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Wild animals

Bears (black, brown & grizzly) - Wilderness hikers often wear bells on their boots to warn nearby bears of their presence. Try singing if you're on the move. On the other hand, the bear is the noisiest critter in the woods (humans #2) so quietly listening works well too. If you still find yourself face to face with a bear, back away slowly. Talk softly "nice bear" and keep your eyes down. Leave a cooler or pack behind as you retreat as a distraction. Under no circumstances should you run or scream. To the bear, a scream is a challenge to fight. Do you really want to fight a bear?

Cougar (mountain lion, puma) - Every adult cougar needs about 30 sq. miles to roam. That's the size of a mid-western county, so the odds of an encounter are long. They also avoid human contact if possible. Only a child or injured person would be at any real risk of attack. If confronted you must appear aggressive and as large as possible. Pull your shirt open and stand tall. Cougars will not normally attack anything larger then themselves. Never turn away or run. Unlike with the bear, always keep your eyes locked on the cougar's. Screaming might be useful too, if only for the soul.

Wolf - A pack of starving wolves and a wounded human would be a scary situation. Fortunately, that usually only happens in the movies or TV. Wolves are as smart as the smartest breed of dog, only independent, and with highly structured societies. They know humans have to be avoided because it is the human, not the wolf, that is a terrifying killer. If you should encounter a wolf in the forest, consider it an omen. You have just been called to go out and explore beyond the obvious knowledge, and then return to your clan to teach them of these new things. This how our red brothers saw it.

Snakes - All snakes 'hear' by feeling vibrations in the earth through their bellies. They know you're walking up the trail long before you arrive, assuming of course that you wear shoes. Being terribly nearsighted, snakes can only see you if you move. And, although it may seem like they move quickly, you can easily walk away from the fastest of them.

Snakes will run away from you if you give them an escape route. NO snake will attack you unless you provoke it or step on it. Most of the people bitten by poisonous snakes (I believe well over 90%) were trying to poke at it or capture it. Of the truly accidental bites, the majority are on the buttocks or hands. Moral: Watch where you sit and reach out with your hands. One final note: Snakes are not evil or bad. They serve the earth with honor. Honor them. Leave them alone.

Others - The animal I give the most ground to is the moose. Most of them have nasty dispositions. In desert areas expect scorpions in log or debris piles. Keep your hands away and use a stick to turn items around before picking up. Always check sleeping bags before using. Tarantulas are not poisonous, just large furry spiders. They can bite, however. Give them some space.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!

Just the thought of being alone in the wilderness is enough to make most folks shiver. Our heads fill with images of savage creatures just waiting to make us into dinner, all compliments of the silver screen. Who knows what perils await us during the night, alone, and deep in the wilderness?

Unless we happen to know the animals, this unfounded fear can paralyze us in survival situations. Staying put when you become lost can be a terrifying prospect as night falls and you are without matches for a fire or even a simple knife for protection. This fear is so ingrained that panic can overcome simple reasoning. For many, unfortunately, this proves to be fatal.

What is the real danger to you from wild animals? Almost none. The critters big enough to inflict serious damage to you (bear & cougar) will usually do everything in their power to avoid you. This is also true for rattlesnakes. Actual attacks are extremely rare. Usually the victim was asking for it by trying to get closer, luring them in with food scent (usually on their clothes), or by intentionally aggravating the animal.

Remember - Most animals move and feed after dark. The scary noise you hear going bump in the night is probably only a doe and her fawn on their nightly rounds.