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Deb
07-04-2005, 07:44
I read this is Socks' Trailjournals entry from June 26.
A hiker named Sleeveless was attacked by a raccoon at Pine Knob shelter near Harper's Ferry. She was sitting at a picnic table using pocketmail at the time. Hikers beat the raccoon off her; she was severely bitten on her back and legs.
She was helped out of the woods, went to a hospital and had her wounds treated. She has to reappear at the hospital for ongoing rabies shots, but in the meantime she's hiking on.
www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=106346 (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=106346)

Jaybird
07-04-2005, 07:54
I read this is Socks' Trailjournals entry from June 26.
A hiker named Sleeveless was attacked by a raccoon at Pine Knob shelter near Harper's Ferry. She was sitting at a picnic table using pocketmail at the time. Hikers beat the raccoon off her; she was severely bitten on her back and legs............etc.,etc.,etc.,...............



Yo Deb:

Sorry to hear of the Raccoon attack on "SLEEVELESS".

i met her @ "The PLACE" in Damascus where she was nursing an injury there.
I wish here the best with those painful RABIES series of shots.
OUCH!

Lone Wolf
07-04-2005, 07:56
Raccoons are vermin. They should be killed on sight.

Youngblood
07-04-2005, 09:29
Raccoons are vermin. They should be killed on sight.
Don't hold back... tell us how you really feel about them. :)

Before my thru-hike I expected countless run-ins with raccoons and skunks, in particularly at the shelters. I didn't see a single one. Then again, I would often hear small animals moving outside of the shelters in the middle of the night... was that them?

Youngblood

stupe
07-04-2005, 09:52
Raccoons are vermin. They should be killed on sight.I suggest you try it barehanded. And without pants, as a favor to our gene pool's future.

TOW
07-04-2005, 12:27
man, i have been hearing of coon attacks all summer, something going on with them???

Lone Wolf
07-04-2005, 13:31
So you like rabid vermin stupe?

Kerosene
07-04-2005, 14:03
I read this is Socks' Trailjournals entry from June 26.
A hiker named Sleeveless was attacked by a raccoon at Pine Knob shelter near Harper's Ferry. She was sitting at a picnic table using pocketmail at the time. Hikers beat the raccoon off her; she was severely bitten on her back and legs.
She was helped out of the woods, went to a hospital and had her wounds treated. She has to reappear at the hospital for ongoing rabies shots, but in the meantime she's hiking on.Just the sort of thing I don't want my wife to hear about!

Mini-Mosey
07-04-2005, 14:08
I read about this....possibly somewhere else on this site. Or maybe on trailforums.com. Anyway, I think the shelter was closed for a while(it still may be)after that, and the raccoon is being hunted.

justusryans
07-04-2005, 14:22
Then your post should read "rabid animals should be killed on sight" Any mammal is capable of contracting and spreading rabies. This leads to "how do I know if a animal is rabid?" Well, any animal acting oddly, lack of fear, staggering, walking in circles... any behavior that doesn't seem to fit. I think this includes unprovoked attacks by raccoons. There is no real cure for full blown rabies, so if you are bitten by a animal then go get the shots. they suck... but not as bad as the alternative. btw, yea, rabid animals should be put down, but only by someone who is prepared to deal with the remains. A dead rabid animal is almost as dangerous as a live one. They can still infect others even dead. Nothing to play around with

stupe
07-05-2005, 03:31
So you like rabid vermin stupe?
I like raccoons. I am especially fond of the back meat; and they make warm, stylish winter hats.
It sounds like it was rabid, but I don't know for sure. I take issue with the "vermin" label. I have had it applied to myself too many times to take it lightly.
Anyway, come on, you advocated killing raccoons on sight to be provocative, and you're pleased when people are provoked. Right?
Please don't take my " suggestion" seriously, but if you do, keep your pants on. I swear, it was like some little demon made me write the pants/gene pool part.
The raccoons, however, won't let me take back the bare hands challenge, and I have to warn you, they ( the raccoons) are giving you lousy odds.

MedicineMan
07-05-2005, 06:39
not rabid,just getting into the rearing pond and stealing trout

Smile
07-05-2005, 08:56
Yes, true and did shake Sleeveless up a bit. Her wounds were healing but she was having to go back to the hospital each week for more rabies shots till the "series" was done, hoping for a good recovery!

Cookerhiker
07-05-2005, 09:02
I met Sleveless and Socks in Shenandoah National Park in mid-June and provided them dinner and breakfast in my campsite. I hope she's doing OK. My prayers are with her.

Pencil Pusher
07-05-2005, 19:55
Not much of a description on what happened other than after the fact. Was she trying to feed or pet it?

Cookerhiker
07-05-2005, 20:06
Not much of a description on what happened other than after the fact. Was she trying to feed or pet it?
From the description in Socks' journal (see Deb's original post for the URL), I don't think so. Having met Sleeveless, I doubt she would have fed or pet it - she struck me as a serious and experienced hiker.

Red Hat
07-06-2005, 15:25
I posted most of Socks journal entry in the General Forum. Sleeveless was sitting at the picnic table journaling on pocketmail in the dark when she was attacked. The other hikers were mostly sleeping, woke up, helped get it off her, and saw that she got to town for help. She definitely, was not petting it! As one of the more mature hikers on the trail, she is no ditz! Hope they find the raccoon and reopen the shelter soon.

Tin Man
07-06-2005, 15:41
Just the sort of thing I don't want my wife to hear about!

After making the mistake of telling my wife about the Murderer lurking near the trail, I am not about to tell her about the Night of the Raccoon.

Tractor
07-06-2005, 16:51
Bimmer & Kerosene. I haven't mentioned the lighting strikes, mad raccoon, murderers, suicides, cliff falls, Saved, or anything like to my wife either. I'm planning to hit the trail again in a couple of weeks and do not want her to worry (discuss or otherwise) such things. If she's happy, I'm so.......

Keep us posted on Sleeveless condition.

NICKTHEGREEK
07-06-2005, 18:22
I read this is Socks' Trailjournals entry from June 26.
A hiker named Sleeveless was attacked by a raccoon at Pine Knob shelter near Harper's Ferry. She was sitting at a picnic table using pocketmail at the time. Hikers beat the raccoon off her; she was severely bitten on her back and legs.
She was helped out of the woods, went to a hospital and had her wounds treated. She has to reappear at the hospital for ongoing rabies shots, but in the meantime she's hiking on.
www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=106346 (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=106346)
Rabies in 'coon and fox populations are at near epidemic levels in parts of VA and MD. I haven't heard of cases concerning opossums, but it would be safe to assume they pose a risk as well.
The one in this case can safely be assumed to be rabid because it exhibited such uncommon agressive behavior. If the animal in question can be captured an examination of the intact brain can confirm /deny the presence of rabies. Bashing it's skull flat as a pancake won't help and it's time for treatment. I believe the disease is transmitted via saliva so I wonder about the risk of drinking untreated water. I think that the Hydrophobia stage is a late one so they would drink water and possibly spread the disease. Any experts know for sure??

Footslogger
07-06-2005, 18:36
Yes ...it is found in saliva and spread via bites

'Slogger

saimyoji
07-06-2005, 22:35
I think that the Hydrophobia stage is a late one so they would drink water and possibly spread the disease. Any experts know for sure??
Excellent question. Most mammalian viruses need the heat, dark, moist, nutritious environment that the animal's insides provides, rabies included. I doubt that a hiker drinking downstream from a rabid animal could possibly contract rabies (other viral diseases be different): or rather, the virus could not survive long outside the body. The virus would be able to live in the dead host (racoon) for quite a while, hence it be very dangerous to play with dead animals, as was previously posted.

Smile
07-09-2005, 14:45
I hope that Sleevleless is feeling better...heard she is doing well from a few THer's a few days ago. I thought of her as we passed a trail somewhere in PA called "Racoon Trail" which we all know she did NOT take ;-)

Smile
07-09-2005, 14:46
I hope that Sleevleless is feeling better...heard she is doing well from a few THer's a few days ago. I thought of her as we passed a trail somewhere in PA called "Racoon Trail" which we all know she did NOT take ;-)
She told me the story and was as stated...sittinging in dark at shelter, doing mail, and just jumped on her, the rest is told well in the trail journal...

Pencil Pusher
07-10-2005, 22:56
Petting or feeding we can avoid, but getting jumped on, unprovoked... bad luck there. Could've happened to anyone.

Maybe she will discover the sport of coon hunting... chasing howling dogs into the night. Pretty much the blind leading the blind.

12hrsN2AT
09-20-2005, 13:08
Rabies in 'coon and fox populations are at near epidemic levels in parts of VA and MD. I haven't heard of cases concerning opossums, but it would be safe to assume they pose a risk as well. I thought Opossums were Marsupial and did not carry Rabies.

jaboobie
09-20-2005, 14:52
I thought Opossums were Marsupial and did not carry Rabies.
Oppossums are more resistant to rabies but not immune. Plus they're feisty, ugly buggers when cornered.

soulrebel
09-20-2005, 15:16
I'd have to body slam the critter!!! Then I'd yell at him for trying to use my pocketmail.

saimyoji
09-20-2005, 16:46
Opposums are marsupial, but they're still mammals. They can carry rabies.

dperry
09-20-2005, 21:56
I believe the disease is transmitted via saliva so I wonder about the risk of drinking untreated water. I think that the Hydrophobia stage is a late one so they would drink water and possibly spread the disease. Any experts know for sure??I haven't been able to find any specific references to transmission via water; however, the CDC website says that mere contact with blood from an infected animal will not cause infection, so I've got to figure water won't do it either. Also, the virus usually does not appear in the saliva until the disease has entered the fatal stage, and normally hydrophobia would have kicked in by then.

Let's put it this way; if you see a crazy looking mammal drinking from a spring, it can't hurt to avoid drinking from the same spring. However, I wouldn't worry about getting it from miles upstream.

Two other interesting notes:
1.) Modern vaccines are much less painful then they used to be and can usually be administered in the arm like other inoculations.
2.) There is strong evidence that Edgar Allan Poe may have died from rabies. He had many of the classic symptoms, and he was known to enjoy playing with stray cats.

dougmeredith
09-21-2005, 08:54
I saw a racoon on a tree beside the trail when I was running Monday morning. It made me think of this thread. Luckily I escaped without injury. :)

Doug

CynJ
09-21-2005, 23:02
Ouch! I hope she's doing okay now!

I got mauled two years ago by a feral cat that someone dropped of (ever so nicely :mad: ) at the animal shelter I was managing. It latched onto my hand and wrist and really inflicted a lot of injury. Had to have the rabies series (absolutely no fun) and lots of antibiotics.

I've had racoons hiss and try to be vicious when they want something but to have it just randomly attack her is bizzare.

I love animals of all shapes and sizes but I have decided that possums are THE stupidest animal I have ever met. We have a fenced in back yard in a fairly suburban neighborhood - we have a raised ranch with a big back deck. Last winter my husband and I were going out to dinner and let the boxer out for a quick bio break we left - after an abnormally long time we hear her ripping around the back yard - we go to investigate - she's got about a 15lb possum in her mouth. We told her to "leave it" and she dropped it - I really thought it was dead - there was a gash and there wasn't even shallow breathing. So we decided that we would deal with it in the morning and we overturned the wheelbarrow on it to keep the dog from messing with it. Next day - it's magically gone -no sign of it. This was middle of winter. Fast forward to Aprilish -our boxer was going nuts under the deck trying to get underneath that this pile of lumber my husband had stacked there. I'm thinking she lost her squeaky toy so I lift up a corner of hte plywood and she dives under - and lo and behold comes up with the SAME possum - and as the dog runs off shaking it baby possums are flying EVERYWHERE! 13 in all. We got mama away from the dog again - and collected all the babies in a bucket. I consulted a wildlife rehabber on what do do - we turned off the lights - mama eventually woke up and ran through a hole in the fence- we put the babies on the ground near the hole and in about 30mins she had come and got them all. But talk about dumb- I would have thought one brush with the boxer would have been enough. :rolleyes:

frieden
09-21-2005, 23:10
I had two baby racoons as pets one time (they lost their mom, so I took them in). Other than losing all of my silverware and jewelry behind the couch, they were really sweet. It's obvious that there was something wrong with this one. Animals don't attack for no reason, wild or domestic. It must have been sick. It's good that there was someone around to help her. This makes me feel even better about bringing a tent! Rabies is "at near epidemic levels in parts of VA and MD"?!? Really? Has anyone heard of any other hikers having problems?

Newb
09-22-2005, 16:13
That's wild. I was between Gathland park and Harper's Ferry back in June and walking north along the ridge there. A Fox came out of the woods not 20 feet in front of me and didn't budge, then it turned and ran but not real fast away from me. I've seen a lot of foxes in my day and this one didn't seem "right". However, like a lot of things that don't negatively impact us I let the incident go. Now I read about a 'coon attack 15 miles north of there about the same time.
I'd say it's a message to be careful in the NOVA, MD area.

Miss Janet
09-22-2005, 16:55
When my daughter was attacked by a rabid fox this past spring it was the first confirmed case of rabies in our county here in East Tennessee. (Her Dad shot the fox and it was confirmed to have racoon rabies.) Since then there have been several other cases. The authorities have started using special bait cubes to immunize animals. These are tossed into the woods around residential neighborhoods. Watch out for any animal that acts out of character.

I hope Sleeveless is over the ordeal.

middle to middle
10-02-2005, 19:00
I recall getting a ride in Linden Va. to the general store from a local that was called Racoon. Very nice person, and family, let me sleep in on a wet windy night and drove me back to the trailhead the next day.
Sounds like an awful thing to happen to a hiker the bite and all, but you did well.

t



QUOTE=Deb]I read this is Socks' Trailjournals entry from June 26.
A hiker named Sleeveless was attacked by a raccoon at Pine Knob shelter near Harper's Ferry. She was sitting at a picnic table using pocketmail at the time. Hikers beat the raccoon off her; she was severely bitten on her back and legs.
She was helped out of the woods, went to a hospital and had her wounds treated. She has to reappear at the hospital for ongoing rabies shots, but in the meantime she's hiking on.
www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=106346 (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=106346)[/QUOTE]

canoehead
10-03-2005, 15:08
yup i ran across sleeveless at the tom leonard shelter in great bearrington mass. in august. she was doing fine just a little freaked out about it. she did have to go to different hospitals to get shots i believe. and she was traveling with lowjack............................it must be tuff to be famous

TAMBOURINE
10-03-2005, 19:45
YEH I WAS DOING DAY HIKES IN SNP AND SAW A FEW COONS IN THE DAY AND THAT IS NOT GOOD AT ALL .I TOLD A RANGER WHEN I CAME BACK IN SOMETHING IS GOING ON WITH THE ANIMALS THIS YR THEY HAVE BEEN ACTING UNUSUAL THIS SUMMER.:dance

Newb
10-04-2005, 11:02
To make it worse, I heard Ole Yeller got the hydrophobe.

sleeveless
11-05-2005, 17:58
I just read through the thread on the raccoon attack. You can read about it in trailjournals.com in the search window type in sleeveless and go to the June 25 entry.

I had to keep my leg bandaged for a month and finally at the last doctor's suggestion that I get off it for a while so that it would heal I went home to NH from CT for 3.5 days and what a difference it made. When I came back I had 2 bandaids for a couple of days and it was completey healed then. The rabies shots were not painful but extremely inconvenient although I was not feeling well when I left Port Clinton after getting a shot that morning. I have some nasty scars on my leg and I am thankful that that is all I have.

After going to the hospital the night of the attack, I was hiking the next day and I will admit I was a little jumpy for a couple of weeks. Now it is one of the stories of the trail I have to tell. Thank you all for your concern and I can tell you there was no way to prevent the attack other than not being there.

For those of you that believe in esp or such, when Socks and I arrived at Pine knob shelter after hiking 21 or 22 miles that day, I had a very bad feeling that I expressed to her. She even jumped up in the shelter and said it's clean and I don't see anything that will bite us!! I also had the same erie feeling when I went up to the spring to filter water. I couldn't leave there fast enough.

I have to thank Socks, Old Graceful a section hiker and Ben (I have his last name written down at home) and his son who were tenting there for the weekend for all the help. Old Graceful carried his pack on his back and mine on the front of him as we walked 3/4 miles down a rocky trail in the dark to meet the ambulance that Ben had called. I had to have 6 shots in the hospital and then the rabies series at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after the attack.

Somebody in the thread mentioned that they use their tent. Sock and I were going to tent but the spots were less than desirabe and there was already a tent in the god spot.

There were lots of nice and helpful people on the trail who helped me with bandages and rides to the hospitals. I guess that was all part of the trail experiece. I can only say that it did not ruin my hike, I was not about to let it. At 60 there are not going to be to many years left that I would have to go back and start it over. It was a fantastic journey so don't let this very unusual experience in any way stop you from heading out on the trail by your self as I did. Happy hiking to all.
Sleeveless

Marta
11-05-2005, 18:58
That's an amazing story of courage, Sleeveless. Thanks for sharing it. I'll have to check out your Trail Journal.