Your most dangerous encounter with an animal!
 

After conjuring memories of my gormet funnel web experience in "two lies and the truth" thread, i have began thinking of all my other encounters with animals - dangerous and not dangerous.

As an animal lover, i have always lept at any opportunity to help an animal, be around animals etc. and definately have had some hairyscary experiences.

but i want to know about yours!

.....

When I was a kid, there was a dog in the neighborhood named Ringo. He was some kind of mutt mix, and every kid in the neighborhood feared him. His owners lived around a corner that one HAD to go around to get to the park, and they never kept him restrained. As a result, he bit many people. And the problem was, you never knew where he was, because he would hide. You didn't see him until he was running at you.

I was riding around that corner one day (I was probably in third grade or so), when this dog came at me and knocked me off my bike; I ran, and he cornered me up against a car, with my back to him. He bit me in the small of my back, and apparantly was satisfied with that, because he ran off afterward.

Everyone hated that dog, and he ended up disappearing a few weeks later. I think someone killed him, to be honest. I mean, I feel sorry for the dog now, because his behavior was his owners' fault, but damn, something needed to be done. It was almost as if the dog were situationally rabid....



Sidhe

When I was about 10 or 11 yrs old, my friends and I were fascinated by snakes and other reptiles. We would catch them and try to feed them toads. ( snakes don;t really like toads that much, but we couldn;t seem to catch any mice.)

One day, my friends, Dan and Eric and I were walking through the woods when I spotted a medium sized Garder Snake. Non poisonous, and extremely common in Pa. Eric and I reached for it at the same time, and it wound up biting me on the finger. Reflexively, I yanked my hand back, slashing my finger where I would have only had two small punctures. In the process, I flung the snake into the air, and it came down right on Dan's head. Dan did the " I'm a prissy girl who just had a spider dropped into my dress" dance, screamed, and ran about 20 yards away. Dan never did like snakes much after that. He stopped attending our weekly Herpitology meetings.

I got bitten by a spider while staying at Dave's house...I suspect it was a set up...

Well I have already told my, almost getting killed by a moose story in this thread.

Having be raised on a farm around animals I have almost been (and have been) seriously hurt on a number of occasion. I also worked at an animal shelter for a while and got cornered in the dog runs a few times by a not so happy dog. The runs were 8 ft tall and opened from the outside so getting out in a hurry was not an easy task.

Of all the times I was in danger around animals, the most memorable (aside from the moose story above) was when I was 2. My grandpa would raise Turkeys every year and then sell them for Thanksgiving. A nearly full grown turkey will stand a good 3 ft tall, and being that I was 2, they were taller then me. One day my Dad told me to go in and feed them. I walked into their pen with a bucket full on food and got mobbed by 100 Turkeys. This sea of Turkeys all taller then me, pushing on me and pecking at me scared me and I ran from them, screaming. They gave chase, and every time I screamed they answered back with loud Turkey gobbles, scaring me even more. At some point I tripped and was soon surrounded by all the Turkeys. I was on the ground and so couldn't get up, and therefore couldn't escape the birds pecking at me. I was screaming bloody murder and I don't know how long I lay on the ground being tormented by these birds, but at some point my Grandpa came and picked me up out of the sea of birds and carried me to safety.
I hate Turkeys to this day, and couldn't be happier that we eat thousands of them every year on Thanksgiving. Stupid Turkeys.

I have a number of other stories but I don't think they are nearly as interesting as the Turkey and the Moose stories.

EDIT: Fixed a few grammar errors

Hey Brig ,
GOBBLE GOBBLE!!!!!!:mad:

Bear!
 

The summer I graduated from high school (1976), my best friend Craig and I took off on a four week tour of the western US in my '74 Dodge Charger. He was 18, I was still 17.

Made our way though TX, NM, CO, WY, MT, ID, WA, OR, then into CA. Made our way through San Francisco. The windowpane the smelly hippy sells at Fisherman's Wharf is shit. Got chased out of a campground near Yosemite by Hell's Angels. So on into Yosemite.

Parked at Glacier Point to hike up behind Half Dome. Saw rattlesnake along the way. Get to camp behind Half Dome. Many people around, even one large group of about 30 people together. Everyone eats early, and the climbers help us all put our food away in the trees where the bears can't get at it. So far all OK.

Craig had some vodka, so we kept some orange juice to mix it with. A little later, we are feeling good. Crackling fire, beautiful scenery. It gets dark. I hear a little rustle in the bushes behind us. I think it is someone from the large party coming to invite us back over. I turn around, and I am four feet away from a 300 pound black bear.

I say OMG. We do a panic walk away. No running. Start yelling 'bear in the camp!' when we think we are are clear. Flashlights go crazy all around like in E.T. Spent most of the rest of night with the big group.

Later back at camp our shit had been rummaged through, but fortunately not destroyed.

I consider it my closest brush with death.

I don't have much in the way of spectacular animal attack stories.

I have a pretty good record with beasts. I mean there was this one time that I had a horse that I was leading slip and fall on me, but there was no damage. I've also had some falls from horseback, again with no injury. I have had enounters with some nasty to other people dogs, but the same animals have this funny tendency to check me out, sniff a couple times, and drop and roll to expose their bellies for a good rubbing (including one attack trained doberman whose owner was quite perturbed at his bitch's behavior), but I believe that's a matter of their being able to know instinctively who the alpha is.

I have had an occasional close encounter with skunks, but as soon as I recognize that it's not just a funny looking cat and stand still until it decides I'm neither threatening nor particularly interesting, things are pretty much over.

There WAS this one time at work that I went out on the front porch to smoke and heard some noise coming from the trashcan mounted next to the door. Next think I know this raccoon pops it's head out and is staring at me ... I ran back inside pretty damn fast after that one ... 'coon hasn't been in the trash since. I think he figured out that the big dumpster has better stuff in it, and fewer people hanging around.

Oh, and my sister's cats sometimes decide I'm not supposed to be attempting to pet them and they swipe at me, but they're declawed, so that's not a big deal either.

Spiders are icky, and I have been menaced by them from time to time, but a sufficiently large wad of tissues takes care of that pretty easily.

When I was little, I was interested in all kinds of wildlife and would regularly truck home turtles, stray dogs, injured birds, once a fish and various snakes. One day I found a very pretty, colourful
snake in the woods next to my school. It seemed to be dead, but would make suspicious movements from time to time. I used a stick to transport it home to find out what it was. I looked it up in my Encyclopedia of Animal Life. It turned out to be a coral snake, a highly venomous reptile that will play dead if threatened and bite only if it has no other choice. Lucky me I thought of the stick.

Brian

Another snake story.

I was 17 years old, and hiking in the Grand Canyon with my family. We were all broken up and spread out, but I was with my brother. It had been a long day, and we were down in the bottom of the canyon, where the walls close in and there isn't much to see. So I was getting a little tired and the hike was turning more into a trudge. Just kept putting one foot in front of the other, moving along at a constant pace, not really paying attention.

I was broken out of my daze by a familiar sound from the movies and TV. You all know it. I instinctively stopped cold. So did my brother. My brain processed the sound just as my eyed rested on the rattlesnake. It was all coiled up and rattling like crazy, not much more than 5-6 feet away.

We both jumped way back pretty quickly. The snake held its ground.

After a while of standing there, and looking at the snake, which wasn't moving, we started to get annoyed. The trail was bordered on each side by very thick cactus growth. And there were cliffs, one going up, and one going down, 20 feet or so beyond the cactus on each side. Basically, there was no way to get around.

My brother told me not to, but I picked up a bunch of small rocks and started throwing them at the snake. I didn't try to hit it, just scare it. It finally slithered into the thick cactus growth by the side of the trail. I threw a few more for about 5-10 minutes after that into the cactus where we had seen it. Then we quickly walked past that area where the snake had been. I half expected it to strike us as we walked past, but it didn't.

when animals attack
 

I saw a snake in the Grand Canyon too. on the South Kaibab trail. It was just minding it’s own business until my east cost, sea faring pirate wannna be boyfriend decided that he wanted to hear it rattle so he sprinkled water on it. He got his wish and heard the rattle. They say that what 300 people a year get helicoptered out of the Canyon every year. At least we were not two of them.

I’ve seen bears out camping a few times and a mountain lion once, but I think the most dangerous animal encounter I have is with that horrible cat of my boyfriend’s. The thing is an evil evil creature with sharp pointy little teeth. Now why it is that you put up with a cat biting but not a dog? I would blow a chip in my brain if my dog started growling and bit me but that damn cat does it on a regular basis.

When I was at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, we woke up one morning with a rattlesnake in our campsite. The rangers killed and ate it.

I've spent a lot of time outdoors, and have had unnerving experiences, but nothing could compete with being attacked by pecking turkeys :haha: That was a funny story (although I imagine the experience itself was like a horror movie).

I've been menaced by a badger, had my head sniffed by a bear while I was sleeping (through tent fabric, but still..), been stalked by a mountain lion while fishing, and been almost-snakebit a bunch of times. For the number of experiences, none of them are really good stories unless I were to embellish them.

I've spent a lot of time outdoors, and have had unnerving experiences, but nothing could compete with being attacked by pecking turkeys :haha: That was a funny story (although I imagine the experience itself was like a horror movie).

I've been menaced by a badger, had my head sniffed by a bear while I was sleeping (through tent fabric, but still..), been stalked by a mountain lion while fishing, and been almost-snakebit a bunch of times. The only one that was really scary was the bear one. Waking up in the middle of the night with the shadow of a bear head on your tent wall 4 inches away is a unique experience. :eek:

It only gets better when you remember that you only have a .38 for protection (marginal for people, horrible for bear), and it is loaded with snake shot (which would only hasten your dismemberment if you were to fire it at a bear). Then try loading it with real ammo without moving or making any sound. For reference, watch Desperado, where Antonio Banderas is hiding under the counter of the bookstore loading up while the bad guy is talking a few feet away. Something they don't show in the movie is the fact that you're shaking like a little bird having an epileptic fit.

It took me like 5 minutes to load that gun. The bear had been gone for 4 of those minutes, but I was too scared to move. I actually fell asleep again shortly after.

When I was about 9 or so, I was walking around the neighborhood, just walking along, getting in a bit of fresh air and sun.

My babysitter, Cassandra, had a cat named Tiger, and he was sitting outside of her house. I saw him, and decided to go and pet him.

So, I come up to him, and I say, "Hey Tiger", and proceed to pet him. I had to bend down to do this, and I patted him on the head. He was fine...for about a minute, and then suddenly, I guess he had quite about enough, so he jumped up, and scratched both sides of my neck! I jumped back, and he ran off. I was left wondering, "WTF?!?!?!?!?!" and still wondering WTF to this day!!! :eek:

once I had to cut the backyard grass for the first time this year. the mower still had last years grass. it would not tun on.

when I opened the grass compartment, I stuck my left hand in there and a snake jumped out of its nest. :eek:

but it was only 1 foot long and it did not bite me (but you bet it scared me.):rolleyes:

When I was no more than five we lived on a farm where we had a small number of chickens and a rooster from hell. This rooster was mean, and he would always attack me whenever I came near the coop. This was quite the problem as gathering eggs was one of my daily chores. After a while, it became a habit for me to always carry my big red plastic baseball bat with me to hold him off until I could safely slip back out with the eggs. I swear it became a sort of rivalry between us.

One calm summer day my little sister was toddling around on the front lawn near the coop when I saw a red streak heading towards her and realized that the rooster had gotten out. My mother, who was watching just heard me start yelling, "Oh no, oh no!" as I ran toward my sister. I was able to get in between her and the rooster, but as soon as he saw me he wrapped his legs around my ankle (I was wearing shorts) and started pecking. My mother who was there just moments after me scooped up my sister and was able to get the bird off of me, but, by then, my leg was thoroughly bloody.

Needless to say, the rooster didn't last too long after that.

Had a 19 or 20 hands Appaloosa stallion try to do me in but that was a draw. The most dangerous animal I've encountered was a woman scorned,...with an attack lawyer.:eek:

Been around animals and hunting most of my life, no real spectacular incidents tho.

Used to fool around with my wife when we first met and her doberman was NOT happy about it...talk about performance anxiety!

And when I was five the horse I was riding on got sneak attacked in the hind legs by one of our mean chickens, took off like a bat out of hell and threw my little bitty self off, ass over teakettle...never ever did get on one of those damn things again.

We used to get "rammed" by our billy goat as kids, but it was more funny than scary.

About the only time I've been "attacked" was by our geese, those are some ornery creatures.

And then there's cows...been stepped on about 100 times which ain't so bad...bad part is the stupid things don't just step on you, they STAND on you until you summon up enough superhuman strength to get them to hell off.

goddamn, cougar. Who the fuck did you piss off in your last life? You must have been the guy that nailed Jesus to the cross or something.

that was my first choice for an example, but i didnt know how to spell it.
:)

oh my god, where do i start??? i was an animal care technician at an animal shelter for 2 1/2 years, and i was a veterinary technician for 1 1/2 years. i can't even remember all the times i had to hold down a screaming, clawing cat, or catch a dog with one of those loops on a stick ("rabies pull")...i've put muzzles on pit bulls, caught psycho feral cats with leather gloves, ...okay, i'm bragging. i can't really pick one particular story...

Hmm .. scary animal encounters, eh?

Scary is .. when you are little, and the animal is big .. or you're big and the animal is VERY dangerous ..

Worst? ..

1. Being 5 years old and bitten badly on the hand by Dad's Red Cloud Kelpie, when I was playing around the full milk cans from the dairy .. the dog was very possessive and considered the cans personal property. The dog got a bullet for his possessiveness.

2. Being 7 years old and being bitten badly on the hand, by brothers horse, on same dairy, when I reached up to pat it .. the horse didn't get a bullet .. it got sold, and I've never liked horses much, since ..

3. Being old enough to know better, and squatting in front of sunbaking freshwater crocodile (the harmless variety, they tell you) .. and upon rising up, quickly, found the crocodile would rise up on its legs and open its jaws ..

Called over 18 year old nephew, and said (classic) .. ''hey, watch this! ..'' and squatted, and raised myself up, two or three times in succession, in front of croc .. each time, having the same result on croc ..
On the fourth try .. croc leaps at me, and takes a good SNAP-P-P!!! ....... :eek:

Me .. falls backwards in shock ..
Nephew .. rolls on ground, laughing his arse off .. :( Not funny ..... find out afterwards .. freshwater crocs will bite humans when annoyed .....:o

Also .. rising up quickly in front of croc, is a sign of aggression to them ..... :D

animals can sense evil

I can't believe i didn't think of the several occasions that we had a bat flying around in our old house. Not the old one we live in now; the old old one.

i think i can say honestly that I was at my chickiest the first time it happened. Did I already tell this story?

Nope.

oh, good.

A Few....


Picked up a coral snake when I was 3....

Dealt with all sorts of snakes...eerrrrhhh.... Once instead of stepping on a water moccasin, I learned how to levitate...

Got bitten by several dogs ... the worst one was a small beautiful spitz that jumped up and bit me on the ass while I was jogging. This little flogger was wagging his tail and he ripped my shorts....

The most exiting one was having a bull chase me when I as biking. (quintessential hauling ass) The bastard chased me twice (1 way in..1 way out).... I hope he made a good meal.....

When throwing hay to the bulls one time on the farm, i was standing on the back of the ute (was probably about 11 or so) my step dad instructed me to start forking out the tablets of hay and as i was about to begin a HUGE bull came up and was obviously very hungry. I started to panic because he was storming up to the ute where i stood on the back, totally unprotected!

my step dad says "it ok he wont come near the ute, just throw out the hay so we can go"

A picked up a tablet of hay and as i held it to throw it, the bull came charging at the ute, first it hit the driver door a few times, totally messed up nearly every panel on the cabin and then started rocking the tray i was in. i was stumbling around in the back praying my hardest i wouldnt fall off the back, then i threw ou the hay and as soon as he smelt it go on the ground he turned around and began eating, forgot totally about the ute he tried to dismantle a second ago.

I was never on hay duty again!

Well, being a vet assistant, I've had some potentially hazardous encounters, but one will always stick in my mind. I was fitting a Rottweiler with one of those cones animals wear so they can't bite or lick a wound, sensitive area, etc. I was bent down, my face mere inches away from hers, and she gave me to those EYES and then proceeded to growl & flash her jaws. Yeaaaaah. At that moment, I coulda sworn I felt my heart shoot straight out my ass.

Oddly enough, this same Rottweiler came in to work today for a blood test. :rolleyes:

Woof. Nasty. Rotts can be so intimidating. I couldnt be a vet.
I recall one time when I was a kid taking my westie pup for a walk and a rotti had gotten away from it's owner and plunged right at us. It was shaking my pup like it was a ragdoll. The squeals were horrible. ...I hit and kicked at the dog, and screamed at the guy to get his dog off mine.He just kept sayin "eh! drop, drop it" his dog paid no heed. Poor Dudley was a right mess at the end of it. Got stitched up....sorted out in the end but damn if that dog didnt have attitude problems with other dogs after that

Ah, I'm a potential vet so I'm sure my "dangerous encounters" will rocket some time soon.
So far the worst that's happened is a dog bite from, I'm sorry to say, a Westie. It went wonderfully septic...
Oh, and then there's the time I was vaccinating sheep and one jumped and I vaccinated me instead, but I guess that's technically my fault. On the plus side I'm now protected against blackleg and Pulpy Kidney.

I was sitting on a bull in the back of a pickup, "keeping him from jumping out". He tossed me out of the truck and I landed on my head in the grass. bad scene

Well you had me convinced that was standard practice for transporting a bull. If only the bull was as gullible as I was.

Bulls are notorious for sniffing out gullibility. They've got bullshit coming out their asses.

ow quit it

good user title

Speaking of which, now that I've gone through all of the available default user titles, I'm gonna have to think one up soon.

Happy monkey - A carpenter,...like Jesus. :D

Ahhh, that explains it.;)

Harmless compared to...?

(I would never use that particular word to describe a croc. Yer lucky that snap didn't remove any parts you're fond of.)

I work as a part time zoo keeper, so..

My worst professional encounter involved having an alligator attempt to remove my thumb from my right hand. By the time I'd pried her mouth open to get my thumb back, she'd bitten 5 of my fingers and I still have some tooth embedded in my left thumb.

Worst at-home incident was when my soon-to-be-ex-husband's german shepherd mix - a fear-biter - latched onto the back of my skull, right at the base...a nice little killing bite, if I'd been a bunny. I still don't know exactly how I got the pooch off of me. I *can* tell you that (a) I shook for an hour, (b) I have NEVER been that scared of anything EVER, and (c) it left me with some mighty curious scars on my skull.