Woman fends off bear with a zucchini

[B the Hiker]

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/arti...off_bear_attack_with_zucchini/?p1=Upbox_links

This beats the pocket knife story, hands down.



Brian

 

[DougPaul]

Already posted in another thread: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=36643

However, your title is better...

Doug

 

[Little Rickie]

I want her on my team!

 

[chinooktrail]

wow.

I guess we could all hike with zucchini instead of bear spray now.

Brave woman to defend her dog like that, I hope I would have the nerve to do that for Geneva, but you never would know for sure until you are put in that position.

I think it was Elenor Roosevelt who said 'Women are like tea, you never know how strong they are until you put them in hot water.'

I agree with Ricky, I want her on my team too!

 

[gooly]

Man alive! I thought I was tough when I smashed a bat with a tennis racket that entered my house...don't know if I could kick a bear in its grill then clobber it with freshly picked garden variety...kudos to that woman!

 

[Elizabeth]

Glad to learn of some purpose for those overgrown zucchinis other than sneaking them onto the front seat of your neighbor's car at night.

 

[Little Rickie]

I can only hope if a bear or anyone or anything was halfway in my front door I'd have the strength to kick it's ass or go down trying.

 

[erugs]

A few years ago, my then 85+ y/o mother chased a bear in her back yard with her camera. Guess she was excited, as the photos were pretty shakey.

 

[chinooktrail]

yup, I would have to hope that that 'mom gene' and the need to protect your own would kick in and give me the courage to do the best I could in that situation.

and yes, the only time we lock our car doors around here is zuchini season!

 

[erugs]

yup, I would have to hope that that 'mom gene' and the need to protect your own would kick in and give me the courage to do the best I could in that situation.

and yes, the only time we lock our car doors around here is zuchini season!

Just to clarify: you lock your car doors so people don't leave you any?

 

[TEO]

I thought I was tough when I smashed a bat with a tennis racket that entered my house

Tough isn't among the adjectives that come to my mind. Next time, please just open the windows in the room and shut the doors. After some initial confusion, the bat will find its way out.

 

[erugs]

Tough isn't among the adjectives that come to my mind. Next time, please just open the windows in the room and shut the doors. After some initial confusion, the bat will find its way out.

That has worked for me with bats. The last time, I was in my bedroom reading. So, with heart beating a little faster, I opened the screens to the windows, turned off the light, pulled the covers up to my chin, and fairly quickly fell asleep.

 

[chinooktrail]

yes, we lock our doors to prevent being 'gifted' with zucchini the size of baseball bats, but I may just want a few to hike with now!

I tried that with some bats in my home recently, opeing the windows and doors to let them leave, but one in particular kept trying desperately to get INTO the house, rather than out of it. I was wondering if it's young were inside somewhere and it wanted to get back in for that reason.

I still have a bat issue I believe, but I refuse to go into the attic any more.

I guess I will have to address it one of these days...

 

[Ashley Jo]

our furry friends

can't we all just live harmoniously with our bat brothers? it seems like a symbiotic environment to me... no flies or bugs inside if you have bats inside

 

[chinooktrail]

yes, no bugs perhaps, but you have disease ridden, torn leathery winged flying rats...

I'll send them down to you if you want them!

Hope all is well with you Ashley!

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Obviously not an Italian bear; he'd have enjoyed the zucchini.

Seriously, I think I'll pack a zucchini in my backpack for the next hike. If I don't need to use it as a weapon then I'll enjoy eating it at the summit.

 

[TEO]

yes, no bugs perhaps, but you have disease ridden, torn leathery winged flying rats...

Not exactly. I suppose snakes are tools of the Devil, too?

 

[chinooktrail]

Not a huge fan of snakes either, but I allow them to live in my rock walls and gardens.

I don't mind bats flying around outside, in their own environment.

I simply don't want them living in and colonizing my attic.

Now, if they coughed up some rent money, I might feel different...

 

[mookie]

Tough isn't among the adjectives that come to my mind. Next time, please just open the windows in the room and shut the doors. After some initial confusion, the bat will find its way out.

yeah i know right?

why wouldnt you want a flying mammal flapping around your house scaring your puppy (who would most likely want to play with the bat) and your two young children?
then there is also the slight possiblity that the bat could be diseased. Rabies is not that bad, so i have heard....easy to treat

Fleas, eh, you can get rid of them easily with proper treatment....

Mites? every house should get em, IMO...
you could have just let the bat fly around, the bat droppings are really safe as well.....

i would have whacked the F'er as well! nice job "ghouly"!

and if i were that woman, i would have just opened the door and let the beer in

 

[TEO]

Wow! I had no idea that such ignorance about bats remained in educated communities, especially in a community that professes to hate biting insects.

"Most bats are not rabid [less that 0.5% carry the disease].
Bat droppings in buildings are usually not a source of histoplasmosis.
Bats are not filthy and will not infest homes with dangerous parasites.
Bats are not aggressive and will not attack people or pets."

Source

"You stand a better chance of being hit by lightning or winning the state lottery than you do of being bitten by a bat with rabies."
From: Common misconceptions