Animal Dangers.

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Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
Yup though I'm a dog lover (and just spent the weekend playing with the lovely Meg; the camp dog at Comrie Croft they do bite if not trained/approached properly.) Statistically Jack Russells are the most likely to bite you - and I love them.

There's also wolverines in northern aspects - they can be pretty ornery when pushed. And during the rut I'd be pretty careful 'round stags.
 

Demonwolf444

Tenderfoot
May 18, 2013
82
0
Ripon, North Yorkshire
Very easy to get lepto my best friends father, outdoors man through and through and a real grafter, expert trapper, true table hunter, and professional roofer recently had it ( recently as in three years ago and on going ) its no joke.

Had a child hood of crawling in beat clamps, swimming with open wounds in the rivers and dykes swimming, distinct memories of swimming in one beck one summer and watching the rats swimming across it. Its a miracle i never caught it.

Slightest chance you will be handling something rats have been on, wear gloves. I car carry a pair of thick welding type gloves and a pair of leather gloves and have many other kinds usually to hand. Just not worth the risk. Decent pair of leather gloves is a good investment.

Don't think anyone has mentioned wild boar. 9 times out of 10 they will run away especially if your just walking along but if they charge you its a dangerous situation.
 

Dave

Hill Dweller
Sep 17, 2003
6,019
9
Brigantia
There would a far greater risk of being killed in an automobile accident on your way to the wilderness area, than being killed by a bear or a wolf once you are there.
 
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rg598

Native
We spend too much time worrying about stuff like that. You are about a thousand times more likely to be killed while driving to the forest than when you are actually in it.

From experience, the best way to avoid animals is to try hunting them. Then they are nowhere to be found. :) For example, I'm going bear hunting this weekend. I don't expect to see a single one.
 

xylaria

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Our local paper had another "puma" sighting in Llansawel (remote mid wales). An "expert" that lives local gave advice on how not to get eaten by british big cats. He said stand up tall and pull your coat out and yell at it. Dont duck and run it will just remind the cat you are prey. Now the same area has packs of ferel dogs which may have some wolf genes but, I still think cows are more likely to do serious harm. Crickey shoelaces they can kill.
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,481
Stourton,UK
Crickey shoelaces they can kill.

Especially these ones...

shoe-lace-picture.jpg


tumblr_mmdxukcOr91ro812do1_500.png
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
.....From experience, the best way to avoid animals is to try hunting them. Then they are nowhere to be found. :) For example, I'm going bear hunting this weekend. I don't expect to see a single one.

Fact!

Our local paper had another "puma" sighting in Llansawel (remote mid wales). An "expert" that lives local gave advice on how not to get eaten by british big cats. He said stand up tall and pull your coat out and yell at it. Dont duck and run it will just remind the cat you are prey.....

If a real panther is hunting you (you decide for yourself how realistic that scenario is in the UK) You'll never know it's there until you feel it's teeth in your neck.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,718
1,964
Mercia
You are about a thousand times more likely to be killed while driving to the forest than when you are actually in it.

Actually you aren't, that is simply untrue. or at best unprovable - assesing risk is something I am qualified in and was a major part of my job.

You might be confusing " you are a thousand times more likely to be killed driving than to be killed in the woods ".

However that is all road journeys.

I suggest that it very much not the case that you are a thousand times more likely to be killed on the specific journey to the woods. Indeed I would bet a substantial sum of money that there is no supporting evidence for that claim.

Lets break that down - a thousand times more likely to die in a single car journey than on a single trip to the woods.

Where would those statistics even come from? Does anyone measure the destination of the vehicle in fatal car accidents and then correlate them with deaths in the woods (excluding those who walked in or took the bus)? No? Thought not.
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,481
Stourton,UK
If a real panther is hunting you (you decide for yourself how realistic that scenario is in the UK) You'll never know it's there until you feel it's teeth in your neck.


I'd actually dispute that depending on how well you know the area and the fauna in that area. Observational skills are also relevant. There have been quite a few times in Africa when I've known something was wrong, that heightened awareness allowed me to spot hyena, hippo and in two cases, lions. It is certainly true if you are not aware and have no knowledge of what is out there. Someone of your skills in the outdoors would certainly sense something was amiss way before the attack happened.
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
Actually you aren't, that is simply untrue. or at best unprovable - assesing risk is something I am qualified in and was a major part of my job.

You might be confusing " you are a thousand times more likely to be killed driving than to be killed in the woods ".

However that is all road journeys.

I suggest that it very much not the case that you are a thousand times more likely to be killed on the specific journey to the woods. Indeed I would bet a substantial sum of money that there is no supporting evidence for that claim.

Lets break that down - a thousand times more likely to die in a single car journey than on a single trip to the woods.

Where would those statistics even come from? Does anyone measure the destination of the vehicle in fatal car accidents and then correlate them with deaths in the woods (excluding those who walked in or took the bus)? No? Thought not.

Lol.....are you feeling bored and pedantic this evening by any chance Hugh? :) :) :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,718
1,964
Mercia
<chuckle>

When people make these bold claims I just want to see the supporting evidence :) How on earth does anyone monitor the death rates of journeys that are specifically "going to the woods" ?

A thousand times more likely...so a 100,000% probability increment....

So, for every guy who dies in an accident in the woods, a thousand guys died getting to the woods.

I mean...as if! :rofl:
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
I'd actually dispute that depending on how well you know the area and the fauna in that area. Observational skills are also relevant. There have been quite a few times in Africa when I've known something was wrong, that heightened awareness allowed me to spot hyena, hippo and in two cases, lions. It is certainly true if you are not aware and have no knowledge of what is out there. Someone of your skills in the outdoors would certainly sense something was amiss way before the attack happened.

Sense something was wrong? Of course. Knowing what conditions/environments they use is certainly helpful, but that's not the same as actually seeing the panther in hunting mode.

Coming upon one by mutual surprise is definitely possible.
 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
50
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
So, for every guy who dies in an accident in the woods, a thousand guys died getting to the woods.

It's a cruel cruel world out there.............but on a brighter note, that's a much nicer quieter woods to play in if you make it :) And at 1000 to 1 doesn't that make it more likely than winning the lottery or am I getting horribly confused, to be fair it's getting late lol :)
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,718
1,964
Mercia
I know a guy who won the lottery. Don't know anyone who died on a woods trip.

That of course proves nothing!


So back to Jack Hargreaves :D
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
I know a guy who won the lottery. Don't know anyone who died on a woods trip.

That of course proves nothing!


So back to Jack Hargreaves :D

I know several who've won the lottery, myself included. Mind you we only won a few dollars each (up to 3 numbers out of the 6)

I also know three who've been killed on local woods trips unfortunately. Well, that's to say I knew who they were, not that they were personal acquaintances. Two froze to death (here in Florida!) and another was shot. That said, I know of no local deaths due to animal attacks. I do know of several a bit farther away (but still in the south) killed by bee attacks.
 

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