Facts about fatal animal attacks in the U.S.

[Dogwood]

No special time. Anytime. Wally World.

During ZPacks going out of biz sale amidst a UL mob all vying for the last Duplex.

Shea Stadium for a Jets Monday night game

Breaking down on 115 St in Harlem on a summer Fri night in my sister's shiny new Beemer.

[Dogwood]

http://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1...313-7/abstract
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...kes/410283002/

Cows, horses, and other farm animals cause the most fatalities.
Hymenoptera (hornets, wasps, and bees) are next.
Dogs are #3.
Snakes come next.
Bears fatalities are so rare that they hardly count for danger.

This is not a joke: be careful around farm animals, just like you would be careful around predators.

And if you see a dog on The Trail, particularly one that is unleashed, remember that the danger of fatalities is greater than if you see a bear.

Authorities are searching for an armed rogue recently fired disgruntled Chik-Fil-A cow responsible for multiple hijackings of Vegan hiker's food bags at hoof point and threats of cow farts. Authorities say the cowprit may be attempting to evade capture by blending in with other cows. Extreme caution is advised.

[George]

I take it a kill/ eat on sight order has been issued for this bovine outlaw

[Dogwood]

I take it a kill/ eat on sight order has been issued for this bovine outlaw

If we were doing a hike in Vietnam that would also apply to Fido. Have to keep those canine attacks on humanity in check. Puppy in peanut sauce anyone? Taste like chicken and PB.

[Feral Bill]

Let's not forget the 200 or so people killed in deer collisions annually.

[rickb]

Facts don't lie, but statistics can be manipulated and misinterpreted.

True.


I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that livestock murder about 8 times as many farmers a year, as do criminals kill police officers a year.

(http://www.nleomf.org/assets/pdfs/re...port_FINAL.pdf ) .

I have know farming was the more dangerous profession for some time, but I had no idea.

Anyone know how many thru hikers have died of heart attacks on the AT? I know of an older thru hiker in the Whites some years ago, but does the number really top five or 6?

Understood that heart attacks my be the biggest killer on the Trail, but is it a fact that they are the leading cause of death among thru hikers on the AT?

[tdoczi]

Let's not forget the 200 or so people killed in deer collisions annually.

dont know if it was/is true, but a long time ago i read somewhere seemingly reputable that deer are the wild animal responsible for the most human fatalities in the US

[Dogwood]

dont know if it was/is true, but a long time ago i read somewhere seemingly reputable that deer are the wild animal responsible for the most human fatalities in the US

Here we go again. This stat has to be understood in regard to humans being responsible for their own deaths involving deer. As can be imagined this stat is mostly related to vehicle accidents including motorcycles. Deer aren't usually responsible for killing people. It's the ignorance and inattentiveness of humans in vehicles behind the wheel most responsible for those accidents with deer. Often it invloves swerving into something like a tree or oncoming traffic to avoid deer impacting the vehicle. It can involve ignoring posted deer warning road signs, the known prevalence of deer in the area, seat belt laws, and ignorance of what hrs deer are most active and likely to be hit - dusk and dawn in low light - and during the fall deer mating season.

These stats have to be understood in the context of humans being responsible for destroying deer natural habitat and much of their natural predators that would cull the deer population.

We humans very much take ourselves out of the responsibility equation. We don't like examining our behavior.

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-...eer-this-fall/

[Feral Bill]

dont know if it was/is true, but a long time ago i read somewhere seemingly reputable that deer are the wild animal responsible for the most human fatalities in the US

When I was teaching a student did a research paper on this, well cited. Numbers vary year to year, of course. Insects may kill more from allergic reactions.

[rickb]

Deer aren't usually responsible for killing people. It's the ignorance and inattentiveness of humans in vehicles behind the wheel most responsible for those accidents with deer.

This may be true in most areas, however in Western NY where I grew up (near Mendon Ponds Park to be more specific) the deer would get together and send out a few from the herd to attack cars kamikaze style on a regular basis.

Even at age 16 most drivers knew to hit them head on, rather than swerving off a road — in part because hitting a deer was not a surchargeable accident and, even more importantly, Mom and Dad couldn’t be too pissed because they both had hit one or two fairly recently themselves.

in more recent years, Deer have taken to employing biological attack with the help of ticks, but make no mistake of it, a deer in NY is nothing more than a wolf in sheep,s clothing.

To the he extent my advise is welcome, I would recommend thinking of a roadside dear like a cockroach—- if you see one there is a 100% chance more at nearby — so hit the breaks not for the one you see, but rather the one you don’t.

[Jim Adams]

As far as injury caused by a traumatic attack, dogs are the worst when on the A.T. Thru hiked twice. Never heard of a bear attack. Only heard of 1 snake bite. Never heard of an attack by cattle. Never heard of any attacks by wild animals. Have seen 7 dog bites.

[tdoczi]

Here we go again. This stat has to be understood in regard to humans being responsible for their own deaths involving deer. As can be imagined this stat is mostly related to vehicle accidents including motorcycles. Deer aren't usually responsible for killing people. It's the ignorance and inattentiveness of humans in vehicles behind the wheel most responsible for those accidents with deer. Often it invloves swerving into something like a tree or oncoming traffic to avoid deer impacting the vehicle. It can involve ignoring posted deer warning road signs, the known prevalence of deer in the area, seat belt laws, and ignorance of what hrs deer are most active and likely to be hit - dusk and dawn in low light - and during the fall deer mating season.

These stats have to be understood in the context of humans being responsible for destroying deer natural habitat and much of their natural predators that would cull the deer population.

We humans very much take ourselves out of the responsibility equation. We don't like examining our behavior.

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-...eer-this-fall/

humans can be said to have some responsibility in all fatal interactions with wildlife, if you want to try and find it. can they not?

now a fair point is that it has no bearing on what animal is more dangerous to a hiker. though that said i have heard more than one story of people being fatally injured by deer while not in automobiles.

plus there are no shortage of people who think moose are incredibly dangerous.

[Jim Adams]

Bears on the A.T. are not dangerous. Check out black bear deaths in the U.S. over the past 20 years in North America.....25. Fatalities by dog attacks.......327. Beware of dogs on the trail.

[illabelle]

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.

I've seen more unleashed bears on hikes than dogs.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Bears on the A.T. are not dangerous. Check out black bear deaths in the U.S. over the past 20 years in North America.....25. Fatalities by dog attacks.......327. Beware of dogs on the trail.

327 dog fatalities in the backcountry?

[Dogwood]

This may be true in most areas, however in Western NY where I grew up (near Mendon Ponds Park to be more specific) the deer would get together and send out a few from the herd to attack cars kamikaze style on a regular basis...

Seems that way sometimes. I hear the deer are targetting drivers who are hunters, those involved in deforestation, and in luxury gas guzzlers.

When the lions, tigers, cheetahs, bears, wolves, elephants, rhinos, sharks, barracuda, orca, Kumodo dragons, serpents, African bees, as well as the rest of the planet start rampaging against a self absorbed destructive humanity Jumanji or Jurassic Park style as humanity has warred against them deer will be the least of concern.

Humans are another animal...with a great capacity for destruction...or creativity and living in a harmonious balance respectful of LIFE. Hear how quiet it got saying that.

[perdidochas]

http://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1...313-7/abstract
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...kes/410283002/

Cows, horses, and other farm animals cause the most fatalities.
Hymenoptera (hornets, wasps, and bees) are next.
Dogs are #3.
Snakes come next.
Bears fatalities are so rare that they hardly count for danger.

This is not a joke: be careful around farm animals, just like you would be careful around predators.

And if you see a dog on The Trail, particularly one that is unleashed, remember that the danger of fatalities is greater than if you see a bear.

Not really. I have seen two wild bears in my life. I've seen numerous (in at least the thousands or tens of thousands) dogs and farm animals and stinging insects in that time.

[Dogwood]

Any place you are crossing stiles is a situation where you might encounter farm animals. In farm country, animals get loose too. Saw a goat on the trail. I'm no tracker but fresh cow pies usually indicate nearby cattle. It's fresh when your boot just slides right into it and the pie doesn't hold its shape.

Cows in SW VA. Came back from getting water one morning and a cow was licking my tent. It was a jailbreak cow. I could tell by the white and black spots and the downed fence rails. Those escaped convict cows are particularly unpredictable, that cow was looking to steal my tent!

Longhorn cattle somewhere near MD/PA.

Cow almost killed me in NY, North of the train stop I think. I crossed into a cow field. Shined my head lamp to the left. Two glowing red eyes in the dark. Damn near had a heart attack. Would that have been one for the cow or one one for myocardial infarction? Deer made a similar attempt on my life in VA, spooky blue eyes floating in space bodies hidden behind rocks on a dark night. They don't call them wildlife for nothing!

Oh those murderous inquisitive salt lickin' denizens.

[Dogwood]

I've seen more unleashed bears on hikes than dogs.

I've seen more humans that should have been on a leash than bears or dogs that should have been on a leash.

[Dogwood]

Referring to human fatalities involving deer as murder is nonsense.

I thought murder is what humans inflict on other humans like in west Chicago and for the love of money and power?