Remember that TV show, When Animals Attack!?
The shockumentary, which aired in the mid-90s, began each week with the narrator cooly saying, “The following program contains graphic footage of animals attacking humans.” What followed was a series of clips, sometimes from home video, sometimes professionally filmed, resulting in increased paranoia and anxiety amongst folks considering spending time in nature.
As you step onto the trail, you may consider the following question. Will animals attack me? The answer is a resounding probably not. Seriously, you have a better chance of winning the lottery. Think about it. If bears and mountain lions wanted to eat people, people would be getting eaten. All the time. And they’re not.
Viewing wildlife is incredible and probably one of the reasons you’ve headed outdoors.
We all want to see a mama deer with her babies in a field or a majestic hawk swooping and soaring overhead, but probably draw the line at some of the wildlife we perceive as threatening.
Most animals are skittish and want to steer clear of you. They won’t willingly attack unless they feel threatened by you or someone in your group. The best way to achieve this non-threatening approach is to keep your distance from wildlife on the trail. The appropriate distance varies by species, but a good rule of thumb is that if you cause the animal to move, you are too close.
The type of wildlife I get asked about constantly is snakes. I rarely see snakes on the trail, and I live in Texas! I haven’t seen many snakes because I’m a terrible wildlife spotter. I’ve probably walked by countless snakes on my treks. As one ranger informed me, if it’s a trail in Texas, you can pretty much guarantee there’s a snake on it.
The snakes, seen and unseen, are happy to let me pass, and they’ll be glad to let you by too. Should you encounter one stretched out across the trail, common in spring when they’re trying to get some warmth, give the snake a little time and space. It’ll most likely slither away to avoid you. Every snake I’ve seen and pretty much all wildlife has been booking it away from me. Get it? Away. Give ’em a chance, and they’ll be headed away from you as well.
Another strategy is to make noise while you hike.
This is easy for me since I am generally a loud person. My husband claims that I couldn’t sneak up on an elephant. He’s not wrong. So make a little noise. Chat with your hiking buddy. Sing. Some people even wear bells on their packs if they’re solo.
If you’re anxious about it, talk to a ranger. They’re happy to give you intel about wildlife in the area and will usually share some tactics to avoid encounters and the best way to respond in the unlikely event of a run-in. On a recent trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park to tackle the tallest point in Texas, the park service had a ranger stationed at the trailhead. He stopped all hikers to chat with them – mainly about how much water would be needed for the strenuous trek ahead.
I was surprised to learn that there were elk there. I was not surprised to learn that there were mountain lions there. As we walked off, the ranger called out, “Mountain Lions are stealth predators. So if you see one, you don’t have to worry. It’s already decided not to kill you.” I don’t know if that statement was terrifying or comforting. Probably a little of both. But it cycles back to the If mountain lions wanted to eat people, people would be getting eaten theory.
We’ve talked about some of the scarier encounters.
Butt the critters you’re most likely to encounter are mice and squirrels – basically mice with cute fluffy tails – trying to grab a snack. Keep your food put up. And be careful where you set your backpack. Squirrels may come up to you, acting all cute and cuddly. They’ll gaze at you wide-eyed and innocently. Don’t be fooled. They are lightning-fast with razor-sharp teeth. They are not your friends and will only use you for your food. Please don’t fall for it.
While we’re on the subject of food, the following should go without saying, but I’d feel remiss if I left it out. Please do not feed the animals. Any of the animals. It’s not good for them, and do you really want wildlife to associate humans with food? I didn’t think so. And in the name of all that’s holy, quit trying to take selfies with them. Especially buffalo. What is wrong with you? Bison are enormous and do not want to pose with you for your Instagram feed. Just stop it!
Read on for another tale from the tale, the one in which I encounter a Bison who didn’t seem happy to see me.
Excerpted from Stuff I Wish I Knew Before I Went Hiking: Tales and a Few Fails From the Trail
As always, thanks for reading! XOXO
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