Protection from Dangerous Animals

[Halo]

Do any of you live in an area where you actually have to be concerned about protection from dangerous animals?  Even near densely populated areas in Northern Virginia, some are concerned about black bear.  

I saw a guy in a gun shop last year who was buying a 12-gauge coach shotgun for his wife because after he left for work in the morning, she was concerned about bear near their mountain home when she went out to her car.  

Rarely happens around here, but in more isolated areas of the state there have been a couple deaths from black bear, so her concern is warranted.  

I don't hike that far anymore, but when I used to in deep woods, I felt much better with my .357 revolver on my hip.  One time I came across a woman on the opposite side of a creek who was running a big pack of big hounds.  Had nothing with me but a hiking stick and a ka-bar knife, and fortunately no problem, but definitely don't like going into isolated areas without some protection.

So the question is, Are you concerned about any dangerous animals in your area, and if so, what protection measures do you use?  I'm thinking of bears, wolves, coyotes, stray dogs, cougars, maybe even wolverines.

[midnight Target]

Mountain lion a-plenty around here. They have attacked lone hikers and sometimes stragglers in a group. I make sure my dog is with me. That's about it.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by midnight Target
Mountain lion a-plenty around here. They have attacked lone hikers and sometimes stragglers in a group. I make sure my dog is with me. That's about it.

Same.  One was seen jumping the neighbors fence last year.  4 years ago a boy was near the green belt and was "growled" at by an unseen cougar hidden in the thick brush on the green belt. (Game dept confirmed it by the paw prints when it was reported).

I have weapons ready to shoot one if they come into my acre.  When the kids are outside, there is always an adult with them.  Having a dog that craps on the property line of the green belt pretty much keeps the Cougs away too. They're deathly afraid of dogs since you're allowed to use dogs to track them when hunting cougar.

[Halo]

mT, is your dog a match for a mountain lion (recalling the famous clip of mule stomping a cougar, but uncertain how alive the cougar was before the mule got it)?

Rip, I can see a mountain lion equating a pack of dogs with danger, but single dogs?  I would think most cougars could easily take most dogs individually.

[Red Tail 444]

Black bears aren't so bad. I'm more concerned about deer ticks and mosquitoes in the warmer months..oh, well yeah, and bears in the spring, moose or elk in the fall.

[Skuzzy]

While not dangerous, per se, they are really freaky looking.  

They schlump up and down the street with thier paws dragging the ground in the pockets of pants which has the crotch near the top of thier ankles.

They also like to freeze in the middle of the road, in front of you, while you are driving, as if it dare you to hit them.  

They have poor vision due to the very stiff hair they keep in thier eyes.  Seems to be some type of gel they excrete to keep thier hair protected.

And they are very pale.  As if they have been underground all thier lives.  Might explain why they freeze when they see a car.

Oh yeah,..goths.  Odd critters.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Halo
mT, is your dog a match for a mountain lion (recalling the famous clip of mule stomping a cougar, but uncertain how alive the cougar was before the mule got it)?

Rip, I can see a mountain lion equating a pack of dogs with danger, but single dogs?  I would think most cougars could easily take most dogs individually.

Sure, but they get scent of their crap way before they see them.  Pavlov's theory kicks in, but instead of salivating, they run the other way.  That's what the Game Warden told us. They're hunted around these parts, sometimes you can hear the dogs barking in the distance when a hunter is on the chase in the White River valley if the wind is blowing just right.

The state made hunting with dogs illegal for a couple years. Cougar population boomed,cougar attacks picked up quite a bit on trail-savvy tree-huggers, so the re-implemented the right to hunt with dogs.

[68Hawk]

Not much in Denver itself, but they do get bears raiding trash cans in Boulder a lot from what I hear.  Lots of warnings to citizens about securing their trash.  

I did see a Fox running across campus last week though, and I go up to the mountains a lot where there are bears, mountain lions, rabid chipmunks and lesbians.

Oh my!

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
While not dangerous, per se, they are really freaky looking.  

They schlump up and down the street with thier paws dragging the ground in the pockets of pants which has the crotch near the top of thier ankles.

They also like to freeze in the middle of the road, in front of you, while you are driving, as if it dare you to hit them.  

They have poor vision due to the very stiff hair they keep in thier eyes.  Seems to be some type of gel they excrete to keep thier hair protected.

And they are very pale.  As if they have been underground all thier lives.  Might explain why they freeze when they see a car.

Oh yeah,..goths.  Odd critters.

[Halo]

You guys are good.    Goths and lezzies and the thread just started.

Just shows to go ya, in most situations few things are as helpful as a sense of humor.

[lambo31]

Big dogs roaming the nieghborhood worries me more. Had one growl at my daughter a while back. The next time I see the dog, it will be a dead dog.

Lambo

[lasersailor184]

There was a threat of bears at the construction site.  The largest bear ever killed in PA was killed on the property.

We kept a .38 Spcl by us at all times.  I personally had a huge kabar.  That bear might take me, but I'll be damned if I'm not going to get him in return.

[midnight Target]

Originally posted by Halo
mT, is your dog a match for a mountain lion (recalling the famous clip of mule stomping a cougar, but uncertain how alive the cougar was before the mule got it)?

Rip, I can see a mountain lion equating a pack of dogs with danger, but single dogs?  I would think most cougars could easily take most dogs individually.

My dog would probably 1st attempt to play with the mountain lion, followed by licking it to death then maybe he would run around looking for a stick that the mountain lion could throw.

Fortunately the lion doesn't know this.

lions are ambushers mostly. It would be harder for them to sneek up on a dog, plus they just don't like 'em.

[Goth]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
While not dangerous, per se, they are really freaky looking.  

They schlump up and down the street with thier paws dragging the ground in the pockets of pants which has the crotch near the top of thier ankles.

They also like to freeze in the middle of the road, in front of you, while you are driving, as if it dare you to hit them.  

They have poor vision due to the very stiff hair they keep in thier eyes.  Seems to be some type of gel they excrete to keep thier hair protected.

And they are very pale.  As if they have been underground all thier lives.  Might explain why they freeze when they see a car.

Oh yeah,..goths.  Odd critters.

I take offense to this. It's not that they dare you, it's that they just don't care if you do.

[Phaser11]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
While not dangerous, per se, they are really freaky looking.  

They schlump up and down the street with thier paws dragging the ground in the pockets of pants which has the crotch near the top of thier ankles.

They also like to freeze in the middle of the road, in front of you, while you are driving, as if it dare you to hit them.  

They have poor vision due to the very stiff hair they keep in thier eyes.  Seems to be some type of gel they excrete to keep thier hair protected.

And they are very pale.  As if they have been underground all thier lives.  Might explain why they freeze when they see a car.

Oh yeah,..goths.  Odd critters.

What are my kids doing in Texas???????