Have you ever been attacked?

[dug]

"Attacked" by a bear, no. Having him sit in my camp for a half-hour and trying to get to our dirty pots and pans, getting annoyed by my barking dog, and bluff charging, yes. That was plenty close enough for me.

 

[CatskillsYeti]

I clicked both "Black flies/mosquitoes" and "other." The "other" in this case was a wild turkey hen crossing the Ashokan Hight Point trail about 10 yards in front of me with her brood of about 12 chicks, about a mile in from the TH early last June. We kind of surprised each other, as I had stopped to fix a boot lace and saw some motion at the side of the trail out of the corner of my eye. She was NOT happy to see me. She made some low clucking sounds, which I interpreted as telling the chicks "Go hide in the ferns. I'll handle this!" She then turned towards me and came strutting up the trail, right at me, never taking her eyes off me. I froze, but was prepared to back away. I slowly reached for the digital camera around my neck, and by the time I raised it to shooting position, she had made a sharp right turn in front of me, evidently deciding that I was not enough of a threat to launch an actual attack. The photographic result is attached. RIght after the picture was taken, she made another right turn, gathered her chicks and went on her way. What happened on the way down later that day was in no way an attack, but a fawn that wasn't even as tall as the ferns it came wobbling out of looked at me, kept wobbling on as I managed to fumble for the camera again and got the other attached shot. All in all, a very interesting little hike.

 

[timmus]

I was thinking more along the lines of something that can kill or seriously injure
-Dr. Wu

Well, I guess the WASP ATTACK that happened to us on Mt St-Grégoire could have kill my young daughter, since I didn't know if she was allergic...

She got saved by the thick and superb trekking pants for kids that MEC sell (she had 15 of these nasty insects on her pants). Not a single sting for her, 6 for the mother.

 

[Mattl]

Brutas!

The name of all names BRUTAS. Never got a chance to meet him. Like I said about Hellgate, Pemi. Its scary especially when its at night and there are two bears getting very close to your tent. You are also very far from the trail..I dont even know what I would do if one actually attacked..OK its time for someone to speak up about BRUTAS the bear. I know that dave metsky was bluff charged by Brutas on the lincoln woods trail. I remember hearing stories like how he ripped the backpack off a girl way out in the pemi and she had to run all the way back to the car. Surely there must be someone on here that remembers an account from him. Others things I heard were thing like a girl had her face scatched while she slept. He terrorized the pemi for many years from desolation, to ethan, to 13 falls.Dr Wu I bet remembers something. -Mattl

 

[KenC]

It looks i've met the same Gulls as Roy and Jesbee. I've kayaked to Isle of Shoals several times and been "assulted" all three. Fortunately we had large brim hats and held our paddles over our heads to at least keep them at bay.

I swear the locals train them to keep us away They are really something!

On another trip to the Salvages in Rockport one winter. There were hundreds of seal in the general area. We respected their area and stayed a good distance away and watched and enjoyed their company. We paddled into a small cove for a brief rest from the rough water and wind and a snack break. No sooner had we got out of the rough stuff and into the cove when what should rise up with a loud grunt and squak but a very large bull seal that had no intention of allowing us to stay. Respecting his wishes (as well as his size) we quickly exited the cove and kept a good eye out as he came towards our small group. Fortunately for us he disengaged quickly and went on his way.

 

[David Metsky]

I was thinking more along the lines of something that can kill or seriously injure

Then you probably shouldn't have put Black Fly/Mosquito in the poll as a joke. Seriously, what did you expect people to say?

-dave-

 

[chinooktrail]

A few years back I was jogging with my dog near my house. I saw a HUGE black dog ahead at the Wonalancet AMC Cabin. I was hoping it was leashed, then got a little closer, and it was a BEAR!! My dog wanted to eat it of course, but she was attatched to me via her harness and skijouring set up. I jogged by, and he followed us! He stood up and shook a tree, I ran into a neighbors house. We waited a bit, then took off for home. Even though he probably only weighed 150 pounds I was impressed!
I checked later and there was garbage out at the cabin. I called the AMC to let them know, but they didn't really seem to care. (The cabin is no longer owned by the AMC)

When I lived in Alaska my dad gave me a rifle to hike and camp with, a very short barreled (15") Winchester 44. I learned to shoot it and clean it from him, and took it hiking once. We went fly in fishing on a beach in the middle of nowhere. Every night the grizzlys went through our stuff. We slept in a tent far away from the fire and food and clothing and anything like toothpaste or deoderant, any thing with an odor or something that might smell edible to a bear. We saw big prints, and little prints. I have only fired the gun at a gravel pit, never in the woods, nor do I think I could shoot an amimal...

 

[trailbiscuit]

I gotta go with other. One of the Kamikaze Chipmunks at Russell Pond in Baxter ran directly into the back of my crazy creek chair a few years ago. I was lording over the stove at the time, so technically I could have knocked it over, burnt myself, then caught on fire. These chipmunks move pretty fast. DrWu, I hope that's near-death enough for you.

 

[marty]

My wife and I took our first camping trip in 1985, to South Branch Pond in Baxter State Park. Her brother Bob and his girlfriend joined us.

We had a gorgeous first day, doing some canoeing, fishing, hiking and drinking around the campfire. The women and I retired into the tent to crash, while Bob stayed up to have another drink. Just as I started dozing, Bob calls to me that he just saw "the biggest bear he has ever seen".

I go out, expecting to see a rodent, yet humored him by shining the flashlight around for about five minutes. We saw nothing and I assumed he was wasted. Then I heard a slight noise and shined the flashlight. There was a HUGE bear about 20 feet from us. It saw us and stood up on its hind legs. We said holy sh@t and literally dove into the tent. The bear proceeded to destroy our Char Broil gas grill, swat a hanging solar shower (which was hanging up on a tree about 7 feet off the ground) and rummage through our gear box. Fortunately, our cooler was locked in the car and remained undisturbed.

It then headed toward our tent. It was snorting loud and actually pressing its nose against the wall of the tent. My wife and I laid frozen, while Bob and his girlfriend started to fight. He found the thing exciting and told her that this was what the wilderness is all about. She was screaming at him to shut up. His response was, "what do you expect, chimpmunks?"

After a few totally stressful minutes, the bear left our campsite and headed to the lean-tos. There was a hiker couple on honeymoon, consummating their marriage. The bear went into the lean-to (where they stored their food in a cooler). They somehow escaped and climbed on the roof, while the bear ripped their cooler apart. The ranger, investigating the scene, shined his lights on them. He was without clothes and she was in her negligee.

By sheer coincidence, I was reading the Maine Sportsman Magazine seven years later and found out that the lead publisher was also at this campground this same day. He reported that this bear was later tranquilized and sent up to Aroostook County.

Fortunately, my wife was not discouraged and we went to the same campground the following year, without incident. She still loves to camp!

Marty

 

[dug]

The name of all names BRUTAS. Never got a chance to meet him. Like I said about Hellgate, Pemi. Its scary especially when its at night and there are two bears getting very close to your tent. You are also very far from the trail..I dont even know what I would do if one actually attacked..OK its time for someone to speak up about BRUTAS the bear. I know that dave metsky was bluff charged by Brutas on the lincoln woods trail. I remember hearing stories like how he ripped the backpack off a girl way out in the pemi and she had to run all the way back to the car. Surely there must be someone on here that remembers an account from him. Others things I heard were thing like a girl had her face scatched while she slept. He terrorized the pemi for many years from desolation, to ethan, to 13 falls.Dr Wu I bet remembers something. -Mattl

Brutus was the bear that we had to chase out of camp in my previous reply. However, Brutus wasn't a killer, just a bear that was trained to use humans for food. Now, if you were a Twinkies wrapper or a food bag, he surely had your number.

 

[Chip]

I had my first allergic reaction to a bee sting about a year and a half ago.
It was progressing to full anaphylactic shock by the time I got to the Emergency Room. I've since been through the ongoing series of desensitization shots, have been bit again (3 stings on a "solo" on the AT) and have not had to use the epipens I now carry, just benedryl. One more reason to hike in the winter.

While bee stings can be life threatening, so can peanut butter, so I didn't include this experience in my "attacked" response.

Having a bear walk through camp is fairly common in many areas and while it makes for a poor nights sleep, I don't consider it an attack and is certainly NOT a life threatening situation. I have stated previously that I believe rabid animal attacks are a much greater real risk in the northeast and how many of those has anyone heard of ?

 

[cp2000]

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

hmmmmmmmmmm..... Those darn details. Sorry

 

[summit1]

I was attacked by a goose once at the Roger Williams Zoo. Very traumatic (I was only 5)

 

[spider solo]

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.

-Dr. Wu

I think that is the difference between real life and the stuff that are in movies. In real life, at least here in the East, most the things that are going to do people real harm are carried into the woods by ourselves...like the boogey man and other assorted demons of our own imaginations.
Sure their has been rapes and robberies but hopefully no one here on the forums has had to suffer through that...and as you mentioned perhaps those that did check off criminals would just as soon not talk about it.

 

[dr_wu002]

I think that is the difference between real life and the stuff that are in movies. In real life, at least here in the East, most the things that are going to do people real harm are carried into the woods by ourselves...like the boogey man and other assorted demons of our own imaginations.
Sure their has been rapes and robberies but hopefully no one here on the forums has had to suffer through that...and as you mentioned perhaps those that did check off criminals would just as soon not talk about it.

When I put up this poll, I was thinking more along the lines of "perceived threat" in the woods. These are usually bear attack, mountain lion (out west), moose stampede, criminal etc. Some people probably worry about wolf/coyote attack despite the lack of data to show that it's really ever happened. I left out grouse, tern, racoon because usually people don't worry about that stuff and nobody would go into the woods with a gun to protect themselves from grouse. You'd bring a gun, I presume, to protect yourself from larger and more scary things. I threw in blackfly/mosquito to give people their laugh and to be able to put in a vote and nothing more. I assumed "other" would take care of the rest. I just wasn't thinking grouse and terns though! Things that peck in the night!

I was just curious if there have been many large animal and/or criminal attacks to members of this site.

-Dr. Wu

 

[dr_wu002]

Duck Attack!

I was attacked by a goose once at the Roger Williams Zoo. Very traumatic (I was only 5)

when I was young I used to lure ducks close to me by throwing them bread. Then I'd spit on them. I did this until once I got bit.

I also remember one time at a petting zoo, a goat stole a napkin I had in my hand and started eating it. I got upset because A) I thought the goat would get sick and B) I'd get in trouble.

:hew:: I'm glad I'm not silly and in my 20's anymore.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Mr. X]

You left out Monkey...

 

[funkyfreddy]

I voted that I had been attacked by criminals and should clarify. My incidents occured in the wilds of NYC, not on a hiking trail or in the woods, which are much safer IMHO.

 

[dug]

When I put up this poll, I was thinking more along the lines of "perceived threat" in the woods. the lack of data to show that it's really ever happened. I left out grouse, tern, racoon because usually people don't worry about that stuff and nobody would go into the woods with a gun to protect themselves from grouse. You'd bring a gun, I presume, to protect yourself from larger and more scary things.

-Dr. Wu

Gotcha, so trying to shoot mosquitoes with a handgun is probably fruitless.

 

[dr_wu002]

Stop, or my mom will shoot!

Gotcha, so trying to shoot mosquitoes with a handgun is probably fruitless.

Yes, you'd probably have about the same amount of luck as you'd have with a mountain lion that has snuck up behind you and is now charging at 35 mph...