Other wildlife to consider?

[Lnj]

There has been much talk of bears and mice and an occasional squirrel or raccoon, but will there be anything else to be cautious of? Of course snakes, I know, but do deer come around looking for food? Are coyotes or mountain lions ever spotted? Wild boar? :-?

[nsherry61]

Insects are the most problematic: bees, wasps, mosquitoes, biting flies, etc. If your are allergic, they are much more likely to be deadly than a bear or a snake.
Spiders can bite, but rarely do and rarely cause a problem if they do.
Snakes, again, pretty easy to avoid problems with them and problems are very rare.
As for deer, they are probably the most deadly of all if you are on a bicycle . . . not really, but his video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2oymHHyV1M) is too good to pass up.

[BirdBrain]

These guys:


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

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

[BirdBrain]

And these guys:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaK_g_d81Hc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaK_g_d81Hc

[BirdBrain]

These guys:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEsmgHY6h6A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEsmgHY6h6A

[Hangfire]

The only thing that really worried me was ticks, everything else was a welcomed sight (bears included)! Oh yeah did anyone mention a porcupine yet? As long as you're not sleeping in a wooden tent I think they'll leave you alone.

The really interesting wildlife is what is running around your tent at night. I remember one night in Massachusetts I had whole wave of creatures coming through my site, first came the mice, the next wave was something a little bigger (unknown), then finally something that made much more noise with heavy feet, in my mind it had to have been an ostrich or maybe even a Tauntaun... I definitely have a strange imagination. When you can hear all of these things creeping around your tent at night and still fall asleep with a smile on your face then you know you've become a hardened thru hiker.

[BirdBrain]

Animals are not the issue. Bugs are. Fortunately there are things you can do to avoid them. To avoid black flies, don't hike in the spring up north. To avoid yellow jackets, don't make your site a picnic. If you have ever had a yellow jacket crawl into your soda can, you get my point. Yes, dumping sugary liquids is a problem. To avoid ticks, soak your clothing in permethrin. I have been stung more times than I can count. I used to pick raspberries and sell them along the side of the road when I was a child. I have been bitten by more black flies that there are people in Maine. I have pulled off many ticks off my body. I am yet to have an issue with these 3 creatures on the trail because of the steps I recommend above.

[Lnj]

Thanks Birdbrain. Haven't heard the permethrin thing yet, but will definitely do! Lyme disease is not to be trifled with. I am aracniphobe. You got any spider repellent in you tackle box?

[BirdBrain]

Thanks Birdbrain. Haven't heard the permethrin thing yet, but will definitely do! Lyme disease is not to be trifled with. I am aracniphobe. You got any spider repellent in you tackle box?

Here is my best tip I can give you on spiders. Don't be the first one on the trail. Don't be the tallest person on the trail. If you are the first or the tallest, you run the risk of having your head look like Radagast the Brown. Spiders build webs across the trail every night. It is a welcome site when you see someone going the other way. You know that most of the webs have been cleaned out. If you are first, just be on the look out for webs and clean them out with your trekking poles... or face if you would rather just trudge trough.

Edit: I am probably scaring the crap out of you with all this insect talk. It really is not an issue at all if you are prepared. It is like any other hiking issue. Be prepared and it will be a glorious vacation.

[Lnj]

Oddly enough, I am pretty good at doing the fan swipe on the trail itself, and I do make my husband go first for that very reason. But at camp, while putting up my tent and such... Just want to make sure I don't get any spiders zipped into my tent with me. I would rather have a bear sleep inside my bag than that. So no anti-spider magic, huh? Guess the hubby will have to come make sure I am all clear before I get up in the mornings.:rolleyes::o

[gregpphoto]

Snipes. Better arm yourself for the hunt.

[Traveler]

There has been much talk of bears and mice and an occasional squirrel or raccoon, but will there be anything else to be cautious of? Of course snakes, I know, but do deer come around looking for food? Are coyotes or mountain lions ever spotted? Wild boar? :-?

One should be cautious of most any wild animal they encounter, to a degree. That said you are likely not going to be bothered by anything larger than a squirrel who decides your pack is a nice place to explore.

Deer are not apt to come into your camp looking for hand outs, though they may walk past a shelter here and there. You may hear coyotes throughout the trek, they enjoy community sing alongs. You may even be lucky enough to see one or two from a distance as they traverse a field or road, but they typically are not a problem. Mountain lions are extremely rare in the Appalachians, so much so they are considered extirpated from the region. Some wildlife experts claim the eastern cougar is extinct, but that is not settled science yet. It is very doubtful you will see one of these.

Of the larger animals that you may come across, there are the ponies on Grayson Highlands, but those really aren't a danger. Bears you know about. Moose would be the only other large mammal that may be around that you may be lucky enough to spot and get a few good photos of. Moose are a curious animal and are very unpredictable. I always give them a lot of room if I see them first, especially in the late summer into fall during the rut and if there is a calf in tow. They are big and can be aggressive if you get too close, however few hikers run afoul of them.

[nsherry61]

. . . if there is a calf in tow. They are big and can be aggressive . . .

Believe it or not, a cow moose will readily take on a grizzly if she feels it is a threat to her calf, and the grizzly will run!

[Dogwood]

Here is my best tip I can give you on spiders. Don't be the first one on the trail. Don't be the tallest person on the trail. If you are the first or the tallest, you run the risk of having your head look like Radagast the Brown. Spiders build webs across the trail every night. It is a welcome site when you see someone going the other way. You know that most of the webs have been cleaned out. If you are first, just be on the look out for webs and clean them out with your trekking poles... or face if you would rather just trudge trough.

Edit: I am probably scaring the crap out of you with all this insect talk. It really is not an issue at all if you are prepared. It is like any other hiking issue. Be prepared and it will be a glorious vacation.

Just experienced this BIG time in Kentucky/northern TN. I must have eaten so many spent arachnid shell leftovers and silk I could have been able to crap out my own silky spider web of silk. I used a walking stick to remove the webs, spiders, and carcasses. That feeling like you're being wrapped up by one of those ALIEN creatures being stored for future dining and reproductive parasitic host entertainment grew a bit weary on me.

[Malto]

Beware of deer. They may try to steal your trekking poles! (They are attracted to the salt on the handles.) Snipes are easy, just keep your food in a snipe canister. (Greg forgot to mention that, big omission.) Protect against ticks, don't step on or pick up poisonous snakes and don't get hit by a car, most closest brush with death on the AT in N. Va.

[joshuasdad]

Biggest scare I received was from a buzzard or eagle hissing at me when I was night hiking at around midnight in Connecticut. Met up with some aggressive and obnoxious squirrels camping near a lake in Maine (I also saw some leeches there).

[Wildfang]

I've seen a boar in the GA woods. By the old cheese factory. Usually they're running around, so if you're talking or singing or making noise, they'll run away.

[rickb]

There has been much talk of bears and mice and an occasional squirrel or raccoon, but will there be anything else to be cautious of?

Any wild animal that is too "friendly" -- especially in the daytime and in a place where it would not likely have become habituated to human presence. Sign of rabies or other disease.

[August W.]

Any wild animal that is too "friendly" -- especially in the daytime and in a place where it would not likely have become habituated to human presence. Sign of rabies or other disease.

Exactly. I was followed for a while on a sunny afternoon by a clumsy raccoon who swerved and swayed like 2 AM leaving a tavern.

[plexusbritt]

Raccoons in my area have been known to open zippers. I didn't believe it til I saw it. I now keep a mini carabiner in with my tent (in the odd event I use it) to clip the zippers together from the inside.

Note: this happened at a local state park with backcountry camping sites that had trash scattered around the fire ring so the bugger had gotten used to people food.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BirdBrain]

Oddly enough, I am pretty good at doing the fan swipe on the trail itself, and I do make my husband go first for that very reason. But at camp, while putting up my tent and such... Just want to make sure I don't get any spiders zipped into my tent with me. I would rather have a bear sleep inside my bag than that. So no anti-spider magic, huh? Guess the hubby will have to come make sure I am all clear before I get up in the mornings.:rolleyes::o

Okay. I will take a logical stab at it. When dealing with fears of and/or attempting to minimize contact with any creature in the woods, it is best to try to understand what the creature is trying to do. We roam around for the fun of it. We are very unpredictable. Nature is not so haphazard. A spider wants to eat. There is a reason webs are built where they are. Inside your tent is not a great spot for a spider to catch its prey. They don't exist to just crawl into hidden spots to scare people. They exist where they do to maximize their chance for survival. Your tent is not that spot. Also, it is very hard for a spider to get into your tent if you set it up right. When I set my tent up, I am concerned that a flying creature might get in by mistake. Therefore, the door is zipped all the time except for when I am going in an out. I also don't want debris in my tent. I am careful to not drag any part of my body on the ground as I go in. I have a doormat/chair made from a mylar car windshield sunscreen. I step on the as I go in. I sit down in my tent and brush my feet off as I get in my tent. This routine keep creatures and debris from getting in my tent. If you do this, it is all but impossible for any bug to get in your tent. If you are careful to not carry a bug in with you, your tent is a safe haven away from all tiny creatures. Your tent is not a place to fear spiders. The trail is where you have a much greater chance of fighting with arachnids.

The above logic can be applied to any creature that you fear or want to avoid. Understand what it is trying to do. For the most part, being in contact with you is not one of those things. Find what might attract them and mitigate that attraction as best you can or make it hard for it to get what it wants.

[Lnj]

Perfect advise. Thanks Birdbrain. I am actually quite excited to get a peek at all kinds of wildlife, even snakes, from a safe distance of course. Just hate those dang spiders though. I can stand them on the trail because "It's their house" as long as I can keep them off my person. My husband will be hammocking and I will be tenting for that very reason. I am really not afraid of anything except the dreaded spider. I was just curious about other wildlife out of desire to see stuff!! I went snipe hunting as a 5 year old and have never had much a of a taste for it since. ;)

[Sarcasm the elf]

In my formative years I was advised to look out for snipes during the night as they were very dangerous. Good thing I haven't seen one around in decades :D

[BirdBrain]

Actually, snipe are quite easy to find. I have seen thousands of them on beaches over the years. Not sure why anyone would want to hunt one. Don't seem like much sport or meat.

Yes, I am familiar with the prank. Not sure why they picked a real bird to represent a fake bird though.

[glenlawson]

skunks. they also like the salt that gets in things you sweat on. they can be pretty fearless because apparently, no one ever tries to scare them away.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Actually, snipe are quite easy to find. I have seen thousands of them on beaches over the years. Not sure why anyone would want to hunt one. Don't seem like much sport or meat.

Yes, I am familiar with the prank. Not sure why they picked a real bird to represent a fake bird though.

The ones we were looking for were the real ones. I know they also named a beach bird after them, but that was long after the dangerous man eating, glow in the dark snipes that live in the forest had mostly been wiped out. :-? Trust me?

[Traveler]

The Bigfoots have pretty much exhausted the snipe population.

[WingedMonkey]

There has been much talk of bears and mice and an occasional squirrel or raccoon, but will there be anything else to be cautious of? Of course snakes, I know, but do deer come around looking for food? Are coyotes or mountain lions ever spotted? Wild boar? :-?

So far, no one has been killed by an animal while hiking the AT (other than humans).

Folks have died from swimming in cold ponds or fast moving streams, going under or into waterfalls, trees or tree limbs falling and I think one lighting strike.

It's the risks you take, have to decide if it's worth it.

[rocketsocks]

Actually, snipe are quite easy to find. I have seen thousands of them on beaches over the years. Not sure why anyone would want to hunt one. Don't seem like much sport or meat.

Yes, I am familiar with the prank. Not sure why they picked a real bird to represent a fake bird though.
...cause it's comically funny to watch little ones slap the ground with a stick and go Snnipe snipe snipe snipe snipe :D

[rocketsocks]

Actually, snipe are quite easy to find. I have seen thousands of them on beaches over the years. Not sure why anyone would want to hunt one. Don't seem like much sport or meat.

Yes, I am familiar with the prank. Not sure why they picked a real bird to represent a fake bird though.
...cause it's comically funny to watch little ones slap the ground with a stick and go Snipe snipe snipe snipe snipe :D

[Five Tango]

Once while delivering a load of firewood to my favorite camping site,I observed a swarm of yellow jackets swarm up out of the ground. Luckily I was still in the truck,rolled up the window and scrammed.Now I make a point to at least have benadryl on me in the event of the stinging insects.Also,always wear gloves when working with firewood or straw as my brother in law nearly lost a finger to spider bite while spreading pine straw.Permethrin works to repel ticks.Don't forget to treat your hat or head rag.

[Tipi Walter]

It's now yellow jacket season and these little bastardos are definitely the most dangerous creatures in the Appalachian woods. Anyone who hikes a trail in the Southeast will get tagged and it's almost impossible to see their nests in the ground. Very often a bear or pig will dig them open and leave a still active but very obvious hole by the trail so with careful eyeballing these nests can be seen beforehand and avoided. A couple years ago I walked past 6 such visible hornet nests on the Slickrock Creek trail and did not get stung.

But yes I took a can of ginger ale out on a trip and dangit if a yellow jacket didn't land inside and on my next sip get inside my mouth and sting the inside of my bottom lip. Very painful.

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/Green-Cove-Cabin/i-3dg6frh/0/L/TRIP%20147%20367-L.jpg
A couple years ago I was backpacking the Sycamore Creek trail (the trail is visible above on the left) and hiked past this hornet nest which I did not see. It was active but it's a white faced hornet nest and NOT a yellow jacket nest and I have found these guys to be much less aggressive than yellow jackets, although one of them did nail me on the left cheek once on the North Fork Citico trail.

Probably the most dangerous encounters for me are with pit vipers and snakes. Most people can get tagged by 4 or 5 hornets and not have to worry, but getting tagged by a rattlesnake will end the trip. Here are the snakes I have seen on my recent backpacking trips---

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/keyword/snakes/








(https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/keyword/snakes/)

[Pedaling Fool]

If we killed off all the black bears, skunks and racoons, since they are the ones responsible for the aggressiveness of yellow jackets, then over time the yellow jackets, without enemies, will eventually evolve this aggressiveness out. I wonder how long that would take....:-?

[Traveler]

If we killed off all the black bears, skunks and racoons, since they are the ones responsible for the aggressiveness of yellow jackets, then over time the yellow jackets, without enemies, will eventually evolve this aggressiveness out. I wonder how long that would take....:-?

"Lord of the Bees" would evolve probably....

[Kenai]

So far, no one has been killed by an animal while hiking the AT (other than humans).

Folks have died from swimming in cold ponds or fast moving streams, going under or into waterfalls, trees or tree limbs falling and I think one lighting strike.

It's the risks you take, have to decide if it's worth it.

A Rutgers student was killed by a black bear, while hiking in the Apshawa Preserve,in West Milford, New Jersey, last September 21st, 2014. The location of the attack was 10 or so miles from AT by Greenwood lake. It was the first confirmed death of a human by a bear in New Jersey. I live in a pretty rural area of New Jersey, and have 4 or 5 bears that come past my house regularly. I have attached the New Jersey Division of Fish and Game's Bear Safety Tips.









http://www.state.nj.us/dep/images/transparent.gif



Bear Safety Tips


Bear Safety Tips (http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/bear/bearfacts_safetytips.pdf) (Printable pdf, 22kb)
Black bears by nature tend to be wary of people. However, if you encounter a black bear in your neighborhood or outdoors while hiking or camping, follow these common-sense safety tips.


http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/images/bear/nosignbear.jpg
Never feed or approach a bear!
Remain calm if you encounter a bear. Do not run from it.
Make the bear aware of your presence by speaking in an assertive voice, singing, clapping your hands, or making other noises.
Make sure the bear has an escape route.
If a bear enters your home, provide it with an escape route by propping all doors open.
Avoid direct eye contact, which may be perceived by a bear as a challenge. Never run from a bear. Instead, slowly back away.
To scare the bear away, make loud noises by yelling, banging pots and pans or using an airhorn. Make yourself look as big as possible by waving your arms. If you are with someone else, stand close together with your arms raised above your head.
The bear may utter a series of huffs, make popping jaw sounds by snapping its jaws and swat the ground. These are warning signs that you are too close. Slowly back away, avoid direct eye contact and do not run.
If a bear stands on its hind legs or moves closer, it may be trying to get a better view or detect scents in the air. It is usually not a threatening behavior.
Black bears will sometimes "bluff charge" when cornered, threatened or attempting to steal food. Stand your ground, avoid direct eye contact, then slowly back away and do not run.
If the bear does not leave, move to a secure area.
Report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the DEP's 24-hour, toll-free hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).
Families who live in areas frequented by black bears should have a "Bear Plan" in place for children, with an escape route and planned use of whistles and air horns.
Black bear attacks are extremely rare. If a black bear does attack, fight back!











http://www.nj.com/passaic-county/index.ssf/2014/11/hiker_snapped_pictures_of_bear_before_fatal_attack _in_west_milford.html

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearfacts.htm

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/bearfacts_safetytips.htm