Re: Lions, rattlers, bears, oh my

To further this hijack, I have spent a lifetime working and playing in the woods and mountains. Most of this was in places where bears and cougars (mountain lions) were common. While I have seen many bears while on foot I have never been threatened by one. Once I was with a Forest Service crew walking toward our vehicle when we spotted two cubs examining it. I am certain their mother was nearby but she never showed herself. After about five minutes the cubs moved on and we continued on to the rig. As for cougars, in 70 or so years I have seen exactly three and one of these had already been seen by someone with a rifle. I am sure that some have seen me, but again they did not show themselves. And I have lived, worked, and hiked in rattle snake country since 1976, during which time I have seen exactly one out in the woods. For them I use the Native American technique of walking heavily and thumping the ground with a walking stick when I am in areas known to snake infested. A few other tricks, like stepping on a log rather that over it, help. So, while I respect wildlife I do not fear it. I give them room and they return the favor. People in so called civilized areas are what worries me.