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  1. #1
    GoldenBear's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Facts about fatal animal attacks in the U.S.

    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.

  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by GoldenBear View Post
    ...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.
    I'm not sure that follows from the data. Since you see dogs in towns and cities far more often than you see bears, and you don't get killed every time you see a dog, I'm not sure that _on a trail_ you're more likely to be killed by a dog than a bear. Whats the ratio of dog encounters to deaths, vs bear encounters to deaths?

  3. #3
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GoldenBear View Post
    This is not a joke: be careful around farm animals, just like you would be careful around predators.
    Does the AT still pass through pastures with cows in them?

    And the odd bull?

  4. #4
    Registered User JJ505's Avatar
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    I don't know re: the AT but i worry about this here. Idiots with their dogs. Note that I have a dog, so this is not hate against dogs. And 98% of the dogs are fine. But there is that idiot that has a dog that shouldn't be there, that is off leash and is dog aggressive (or human aggressive). It's a concern.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    Does the AT still pass through pastures with cows in them?

    And the odd bull?
    It passes through a pasture adjacent to the Route 94 crossing in NJ between Pochuck Boardwalk and Stairway to Heaven. Very unfriendly bovines...

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    Does the AT still pass through pastures with cows in them?

    And the odd bull?
    I don't know about bulls, but I walked through a herd of long horn cattle in Grayson highlands and you cross a number of cow pastures in VA.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by JJ505 View Post
    I don't know re: the AT but i worry about this here. Idiots with their dogs. Note that I have a dog, so this is not hate against dogs. And 98% of the dogs are fine. But there is that idiot that has a dog that shouldn't be there, that is off leash and is dog aggressive (or human aggressive). It's a concern.
    I assume that any dog I encounter on a trail that is off leash is likely to be an aggressive dog (and for certain the owner is an idiot). I've had "friendly dogs" react negatively to trekking poles and even a headnet, so I really don't want to hear how your dog is not a problem dog. It's never a problem dog , until it becomes a problem dog. If there are leash laws, follow them - you and your dog are not special. If you run your dog off leash and it comes at me, I'll defend myself and if your dog is injured, that's on you.

  8. #8
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Seems to me I remember pushing by some herfords in VT.

  9. #9

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    There's a few farm crossings in Tennessee and SW VA. I've had to walk around cows many times, often deep in the thick woods.

  10. #10
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Quote Originally Posted by GoldenBear View Post
    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.
    It's unfortunate that the last paragraph was added. It's seems to be derailing an otherwise excellent post and thread.

    I'll add that passing through cattle fields on trail probably makes more nervous than any other one type of animal encounter on trail. Ornery cattle are nothing to mess with, especially from the inside of their field.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  11. #11
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    So, in conclusion, cattle should be killed and eaten.
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  12. #12
    Registered User Christoph's Avatar
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    I suddenly have a hankering for a steak... or a burger.
    But yes, the AT does go through multiple pastures where cows are present and curious.
    - Trail name: Thumper

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Feral Bill View Post
    So, in conclusion, cattle should be killed and eaten.
    cooking in between is somewhat popular

  14. #14
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    100 million cattle in us

    90 million dogs

    70 million pigs

    300 thousand bears, only 1500 of which are grizzly in lower 48

    fatalities appear to be related to population and interaction more than actual threat

    what would be a very embarrassing way to go?? a sheep related fatality (of which their are only 5 million)

  15. #15
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Quote Originally Posted by Feral Bill View Post
    So, in conclusion, cattle should be killed and eaten.
    Statistically it would be safer to kill ahd eat the bears.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  16. #16

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    The fear comes from being able to defend yourself and get away. I can climb a tree or walk away to avoid cows, I think I could physically take on a dog, I can easily spot snakes. If a bear wants to kill me, it will every time.

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by FrogLevel View Post
    The fear comes from being able to defend yourself and get away. I can climb a tree or walk away to avoid cows, I think I could physically take on a dog, I can easily spot snakes. If a bear wants to kill me, it will every time.
    Curious, do you have a dog? I've had 2 in the 50lb range, and they were both crazy strong when motivated.

  18. #18
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    IMO, for hikers, the most dangerous critters in the eastern mountains aren't the big animals like cows or moose or even dogs (which are more likely to injure a hiker than livestock or wild animals). The most dangerous critters are ticks (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, etc.) and mosquitoes (West Nile Virus). Yes, they are both technically animals. No, they won't kill you right on the trail, but they can infect a person with numerous diseases, many of which can be fatal long term if treatment isn't administered early enough, especially if a person has an underlying medical condition or compromised immune system. They kill more people in the US each year than all the others combined.

  19. #19

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    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

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    Statistically it would be safer to kill ahd eat the bears.
    I recently read where a suspected lion poacher in Africa was killed and eaten by lions. Karma.

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