Anyone ever been attacked or had a close call with animals on the AT? Any animal, including Moose, Deer, Dogs or whatever.

I've had about five run-ins with animals.

Bear: In SNP I had one not want me to pass him, at one point he jumped on his front paws and started making hoofing noises. I didn't back off but eventually was able to pass him (he's the pic in my gallery).

Bear: In New York I had one circle me while I was eating at a shelter. I banged some stuff together, but didn't really deter him. Some other hikers showed up and he decided to leave.

Bear: (I think) In Maine I never saw it, but one ROARED LOUDLY at me as I was hiking up Katahdin. It was a scary sound, kind of like the lions you hear at the zoo. Some say I must have surprised/scared it, which caused it to roar, but a lot of people have done that and I've never heard anyone say they had a bear roar at them. Strange.

Turkey: I had one in Virginia circle around me and cackle a lot. Seemed to follow me for a bit.

Red Squirrel: I swear those ones in Maine throw things at you, especially when you're vulnerable (nature call).

i had a boar chase me long enough to start looking for a tree to climb. i hike with a dog though, so my wildlife experiences may be limited.

LOL... more bearanoia!

Porcupines blocking the path. Turkey and grouse trying to spook me. Deer being a nuisance... No "attacks" to speak of.

I got molested by goats up near Mcafee Knob.

I got molested by goats up near Mcafee Knob.
That reminds me of when I was nearly stampeded by ponies at Grayson Highlands.

Tree'd a few porcupines and had a few turkey's/deer and some smaller critter's make me look around ... but never anything that had me thinking survival ... but hikes are limited to the state of PA and some jersey ... Sure the more i travel and finish sections the more i'll see something ... Fear nothing till that nothing gives you a reason to fear it.

Dogs a few times. (bitten twice on the AT, and was glad that the chain wasn't longer more than once) Grouse many times. (false charge) Mosquitos/Black flies/Flies many many times.

Once in Laurel Fork Gorge I was hiking along minding my own business and a BANJO! started playing in the bushes next to me....I sped up a bit and all of sudden there were more banjos..A short distance up the trail some rabbits jumped out of the bushes and said I had a "reeel purty mouth"
I kicked a few of them and stomped on others..there were dozens of them...all armed with small banjos... I was able to fight them off and continued up the trail when I caught sight of what looked like a cave entrance...all around on the ground were bones...and there was one lone bunny in front of the cave...I figured I'd have to fight it in order to proceed as the trail went right in front of the bunny and there was a cliff on the other side...the cute bunny had huge teeth and they looked razor sharp! I had had enough of this BS cause the shelter was a couple more miles further on and I planned on one of my favorite Lipton's for dinner...I reached into a special pouch on my hipbelt and pulled out the HOLY HAND GRENADE...I pulled the pin and counted to three...(Not 2 or 4..but THREE) and I threw the granade which hit the rabbit in the head (no doubt crushing it's little skull) and it blew up...I was splattered by little bits of the fluffy fellow and I think that either one of his teeth or a bone fragment must have caught me in the leg..which got a superficial laceration..nothing to worry about though...I hiked on and all was well but the incident freaked me out a bit.

Once in Laurel Fork Gorge I was hiking along minding my own business and a BANJO! started playing in the bushes next to me....I sped up a bit and all of sudden there were more banjos..A short distance up the trail some rabbits jumped out of the bushes and said I had a "reeel purty mouth"
I kicked a few of them and stomped on others..there were dozens of them...all armed with small banjos... I was able to fight them off and continued up the trail when I caught sight of what looked like a cave entrance...all around on the ground were bones...and there was one lone bunny in front of the cave...I figured I'd have to fight it in order to proceed as the trail went right in front of the bunny and there was a cliff on the other side...the cute bunny had huge teeth and they looked razor sharp! I had had enough of this BS cause the shelter was a couple more miles further on and I planned on one of my favorite Lipton's for dinner...I reached into a special pouch on my hipbelt and pulled out the HOLY HAND GRENADE...I pulled the pin and counted to three...(Not 2 or 4..but THREE) and I threw the granade which hit the rabbit in the head (no doubt crushing it's little skull) and it blew up...I was splattered by little bits of the fluffy fellow and I think that either one of his teeth or a bone fragment must have caught me in the leg..which got a superficial laceration..nothing to worry about though...I hiked on and all was well but the incident freaked me out a bit.


Picked some mushrooms to go with that Lipton did ya?

geek

Although I did run into a couple of agressive dogs (no bites, though), the only beasts that have ever attacked me on the AT were yellow jackets. 25-30 stings. Ouch!

That reminds me of when I was nearly stampeded by ponies at Grayson Highlands.

I plucked a hair out of the tail of a pregnant mare while she and two other ponies there were mooching breakfast bars from a young couple (in 2006). The ones I saw were more accustomed to close approach by humans than were the majority of cattle whose pastures I crossed that year.

I was able to fight them off and continued up the trail when I caught sight of what looked like a cave entrance...all around on the ground were bones...and there was one lone bunny in front of the cave...I figured I'd have to fight it in order to proceed as the trail went right in front of the bunny and there was a cliff on the other side...the cute bunny had huge teeth and they looked razor sharp! I had had enough of this BS cause the shelter was a couple more miles further on and I planned on one of my favorite Lipton's for dinner...I reached into a special pouch on my hipbelt and pulled out the HOLY HAND GRENADE...I pulled the pin and counted to three...(Not 2 or 4..but THREE) and I threw the granade which hit the rabbit in the head (no doubt crushing it's little skull) and it blew up....

I'm surprised you didn't "RUNAWAY!" :D

Love Monty Python!

No attacks. Just ponies running full force at me in the Grayson Highlands.

I haven't ran into to many people that have been attacked by anything on the trails.

I would try changing to a different cologne.

I plucked a hair out of the tail of a pregnant mare while she and two other ponies there were mooching breakfast bars from a young couple (in 2006). The ones I saw were more accustomed to close approach by humans than were the majority of cattle whose pastures I crossed that year.
I know it was strange. I also walked up on those ponies, got pics of them in my gallery. But during the evening while at Wise shelter, most were sitting around eating, then all of a sudden we hear this galloping, I was at my tent, behind the shelter at the time, couldn't really see to well but I knew I'd better get the hell out of there, so I ran to the shelter. They didn't run over my tent, but they did knock down a hiker's support line for this hammock. He was at the shelter at the time, so was fine.
I would never had guessed those ponies would do something like that, because of how fat and lazy they looked, don't know what spooked them. That night I could hear them all around my tent, didn't sleep too well that night.

Mosquitoes and blackflies in maine. Enough said.

Yellowjackets

Yellowjackets

At one of the last shelters in GA going north, I found that in daylight the privy was unusable due to yellowjackets. It was THEIR fricking privy.

Nearly gotten by rattlesnakes twice. Once in PA and once Paul Bunyan had a close encounter in NJ

"Molested" by goats.:confused: There has to be more to this than you're telling.:-?

The AT crosses a farmers pasture directly south of Route 94 in Vernon NJ. Every time I've crossed that pasture there's a herd of about 15 black angus cattle who act as a welcoming committee. They run to meet you when you enter the field and follow you to the other side. I guess they're just curious.

Small cattle holding farmers usually get familiar enough with stock they become "tame". Someone walking up to or crossing a fence into the field usually means a suppliment feed is forthcoming and seen as a treat. Especially someone with a 50 lb bag on his shoulder.
A backpack probably resembles this condition.

Small cattle holding farmers usually get familiar enough with stock they become "tame". Someone walking up to or crossing a fence into the field usually means a suppliment feed is forthcoming and seen as a treat. Especially someone with a 50 lb bag on his shoulder.
A backpack probably resembles this condition.
Never though of that.

That would probably explains why this immature bull was head-butting me. I thought he just didn't want to let me pass thru his field.

Never though of that.

That would probably explains why this immature bull was head-butting me. I thought he just didn't want to let me pass thru his field.
Forgot to attach this
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=18148&c=member&orderby=dateline&direction=DESC&imageuser=6936&cutoffdate=-1

i was attacked by a timber rattler today. i got to close (didn't notice it) and it raised its head up and bared its fangs. i got the hell away from it and watched it for a while. i noticed that the rattle region was all blackened, like it had been ripped/burned off or something. it started towards me, so i backed away, it kept coming, i took off down the trail. i still look over my shoulder expecting to see a rattler.....

Mosquitoes and blackflies in maine. Enough said.


I second the vote....

Blue Jay attack on a trail in Milton Florida. He kep coming after me until I got way down the trail.

none that ever lived! i would never report an aggressive animal. just eat it, then give the head to park ranger. N.C. state loves bits and pieces but the brain is by far their favorite.

I got molested by goats up near Mcafee Knob.


Eh the 4 legged bastards got me 2

The AT crosses a farmers pasture directly south of Route 94 in Vernon NJ. Every time I've crossed that pasture there's a herd of about 15 black angus cattle who act as a welcoming committee. They run to meet you when you enter the field and follow you to the other side. I guess they're just curious.

i got attacked by a rooster when i tried to get water from a farm house near vernon. it was a surprise attack & scared the ***** out of me.

I was in a shelter in the SNP buy my self on night last year "the one were you can buy beer" an woke up in the mourning to a small Black Bear tugging on my sleeping bag. Scared the sht out of me I think I scared it just as bad when I sat up WHIED EYED. Same year woke up to a Doe in the SNP with her head in my tent. she was not scared i just reached out an gave a pat on her head an she laid down about 5 ft. from me an went to sleep. That was nice.

Wow ROLF thats funny Did you go to the Grace Slick Art show too...

Red Squirrel: I swear those ones in Maine throw things at you, especially when you're vulnerable (nature call).

If you took a dump in my backyard :eek:...I'd throw something at you too! :banana

I plucked a hair out of the tail of a pregnant mare while she and two other ponies there were mooching breakfast bars from a young couple (in 2006). The ones I saw were more accustomed to close approach by humans than were the majority of cattle whose pastures I crossed that year.

Am I the only one here that is wondering what you wanted with
the tail hair of a pregnant mare with a sweet tooth?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Oldfivetango

Little gray aliens....but it turned out they just wanted to know my pack weight.:)

In '95, about a quarter mile south of Skyland's Stables in SNP, a large turkey dived for my head, letting out a shreek, from a perch above me on a small cliff. She didn't like the fact I was following what I assumed to be her offspring which were about 50-75 feet ahead of me on the trail. Caused me to lose my balance, thankful I was using Lekis to save myself a tumble downhill.

I've had two dogs come running at me. One was a German Shepherd. I called out to him, "Hey boy, good dog." His ears came forward and his tail started wagging. The other was a little mix, about 12 inches high. I tried the same on him, but I ended up having to threaten him with my hiking pole. Once I held it up like I was going to hit him, he got the idea and left me alone.

Red Squirrel: I swear those ones in Maine throw things at you, especially when you're vulnerable (nature call).

Never had this happen to me on the trail-but all I have to do is go out onto my deck and I get pegged by a a dozen or so acorns from the squirrels. It's now "go out on the deck at your own risk!"

I agree-I think they aim the darn acorns at ya and they have pretty good aim!!

I had to poke a deer with my Leki just north of SNP. She wouldn't move. When I finally got her to move she gave me a VERY mean look and chewed her cud at me.

Yellow Jackets!!!!
Twice now on two different trips. I have a plan to deal with bears but not those stinking Yellow Jackets!!

My dog got porcupined in the nose this summer just past Mohican Outdoor Center. I didn't know what to do, so I just pulled them out one by one.

Here is a picture: http://picasaweb.google.com/cchayden/CarrieAT/photo#5227359139198397058

I woke my girlfriend up at 4am going to the privy. Needless to say I was mauled.

Yellow Jackets!!!!
Twice now on two different trips. I have a plan to deal with bears but not those stinking Yellow Jackets!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hornet

I almost stepped on a bunch of these yesterday going up Tinker Mtn. The best that I can tell is that they were European Hornets. Black and yellow and maybe bigger than a bumble bee. They were licking up the sap coming out of tree root. Sent me back tracking while pole fighting one till he gave up and I walked around them through the woods. They were huge.

Red Squirrel: I swear those ones in Maine throw things at you, especially when you're vulnerable (nature call).

Never had this happen to me on the trail-but all I have to do is go out onto my deck and I get pegged by a a dozen or so acorns from the squirrels. It's now "go out on the deck at your own risk!"

I agree-I think they aim the darn acorns at ya and they have pretty good aim!!

chuckle...I have a 13 y.o. with a pellet gun - we have very few squirrel problems!

SpiritWind, sounds like good "SID" to me.
Anyway, I got attacked by a pit bull about ten miles from Monson during a SOBO of Maine in 2005. My Leki's kept the dog at bay but he circled me looking for a way in while drooling and snarling. I kept yelling for whom ever was hiking with the dog. I yelled so you could hear me in Franklin County. But no response so I was just about to kill it when two women hikers arrived and leashed it. Later that day two Kiwi friends where attacked too. Now I am extremely skeptical when I encounter an unleashed dog.

I got charged by a bore in the Smokies in April 06' lucky for me it got distracted by another bore....freaky

Yellowjackets, and a sweat bee nest. My dad and uncle spooked a cow moose up in canada once on a fishing trip while hiking into a small lake, during mating season. She was not happy. Don't know all the details, just know that my dad was pretty freaked out by the time they got back to the car and they just took off, didn't even break down their gear.

There were some kind of tiny black flies that were swarming in Ga & NC. They were so tiny one had to look carefully at them to see what they were. At first I thought they were mosquitoes. Anyway, some of them began to bite (attack?) me. Peculiarly enough they seemed to like to bite at my skin at the top of my sock, and left a bloody line all around the back of both legs that scabbed over. Some would bite a few places on my bare arms and legs but most seemed to want to chow down on my at the top of my socks. Weird!

Blue Jay attack on a trail in Milton Florida. He kep coming after me until I got way down the trail.

I just wanted your food.