How do you defend yourself against wildlife when hiking or approaching a climb?

Don, good post!

In the past I would go on extensive solo trips for days at a time without a worry. Had very rare encounters with bears, mountain lions and wolves. There are a lot more predators now than 30 years ago, and I take precautions that I didn't feel the need to take back then.

jhump, great photo! If you are visiting this thread, what is your take?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VkzR-HXtSk

Firearm for bad guys/last resort animal encounters

Pete Spri wrote: Awesome for you, I am on the border of Canada and have encountered multiple bear in 3 years hiking. Each situation is different, as I said. After experiencing repeat situations it would be stupid for me and my family to not consider the danger. I'm just shocked by how many people on this thread think that nothing can happen from a bear or other predator. It happens all the time.

I'll one up you. I live in Canada and in the last year and a half have encountered 4 beers, while fishing. Two were headed towards me, one was startled to see me....approx 40 feet away. Loud noises and not turning my back, and the bear retreats. Granted, these were not grizzlies, but not small bears either. Ive also encountered around 12 moose (some with calves) and too many wolves to count in northern alberta. All of which, retreat at the first sign of anything that isn't wild.

Im not saying wild animals aren't wild and you shouldn't be cautious. But common sense should prevail, and rather than every tom, dick and dumbass carrying a gun in the wilderness, people should learn how to prevent and deal with a situation...and to teach those things to their children.

They should start making bayonette/pepper spray attachments for clip sticks.

It's interesting how people keep saying people shouldn't get guns because people will just hurt themselves-yet, come to alaska and most, outdoorsman, fisherman and so forth up here all carry handguns and shotguns without incidence.

Go fishing for salmon up here, the vast majority of people will have a handgun as well as a shotgun. Go backpacking up here, the vast majority will be carrying a weapon.

The cops up here assume that when they pull over a car, there are multiple guns in the vehicle because guns are so prevalent. People, carry guns in city parks, open carry without incidence. In other words, evidence shows that you can have guns, guns can be very prevelant and people won't shoot each other as some purport.

Pretty sure Alaska has one of the highest death rates by firearms, so trying to say without incidence seems overboard.

State death rates due to injury by firearm

M Sprague wrote: State death rates due to injury by firearm

Interesting to read that the states who have the least gun laws have higher death rate.

I see nothing helps the people's republic of Maryland! We're in the middle but have super strict laws.

I just climb indoors. Who knows what horrors could be encountered in the great outdoors? It's terrifying. I've even heard anecdotal stories of something called a gumby, which appears to terrorize many MP members.

The best thing to do is remember that their belay practices are scarier to you than they are to them. If you must interact with the gumby, be aware that they are highly aggressive and respond to helpful information with strong territorial and defensive actions. Best practice is to leave it alone and climb in another area. If necessary, a professional known as a guide can be called. They are specially trained to handle the gumby.

Good luck. Stay inside, much safer here.

Bill Kirby wrote: Interesting to read that the states who have the least gun laws have higher death rate. I see nothing helps the people's republic of Maryland! We're in the middle but have super strict laws.

Yes, but I do believe these include suicides and death-by-police. . . I'm always interested in statistics like this, but rarely do you see one that is comprehensive and categorical.

Interseting to see the contrast with "highest murder rates" (top 10 cities). . . I guess guns are not the killers weapon of choice most often.

EX:
Califronia "gun deaths": 8
California "murders/manslaughter": 90

huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/…

.

Chris Hara wrote:I just climb indoors. Who knows what horrors could be encountered in the great outdoors? It's terrifying. I've even heard anecdotal stories of something called a gumby, which appears to terrorize many MP members. The best thing to do is remember that their belay practices are scarier to you than they are to them. If you must interact with the gumby, be aware that they are highly aggressive and respond to helpful information with strong territorial and defensive actions. Best practice is to leave it alone and climb in another area. If necessary, a professional known as a guide can be called. They are specially trained to handle the gumby. Good luck. Stay inside, much safer here.

Hey!!!

Goddam Hawaii! So warm, so beautiful, and so safe!

Try understanding statistics first.

Squirrel / Bear Defense

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbXeqxULvhM

I just bring this cantankerous old man with me.

youtube.com/watch?v=D77FEz-…

Parents looking to defend your family by buying a gun:

minnpost.com/second-opinion…

While in med school I was taught that a gun is 50 times more likely to be used to kill or injure a family member than it is to be used in a self defense setting.

Ryan Arnold wrote:Parents looking to defend your family by buying a gun: minnpost.com/second-opinion… While in med school I was taught that a gun is 50 times more likely to be used to kill or injure a family member than it is to be used in a self defense setting.

Guns Are Dangerous

Ryan Arnold wrote:Parents looking to defend your family by buying a gun: minnpost.com/second-opinion… While in med school I was taught that a gun is 50 times more likely to be used to kill or injure a family member than it is to be used in a self defense setting.

I am convinced that you should not have a gun in your house.

i'm too lazy to pull up the statistics but falls and various poisoning are the top reasons for death and injury in homes. I also don't believe that statistic you quoted above.

Owning a car will increase your statistics of death and injury more than almost anything else you can purchase. Get rid of your car.

50 times.... LMFAO....

I might let you get by suggesting a 50% increase... but 50x!!!! What a complete JOKE!!!!

Article cited has no data... but I read where "studies suggest"... but don't see any numbers.... how did you arrive at the 50X increase?

One linked articles... I read "Although these studies are useful in demonstrating an association between access to firearms and rates of homicide and suicide at the aggregate level, it is not possible with this methodology to adequately assess whether access to a gun increases the risk of a violent death at the individual level."

Hmmmm?

Kellermann AL, Reay DT. Protection or peril? An analysis of firearm related deaths in the home. N Engl J Med. 1986;314:1557–1560.

"For every self-defense homicide involving a firearm kept in the home, there were 1.3 accidental deaths, 4.6 criminal homicides, and 37 firearm suicides."

medscape.com/viewarticle/75…

So I guess that's technically 42.9 times more likely and not 50 times. Also notice that it's a statement of likelihood of what the gun will be used for: it's intended use (self protection) vs unintended use (family injury).

American Academy of Pediatrics: The AAP affirms that the most effective measure to prevent suicide, homicide, and unintentional firearm-related injuries to children and adolescents is the absence of guns from homes and communities.

pediatrics.aappublications.…