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  1. #21

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    Grind on those stats for awhile.

    Largely, on any adventure of utmost chief concern for me is not farm animals, dogs, insects, bears, snakes, ticks, giardia, parasites, pison ivy, sun flares, rogue waves, or sharks it's where are the humans, what are human animals up to.

  2. #22
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dogwood View Post
    Why do humans always take themselves out of such statistics? Humans are animals.

    Yeah, they are.


    Top 20 Most Dangerous Animals in Austrailia
    Wicked Tuna
    Top 25 Most Dangerous Animals in the World
    Top 10 Most Dangerous Animals in the World
    Most Dangerous Animals in N. America

    Not one mention of the dangerous animals humans are!
    OMG, talk about humanities hubris.

    At least this article finally mentions who kills the most humans - mosquitos. Second is humans who account for the second most fatalities to humans 437,000 global homicides in 2012. And, that doesn't include the death and destruction to humans from human wars. The greatest threat of fatality to humans is from other humans.

    Oh how ignorant and prideful of animals humans are pointing fingers at dangers from other animals.
    https://www.sciencealert.com/what-ar...dliest-animals
    A valid point that I think most of us already realize. But I think we are more looking at dangers from non-human animals given the context of the thread, even though there have been homicides committed on trails. I am somewhat surprised you didn't bring up how many of us humans kill ourselves without aid of any other humans or animals. Via automobiles, firearms, diet, smoking, drinking, drugs, "hold my beer moments", etc. We can be pretty self-destructive critters.

  3. #23

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    Didn't think about that.

    How about the extent of death of non human animals from the human animal? 1 million, that's 1,000,000, animas die each day in the U.S. alone being struck by human animal drivers behind the wheel.

    It makes human animals very uncomfortable considering they too are animals or considering human animal behavior.

    The toll is staggering.

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by AllDownhillFromHere View Post
    Curious, do you have a dog? I've had 2 in the 50lb range, and they were both crazy strong when motivated.
    I've got labs. I think if I had to kill one I think I could, or at least put up one hell of a fight.

  5. #25

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    Of more concern than dogs or farm animals or snakes or bears are the gawking human animal Tourons behind the wheel crossing Hwy 441 at Newfound Gap or the self absorbed biz guy after 3 martinis coming from NYC illegally inattentively speeding to get home while crossing NY Hwy 55 on the Taconic Pkwy.

  6. #26
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AllDownhillFromHere View Post
    Curious, do you have a dog? I've had 2 in the 50lb range, and they were both crazy strong when motivated.
    Quote Originally Posted by FrogLevel View Post
    I've got labs. I think if I had to kill one I think I could, or at least put up one hell of a fight.
    It's a tough call. I've got a large boned 80 lb chocolate lab. He's incredibly friendly and still a puppy at heart at 10 years old. I wrestle with him and he'll put his mouth over my hand and arm but never break the skin. The proverbial soft mouth and good nature of a retriever. But unless you command him to drop a toy, you will NOT be able to take it from him by force. He's simply too strong. If he were to turn mean, I don't know... He could probably kill most humans if so inclined.

  7. #27

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    I've come to terms with the greatest peril to my life on the AT. It's myself...my own ignorance and inattentiveness.

    No longer will I entertain pointing fingers away from myself blaming someone or something else.

    Greatest dangers as a hiker are from slips, trips, and falls. That peril is virtually if not always on myself. I can be my own worst enemy. I do what I can not to be. How about you?

  8. #28
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    I've encountered cows on multiple trails and it is always kind of interesting going through a herd. Most cows are indifferent and/or seem bored but occasionally one or two takes and interesting in hikers. I've also had stubborn cows refuse to yield the trail necessitating detours. Particularly interesting was an incident on the Colorado Trail where I had to obtain water from a pond used by cows - kind of gross and the cows didn't seem to take kindly to this two legged intruder.

  9. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by AllDownhillFromHere View Post
    Curious, do you have a dog? I've had 2 in the 50lb range, and they were both crazy strong when motivated.
    Yup. 30 ft facing a ripped male 70 lb pit bull last yr. It broke loose from the owner. Covered the distance amazingly faster than I anticipated it could. Leapt like a tiger on me from 8 ft easily knocking me at 200 lbs onto my back. Was standing on my chest. Had no time or capability to get to my knife. Didnt have a firearm on me. Even if I did I don't think I would have gotten a shot off as the situatioN evolved unexpectedly. Took both hands to keep it from clamping dowN on my throat which it instinctively went for less than a ft away from my face. Was concerned about it clamping down on my face or oNE of my wrists. Fortunate the owner was able to grab the leash and pull it off me. My rigjt knee"s cartilage and tendons are now damaged.

    Of course it's owner said it was a friendly dog.

    Day after two Atlanta 1 st graders were attacked in a different incident involving two pit bulls. The vicious attacks claimed the life of one little boy and seriously injured a little girl...while their school mates watched and tried to help. Horrific experience.

    If I can't defend against an agressive pitbull by staying on my feet what chance did those two children have?
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ajc...qqjAJ/amp.html

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by FrogLevel View Post
    I've got labs. I think if I had to kill one I think I could, or at least put up one hell of a fight.
    You could put up a fight but if a big dog really wants to eat your lunch (so to speak) my money is on the dog every time. You might get a few licks in but once the dog gets a hold on you and starts shaking its head, ripping you up in the process, getting away will be the only thing on your mind.
    If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

  11. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by TexasBob View Post
    You could put up a fight but if a big dog really wants to eat your lunch (so to speak) my money is on the dog every time. You might get a few licks in but once the dog gets a hold on you and starts shaking its head, ripping you up in the process, getting away will be the only thing on your mind.
    Before this becomes a flamefest against GSDs or so-called 'pitbull' dogs, my point is that you're probably not going to win against a dog either (vs bear) - BUT, the # of times you meet a dog vs. the number of times it attacks you is probably less than the # of times you meet a bear and it attacks you. Which was the whole poorly-worded part of the OP.

  12. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by Coffee View Post
    I've encountered cows on multiple trails and it is always kind of interesting going through a herd. Most cows are indifferent and/or seem bored but occasionally one or two takes and interesting in hikers. I've also had stubborn cows refuse to yield the trail necessitating detours. Particularly interesting was an incident on the Colorado Trail where I had to obtain water from a pond used by cows - kind of gross and the cows didn't seem to take kindly to this two legged intruder.

    Get knocked or fall to the ground from a startled cow and have it then escalate to startled other cows and one can get trampled.

    Have a horse or mule kick you or trample on you and it can easily be fatal.

    Don't cede the right of way to stock even goats on narrow steep sided trail and risk being rammed or butted possibly off trail.

    Screw with working farm or herding dogs and you can be perceived as a threat.

    Ever see tamed farm turkey or geese become agrressive especially to children resulting on injurious falls and hen peck? Ive worked on farms. I have.

    All farm animals

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    Quote Originally Posted by George View Post
    cooking in between is somewhat popular
    Good idea!
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  14. #34

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    Strongly disagree. I've seen more unleashed dogs on hikes than bears. I've never been attacked by a bear anytime.I've been attacked by agressive dogs multiple times on hikes almost always while on a road portion of a hike where the dog was aggressive off the property unleashed.

  15. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by AllDownhillFromHere View Post
    Before this becomes a flamefest against GSDs or so-called 'pitbull' dogs, my point is that you're probably not going to win against a dog either (vs bear) - BUT, the # of times you meet a dog vs. the number of times it attacks you is probably less than the # of times you meet a bear and it attacks you. Which was the whole poorly-worded part of the OP.
    I am not against dogs whatever their breed. I think the OP would have been right saying "You are more likely to be injured by a dog rather than being injured by a bear". Here are some interesting statistics about dog bites in general especially involving children. http://www.safetyarounddogs.org/statistics.html
    If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

  16. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by TexasBob View Post
    I am not against dogs whatever their breed. I think the OP would have been right saying "You are more likely to be injured by a dog rather than being injured by a bear". Here are some interesting statistics about dog bites in general especially involving children. http://www.safetyarounddogs.org/statistics.html
    Totally agree.

  17. #37
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dogwood View Post
    Greatest dangers as a hiker are from slips, trips, and falls. That peril is virtually if not always on myself. I can be my own worst enemy. I do what I can not to be. How about you?
    That sort of begs the question: How many thru hikers have died from slips, trips and falls on the AT?

    The number of thru hikers killed by a complete stranger while in the middle of their AT thru hikes I is of course, widely known. Falls, not so much — but I would be hard pressed to come up with the name of one, much less five or six.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dogwood View Post
    I've never been attacked by a bear anytime.I've been attacked by agressive dogs multiple times ...
    Yeah, you probably won't be attacked by an aggressive bear more than once...

  19. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    That sort of begs the question: How many thru hikers have died from slips, trips and falls on the AT?

    The number of thru hikers killed by a complete stranger while in the middle of their AT thru hikes I is of course, widely known. Falls, not so much — but I would be hard pressed to come up with the name of one, much less five or six.
    Myocardial Infarction is by far the biggest killer on the trail.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

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    Duplicate...
    Last edited by Sarcasm the elf; 03-10-2018 at 20:03.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

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