Have you ever been attacked?

[una_dogger]

I was stalked by a mountain Lion on the back of Pikes Peak in CO. .

I've been meaning to ask you to tell that story since you brought it up a couple threads ago. Wow... Sounds like you did the right thing. Lions fascinate me.

According to the predator to prey index, I'm the perfect sized meal for a mountain lion. My freind the sedentary biologist friend likes to remind me of that fact every time I'm going long distance backpacking.

 

[rhihn]

We have been "attacked" by grouse (chased down the Blueberry footpath on the way back from the Sewards), and by hornets (sent us packing and robbed us of views on Pyramid). Our hung food has been attacked by rodents (probably squirrels), and my lunch was once "attacked" (unsuccessfully) by a pine marten at the base of Gray Peak. Similar experience involving a marmot in Colorado. Joanne's pack was once "attacked" on an overnight canoe trip by a porcupine, which chewed off the plastic buckles. My pack was once "attacked" by young boy in search of goodies (he happened to be my son).

All other sightings have been visual only, without "attacks."

Dick

 

[Woody]

I voted none, but I do remember hiking down off of Mt Moriah a couple of years ago in early June and having a grouse fly right up out of the brush and right past my head! I think we scared each other.

 

[jessbee]

I have been dive-bombed by regurgitating seagulls at Isle of Shoals, apparently quite common

Me too! The gull encounters were by far the scariest animal attack I've ever faced. They're especially moody when they've got newborn chicks around.

 

[Gris]

I have been "attacked" by the wild horses of Cumblerland Island National Seashore GA many, many times. Most recently during whatever night it was that the Patriots and Jags played this past NFL season (had the MP3/radio on). It was cold (20-something) and very windy. I was just sleeping out in a bag w/o a tent on the remote north end of the island and had moved my bag/camp after dark to get out of the wind (had only a 40 bag). I awoke to what i thought was someone shaking me awake in the wee hours of the night. Instead, it was a stallion stomping and hoof kicking me/my bag. The stallions are very territorial and if it had been light when i moved i would have known i had bedded down within a "stallion ring" (they defecate to mark their harems). Couple of years ago at same local I was chased deeply into and madly all through the palmetto scrub by a momma whose foal i accidently scared off from the water supply when watering up early one morning.

 

[Stan]

I was guiding a trip near Putnam Pond in the Adirondacks. We were hiking a loop when ... you know that old expression, "If you are keeping your head while everyone about you is losing theirs, then you don't know what's going on" ... well, I was in the lead and at first I didn't know what the commotion was behind me but everyone was high tailing it in the other direction.

It took me a minute to realize they were being attacked by bees disturbed when someone had stepped on a nest.

I also realized then it was too late to run, besides, the bees were after them and not me.

So I just casually sauntered back to the group, sort of whistling past the graveyard like, and attended the heavily bitten and annoyed hikers. We gave a precautionary epi pen to one, the others seemed to have a bearable number of bites and had no history of sensitivities.

... I wasn't so lucky when clearing a dead stump near my house. It's said that bee venom is a good antidote for arthritis and I do believe it has worked. I now don't get arthritis in the oddest of places.

 

[jn316]

I, too, have been dive-bombed by a grouse. I was walking on the Gale River Trail with some food for friends at Galehead, including a watermelon strapped on top of my pack. I must have somehow walked between the grouse and her chicks, because she suddenly flew up, wheeled around, and dove straight at my head. I turned and ducked, and she slammed into the watermelon so hard that it split open.

 

[spider solo]

Nothing to heavy duty for me ..
The only time I was ever bitten was many years ago in the Smokey Mnts . Staying at the shelters I wondered what all the gadetry was hanging from the rafters..string... upside down cans... etc.
Thats when I learned about rodents...mice in particular. Sure enough I was bitten when my hand bumped into one of the strings while I slept.
Ouch..that sure woke me up.
To this day I seldom stay at shelters..I call them "mouse houses"
I prefer to bivy and have never had the problem again.

On that same trip in a different part of the AT I blundered a little to close to a rattlesnake. I watched as it coiled itself up with the tail rattling away in the center. It was a bit of a stand off as the trail was pretty narrow...finally I tip toed past it as I wondered just how far it could strike and if they would give chase if the the 1st strike was a miss...would they make a 2nd or third attempt defensively...I still don't know the answer to that one ...as it seemed just as content to scare the hell out of me instead.

 

[dr_wu002]

Advice

On that same trip in a different part of the AT I blundered a little to close to a rattlesnake. I watched as it coiled itself up with the tail rattling away in the center. It was a bit of a stand off as the trail was pretty narrow...finally I tip toed past it as I wondered just how far it could strike and if they would give chase if the the 1st strike was a miss...would they make a 2nd or third attempt defensively...I still don't know the answer to that one ...as it seemed just as content to scare the hell out of me instead.

You know, monkeys and gorillas will throw feces at snakes to scare them off. Just to let you know for next time. (we are primates, you know).

-Dr. Wu

 

[cp2000]

Coming down Oseola 2 summers ago I saw a group of backpackers w/ dogs off in the distance. One of the dogs ran right up to me and snapped, then circled around to my side and nipped my left leg putting a small hole in my shorts. I screamed at the thing and threw my arms up. It backed off for a sec. then made one last charge scratching my arm with its claw. By then the group was right at the scene and they seemed unfazed by what had happend. The owner was at the back of the group and asked why I was mad at his mut. I showed him my leg and arm while yelling things that cant be repeated on this site. In the end all he had to say was "I gotta do something about that dog".

 

[amstony]

This is in the other category. I was trail running in Beaver Brook Conservation area in Hollis, NH last year, as my running partner and I passed the pond at its closest point to the trail their was this VERY LOUD growl and movement towards us through the woods. It was a BIG Beaver that had been disturbed by our running.

Needless to say we increased our speed and hauled out of their fast!

 

[Artex]

I've been charged by an eastern coachwhip snake before (in Florida). Those suckers are nasty! Non-venomous, but when a 6-foot snake starts coming after you unprovoked, it's a bit scary. Also had a few wild boar charge me, but we were hunting them so not sure that counts.

 

[Jay H]

Dr Wu, you forgot to mention porcupines in the thread. Although they didn't attack us personally, they stages a three pronged frontal assault of the batavia kill leanto in the Catskills while 3 of us and 1 dog was trying to sleep in it. They literally took turns assaulting the firepit and the leanto itself, loudly gnawing on wood/stones until we poked one with a hiking pole.

We survived!

Jay

 

[Tom Rankin]

On that same trip in a different part of the AT I blundered a little to close to a rattlesnake. I watched as it coiled itself up with the tail rattling away in the center. It was a bit of a stand off as the trail was pretty narrow...finally I tip toed past it as I wondered just how far it could strike and if they would give chase if the the 1st strike was a miss...would they make a 2nd or third attempt defensively...I still don't know the answer to that one ...as it seemed just as content to scare the hell out of me instead.

On the average, a snake can strike out about 1/3 its body length. Of course, it's hard to tell how long they are sometimes, and I would not want to meet up with the above average snake!

I was 'confronted' on a hike up Gore by a snake that refused to yield the path. It came at me, and I had to flick it away with my pole.

 

[dug]

Coming down Oseola 2 summers ago I saw a group of backpackers w/ dogs off in the distance. One of the dogs ran right up to me and snapped, then circled around to my side and nipped my left leg putting a small hole in my shorts. I screamed at the thing and threw my arms up. It backed off for a sec. then made one last charge scratching my arm with its claw. By then the group was right at the scene and they seemed unfazed by what had happend. The owner was at the back of the group and asked why I was mad at his mut. I showed him my leg and arm while yelling things that cant be repeated on this site. In the end all he had to say was "I gotta do something about that dog".

Unbelievable. The poll specifically mentions "not dogs". That didn't take long

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Spruce Grouse

Garfield Ridge on June. Male spruce grouse strutting about on the ground. I hunkered down and held out some gorp, thinking he might have picked up some bad habits from the gray jays. He circle warily and then flew at my arm, pecked my sleeve, beat his wings for a second and a half and was gone. Figured he had a mate sitting on a nest in the vicinity.

 

[MadRiver]

I’ve been chased down the trail screaming like a frightened school girl by a killer grouse on several occasions.

 

[JohnL]

You forgot to mention pointed sticks and bananas!

(Fourth Man) Like someone who attacks you with a pointed stick?

(RSM) (scornfully) Pointed sticks? Ho, ho, ho. We want to learn how to defend ourselves against pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well I'll tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me! Now, the passion fruit. When your assailant lunges at you with a passion fruit, thus... (demonstrates)

(All) We've done the passion fruit.

(RSM) What?

(First Man) We've done the passion fruit.

(Second Man) We done oranges, apples, grapefruits.

(Third Man) Whole and segments.

(Second Man) Pomegranates, greengages.

(First Man) Grapes, passion fruit.

(Second Man) Lemons.

(Third Man) Plums.

(First Man) Yes, and mangoes in syrup.

(RSM) How about cherries?

(All) We done them.

(RSM) Red and black?

(All) Yes.

(RSM) All right then...bananas!

(All) Oh.

(RSM) We haven't done them, have we?

(All) No.

(RSM) Right! Bananas! How to defend yourself against a man armed with a banana. (to first man) Here, you, take this. (throws him a banana) Now, it's quite simple to defend yourself against the banana fiend. First of all, you force him to drop the banana, next, you eat the banana, thus disarming him. You have now rendered him helpless.

(Second Man) Suppose he's got a bunch.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.
JohnL

 

[dr_wu002]

C'mon guys... Grouse? While I know tern attacks can be annoying and maybe poke an eye out, I was thinking more along the lines of something that can kill or seriously injure: Bear, mountain lion, stampeding moose, criminal etc. I know a porcupine can fall out a tree onto you and a lil' snake can bite but I'm thinking more in terms of the big animals/criminals that well, if you were going to take a gun into the woods to protect yourself, these are the animals you'd be protecting yourself from. Ok, I threw in mosquitos as a joke but I forgot about all these other things. Mice!? Baby sheep!? haha.

No real bear attacks so far? nobody voted for a bear attack. Nobody has been attacked by a mountain lion (but I personally know people who have been stalked for miles by them out west). Interesting. I wish the people who voted for a criminal attack would explain what happened but they might feel uncomfortable so I understand. Anyway, I really thought Kevin Rooney Bluff Charging Marmots was a gas! That sounds like something I'd do! I would throw feces at snakes too.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Gris]

Wu, I'm going into the heart of Alaskan grizzly country this summer. I'll see what i can for you...