View Full Version : Attacked and prusued by a wild animal in the Whites
peakbagger
04-25-2016, 09:24
I had one of my odder wildlife encounters yesterday on the Carter Range yesterday. While hiking we came upon male spruce grouse. Their habitat is up on the spruce fir ridges and seem to prefer to hang out along hiking trails. They are usually quite mellow although occasionally a female with have chicks and will stake out a section of trail and get aggressive. Our initial encounter was typical, the grouse just walked off the trail into the woods. About a minute later the grouse went into full attack mode, pecking at my hiking boots from behind me furiously and getting under foot. This bird was serious and persisted. I was used my hiking poles to shoo it away but it kept coming back. We easily hiked about 200 feet or so until getting out of its territory. It would be easy to inadvertently hurt the bird by stepping on it so I hope it mellows out or finds a better spot but expect it will be problem this year.
The young males stake out territory and they seem to have a preferred territory that consists of an open area, like a trail bed surrounded by a somewhat open spruce/fir with closed canopy. This spot of trail looked just about ideal and I expect this bachelor grouse took offense to any interlopers walking through his pad. I expect the bird gets reinforcement from hikers as the bird attacks and the hikers run away.
There are prior trail reports from earlier in the winter that the same bird was guarding this territory so barring a predator dealing with it I expect that it may continue its reign of terror. They were species of concern in the region at one point but I don't know their current status.
SouthMark
04-25-2016, 10:09
I was attacked by one in Maine several years ago.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
As far as I know, Spruce Grouse are still a protected species, but I seem to see more of them then Ruffed Grouse, which can be hunted.
mandolindave
04-25-2016, 11:02
Ummph... learn something new every day. I was hiking on my homemade trail, and was THRILLED to see what I think was Grouse, only after being scared the heck out of. It was smaller than a pigeon, so I just looked it up. THEY GET BIG. I must have encountered a young one. I also saw a Ring Necked Pheasant, and always see Wild Turkey. I'm ignorant when it comes to the big picture, and hunters probably would call me a hypocrite because I eat meat. But I think the government has got it right when it comes to the protected species thing. In the old days hikers used to fish and snare. Which would have been cool for hungry hikers before there was a Deli around every other bend.
My point is that….I am kinda proud of the bird for kicking some hiker butt.
peakbagger
04-25-2016, 11:06
AMC once had an article in their magazine that there were less than 100 in NH or some other ridiculously small number, the local hikers including myself speculated that we had personally met most of them. There were some very predictable spots in the whites were they could be found routinely and there is a lot more of spruce and fir stands on numerous trail less summits. Of course it could be that combination of the spruce/fir habitat with a trail corridor going through it are what attracts them to establish territories.
Reminds me of the problem AMC had years ago, they were researching locations of rare alpine flowering plants along the above treeline sections of the AT. They were even transplanting isolated clumps to other locations. They found a new patch of a particularly rare plant that was thriving is a new location. The problem was the new colony was immediately downstream of the leaking septic tank of the Lake of the Crowds hut. (I never did find out how they handled it but I did note recently that there is federal schedule of proposed actions to replace the failing leachfield of the Lake of the Clouds hut.)
Odd Man Out
04-25-2016, 12:06
I've been "attacked" by Red Wing Blackbirds (they don't like lawn mowers near their nest), a mule deer (in my defense he was in the middle of town next to the sidewalk - it was only a bluff charge), a prarie dog (he climbed up on to the road where I was standing and started nibbling the toe of my boot), a swan (that was scary - they are big and nasty), and a feral donkey (OK, that was my fault - I used and apple core to get him to reach his head in the car passenger side window just so I could scare the crap out of my wife).
I've heard them drumming at close range and observed females right on the trail doing the "broken wing" act. In that same general neighborhood, just north of Mt. Moriah.
rocketsocks
04-25-2016, 15:27
There's old birds and bold birds, but it many old bold ones, a fox 'll get em or he'll end op in a pot.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MVfiIp3QGs4
in the woods, it sounds like a deep bass engine trying to start and sputtering out. First time I heard it on the Grafton Notch loop trail, it was at night and I was trying to figure out who was trying to start a diesel tractor that time of night. While trying to identify birds by their calls by listening to YouTube videos, I ran across the ruffed grouse and had an Aha! moment.
coach lou
04-25-2016, 17:46
On the trail once in The Bob Marshall....a grouse was in the middle of the trail, my buddy tried to kick a stone at it to shoo it away. Boink....right in the head..........grouse does taste like chicken!
illabelle
04-25-2016, 17:54
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MVfiIp3QGs4
in the woods, it sounds like a deep bass engine trying to start and sputtering out. First time I heard it on the Grafton Notch loop trail, it was at night and I was trying to figure out who was trying to start a diesel tractor that time of night. While trying to identify birds by their calls by listening to YouTube videos, I ran across the ruffed grouse and had an Aha! moment.
Wow, thanks for that clip! Amazing and weird bird.
Pringles
04-25-2016, 21:37
Last year in Yellowstone, I had a blue grouse doing a display on the far side of the road from a pullout. So I parked, got out of my car and walked to the side of the car closest to the bird. I didn't cross the road, I could still touch the car. That thing made a b-line for my ankles. I walked back to the driver's side of the car, trying to avoid stepping on the deranged little bird, and gently closed the door so I wouldn't catch him in the door. I turned to look at him, on the ground outside the car, and he had jumped up on the window frame (the window was open). From the distance of 5 inches, he was glaring at me. With one hand I turned on the car, so I could roll up the window, and while wondering if pushing a bird was some kind of a national park offense, I pushed him off the window. About that time, the car was running and I could roll up the window. About five seconds later, the window was closed, and I looked up, and there was my nemesis, on the windshield wiper, staring me down. I was laughing the whole time, though in hind sight, if he had decided to use his feet to scratch at my face, things wouldn't have ended so well -- for him -- I think. Even now, I remember the warm, soft feel of his breast as I pushed him out the window. Everybody goes to Yellowstone to see the wolves and the bears, but I'm tellin' ya, it's the grouse, chipmunks and gray jay's that'll get you.
AMC once had an article in their magazine that there were less than 100 in NH or some other ridiculously small number, the local hikers including myself speculated that we had personally met most of them.
Well said!
On the trail once in The Bob Marshall....a grouse was in the middle of the trail, my buddy tried to kick a stone at it to shoo it away. Boink....right in the head..........grouse does taste like chicken!
And animal abuse is a good thing, why?
I've been chased by wild turkeys all over, country, city (a group of them has taken up residence in my very asphalt city). They are brave. But I'd neither kick them nor throw rocks at them. I realize you can't cross the street to avoid such animals on a trail, but there has to be a better way than harming them.
Respect all nature. You aren't being mauled by a mountain lion in this case.
Last year in Yellowstone, I had a blue grouse doing a display on the far side of the road from a pullout. So I parked, got out of my car and walked to the side of the car closest to the bird. I didn't cross the road, I could still touch the car. That thing made a b-line for my ankles. I walked back to the driver's side of the car, trying to avoid stepping on the deranged little bird, and gently closed the door so I wouldn't catch him in the door. I turned to look at him, on the ground outside the car, and he had jumped up on the window frame (the window was open). From the distance of 5 inches, he was glaring at me. With one hand I turned on the car, so I could roll up the window, and while wondering if pushing a bird was some kind of a national park offense, I pushed him off the window. About that time, the car was running and I could roll up the window. About five seconds later, the window was closed, and I looked up, and there was my nemesis, on the windshield wiper, staring me down. I was laughing the whole time, though in hind sight, if he had decided to use his feet to scratch at my face, things wouldn't have ended so well -- for him -- I think. Even now, I remember the warm, soft feel of his breast as I pushed him out the window. Everybody goes to Yellowstone to see the wolves and the bears, but I'm tellin' ya, it's the grouse, chipmunks and gray jay's that'll get you.
A camel once tried to eat my arm. Fortunately Dad was there to pull me free.
coach lou
04-26-2016, 08:14
Relax..........it was just a thing that happened
rocketsocks
04-26-2016, 10:49
And animal abuse is a good thing, why?
I've been chased by wild turkeys all over, country, city (a group of them has taken up residence in my very asphalt city). They are brave. But I'd neither kick them nor throw rocks at them. I realize you can't cross the street to avoid such animals on a trail, but there has to be a better way than harming them.
Respect all nature. You aren't being mauled by a mountain lion in this case.i can't help but wonder just how many critters you've mauled underfoot while pursuing the chosen activity of hiking.
Traveler
04-26-2016, 14:45
Think of the newts underfoot!
How do we know we aren't tormenting the spiders when they weave their web across the trail? The worms, ants, centipedes and millipedes that are crushed by the millions. The horror.
How do we know we aren't tormenting the spiders when they weave their web across the trail? The worms, ants, centipedes and millipedes that are crushed by the millions. The horror.
Specious arguments by you and your friend. And you and your chum know it.
Sophistry.
Have you considered it was you, another animal species, that was perceived as being the attacker, pursuer, aggressor, or predator? The Spruce Grouse may have been acting in a defensive manner against a perceived threatening other animal.
All too often human centric hubris combined with a wider ignorance of the universe fails to consider that it is the human species that is the most dangerous, destructive, and aggressive. Humans are after all scientifically classed as part of the animal kingdom.
Ever see shows like When Animals Attack or Top 10, 25, 100 Dangerous Animals? When will the human animal be included in the entertainment? Maybe, never because it's abrasively counter cultural to the ingrained notion humans are apart and above the rest of Nature?
rocketsocks
04-26-2016, 17:22
Have you considered it was you, another animal species, that was perceived as being the attacker, pursuer, aggressor, or predator? The Spruce Grouse may have been acting in a defensive manner against a perceived threatening other animal.
All too often human centric hubris combined with a wider ignorance of the universe fails to consider that it is the human species that is the most dangerous, destructive, and aggressive. Humans are after all scientifically classed as part of the animal kingdom.
Ever see shows like When Animals Attack or Top 10, 25, 100 Dangerous Animals? When will the human animal be included in the entertainment? Maybe, never because it's abrasively counter cultural to the ingrained notion humans are apart and above the rest of Nature?all one need do is turn on the nightly news, people attacking people all over the world, were no different as a spiecies.
rocketsocks
04-26-2016, 17:27
Specious arguments by you and your friend. And you and your chum know it.
Sophistry.
Pretty sure chum is right down there with whale scat...nice!
Pretty sure chum is right down there with whale scat...nice!
Ever seen what sharks do to chum? Or the fish that are attracted to the chum? Horrible animals.
Other animals do what other animals do. Humans should know better. We are aggressors and often for no reason at all.
I will do my 100% best to keep food from bears, in order to save their lives, whilst not throwing rocks at birds.
Ever seen what sharks do to chum? Or the fish that are attracted to the chum? Horrible animals.
Chum also means friend, which is the context in which I used it.
coach lou
04-26-2016, 18:03
Other animals do what other animals do. Humans should know better. We are aggressors and often for no reason at all.
I will do my 100% best to keep food from bears, in order to save their lives, whilst not throwing rocks at birds.
I suggest you read my post again..................after you come down off your high horse.
Ever seen what sharks do to chum? Or the fish that are attracted to the chum? Horrible animals.
Ever go to a Hiker Feed when the fried chicken ran out and everyone is still looking for more?
Ever been to the Gatlinburg Golden Corral Buffet when there was no more roast beef or anything left at the carving station?
Madpaddy
04-26-2016, 18:07
I had one of my odder wildlife encounters yesterday on the Carter Range yesterday. While hiking we came upon male spruce grouse. Their habitat is up on the spruce fir ridges and seem to prefer to hang out along hiking trails. They are usually quite mellow although occasionally a female with have chicks and will stake out a section of trail and get aggressive. Our initial encounter was typical, the grouse just walked off the trail into the woods. About a minute later the grouse went into full attack mode, pecking at my hiking boots from behind me furiously and getting under foot. This bird was serious and persisted. I was used my hiking poles to shoo it away but it kept coming back. We easily hiked about 200 feet or so until getting out of its territory. It would be easy to inadvertently hurt the bird by stepping on it so I hope it mellows out or finds a better spot but expect it will be problem this year.
The young males stake out territory and they seem to have a preferred territory that consists of an open area, like a trail bed surrounded by a somewhat open spruce/fir with closed canopy. This spot of trail looked just about ideal and I expect this bachelor grouse took offense to any interlopers walking through his pad. I expect the bird gets reinforcement from hikers as the bird attacks and the hikers run away.
There are prior trail reports from earlier in the winter that the same bird was guarding this territory so barring a predator dealing with it I expect that it may continue its reign of terror. They were species of concern in the region at one point but I don't know their current status.
When we were family camping at the Mount Greylock reservation, our screaming 6 year son was justifyibly persued by an angry black racer that slithered after him at a good clip.
Ever note what the human animal did and in some cases is still doing to the passenger pigeon, American Bison, Grey Wolf, Brown Bear, cougar, salmon, Bluefin Tuna, swordfish, some whale and shark species populations, Monk Seals, Black Rhinos, elephants, tigers, Dodo birds, sturgeon, Chilean Seabass, halibut, flounder, haddock, Atlantic Cod, eels,………………………? :confused:
Huge decline on Great White Shark populations around the globe at the hands of arguably the planet's greatest animal predator…humans! Horrible animals?….HUMANS? :confused:
Should we list some flora now?
rocketsocks
04-26-2016, 20:19
I can make a meal outta some, pheasants, doves or yard bird.
rocketsocks
04-26-2016, 20:21
And not for nothin' but if I were laying along the trail incapacitated I'm sure a buzzard would peck out my one good eye.
Ever note what the human animal did and in some cases is still doing to the passenger pigeon, American Bison, Grey Wolf, Brown Bear, cougar, salmon, Bluefin Tuna, swordfish, some whale and shark species populations, Monk Seals, Black Rhinos, elephants, tigers, Dodo birds, sturgeon, Chilean Seabass, halibut, flounder, haddock, Atlantic Cod, eels,………………………? :confused:
Huge decline on Great White Shark populations around the globe at the hands of arguably the planet's greatest animal predator…humans! Horrible animals?….HUMANS? :confused:
Should we list some flora now?
with great power comes great responsibility...as humans, we suck at the responsibility part. American Chestnuts, American Elm, Purple lousewort...ok, maybe not that one.
I mean, its not like we don't try to kill each other off in wars and fights and famine...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MVfiIp3QGs4
in the woods, it sounds like a deep bass engine trying to start and sputtering out. First time I heard it on the Grafton Notch loop trail, it was at night and I was trying to figure out who was trying to start a diesel tractor that time of night. While trying to identify birds by their calls by listening to YouTube videos, I ran across the ruffed grouse and had an Aha! moment.
Eggsactly. I was way confused the first time I heard it. (Great video!) I love hearing it, it means I'm walking through a healthy ecosystem. (Wishful thinking?) I love the Carter range and Mahoosucs.
sheepdog
04-27-2016, 21:33
I can make a meal outta some, pheasants, doves or yard bird.
I think it's spelled miel.
rocketsocks
04-27-2016, 23:50
I think it's spelled miel.Pretty sure this makes us chums now? :D
The thread title reminded me of a encounter I once had with a wild animule, it was a relentless deer fly that made me rethink hiking, he persistently attacked me for about 45 minutes. After about a 1/2 hr, 2 neck bites and one elbow welt he was gone, I assumed he had his fill of my blood and moved on, I was very happy as my arms had begun to tire from non stop swatting.
And then it happened, I froze in disbelief, the little Russian MIG shaped deer fly was sitting on top of a boulder in the middle on the trail just starring at me as if to say, "did ya really think I'd be that easy" silly boy...and round two was on. I noticed some hikers coming up the trail and ran as fast as I could towards them leaving the fly following about 10 feet behind me. As I got to the hikers I adbruptly stopped, said hi, waited for the fly to catch up. When I heard to buzzing surround us with his Red Baron fly by's and one impressive Embullman maneuver I put my plan into motion...I split! As fast as I could run saying my good by's on the fly (pun intended) I left that little bugger with my newly acquired temporary friends...I hope they wasted that a-hole deer fly, or at the very least made it out alive.
illabelle
04-28-2016, 10:28
Pretty sure this makes us chums now? :D
The thread title reminded me of a encounter I once had with a wild animule, it was a relentless deer fly that made me rethink hiking, he persistently attacked me for about 45 minutes. After about a 1/2 hr, 2 neck bites and one elbow welt he was gone, I assumed he had his fill of my blood and moved on, I was very happy as my arms had begun to tire from non stop swatting.
And then it happened, I froze in disbelief, the little Russian MIG shaped deer fly was sitting on top of a boulder in the middle on the trail just starring at me as if to say, "did ya really think I'd be that easy" silly boy...and round two was on. I noticed some hikers coming up the trail and ran as fast as I could towards them leaving the fly following about 10 feet behind me. As I got to the hikers I adbruptly stopped, said hi, waited for the fly to catch up. When I heard to buzzing surround us with his Red Baron fly by's and one impressive Embullman maneuver I put my plan into motion...I split! As fast as I could run saying my good by's on the fly (pun intended) I left that little bugger with my newly acquired temporary friends...I hope they wasted that a-hole deer fly, or at the very least made it out alive.
Hilarious, and oh-so-believable! I sympathize.
jbbweeks
04-28-2016, 10:37
Ice Water Spring Shelter in the Smokies had a resident skunk that the hikers before me failed to mention! I was cornered, petrified and helpless for near an hour until he search every nook & cranny of the shelter & ate his fill of scraps left by the previous group! I think I was set up!
Tapatalk
Sarcasm the elf
04-28-2016, 10:58
Ice Water Spring Shelter in the Smokies had a resident skunk that the hikers before me failed to mention! I was cornered, petrified and helpless for near an hour until he search every nook & cranny of the shelter & ate his fill of scraps left by the previous group! I think I was set up!
Tapatalk
Did you know that skunks will often stamp their front paws on the ground a few times as a warning before they turn around to spray? I learned this one through experience and was quite appreciative that the skunk gave me the two seconds I needed to retreat. :D
I think it's spelled miel.
Your attempt as flirting is lame.
rocketsocks
04-28-2016, 21:04
I think it's spelled miel.
Pretty sure this makes us chumps now? :D
The thread title reminded me of a encounter I once had with a wild animule, it was a relentless deer fly that made me rethink hiking, he persistently attacked me for about 45 minutes. After about a 1/2 hr, 2 neck bites and one elbow welt he was gone, I assumed he had his fill of my blood and moved on, I was very happy as my arms had begun to tire from non stop swatting.
And then it happened, I froze in disbelief, the little Russian MIG shaped deer fly was sitting on top of a boulder in the middle on the trail just starring at me as if to say, "did ya really think I'd be that easy" silly boy...and round two was on. I noticed some hikers coming up the trail and ran as fast as I could towards them leaving the fly following about 10 feet behind me. As I got to the hikers I adbruptly stopped, said hi, waited for the fly to catch up. When I heard to buzzing surround us with his Red Baron fly by's and one impressive Embullman maneuver I put my plan into motion...I split! As fast as I could run saying my good by's on the fly (pun intended) I left that little bugger with my newly acquired temporary friends...I hope they wasted that a-hole deer fly, or at the very least made it out alive.
fixed it for us.
sheepdog
04-28-2016, 21:15
Your attempt as flirting is lame.
I only like women.
sheepdog
04-28-2016, 21:17
I was trying to be funny ....I guess I suck at that....both times.
Mountain Mike
04-28-2016, 22:43
Ice Water Spring Shelter in the Smokies had a resident skunk that the hikers before me failed to mention! I was cornered, petrified and helpless for near an hour until he search every nook & cranny of the shelter & ate his fill of scraps left by the previous group! I think I was set up!
Tapatalk
Elvis & Precilla. They were a couple that lived there for several years. I remeber cowering in my sleeping bag as they climbed over everyone & praying nobody would do something stupid & cause them to spray.
jbbweeks
04-28-2016, 22:54
I don't know if it was Elvis or Pricilla and didn't want to find out - as soon as I had a chance to escape I was out of there - been sprayed once before - never want that to happen again - The food scraps were the cause of their infestation - shelters are an animal attraction - period!
Tapatalk
Did you know that skunks will often stamp their front paws on the ground a few times as a warning before they turn around to spray? I learned this one through experience and was quite appreciative that the skunk gave me the two seconds I needed to retreat. :D
Black bears will do similar.
Elvis & Precilla. They were a couple that lived there for several years. I remeber cowering in my sleeping bag as they climbed over everyone & praying nobody would do something stupid & cause them to spray.
They have wet noses like a puppy dog. Found that out cowboy camping. He wasn't rabid. Just looking around for something tasty or curious.
Sarcasm the elf
04-29-2016, 00:01
Black bears will do similar.
Fortunately I've never been sprayed by a black bear.
:banana
Fortunately I've never been sprayed by a black bear.
:banana
I'm sure you've witnessed "squirter" bears and other animal squirters. Some animals comes out of them like a projectile. Ever see animals both males and females marking areas? I didn't know cats, both feral and domesticated, and especially wild Big Cats, and some deer family species could hold that much urine psst pst sppt.
Traillium
04-29-2016, 08:01
I'm sure you've witnessed "squirter" bears and other animal squirters. Some animals comes out of them like a projectile. Ever see animals both males and females marking areas? I didn't know cats, both feral and domesticated, and especially wild Big Cats, and some deer family species could hold that much urine psst pst sppt.
In blueberry and Saskatoon berry season, I've seen plenty of evidence of squirter bears. Violet blue squirts everywhere! And that's when they're of the least concern to two-legged animals with dry food …
Worked in a bush camp one summer up in northwestern Ontario. No electricity, so the food that needed refrigeration was stored in screened tree porches. Bears loved those, as well as the messy fish guts left by careless fisherman. The taciturn Finnish logger boss was an excellent shot, and preferred to 'crease' the bears to keep them wary rather than kill them. One day, in an outstanding berry season, we returned from the tree plantings to discover a juvenile bear trying to get into the food. Ollie grabbed his rifle as the bear scrambled up a poplar. Ollie leaned against the tree, carefully aiming for a 'crease' shot and just as he fired, the already frightened bear ejected an enormous purple stream downwards. Ollie didn't move fast enough and got it full in his face. We were immediately quarantined in our cabins, while the assistant boss fired up the sauna. Finnish Ollie spent the whole night in and out of the sauna, in and out of the lake, and in the very early morning we heard his truck depart for home, never to return in shame. Years later, I heard this story repeated as a local legend by a friend from Thunder Bay – and I could say “I was there!" That tree stank for the rest of the summer. Poor Ollie … And that bear was never seen around camp again … Lesson learned. For all.