posts: 449
Loc: Texas
If you're going to protect yourself from a *really* dangerous animal, carry mosquito repellent & camp with mosquito netting.

Statistical comparisons of unrelated risks can be useful in allocating resources. For example, if you have $100 to spend a tire pressure monitor for the wife's car is going reduce her overall risks a lot more than getting her some bear spray.

PS. Anyone know what makes a *doe* (not a buck) become aggressive? Twice in the last year I've seen a deer (doe) aggressively chase off a dog in my front yard. I didn't know they did that and would hate to trigger one getting the mail.

In both cases the dog charged the doe while barking. The doe stood in place then charged the dog when the dog got within 10 feet or so. I think the dogs are still running...

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#181935 - 09/11/09 03:11 AM Re: LONG Wild animal attack preparation [Re: James_Van_Artsdalen]
Art_in_FL Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 09/01/07
Posts: 2432
Seems to me a lot of people need to start by making common sense decisions that lower the odds they will get into any situation before worrying about bringing artillery.

Running in woodlands with ear buds in and listening to music while thinking about work is a fine way to find yourself in a situation. In the woods it is ear buds out, active listening to the woods, head on a swivel observing the situation. Common sense.

Hiking we once saw a guy who was fishing from a canoe. He had caught a fish and while he was winding it in a gator had grabbed it. There he was, alone, in a small canoe holding his rod in one hand and beating what looked like an 8' gator with a paddle with the other. Very foolish. The alligator could have flipped the boat with a twitch of its tail. It was close enough to grab the man's arm. What would have happened if he had fallen or got pulled into the water? I guess its a matter of values. I'm not willing to die, or have an arm ripped off, for a fish.

I suspect if he thought about it he would agree that it would be better to let the gator have the fish. Hell, let it have the pole. In the end the line broke and the gator took off with his prize. It worked out this time.


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#181937 - 09/11/09 04:16 AM Re: LONG Wild animal attack preparation [Re: James_Van_Artsdalen]
Todd W Offline
Product Tester
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 11/14/04
Posts: 1928
Loc: Mountains of CA
Originally Posted By: James_Van_Artsdalen
If you're going to protect yourself from a *really* dangerous animal, carry mosquito repellent & camp with mosquito netting.

Statistical comparisons of unrelated risks can be useful in allocating resources. For example, if you have $100 to spend a tire pressure monitor for the wife's car is going reduce her overall risks a lot more than getting her some bear spray.

PS. Anyone know what makes a *doe* (not a buck) become aggressive? Twice in the last year I've seen a deer (doe) aggressively chase off a dog in my front yard. I didn't know they did that and would hate to trigger one getting the mail.

In both cases the dog charged the doe while barking. The doe stood in place then charged the dog when the dog got within 10 feet or so. I think the dogs are still running...


Interesting with the Doe.

Is it the same one that is used to the dog? I know we have a couple that stick around here and after a couple days of my dog barking at her she has gotten used to it. If he charges her (on the deck still) she runs... if he gets out he chases them away but they stick around and don't run as far as they used to.

Right now they are eating leftover blackberries.
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Self Sufficient Home - Our journey to self sufficiency.

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#181939 - 09/11/09 04:41 AM Re: LONG Wild animal attack preparation [Re: Todd W]
yelp Offline
Member

Registered: 06/04/08
Posts: 172
Loc: Colorado
******************


Edited by yelp (09/11/09 04:58 AM)
Edit Reason: deleted a non-productive, non-informative post
_________________________
(posting this as someone that has unintentionally done a bunch of stupid stuff in the past and will again...)

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#181948 - 09/11/09 12:20 PM Re: LONG Wild animal attack preparation [Re: yelp]
James_Van_Artsdalen Offline
Addict

Registered: 09/13/07
Posts: 449
Loc: Texas
There aren't dogs at my end of the street - these dogs were from further away.

In both cases the doe never backed off an inch. Once close enough the dogs realized that the deer was BIG, was not running away, uh oh... the doe took off after the dog as soon as the dog changed direction, and the doe kept on the dog's tail at least until they were out of sight. Even a domesticated dog sure can run when motivated...

I have no idea if it was the same doe - we've got a bunch around here. In both cases my attention was on the dog as I first thought it was charging *me*, not realizing there was a doe some ways behind me until the dog's path was clearly missing me.

"Doe kills man" is not exactly a daily headline so I'm not that concerned, but it is a large animal that I actually encounter almost daily that could theoretically be dangerous, and it would be nice to understand what triggers the aggressive behavior... I assume the dogs triggered some newborn/baby defense reflex.

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#181967 - 09/11/09 05:51 PM Re: LONG Wild animal attack preparation [Re: Art_in_FL]
scafool Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 12/18/08
Posts: 1534
Loc: Muskoka
Originally Posted By: Art_in_FL
Seems to me a lot of people need to start by making common sense decisions that lower the odds they will get into any situation before worrying about bringing artillery...


I can completely agree with that statement.
Even if it might mean not entering , or if already there simply leaving an area that is dangerous in some cases.

The point about Bambi's Mom not always being a lady is appropriate too.
So is the comment about range cows.

It might be a surprise to some people if they knew how many farmers are killed by their own livestock and how many pets attack their owners.
_________________________
May set off to explore without any sense of direction or how to return.

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#181974 - 09/11/09 06:13 PM Re: LONG Wild animal attack preparation [Re: scafool]
Tom_L Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/19/07
Posts: 690
Quote:
It might be a surprise to some people if they knew how many farmers are killed by their own livestock and how many pets attack their owners.


Absolutely. I've been chased by a bull more than once and kicked by a horse. Not exactly a pleasant experience.

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#182006 - 09/11/09 10:54 PM Re: Wild animal attack preparation [Re: Russ]
yeti Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 12/16/06
Posts: 203
Loc: somewhere out there...
Originally Posted By: Russ
There's a YouTube video, I hate it when folks don't post a link, just a sec. . . Wilderness Survival: Building a Survival Kit... About 45 minutes into the lecture he starts discussing interacting with wildlife. At time 52:25 he starts talking Mountain Lions.
Quote:
"A Mountain Lion's model of the world is, everything is a deer or some derivative of a deer."
"The more you look like a deer, the more you look good."
Good discussion/lecture on the subject.


Were that true, you'd see a great many more cougar attacks. People are in and near cougars a LOT more than they know. In fact, you'd see a large number of wildlife biologists taken. He does say, "...the more you look like a deer..." But we don't ACT like deer. Cougars are small and don't prefer to take chances. The struck-by-lightning comparison is valid. However, if you think being struck by lightning is rare, being attacked by a cougar is rare air indeed. Rarer still is actually being killed by a mountain lion. Small women, the young, and the old, have fended off cougar attacks. He does make decent points about fighting them though. Being able to kill deer doesn't require a lot of size. Bobcats, coyotes, etc can and will take deer...and many of your free-roaming dogs. It's funny how many folks aren't worried about the threat of death by flu but cougars are a concern. If 36,000 people a year died from cougar attacks in the US, and a new breed of really powerful cougars sauntered on in to exacerbate the situation, we'd be sitting in turrets watching fields of fire!

I'm kidding of course. But the liklihood of winning the lottery has to be greater than being attacked by cougars.
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#182009 - 09/12/09 12:10 AM Re: Wild animal attack preparation [Re: yeti]
scafool Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 12/18/08
Posts: 1534
Loc: Muskoka
The probabilities change depending on where you are, how old you are and what you are doing, Yeti.

You and others might enjoy a short read about cougar from the B.C. government.
Safety Guide to Cougars
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/cougsf.htm

and about bears from
http://www.bearsmart.com/index.html
Quote:
Nothing can replace good sense and proper safety measures. People whose activities may possibly put them in a situation where they may encounter a bear or other wild animal should educate themselves and be aware of the potential for an attack. Carrying animal repellent does not warrant careless or disrespectful behaviour. It does, however, provide an alternative to physical violence or lethal means when a potentially life-threatening situation arises.



and
Are you Bear Wise? eBook
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Bearwise/Publication/196982.html
_________________________
May set off to explore without any sense of direction or how to return.

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#182063 - 09/13/09 12:32 AM Re: Wild animal attack preparation [Re: yeti]
Hookpunch Offline
Member

Registered: 06/11/07
Posts: 128
Originally Posted By: yeti
It's funny how many folks aren't worried about the threat of death by flu but cougars are a concern. If 36,000 people a year died from cougar attacks in the US, and a new breed of really powerful cougars sauntered on in to exacerbate the situation, we'd be sitting in turrets watching fields of fire!

I'm kidding of course. But the liklihood of winning the lottery has to be greater than being attacked by cougars.


You know what, I get the flu shot every year, I carry my own pen so I don't have to use any pen that is touched by hundreds of other people when signing credit card receipts, wash my hands as soon as I get into the house or office, have hand sanitizer at my desk at work, make sure I don't touch my hands to my face...all year round, not just in flu season.

I also make sure I don't go out in a thunderstorm or take cover if I am caught in one. I don't play my electric guitar when a thunderstorm is raging just in case of electrocution despite the small probability of that.


How is preparing for cougar or bear attacks if you are in the woods any different than preparing for any other emergency no matter how small the probability?



Edited by Hookpunch (09/13/09 12:35 AM)

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