Are you actually serious???
Absolutely.
Rare yes but attacks definitely occur.
People get hit by lightning while in the woods too, but I am not going to start hiking with a walking stick covered in mirrors just in case a lightning storm pops up.
But my point in the context...
And mine was that if you intend on gettin a walking stick, get one for walking and use something else to protect you from wildlife, I.E Bears (like bear spray) which is designed just for that reason. The question posed was if a collapsible walking stick was good enough for defence, My arguement is that against wild animals, no it isn't.
...better than absolutely nothing as a last resort by poking or jabbing to provide distance between me and the animal.
If that animal is a bear, then no...It isnt.
There are a number of cited wolf kills in Canada but only one documented,....
That is why I said this...
If you are concerned about these animals on the trail(which you shouldn't be)....
my brother escaped a wolf pack while making his way back to his truck after a deer hunt.... the closest I've been to a lone wolf was about 25 feet away from my shelter (Vancouver Island).
Elk are the most dangerous animal during rut, if you think not, talk a walk in the woods in late September/October in Jasper Nat Park. Yearly incidents, sometimes on the golf course!
I had a cousin mauled by a sow grizzly a number of years ago and if weren't for passing motorists she would not have survived (North Vancouver).A few years ago in Cypress Hills, I walked along a trail and remarked to myself "what a perfect habitat for cougar" not knowing that only a couple weeks before a cougar was shot on that very spot after scaring other hikers.
I was stalked by a female elk in Kananskis and it came within 15 feet of me before I gained the high ground and "menaced" (I didn't have a hiking staff at the time), this was on the same area where there were 4 grizzlies were known to habituate. I luckily missed a multiple grizzly attack just outside Yellowstone by only a couple of weeks at Soda Butte campground that I stayed at in 2010.
Came within 100 ft of a huge male elk just before rut season, my golfing partners were scared s***less.
I came face to face with a coyote protecting its fresh kill a couple of years ago in a surprise encounter (Grasslands Nat Park). It was seriously debating whether to defend it for flight. Thankfully he chose flight even though it had the high ground. And I know better than to get close to the free range bison in the park.
Deer, I haven't had an encounter but here is a provoked attack -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khKrd1RNy2U You realize, that out all this, you only mention one person getting hurt.(from a bear) That's why I said this..
I've never heard of wolves,yotes, Elk or deer actually hurting anyone in all my travels.
Notice I didn't mention the word bear here once ? I KNOW bears will mess you up in quick form if you **** them off. That is why the thought of someone using a walking stick to defend against one was so unrealistic. I believe I was fairly clear in my post that bears are mean SOBs. The rest is just you mentioning about how you or someone else was afraid of something, not that anyone was hurt.
I can't believe you actually used that deer vid as an example....Wow dude.
Like I said, RARE but not unlikely for anyone spending time in the backcountry. If you have never heard of wolves, coyotes, elk or deer actually hurting anyone in all my travels, well then I must say [edited for content]. Get out more. Bear attacks are actually more rare than attacks from these animals.
Gee. I guess you got me there.
Came within 100 ft of a huge male elk just before rut season, my golfing partners were scared s***less.
I'll Tell you my secret to avoid being scared s***less of Elk. Buy an expensive bow, then buy an Elk tag. I bet my last dollar you won't run across any in the woods till the seasons over.
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