What's it like hiking in a country with dangerous wild life?

>>662678
Unless you hike where there are brown bears, there are no dangerous wild life in North America.

The couple of times I've been in brown bear territory were a little tense, but nowhere near the fear I have had of falling, or a dangerous water crossing

>>662681
But what about mountain lions? and black bears?

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>>662681
>Unless you hike where there are brown bears, there are no dangerous wild life in North America.
Jesus fuck you're retarded.

>>662678
Make noise while you hike and camp, talk to yourself, sing along with music, have a small speaker you play your music through. Doesn't need to be deafening, just enough to let something know you're there. That's enough to keep most bears and such away unless you force them into a position where they have to be near you. IE you fucking walk up to one. Keep food away from your camp in bear bags or barrels if there's bears of mountain lions and such nearby, don't give them a reason to invade your camp. If able, get a good campfire going, most animals will stay away from smoke but don't cook at your campsite, cook where your food is. Have a separate warmth fire near your sleeping area. Venomous snakes are mostly common sense, watch where you're walking, try not to make paths through thick brush, don't walk around barefoot. Same with ticks and mosquitoes, wear your bug spray and proper clothing. And most importantly have a means to defend yourself. I will not go into proper woods without some kind of loaded firearm. If you're against that, bear spray at a minimum.

>>662682
Mountain lions aren't dangerous unless you are a child
Black bears are hard to find unless they are used to people. Then they are like big, bad dogs, but harsh language and small stones will send them away.

The most dangerous animal I've run into is the mosquito, they can carry disease
The second most would be small rodents. They WILL chew through your shit to get at food. Saw one guy that had his boot chewed in half. They can also carry disease

>>662685
Jesus fuck you're inexperienced or a coward

>>662688
>brown bears are the only dangerous wildlife in NA
>this not being a completely retarded statement
What are
>moose
>snakes
>insects
>grizzlies
>things of the deer/elk family
>implying mountain lions won't fuck your shit if alone
>skinwalkers

>>662685
>have a small speaker you play your music through.
Completely impractical

>Keep food away from your camp
This is surest way to lose your food. Any black bear defense system for food is a delaying tactic only. It gives you time to get up and chase a black bear off, which if your food is far away will never happen. Seen this happen more than once.

>most animals will stay away from smoke don't cook at your campsite
Bear doesn’t care. He can smell all. If you’re upwind, he knows what you had for breakfast yesterday from the smell of the poop still stuck to your butt

>And most importantly have a means to defend yourself
You have an arm and there are rocks. No animal you face will have a ranged weapon

>>662693
>samefagging
>>have a small speaker you play your music through.
>Completely impractical
No it's not.
>>Keep food away from your camp
>This is surest way to lose your food. Any black bear defense system for food is a delaying tactic only. It gives you time to get up and chase a black bear off, which if your food is far away will never happen. Seen this happen more than once.
Pretty much every professional on the subject says you're wrong. And bears can't get into a proper bear barrel. You let them fuck with it until they get bored and leave, you never confront a bear like that.

>>most animals will stay away from smoke don't cook at your campsite
>Bear doesn’t care. He can smell all. If you’re upwind, he knows what you had for breakfast yesterday from the smell of the poop still stuck to your butt
That's not at all how that works and again, pretty much every professional on the subject says separate your food storage/cooking area from your sleeping area in bear territory.

>>And most importantly have a means to defend yourself
>You have an arm and there are rocks. No animal you face will have a ranged weapon
Now I know you're just trolling. The point of a gun is to make up for the fact we lost all our natural defenses 100,000 years ago. But please, go on and explain how a few fist sized rocks (if you can even find any within arms reach) and your arms are going to protect you from a charging bear.

Ticks kinda scare the shit out of me sometimes. Even though the risk is low the thought of getting Lyme disease from something so small is scary.

Bears aren't too bad, though smelling them but not seeing them is a little unnerving.

I've been by cougar kills before and somebody here gets eaten by one every couple years.

I've had bull moose running beside me which I hear can be pretty dangerous at the right time, those things are massive.

>>662689
>moose
Give them their space during mating season.
>snakes
Most snakes don’t want to bite you, just watch were you step.
>insects
Absolutely, see >>662687
>grizzlies
Grizzlies are brown bears (Ursus arctos)
>things of the deer/elk family
Are you really afraid of deer? Elk can be aggressive during mating season; give them their space
>implying mountain lions won't fuck your shit if alone
They won’t unless you are a child, manlet, or woman. You are more likely to get shot by a hunter

>>662681
Hogs are a thing in a lot of states.

>>662693
If a bear is going to find my food I would prefer if he finds it away from my camp.
Unless of course you prefer to have a large carnivore wander into your camp while you're sleeping.
I should also mention that I'm Canadian and grizzly bears are a thing up here

>>662699
>backpedaling this hard
>muh manlets
>just give them space!
>never seen a deer attack someone
Shit. Fucking. Happens. You're a goddamn retard if you're not at least carrying some bear spray if you're anywhere with bears, mountain lions or other large game.

>>662696
>Pretty much every professional on the subject says you're wrong.
And every ranger I’ve talked to agreed. Who are these professionals? Youtubers?
>And bears can't get into a proper bear barrel.
They will roll it off a cliff or somewhere you will never find it. It’s happened.
>you never confront a bear like that.
Done it several times
>That's not at all how that works
I think you are confusing black bears with brown bears. They are very different. Black bears bluff charge, brown bears bluff and attack.
>gun
Good against people, but too heavy for my use.

>>662701
If a black bear finds your food and your are not there to defend it, you will lose it.
And I already made the distinction between black and brown bears canadabro

>>662703
>>Pretty much every professional on the subject says you're wrong.
>And every ranger I’ve talked to agreed. Who are these professionals? Youtubers?
You mean the rangers that sleep in a cabin and keep their food in the fridge? I'm talking about guides. You know, the ones that are paid big money to keep you and your shit safe?

>>And bears can't get into a proper bear barrel.
>They will roll it off a cliff or somewhere you will never find it. It’s happened.
So don't put it near a cliff. You're supposed to tuck it under a tree or something anyway to make it harder for them to get at.

>>you never confront a bear like that.
>Done it several times
Then you're an idiot.

>>That's not at all how that works
>I think you are confusing black bears with brown bears. They are very different. Black bears bluff charge, brown bears bluff and attack.
They both attack.

>>gun
>Good against people, but too heavy for my use.
>I'm too much of a pussy to carry a three pound revolver to defend my life

>>662702
Shit happens to dumbasses who don’t respect wildlife. Sure, rabid or starving black bears have killed random people, but these cases are really, really rare. I’m much more likely to die in a fall and I’m not wearing a helmet while hiking either.

>>662704
what kind of a child are you that a gun is too heavy for your use

Australian here. Camp in the out back a lot, never had any problems. You see snakes pretty often, but they aren't really that dangerous. It's a little bit of a risk when you kill them for food since it's impossible to remember all the poisonous ones, but meh if you have a good stick it's alright.

Never came across a dingo myself, but shit loads of Kangaroos which could kill a man if they wanted to, luckily they are pretty chill. Wild pigs are a bitch, if you don't have something to defend yourself they can kill. Spiders are not a problem so long as you have hiking boots.

Crocodiles are the real risk. You have to be really careful when crossing rivers and going through certain areas.

>>662687

this guy gets it. honest;u ive ran into a few black bears back in the day, and unless you get close to their chilluns they act like big stupid dogs

>>662705
>You mean the rangers that sleep in a cabin and keep their food in the fridge?
No, the ones I see in the backcountry, days from the trailhead.

>2015
>paying guides

>So don't put it near a cliff.
Sometimes you don’t have a choice

>You're supposed to tuck it under a tree or something anyway to make it harder for them to get at.
This will do nothing. You don’t understand bears

>They both attack.
Black bear attacks are extremely rare

>I'm too much of a pussy to carry a three pound revolver to defend my life
Maybe I’m just lazy, or I’d rather carry 3lbs more food instead. I’m also not paranoid about wildlife

>>662693
>his is surest way to lose your food. Any black bear defense system for food is a delaying tactic only. It gives you time to get up and chase a black bear off, which if your food is far away will never happen. Seen this happen more than once.
ever hung a bear bag? or used a bear box/barrel where available?

>>662702
>never seen a deer attack someone
kek reminds me of the time I saw a fat mexican employee wrestle a doe in menards when I was a kid

>>662718
Are deer actually dangerous? We have them in NZ but I've never seen one. The only time I've felt threatened was when a boar charged me.

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>>662712
>read that in Aussy

>>662719
Yes. Imagine a half sized pony.

>>662719
they can be, unless you provoke them the worst things a deer will do to you (from personal experience)
>run into your truck
>charge, usually out of panic or defense
>shit in your yard

imo boars are worse

>>662724
I grew up on a farm and boar used to kill livestock. I've never heard of one killing someone here though so must be rare for them to attack people.

>>662717
The worst black bear areas I've seen are the ones where the bears are in close contact with people
Places where you find bear poop with energy bar wrappers in it
However, there are so many other campers within a few miles, that there is always some dumbass frying fish in bacon grease, creating a super plume of food smells.
Those guys spend all night getting probed and raided while I eat my ramen, or mac and laugh at their shouts

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>>662721

a truly ferocious creature

>>662727
I meant as far as weight. A pony will cave your chest/skull in, but a deer will just leave you with massive internal bleeding and cracked ribs.

>You will never hunt black bear in North America with your trusty pet marmaset
>You will always be stuck on shitty little island in the middle of no where

shit feel desu

>>662717
Shit, I didn't answer your question.
I use an ursack, but never had a bear take a go at it
Works against rodents too, and they've tried to get in it many times

Canadian west coaster here... From my experience and just my opinion...

Need you worry about about wildlife while hiking? Statistically, probably not. Realistically and for the sake of your own enjoyment, yes, yes you should worry. You should worry enough that you hike prepared with the ability to defend yourself in the unlikely situation you arrive at the wrong place at the wrong time/become prey. I have always hiked with a rifle. Not because i plan on using it and to be quite frank, i have only had to use it once for the defence of my dog who got to curious about a black bear cub, and by proxy its momma. I carry the rifle so I can fucking enjoy the hike without constantly feeling like I'm exposed or vulnerable. We could argue about what animals may or may not due but really, if a cougar wants you dead.... your fucking dead... if you walk into a pack of wolves and you have something they want, best of luck to ya... if you cross paths with Grizzly cubs and their mo, just pray they ignore you and move along.

If you just want to enjoy your time /out/ then be fucking prepared. Thats all i gotta say.

>>662699
>Grizzlies are brown bears
Grizzlies are brown bears, but brown bears are not grizzlies. They're far more aggressive than normal brown bears.

>>662734
So you killed a bear because you couldn't control your dog?
What did you do to the cub?

>>662736
Ursus arctos horribilis = Grizzly bear
What are the "normal brown bears" in North America?

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>>662738
>What are the "normal brown bears" in North America?
Well fuck. Everything I know has been a lie.

>>662739
Black bear (Ursus americanus) = not dangerous
Brown Bear, Grizzly, Kodiak (Ursus arctos) = very dangerous
Some black bears will have brown fur, but they are stiller smaller and less agressive
They're used to be a golden bear that was an arctos, but now it only exists on the California flag.

>>662678

yes
and they fucking watch you

my first time up in the sierras it was in the middle of august so i packed like a summerfaggot not knowing how cold the nights would be.

well after a miserable freezing night of no sleep, just freeze, i was laying by the fire being hit by these warming rays of the first daylight. they were quickly turning the cold of night away which caused me to become drowsy as fuck as my enviroment became super comfy

well, as soon as i closed my eyes to rest i got this feeling and when i opened them i saw this huge blonde and silver colored 'black' bear charging down the slope straight toward me.
he dissapeared when he got down to our level, there was a large rushing creek between us and him with lots of shrubbery he just dissapeared into
i want down there and tried yelling at him, but couldnt see anything
like he just vanished

so we packed up and left
the end

Worked at a fish hatchery where black bears were a common occurance
You did tend to ay a bit more attention to sounds and shit moving in the corner of your eye
If you saw one you would just keep your space
Only time I ever felt activley nervous about it was when we saw one that was estimated at 600-650 lbs
Way larger then anything else we had ever seen there
The guy I was working with went and got a can of bear spray from his car just in case

It's like being a 14 yearold girl in Germany. You know that you are going to get raped and no one will help you, but you also know it's your own fault for going outside into their territory. And you can't blame the rapists for living out their culture.

>>662719
Only when they hunt in packs which unfortunately is happening more and more

>>662737
I would absolutely also kill a Bear and leave the cub for dead in order to save my dog. I wouldn't like doing it but having a dog is like having a kid. If your kid was in danger you'd shoot first and ask moral questions later. If you don't see your dog like family, you shouldn't have a fucking dog.

>>662740
Are polar bears particularly aggressive?

>>662909
This is quite possibly the most retarded analogy I've ever read

>>662918

Yes, but you probably won't encounter them unless you're hiking Nunavut or the far northern NWT

>>662918
Ya they can be. The thing that makes polar bears dangerous is they don't give a fuck and will pretty much go where they please. Up in Churchill Manitoba, which is a famous polar bear tourist town in Canada, people dont leave town without a gun and its a local tradition to leave your vehicle unlocked in case someone needs to escape from a polar Bear because they wonder into town all the time

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>>662909
It's so clear to me now.

>>662920
No, that makes perfect sense. Rabid raccoons are just living out their culture. You can't blame them for being rabid, can you?

>>662909
And anon, can I meet these girls? Can you post pics?

>>662704
I'm talking about at night when you are asleep. Having any bear black or brown come wandering in to camp while your sleeping is never a good thing. It can be avoided by stashing your food away from camp.
Also this theme in the thread about black bears not being dangerous is in my opinion a dangerous way to think. Even though they are generally cowards, black bears are still unpredictable and powerful animals and should be treated as such.

>>662926
Polar bears are also big as fuck too. Largest land carnivore on the planet if im not mistaken

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>>662930
The only safe way to encounter a polar bear is in an attack submarine

If you make enough noise, most animals will stay well away from you. If a bear or something seems interested in you shout and throw shit and it will run away.

Realistically, the biggest dangers are snakes, which often try to hide rather than run so you need to be careful not to step on one if moving through thick brush and stuff where they may be hiding, or biting bugs which carry disease.e

>>662888
coward

>>662915
So your irresponsibility in controlling your dog leads to the death of 2 innocent wild animals

Please stay home

>>662929
If the weather is good, I sleep without a tent
I've had black bears come into camp at night when I was just in my bag on the ground
Nothing happened

They want my food, which is protected from them.
I wake up, and chase them off with small stones and yelling

If you stash your food away from camp, you cannot hear the bear fucking with it and they will get it. If it is in a bear can, they can roll it somewhere you will never find it.

Have fun hiking out with no food

>>662963
Dogs are independently thinking creatures with strong instincts. Even the best behaved may become curious by something they haven't experienced before such as a Bear. As I said I wouldn't enjoy it but would certainly defend my dog if need be. Are you saying you would let the bear tear your dog apart while you watch? Please don't ever own a dog or have a child for that matter.

>>662978
Keep your dog on a leash or it deserves to be dead

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>>662936
pussy

>>662980
Obviously not a dog owner or a shitty one. Should I also put my dog in a crate while I'm at work too?

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>>662678
bears can be an issue near well-trafficked areas like yosemite and PCT, although things are better now with bear canisters and proper food disposal techniques becoming more widely adopted. This keeps bears from learning people = food, although that's still a bit of a thing. The Sierra high trail is ironically safer from wildlife than the PCT, even though you're in wild country.

What's the general opinion on carrying while out? Honestly, I feel safest having a p320 subcompact, and even though I have yet to use it it doesn't exactly get in the way when carried right.

>>662978
WTF? The first bear my dog ever saw set off bark, repeat infinity! Same when he wandered up on a snake.

What sissy ass gay dog breed do you have?

>>662996
it's not like a bear can catch a dog or anything...
fucking retards that shoot stuff for no reason.

>>662703
You sound like a pussy.

Four words:

.416 Remington Magnum

i was doing trailwork in the Salmo-Priest basin and not once did i see a grizzly. The entire trip out we were told that the area of the PNT we would be working in was a grizzly rehab area. The deer were worse than the bears

>>662678
>Bears
>Wolves
>Cougars

To be honest, I have more friends who've died in avalanches than have been attacked by wildlife. I'll carry bear spray in grizzly territory during certain times of the year, but in 2000+ days I've never felt threatened or been attacked.

>>663022
well starving grizzlies that eat their own kind are not fun to be around

>>662697
People by you get killed by a cougar every few years?

Bullshit.

There has been 3 deaths by cougar in the last 16 years in all of North America.

2001 in Alberta
2004 in Orange county California
2008 in New Mexico

There has been no deaths by Mountain Lion anywhere in North America in 8 years.

>>663033
Is there a difference between cougars and mountain lions?

>>662702
You're something like 2000 times more likely to win more than a million dollars in the lottery than to be killed by a bear.

I get it, the gun makes you feel better, but people have been killed by a bear after unloading their gun into them too.

The chances of being killed by a bear or mountain lion are insanely low. Like astronomically low.

Like where I live... only black bear. By your account I should carry a firearm or bear spray. No person in recorded history has been killed by a bear in my state. Ever.

You're hundreds of times more likely to die in a car crash driving to buy ammo for your gun. You're several thousand times more likely to die from accidentally shooting yourself with that gun.

You literally would be less likely to die by NOT carrying a gun in most areas of North America.

And all this is coming from an avid gun enthusiast, me.

>>662714
Big timid dogs really. Been within 10 yards of a black bear 3 times. Each time as soon as he saw me, he ran immediately.

>>663037
cougars buy you dinner before they drag you into the bushes

>>662715


>2016
>still saying 2015

Do you even calendar bruh?

>>662737
Yeah bro, I don't like the idea either but I'd kill a bear to save my dog. I'd kill a person to save my dog.

>>662918
Polar bears are considered the most dangerous, but the least commonly encountered. They will hunt humans for food, whereas it's not normal behavior for other bear to, it's more of a random act. A polar bear is dangerous.

>>663046
which is why it's a bad idea to shoot other peoples dogs

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>>662988

man, you sure dont have a fucking clue as to what you're talking about

much of the PCT runs through the JMT up in the sierras. this is the main trail of the entire mountain range, and one of, if not thee best hike on earth

who the fuck goes on the sierra high trail? holy shit what the fuck are you even talking about?

you cant go 2 miles without stumbling into a bear during summer

seriously, fuck your entire life

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>>663041
My favorite kind...

>>663051

also, JMT > PCT

the best part of the PCT by far is the JMT

>>663037
No names used interchangeably

Cougar, panther, puma, mountain lion, all describe the same animal.

There is the term "black panther", but that is just a term to describe a melanistic jaguar or leopard.

>>663050
Agreed, far better to pepper spray them and then the entitled bitch that runs them loose on the trail when she bitches about it, and she will, untill you pepper spray her, too.

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>>663052

>>662988
I'm sorry, what cart is the P320?

> inb4 bear defense

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>>662678
picrelated

>>663051
just carry a big stick! no wildlife will mess with you unless yo get in between a grizzly and her cubs then god have mercy for your soul...

>>663059
Correct. BP is also an urban legend in NA. Although the Carolina Panthers (who SUCK) are named after this meme.

Even gone from as far soth as Mexico.

> mfw the last dead Mexican grizzly bear was paraded through the streets of a lonely Mexican town it the year of trivia ?

I haven't been afraid of wild animals since I was a child. Most of them, especially bears, want to be left alone. Unless you cook in your tent or wipe mustard on your shirt, they won't mess with you.

Carry a gun if you want to carry a gun, but don't shoot an animal just because you don't have the balls to let it walk away.

>>662975
Guys please don't listen to this "person" he is clearly a bear trying to lure you into a false sense of security

>>662719
Friend of mine made the mistake of roping one. He said it did it's damndest to kill him and his horse before he could let it loose. Those little bitty deer hooves will cut you up pretty bad. Apparently, they can also bite worse than gophers.

>>663115
Grr.

Give me your picnic basket.

>>663119
deers basically do four legged kung-fu in a pinch where only one leg touches the ground the other three kicks the shit out of you.

they can totally eliminate a dog in 2-3 seconds it's not even funny.

the biting is the least of your problems.

>>663123
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADGn1GABF0Q
i bet the fucking cat did this on purpose he hated that dog

>>663033
I like the way you just list the fatalities, and ignore the attacks. In that same time frame there were an additional 5 mountain lion attacks on people in California alone.

>>663160
But selective reasoning is the libtard way.

It's like you prefer reality, wierdo.

>>663168
>>663160
Like the guy above saying how you're more likely to win the lottery than be attacked by a bear....
... Yeah, because most Americans are fat shits or city dwellers who never go out doors

>>663173
>afraid of bears
when i look at a bear all i see is food and fur
fucking civilization ruined you all

>>662984

>Should I also put my dog in a crate while I'm at work too?

Only if you are putting the crate in a gas chamber you selfish animal abuser

>>662681
Polar bear in Manitoba can be dangerous

>>663033
In British Columbia there was an attack on a child this summer but I don't think she died

>>662700
And are also harmless to any non retarded adult.

>>663143
Top kek at rekking an off leash dog and cat.

>>663285
>The holes crying in the background

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>black bears without fear of people
>occasional mountin' lions
>packs and packs of coytes that howl all night and encircle the camp while you sleep
>bees and hornets
>skunks everywhere
>i carry bear spray, skeeto jacket, flashlights and hatchet to be one the safe side
>tfw get lyme disease

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>>663051
>you sure dont have a fucking clue as to what you're talking about
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_High_Route
People take the high route to stay away from newbs like you on the JMT
There are plenty of high routes and cross country routes not infested with through hikers, the scourge of the backcountry, pic related
And no, there are not bears every 2 miles on the JMT

>>663038
Thank you for your well reasoned addition to this discussion

I would also like to add, that a fall is more likely to kill you than an animal
If people are afraid of dying in the mountains, they should wear helmets

>>662736
>far more aggressive than regular brown bears
No they really aren't, unless it's a sow who thinks her cubs are in danger, but that's true of every bear

>>662678
Those Coyote Wolf hybrids aren't exactly a threat to a human but they are large and get too close for comfort sometimes

>>662712
I only spent a year living in Australia on the Sunny Coast and I saw a Dingo once roaming the Uni campus

>>662963
Fuck you hippy. My dog is a damn good dog, and I'd shoot you, or any other living creature stupid enough to fuck with him.

this board can be so awesome till the hordes of faggoty PETA dickweeds invade.

>>662678
i don't sleep in a hammock.

you try to be aware of things. Still I've had wolves pretty close to camp, a black bear come pretty close, and a grizzly essentially stalk me from behind. No cougar encounters really yet thank god.

>>663474
I was stalked by a mountain lion a few years ago, I still feel on edge when I a camp at the lake where it happened
Also
>I don't sleep in a hammock
Tentfags crack me up when they act like a bear couldn't get at them if they wanted to

>>663474
>i don't sleep in a hammock.
oh don't start

>>663476
>stalked
Let's hear it
>please

>>663472
Why can't you be civil?
I'm sure your dog is a good dog, and you love him.
So why would you take him into an area where there are bears, and then let him run around off leash?
Do you leave loaded guns around toddlers too?

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>>663480
I was reading by a lake early in the morning. Eventually got up to go back to camp and saw the hindquarters and bushy tail slinking off into the woods 20 or 30 feet away
Pic related it's the lake

>>663489
That's not stalked.
That's, "I saw a mountain lion"
Awesome!
Good thing you were out early

>>663051
....but I like my life....and even though the PCT was established later, I would say the JMT runs through the PCT. Sierra high route is sort of a parallel route, and an excellent cross-country hike if you have the time and land nav skill by all accounts. If you have trouble with permit reservations (like I am now) it's an alternate and superior way to see the wilds.

Part of the reason why you see so many bears is because the bears who live near the path have learned humans = food, because they see a lot more humans, and instead of being like "oh shit what's that crazy smell better stay away until I know wtf it is", they go "oh that's just one of them humans, I stole a good breakfast last week lemme see what I can get if I bum around for a bit."

>>663066
9mm

>>663494
I guess it could have just been passing through, or it could have been sitting there watching me. Either way it was kind of unsettling

>hiking in califagnia
>hear rustling in bush about 25 feet away
>it must be manbearpig, a bear, a boar, or a rapist hillbilly
>pull out knife
>take a step toward
>gon git me a burr today just like pappy
>it tumbles out of the bush, I realize that i'm a pussy and am definitely not going to bag me a burr just like pappy
>take a closer look
>it's a squirrel
>squirrel looks at me slowly, takes a slow step toward me
>it looks drunk
>it's making weird sounds
>takes another step at me
>back up
>it charges, drunkenly, but fast
>panic
>kick it off to the side
>it gets back up, now it's about six feet from me, and i can see foam around it's mouth
>oh fuck
>run up and stomp it's head
>gore everywhere
>take a few steps back, look at it for a bit
>consider burying it, but fuck touching something with rabies
>mark path and head back to ranger station
>tell them what happened
>they bring me back to show them
>father and daughter are there, daughter is crying
>dad is explaining that things die, even cute squirrels, while he looks confused
I mean, the squirrel has it's head stomped in, after all.
>ranger freaks out for some reason
>THAT SQUIRREL HAS RABIES ARE YOU INFECTED HAVE YOU TOUCHED IT YOU NEED TO VACATE THE PREMISES IMMEDIATELY
>ranger thanks me and tells me to leave
>afraid of all squirrels now

>>663500
Sage advice
There are 2 kinds of black bears:
The wild bear, which you are lucky to see, but will find their poop on the trail
The camp bear who is coming for your stuff.
Rodents work the same way, except marmots AFAIK

>permit problems
There some tricks around them. Have you tried chatting up the Rangers at a station instead of doing it online. They can hook you up. Where are you trying to go?

>>662678
It's really not that bad, I live in montana and regularly go hiking solo, on days I think theyre might be high bear or cougar activity I bring backpack speakers and blare triphop, electrodance, and lolicore while walking so that I dont startle any wildlife. Sometimes I even do full body singing in japanese along with the music.

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>>663510
>no spaghetti

>>662681

Clearly this guy has no clue what he is talking about.

I'm a vet at point defiance zoo here in WA. Even the animals that been raised here since birth are still considered dangerous. This state has bears, cougars...all of which have had reports of a tracking full grown males.

Most of it has been due to the animals being startled, or felt like they're threaten...some times one will attack you for nom nom.

>>663528
>Washington
>1 person killed by a mountain lion since 1890
>2 people killed by bears since 1890
>one was in a zoo

yes, large animals should be treated with respect, including cows and horses. anything that weighs >2x than you can mess you up. but you are so much more likely to be killed some other way while /out/

>>663283

U.S. newspapers report from 5 to 7 human fatalities each year.

http://feralhogs.tamu.edu/frequently-asked-questions-wild-pigs/

>>663534
>to any non retarded adult.

>>662678
Wolves aren't dangerous.
Mountain lions aren't dangerous unless you're a child or womanlet.
Black bears aren't dangerous.
Grizzlies aren't dangerous as long as you avoid surprising them, make some noise when hiking in dense brush, and hang your food.
Moose aren't dangerous unless you're deliberately fucking with them.
Rattlesnakes aren't dangerous as long as you don't step on them, so watch your step.

So no, I don't take any special precautions, even in grizzly country.

If you're going to worry about something while /out/, worry about getting lost, drowning, storms, hypothermia, falls, lighting, or any of the hundreds of things more dangerous than wildlife.

>>663160
Yes but the poster did not argue about mountain lion attacks, he states someone is eaten by a mountain lion by him every few years which is an outright lie.

In that same time frame there were 5 attacks in 16 years? Wow, one attack every 3 years, most of them on children.... so dangerous. Meanwhile in that time frame 350,000 people died in car crashes.

Bet you're not scared to drive.

>>663474
Yeah you are COMPLETELY safe being in a tent.

In a hammock you can instantly jump out and defend yourself as soon as an animal attacks.

In a tent, you think you're going to find the zipper while a bear mauls you?

Or be able to rip a perfect hole and get out? Nope.

In a tent you're just fast food still in the wrapper for a bear.

In a hammock you at least stand a chance.

>>663530
You are hundreds of times more likely to trip, fall, and die of a head injury. Yet the sperg who carries a gun everywhere doesn't wear a helmet.

tfw you live in Scotland and the only thing that will kill you is inclement weather.

>>662712
how are you meant to defend yourself with all these stupid weapon laws? you cant even get pepper spray.

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>>662701
>bear
>carnivore
No

>>663525
> singing in Japanese

Don't you fags even yodel anymore?

As in: YODEL, ODEL, AYE HEE WHOOO

>>663524
marmots are sneaky

I'm trying to go jmt this season southbound, there are still a lot of open slots early may. As soon as school's out, june time, everything's full. Might just be an issue with my faxes, honestly, but it's been a week and no joy. Worse comes to worst I'll just go in at Glacier point or somewhere else and avoid yosemite altogether. I'm not that particular, and if I had more backcountry experience I'd be taking the high route since I have the time.

Not saying that ive had an encounter or anything, but how would /out/ deal with a dogman? I've heard not to look in their eyes if you see one, pretend its not there and kinda just hope it goes away. Just asking though

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>>663694
Dogman?

>>663528
Can you get me q job at Point Defiance bro? I'm looking to go to school for forestry and I'd love to work with animals

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>>662720
Oi

>>663704
it's probably not right to ask about them here, ill go try /x/ or something.

>>663614
it's no use to wear a helmet if a 16-pound pine cone falls on your head from high enough

>>663741
Doesn't change the fact that you're statistcally safer wearing a helmet while /out/ than by carrying a gun while /out/.

>>663611
>Wow, one attack every 3 years, most of them on children

Just in California. I didn't check the statistics for the rest of the continent although I should have, since that's the base for the fatalities statistic. Of those 5 attacks in CA, 4 were on adults age 30 and up.

Pls explain how 1/5 equals "most".

>>663747
Why not bring a gun with you? I'd rather have one and not need it than need it and not have it.

>>663770
Why not wear a helmet then?

Would rather have one and not need it....right?

>>663762
Go ahead and check the statistics. They don't lie.

You'll still find that being stuck by lightning is more common than attacked be a cougar, that falling down in the woods and dying is more common, that dying by accidently eating a poison mushroom is more common, that more people died last year from cows than people killed by cougars in the last 75 years.

>>663770
And purely based off statistics, you're more likely to die from accidentally shooting yourself than from a cougar.

Guns make people less safe. It's a false sense of security. But if it makes you feel better go nuts.

I own quite a few guns myself. None of them make me safer.

>>662678
>>663063
Every time I go camping I masturbate to the fantasy of a mountain lion entering my tent or straddling me in my hammock and having sex with it.

>>663785
i'm pretty sure you could fuck one if it's the mating season

>>662678
I've spent more than 4 months of my life camping in grizzly country, hanging my food from a tree, well off the ground, away from the trunk and below the branch.

Maybe I've gotten lucky, but as I understand it, bears are scavengers and omnivores, and humans are not part of their diet. By making sure I'm not sleeping unaware between some tasty smelling food and the nearest hungry grizzly bear, I'm able to spend the night quite safely, without a gun, bear spray or other equipment. Camping around other people who might want and understand how to steal my things (or my anal virginity) makes me far less comfortable than camping near bears.

When I spend the day on foot, I make noise as I approach short line-of-sight areas, to make sure I don't surprise anything dangerous.

>>663848
>I make noise as I approach short line-of-sight areas
be me
>always carry a big stick
>when want to make noise trash around with it
>make chewbakka noises
>come out of the woods
>people ask me am i okay?
>"did u see the big foot?"
>"no i didn't see anything not even a squirrel."
>"did you not heard those awful noises and trashing?"
>"i sure as hell don't know what you are talking about."

>>663807
You think so? :)

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>>662678
Yes. Kind of. Was in a hunting drive a couple days back (unarmed, except for a small knife) and came across pic related in a thicket of beech and fir saplings. The bastard was spooked by gunshots. I reckon I was pretty lucky.

>>663525
Please leave my state and don't come back

>>663574

Hugh Glass got mauled and he was just walking

>>662983
Did he died?

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>>663646
Surely no one can be this dumb

>>663775
I cant understand all the anti gun sentiments in this thread. Yes the chances of running into an animal that wants to kill you is low but why not bring a gun? It provides safety if your not a retard, its fun for target shooting, Also keeps you safe from people

>>664027
I think he's just checking its pulse anon. He's trying to help :[

>>664027
i believe its an omnivore?

>>664027
Bears are omnivores, they'll eat everything from grass shoots to insects to roadkill.

>>663776
Still waiting on your explanation of how 20% equals "most".

Ohio pussy here. Should I be worried about coyotes? Was camping last February and woke up one morning to tracks and the trees around my tent had been marked. Plus I've seen some that are about as big as a golden retriever.

>>664006
no why would he?

>>664037
Why not wear a helmet then, since it's more likely to save your life than a gun?

>>664089

Not who you were replying to, but check last 100 years. Most are children and women. The risk to adult males is low. Also, if you take away Vancouver island, then the risk shrinks to almost nothing.

Don't try and discredit a valid argument by nitpicking an irrelevant mistake. (Saying 20% of last 15 years vs 100 years for example, due to the extremely low rate of occurance, a larger sample is preferable) It discredits your own argument by making you look desperate. It's a common tactic used by people who have been exposed in a falsehood, and is easy to spot. Unfortunately it often works to persuade unintelligent people.

>>664093
I think in all of recorded history there has been 2 deaths by coyote. One was a 3 year old girl that died in surgery after the attack, and one was a 100 lbs 19 year old girl who died many hours later in the hospital due to blood loss.

There has been attacks, but most of them in southern California near residential areas.

They are of basically no concern.

>>664189
You make a very good argument for helmets.

>>664189
Helmets aren't fun.

>>664189
You wear a helmet and I'll bring my gun, we'll see who's safer after running into a rapeist hillbilly

I live about miles from Yellowstone. Always go hiking with bear spray and at least one other person, preferably two.

Most obvious animal threat in Yellowstone are grizzlies, but make enough noise and they will steer clear for the most part.

I've had closer run-ins with snakes and bison in the Park than bears. We had a backcountry campsite about thirteen miles down the trail and there was a grizzly about 1.5 miles prior to our site on the trail. We just clapped and he ran off.

>>664363
about two miles*

I also like to bring my Glock 20 with me when hiking.

>>664357
I agree with the helmet dude.

>Be You
>Has Gun
>Rapist Hillbilly appears
>Rapist Hillbilly sees gun
>Rapist Hillbilly uses his own gun to shoot you before you can draw your own weapon
>Rapist Hillbilly has his way with your corpse

>Be me
>Wear helmet at all times
>Rapist Hillbilly appears
>Sees helmet, to busy laughing his ass off to shoot me
>I headbutt him while he's laughing
>Helmet protects my head during the headbutt and provides additional force against his head.
>Hillbilly knocked out by headbutt
>Take his gun
>Shoot Hillbilly
>Continue on my way as if nothing happened

The choice is obvious.

>>664381
This guy gets it

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>>664381
forgot pic

>>664190
I was simply keeping to the timeframe established by the anon I was bickering with. I'm fully aware that mountain lion attacks are uncommon. That doesn't mean they're nonexistent.

>>664506
Statistically, if you take all the other ways people have died in the last 15 years, cougar attacks would be at the very bottom of the list. There are very, and I meant very few other ways to die that are more statistcally unlikely than a cougar attack.

You know when you hear about some guy having a disease that only 3 other people in the entire country have? That's more common than dying by cougar attack.

If you look at it statistically.... cougar attacks are so infrequent, it would basically be a statistical anomaly.

In North America, I really can't think of any death that's less common than cougar attack.

In the last 15 years, more than twice as many people have died from the plague, than from cougars.... the plague. Come on man, of you're scared of being killed by a cougar you really need to revaluate your priorities.

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>>664381
> on to something here

>>664813
> be wildlife biologist at Grand Canyon
> contract plague from dead cougar
> google it

Now what, Sherlock?

>>662699
>uncle is 6'4 and was attacked my a mountain lion
>he is a Manlet now
Your advice is going to get someone killed or hurt. Why don't you just kill yourself and save the trouble of giving someon shit advice?

>>662696
>Now I know you're just trolling. The point of a gun is to make up for the fact we lost all our natural defenses 100,000 years ago. But please, go on and explain how a few fist sized rocks (if you can even find any within arms reach) and your arms are going to protect you from a charging bear.

Not to wade into your shitfling contest, but grizzly bears aren't going to be stopped by most guns. They'll shrug off all but the largest bullets, and then only if you're lucky to penetrate the skull will they be brought down.

Let's be honest here, if you're arming for self-defense against a charging brown bear, you're not going to have much time to aim your rifle.

>>662983
Bears are fucking weird. One moment they're tearing your throat out, the next they're licking you.

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Bears are reallly cuddlly.

>>662681
>Unless you hike where there are brown bears, there are no dangerous wild life in North America.

First post
worst post

>>664827
These are the cougar deaths excluded from the true stats by liberals and gun grabbers!

Just how would bear spray have prevented this death?

More like flea spray!

Fucking liberals!

Why do bears wave at people?

>>663510
Glad we don't have rabies in Australia. Couldn't you guys eradicate it? Or is it too far gone like your gun problem?

>>662681
Moose during the rut, cougars protecting their young, black bears if they are starved, polar bears any time, wolves any time especially if their numbers are not in your favor, wolverines etc.

>>663624
Defend against what? The worst we have that will chase you or attack is a wild pig (which you have to look for and people go hunt legally) or a dingo. Once again, dingo attacks are almost exclusively dumb cunts who try feed them and pat them. I think we might have cassowaries too but good luck running into one. You don't just walk and next corner is a boar / dingo.

>>664982
Wolves and wolverines? Are you serious? When did this board turn into parody?

>>664981
I think it would be easier for you Aussies to eradicate your rabbit problem then it would be for the US to clear the entirety of North and South America of every mammal testing positive for rabies.

>>664978
Because they have good manners.

>>665052
About a year ago.

>>665052
He's right about polar bears though. Not that 99.9% of /out/ will ever end up in their territory.

>>665052
There have been a number of wolf attacks in North America. You can even read a BC wildlife study stating the danger of wolves. Now do they happen often not really but I'd rather not find myself unprepared looking at a bunch of predatory wolves.

>>664982
you can get away from most encounters with a bit of mauling and goring
but if a wolverine pisses on you you gonna wish you were never born

>>662678
Me and a few friends went hiking somewhere in California a few years back.

Not sure where since I fell asleep during the damn drive, but there was a moment where we saw a Mountain Lion maul a deer.

We didn't do much but just watch as it feasted for a bit.

>>665208
Nice meme. There has never been a case of a wolverine attacking, much less killing a human.

>>662678
in america its practical to carry a handgun. This is one of the main reasons we have guns.

>>662918
I've never encountered one in the wild before, but they are bigger than grizzly bears, and are exclusively predatory.

I'd assume them to be extremely dangerous. If you encounter them, find shelter if able, if not, you better have something that's at least a .375 H&H on hand and dig in your heels.

I've heard of polar bears tracking dog sled teams for days so never drop your guard when polar bears are known to be in the area.

>>662703
If you confront bears you are a literal retard have fun getting mauled.

>>665716
I take it you've never tried to confront a black bear. Because those babies will bolt if you yell at them a bit. Hell some will bolt if you just look at them wrong.

>>665697
>This is one of the main reasons we have guns.
No it's not, it's just one of the main excuses you use to justify them. If it was a legitimate reason, then all of Canada would have been eaten by now.

>>665787
do you Canadians even go in the woods? I doubt it. Ya your right we cant just outright say its niggers you know.

>>663122
>pick a nick basket

>>664813
Choked by cockroach, stabbed to death by a fighting cock, bitten to death by a beaver, bodyslammed to death by an eagle ray, crushed by cow in bed probably isn't in the running because cows kill lots of people.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unusual_deaths

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>>664978
They're mimicking the people that wave at them.

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>>662921

I've come across three cougars and seven black bear in my outdoorsing. Aside from the initial adrenaline rush from the surprise, they aren't very threatening and can be scared away (cats) or calmly walked away from (burrs).

>>664813

I know quite a few people that have won the lottery (1m+) which is pretty close to statistically impossible. I know people that have been struck by lightning too. Shit can happen.

Also people go missing/disappear in the wild all the time, We can safely assume a large predatory animal probably finished them off, this doesn't become part of the statistics. Just because there's not a news report doesn't mean things aren't going on.

>>662678
There are countermeasures if you're just out hiking, but if you're hunting you have to be quiet, so all you have is vigilance and a gun that may or may not be adequate.

>>662699
>Are you really afraid of deer?

better to be safe then sorry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ8IOXZW0IY

>>666237
Wrong, because it's not statistcally impossible to win 1+ mil in the lottery. A few hundred people a year do this.... theres something like 30 people a year in California alone. About 350 people per year in the USA are struck by lightning. Your odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime are 1/12000.... pretty common actually.

Compare this to 3 people in 15 years being killed by a cougar in all of North America.

Now think about it this way. The recent powerball jackpot. You basically had no chance whatsoever of winning it. The odds were crazy low. Look up countless articles talking about it. Now 3 people hit the jackpot to split 1.5 billion... theres a few jackpot winners every year.

Again, compare this to 3 deaths in 15 years.

You were are likely to win the powerball than to be killed by a cougar.

>>666302
Let me make this even more clear.

More people have been killed by a flood of molasses than by cougar in the last 100 years.

>>665192
I've seen polar bears in James bay when I was on a canoe trip up there. They didn't even seem to care about us.

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Wolves in my province were an issue a few years back.

They became pretty bold and started to stand their ground when confronted. This is rare for wolves as they are usually pretty timid, especially when alone.

Pic related was a photo taken a week before a summer student was killed by wolves at that same location while he was out for a walk.

>>665675
doesn't have to
>if a wolverine pisses on you you gonna wish you were never born

>>666416
this is when you start hunting them until only the timid careful ones remain

>>662678
You get used to it when you realize that they are not out to get you. Yes, animals can kill, but so can my buddy when he is carrying a gun. I'm not scared of people I know with guns because I know them. When you spend time in an animal's habitat, you know them better and don't feel so insecure anymore.

>>662918
Very, when compared to other bears.

>>663462
Coydogs killed a singer chick in cape breton in nova scotia a few years ago

>>664192
You think, and are wrong

>>665789
You realize Canada is larger than the USA... basically built by /out/doorsmen

666666 GET

For /out/ related, I carry gun in woods.

>>666677
Quads speaketh the truth of the ages, dubs confirmeth

>>666677
Pretty much this, The US was built by pussies running from laws they didn't like. All of them cowards, running instead of fighting for what they believe in

>>666682
Lol fuck, you got us

>>666661
Actually no, he is right. His facts check out.

uindawrongnigga.jpg

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>>665787

>No it's not, it's just one of the main excuses you use to justify them. If it was a legitimate reason, then all of Canada would have been eaten by now.

Canadian hikers in BC often carry compact shotguns when they go innawoods. This is especially important for people who ride on horse trails and shit as grizzlies will also use those trails. A grizzlie can outrun a horse (especially a horse with a rider) and a gun is the only thing that will save you.

Gun stores in places like Mission, BC carry a decent variety of 12" and 14" shotguns. There is also Dlask Arms who is a gun maker in BC who also specialize in short barrel self defense shotguns.

Canada doesn't have SBS laws banning short barrel shotguns and they are easier to own than they are in America. Unfortunately Canada doesn't let you carry a handgun for protection from predators unless you have an occupational permit. They used to give these out to geologists, surveyors, and prospectors but they don't do that very often anymore. This is why backpacker shotguns are carried instead.

Sorry for the /k/ derail, but I just wanted to make it clear than Canadians in the wilderness do frequently arm themselves.

>>666916
And spray is still better
http://above.nasa.gov/safety/documents/Bear/bearspray_vs_bullets.pdf

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>>666923

whynotboth.jpg

There are some skeptics on the "bear spray is superior" claims that the government and some biologists seem to push (and some people suspect they have an agenda). A lot of those early claims were lacking facts to back them up, especially the nonsensical claim that "50% of all bear encounters with a firearm involve the gun owner being harmed" and yet no facts ever emerged to back that up.

http://www.examiner.com/article/bear-spray-vs-guns-argument-is-ridiculous-says-bear-safety-expert

Depending on the circumstances I would happily use a non-lethal deterrent first. A bear on the trail in front of you that is not charging doesn't need to be shot obviously. If it is not a windy day the spray should probably do it's job and drive away the bear. The gun should be ready as a fallback though, and the gun owner should be well trained in it's use. Shot placement is very important.

Pic related was a world record Grizzly killed by a .22 at close range. The bear was almost right on top of her she she shot it.

>>665787
bitch do you know how many people i know that have been eaten in canada? like fucking 5. only three survived, not to mention the fucking million close encounters i've heard of. don't be a faggot. carry a scattergat if you're hiking.

>>666666

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>>663464

Lol Sunny Coast. Did you get /out/ at all whilst you were here? Some great walks down on the gold coast.

>>664981
>gun problem
>not gin problem
But anon deaths involving alcohol are far more common than death involving guns
>gg ausfag

>>664864
> all but the largest bullets
Wow are you fucking retarded?

Sirius sledge patrols in the arctic carry a Glock 20 in 10mm auto

10mm isn't that big of a cartridge and polar bears are the largest bears

>>666909
Citation needed

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>>662678
tfw mosquitos are the most dangerous wildlife in the world

>>667094
Learn2google

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyote_attacks_on_humans

Look under fatal attacks. Only 2.

>>667101
Those are only REPORTED attacks

>>662918
Polar bears are one of the few animals that actually preferentially make humans part of their diet and not just out of desperation.