Raccoon attack

[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

[Jaybird]

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]

Raccoons are vermin. They should be killed on sight.

[Youngblood]

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]

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]

man, i have been hearing of coon attacks all summer, something going on with them???

[Lone Wolf]

So you like rabid vermin stupe?

[Kerosene]

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]

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]

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]

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]

not rabid,just getting into the rearing pond and stealing trout

[Smile]

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]

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]

Not much of a description on what happened other than after the fact. Was she trying to feed or pet it?

[Cookerhiker]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

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??