This makes a lot of sense. I've run into numerous bears and we've always gone our separate ways. However I have been viciously attacked by every mosquito I've come across.Originally Posted by punkisdead
This makes a lot of sense. I've run into numerous bears and we've always gone our separate ways. However I have been viciously attacked by every mosquito I've come across.
Once you're lost in twilight's blue, you don't find your way, the way finds you.
Luckily, I've only encountered the assassin bug (nasty, nasty bite), rabies (my uncle used to pay me to shoot any dog I didn't know, maybe because he was attacked by a rabid fox), mosquitoes and snakes. I can't even count the number of poisonous snakes I've encountered - rattlesnakes and water moccasins, mostly, but I've never been bit.There's a lot of truth to that statement. Every time I allow my irrational fears about critters in the woods get to me, I just remember this:
A mentally unbalanced friend of mine called me once to go hiking - little did I know we were going rattlesnake hunting (the burlap sacks might have clued me in). We hunted under fallen trees and such until we had a healthy amount of rattlesnakes. At one point, he was bitten and I went into a panic - we were five miles from our car, but he said not to worry - he had been bitten so many times he was immune. We sold the rattlesnakes to a local university that milked the snakes to make anti-venom.
I didn't see my friend for several years (he spent a little time in the big house). He called me one day and said he needed my help. "What for?" I asked. He said if he told me, I wouldn't come help him. Curiosity got the best of me so I went over to his house. He had a cardboard box that originally held a refrigerator in his living room. "What's in the box?" I asked.
"That's what I need your help for. Not even my brother will help me." Now I was really curious, because his brother definitely had a few screws loose.
"You're the only person I know who is crazy enough to help me with this problem," he said. "Nobody else will help me."
So I look in the box, and there's a 12 foot python that must have weighed 75 to 100 lbs. My friend was keeping it as a pet, and the snake had the flu or pneumonia or some such crap. The vet had prescribed intravenous antibiotics to give to the python, and the python just freaked out whenever he saw the needle. Hell hath no fury like a 12 foot python afraid of needles!
So my friend tells me that my job is to hold the python so he can give the snake his shot. He tells me not to let the snake get me around the neck or I'm dead. I pulled the snake out of the box and made friends, then the needle came out. This python started throwing me around the room trying to avoid that needle! After a massive, exhausting struggle, the snake finally got his injection. Fun times.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson
My wife and I do carry bear spray at the recommendation of forestry rangers/crew we've spoken to over the years. She also carries one of the little air-horns on her belt, and we both have 1k lumen lights clipped to our belts. Of them we've used the spray a handful of times but mostly on crazy wild dog packs and a black bear once on the Oregon coast when out hiking. No real issues as they scurried away quickly.
When I first began camping in Oregon/Washington ~25 years ago it was interesting to note even back then the difference in attitude of the rangers on use of certified bear spray. They were positive about the carry and appropriate use. This was in contrast to my general experience growing up in the Lake Tahoe and Sierra foothills area of California where one was typically reprimanded for such. I was encouraged when reading staff at Lassen NP in northern California are actively recommending peeps learn proper bear spray use. Everything I read about proper use is for the animal's protection and "training" that the two legged ones should be avoided and pass that knowledge on to their offspring.
Of all the "critter encounters" while camping the scariest for my wife at the time, but also most humorous in hindsight was when she woke up with a yell next to me when we had our hammocks side by side when a squirrel or chipmunk tried to jump on top of her hammock netting. I felt for her as something going bump on a moonless night no matter what the size can be traumatic.
OH, as a near PS... we do our best to camp within earshot of rivers/falls. We have a recording going throughout the night piped into our bedroom at home, and if we camp to far away from river sounds we have a difficult time falling asleep. When we sleep inside the van (we are strictly vehicle based campers) it can be so quiet we turn on the Bose sound system and play our river recording through the night. For us the pink noise drowns out any creepy crawly noises at night...for better or for worse!
: ) Thom
Blogging from the WET! Coast of Oregon - Accrete.com
mine:WB-BB hers:WB-RR, 2xWB SuperFly
My son had a similar encounter in the Adirondacks. He was taking a nap in his hammock when a squirrel got into the Fronkey bugnet. I happened to catch sight of it as it was happening and pointed it out to my friends. The squirrel easily got into the net (open bottom) but couldn't figure out how to get out. He started bouncing around crazily. Meanwhile, my son kept trying to sleep. Eventually, he assisted the squirrel in escaping the confines of the bugnet.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have worked with two men that were attacked by grizzly bears. The first was on a fire in AK. He was able to climb a tree and then secure himself with his belt. The second was a bear researcher in Yellowstone and in that case his backup froze. Their advice in grizzly territory was to always be on the lookout for any tree that you could quickly climb. I was on a fire assignment in Glacier in 1967 and was told not to be concerned about bear for there had not been an attack in over 50 years. Then "Night of the Grizzlies" happened in which two young concessionaire employees lost their lives in two separate incidents on the same night. Those that were not hurt were able to climb trees but the two young women that were killed were trapped on the ground. The experts were at a loss as to how this could happen and so a lot of bad advice was given and made it into print where it remains to this day. Over the years, I assisted on two recoveries in Yellowstone and was treed on a fire in AK. I have seen the terrible damage a grizzly can do so that whenever I go into the woods, I go prepared in my own way and that does not include pepper spray.
I got an email today introducing a product that might be of interest in this thread. Search for CampGuard Perimeter Security Lantern. It has motion sensors that activate lights and/or alarms if triggered to scare away people or critters. I have no affiliation with this company, but this thread came to mind when I saw the email.
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That's too funny. Just what everyone out in the woods needs - a motion sensor and alarm!
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson
We just go to bed as clean as possible, hang our food away from where we sleep, and we always have a "ballistic form of protection" handy 99% for the threat of two legged invaders. The animals are what they are and do what they do. A few weeks back we were in our tent family camping (no hammocks yet, just borrowing) and some animal killed another animal within 30yds of our site and it sounded HORRIBLE!!!! Blood curdling screaching. I WISH we had been in hammocks honestly.
Man, you need some new friends!
Bill
OP did you get your answer? This thread is starting to drift a bit.
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