Seen in Print

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I had occasion, today, while walking my 2mi , to encounter a very large Chocolate Labrador dog, moving directly toward me on a sidewalk, which was on a leash walking curbside with its mistress between us.

The very first suggestion in the National Park Service link applies here.

Number 1. Identify yourself and talk calmly to the dog's mistress so she knows you are a decent human being and not a predator.

If number one fails...
Number 2. If she pulls the bear spray out of her purse, don't run, large chocolate labrador dogs can run as fast as a racehorse.
Number 3. Counter the threat by aiming your bear spray at the dog, not the dog's mistress. Tell her, "If you squirt, I squirt!" They usually will back off if their dog is threatened.
Number 4. Next time try to avoid women walking with large dogs.

Clever ashell. All key points will be followed, except for #4. They are everywhere, and I refuse to cowtow to their prospective tyrannies (the dogs, nor the owners).
P.S. #1 is usually a certainty since I tip-my-hat and bid Hello to every woman I encounter on my walks. Did I tell you I, now (since last year's encounter with a pit-bull running loose in the neighborhood) carry a small navy kit bag with me, containing a large can of wasp spray, an iron club, and a penknife with me on each journey thru the 'burbs on my exercise walks?

[webenda]

Though I am going back into this forest for the peace of it all, I have wondered if I should use a little wooden, New Year's Eve-type rattle noise-maker I have to announce my arrival.

Good grief! There goes the tranquility of walking in a forest.

They are everywhere, and I refuse to cowtow to their prospective tyrannies (the dogs, nor the owners).

Clearly Murph, you are your own worst enemy.

He is Us.jpg (32.87 KiB) Viewed 2526 times

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Though I am going back into this forest for the peace of it all, I have wondered if I should use a little wooden, New Year's Eve-type rattle noise-maker I have to announce my arrival.

Good grief! There goes the tranquility of walking in a forest...

Precisely.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

...

They are everywhere, and I refuse to cowtow to their prospective tyrannies (the dogs, nor the owners).

Clearly Murph, you are your own worst enemy.

He is Us.jpg

Maybe. I'll have to think about that one.
Murph

[Roy]

Do you have one of those electronic gadgets to tell someone you're been eaten by a bear, please send help?

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Do you have one of those electronic gadgets to tell someone you're been eaten by a bear, please send help?

If I don't come back from the forest , my wife knows to tell you guys I am gone.

[webenda]

Have you seen Marlice Van Vuuren demonstrating how to survive in a pack of wild cheetas Murph?

Notice, if she does not back off, they will not attack.
If she starts to run from them, they immediately start to chase (for the kill.)
If she stands tall, they stay back, but when she squats down, they get brave and began to advance on her. She explains, "If you make yourself bigger than them, they will back off. If you get smaller, they will advance on you."

The one she is petting at the end was raised by Marlice and returned to the wild. She cannot pet the others.

https://youtu.be/d3iWtu99nN0

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I wonder how that approach would work with the coyotes that are on the increase within the forests of NJ. And given their presence here, can you imagine their numbers in Upstate NY dense and broad forests!?

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Have you seen Marlice Van Vuuren demonstrating how to survive in a pack of wild cheetas Murph?

Notice, if she does not back off, they will not attack, (except for one.)
If she starts to run from them, they immediately start to chase (for the kill.)
If she stands tall, they stay back, but when she squats down, they get brave and began to advance on her. She explains, "If you make yourself bigger than them, they will back off. If you get smaller, they will advance on you."

https://youtu.be/d3iWtu99nN0

I'll bet a pack of hyenas or wild dogs would not have been so tolerant of her.

[webenda]

I wonder how that approach would work with the coyotes that are on the increase within the forests of NJ. And given their presence here, can you imagine their numbers in Upstate NY dense and broad forests!?

Works same with coyotes, javelina. mountain lions* and most dogs here in Tucson. Does not work with dogs trained to attack people, alpha male Javelina or free range cows with calves. The cow was a surprise. When I tried to scare a calf off the bicycle trail by charging at it, a cow charged me.

Alpha Male Javelina Arguing.jpg (293.05 KiB) Viewed 2518 times

Housing construction is taking land away from wildlife here in the Sonoran desert. Some, like these javelinas, return to their old habitat.

herd-of-javelina.jpg (82.95 KiB) Viewed 2518 times

*Have not had the pleasure of confronting a mountain lion yet. Closest I have gotten was seeing one on the other side of a canyon watching me.

[Roy]

I wonder how that approach would work with the coyotes that are on the increase within the forests of NJ. And given their presence here, can you imagine their numbers in Upstate NY dense and broad forests!?

Works same with coyotes, javelina. mountain lions* and most dogs here in Tucson. Does not work with dogs trained to attack people, alpha male Javelina or free range cows with calves. The cow was a surprise. When I tried to scare a calf off the bicycle trail by charging at it, a cow charged me.

I guess you can't buffalo a cow into thinking you're bigger than it is.

[rogruth]

Murph,
I asked my friend what to do if the animals house was not known to me .
He said if you went towards it the animal would become more aggressive
and you were going away more passive. That makes sense and I have seen
it work with alligators.
To some of us the forest is the same as a cathedral.

[MYmoo]

Murph,
I asked my friend what to do if the animals house was not known to me .
He said if you went towards it the animal would become more aggressive
and you were going away more passive. That makes sense and I have seen
it work with alligators.
To some of us the forest is the same as a cathedral.

Most animals (including Humans) will defend to the death their offspring,
and will back off (except Humans) when the threat is reduced or eleminated.


And to some of us, the Forest, the Desert, the Sea, the Mountains,
Anyplace, WITHOUT signs of Human intervention, are 'mo-better' than any man made
'creation' can be, and/or ever will be.

[healey36]

I wonder how that approach would work with the coyotes that are on the increase within the forests of NJ. And given their presence here, can you imagine their numbers in Upstate NY dense and broad forests!?

Early in the morning I've seen coyotes standing along the edge of the rest-area parking lots on the Northway (I-87) Murph...they are apparently looking out for slow-moving tourists...

[Mitch]

Murph, a few words of advice. I don't think I'd be walkin' into the deep woods with a "rattle". As a fisherman, I use artificial lures at times with rattling BBs in them. Why? Fish sense the sound of the rattle thru their lateral line and are attracted to the bait. Bears have a very keen sense of smell and hearing, although their eyesight is a bit weak, but they can be very curious. The last thing you'd want is to be calling in the bears. Remember that the common black bear is 6 times stronger than a man, so don't think you can fight it off. I've read that the recommended defense if attacked is to curl in a tight ball and play dead. Don't know if I'd put much faith in that either!
Second, I know you're older than me, and living in N.J., you'd probably be long gone by the time you finally cleared the paperwork to own a .44 Magnum. Additionally, the .44 has a fairly vicious recoil, requiring a solid two hand hold, and along with that, (after you've become proficient on paper targets), you would need to remain extremely calm to dispatch one very controlled shot into a vital area to stop a charging bear. There are lots of weapons that can kill a bear, but you don't need to kill it on the first shot; you need to stop it. Break the shoulder bones, or one thru the heart or head. Remember that cops practice combat shooting, (7 yards) all the time, but in a real life response against an armed foe, they're shootin' all over the place trying to defend themselves. (Adrenalin!!) There's been news reports where several cops fired a great many rounds, and the assailant was only hit once or twice. Forget the .44 Magnum.
Third, if you are venturing very deep into the woods, I'd suggest you carry a pocket GPS with plot charting ability, (and an extra set of batteries; they're tough on batteries). It's easy to get lost in the big woods, especially when it's relatively flat, as everything tends to look the same. If you can't hear cars or trucks on the road where you parked, you need to be able to get out and back to the car. As long as the GPS chart plotter is on and working correctly, you just put in your starting co-ordinates and follow the line home.
And last, you'll know you're in bear country if you come across a big pile of bear crap that has a whistle in it and smells like bear spray.