Wildlife Adventure While Caching

[+two left feet]

Had an interesting adventure today. While out caching and placing a cache, I saw a hole that looked like it would hold a medium sized cache so I checked it out. Just wanting to get an idea of the size, I reached in and felt around. That’s when I felt something bite my finger! It was not a vicious bite. More of a “Hey buddy this is my space now move on!” So we moved on and finished our cache activity in the area. On the way back out we had to go back the same way so I stopped at the hole again and could not see anything. Wondering what it was that nibbled on me, I found a stick nearby and poked around. I could tell there was something soft in there and that it would bite my stick as I felt around with it. My curiosity was satisfied when an unmistakable odor emanated from the hole. Told my wife; “OK time to go now. It’s a skunk!” Thankfully I got away with just the warning nibble. Problem is that I am still thinking that hole would make an interesting place to hide a cache. What would the difficulty rating be on a cache guarded by a skunk? ;-)

[+The Jester]

Probably a 1 - travel to max smell, look down!

[+Lil Elephants]

Skunk bite?!? Um... Hope it wasn't carrying rabies.

[zulutime]

FYI: Skunks carry rabies.

[+Team_Talisman]

Today while hunting for a cache at high alttitudes wife and spotted a mountain lion and driving by another cache an hour later boom a silver fox....

 

From rattle snakes close to us to high alttitude predators near by...the caching must go on

[+gof1]

Wow, that stinks!

Sorry.

Twice now I have come face to face with racoons.

I've been chased by a goose, had a big buck stare me down, stepped on a snake, and been crapped on by a seagull. Being bit by a skunk would scare me a bit.

[+Airmapper]

nd been crapped on by a seagull.

 

A bird crapped on my hand and GPSR at a cache once. I sooo wanted my 12 Guage pump at that moment.

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

See doctor soon. Skunks tend to have rabies.

[Tahosa and Sons]

I can be your beneficiary if you don't pull thru this one. They say dying of rabies is a stinky way to go.

[+DocDiTTo]

While heading out to a cache today we found a young groundhog that was obviously sick or injured... or both. It wouldn't run from us, even though we were just a couple feet away. Tossed a stone in its general direction and it just sat there. Looked like it's rear end had been torn up a bit, possibly by another animal. Fearing that it might be sick with rabies or something, we just left it alone.

 

I'd definitely talk to a doctor regarding your skunk bite though. Rabies shots are expensive, but there might be a test you can have done to see whether they're really necessary. I'd not just let it go though; being bitten by a strange wild animal isn't a good thing.

[+dkwolf]

If the bite broke the skin, get to a doctor and get checked ASAP. Rabies is just one of the problems you could be facing if anything got into your bloodstream.

[+briansnat]

FYI: Skunks carry rabies.

 

This is something to be concerned about. If I were you I'd go for rabies shots - today! Its not something to mess with.

 

..but there might be a test you can have done to see whether they're really necessary.

 

Unfortunately there isn't. The only test would be to examine the dead animal. My step-daughter went throught the shots when she was 12. A bat fallen out of her blanket when she shook it and landed on her foot. There was a small scratch (she didn't even know if it came from the bat). Our Dr. said to go directly to the ER and start the shots. Painful and expensive (though covered by insurance), but not worth taking the chance.

Edited May 7, 2006 by briansnat

[+two left feet]

Thank you all for your concern. I was trying to focus more on the adventure than the medical issue. Two things that relate to this: 1. No skin was broken and there were no open sores on that hand. It was a minor "warning" bite. 2. I am going to the doctor to get the shots since I could not capture the critter and have it tested.

 

So, no you can not have my stuff!!

 

The skunk in a hole poses a unique problem: How to you catch it and take it to be tested??

 

I guess I am going to have to add to my caching equipment. I am thinking a night vision mini-camera that I can use to explore holes in the ground, in trees and under rocks. I already use a motorcycle mirror which attaches to the end of my walking stick. It has been very useful in looking under and into things.

[+aka Monkey]

I agree that rabies isn't something to mess around with, but I wouldn't be too concerned, particularly if it didn't break the skin. Unless you got infected saliva or blood into your blood stream or mucous membranes (did you pick your nose with the bitten finger afterwards?), it's impossible to get rabies. If this had been the old days when rabies shots were a series of 26 very painful shots into the stomach, I'd suggest maybe you pass on the whole thing. It still involves a lot of shots, and without insurance would be very expensive.

 

Oh, and for what it's worth, testing an animal for rabies involves killing it.

 

In the future, might I suggest that maybe you don't go sticking you hand into a hole if you don't know what's in it?

[+two left feet]

Oh, and for what it's worth, testing an animal for rabies involves killing it.

 

In the future, might I suggest that maybe you don't go sticking you hand into a hole if you don't know what's in it?

 

I would have had no problem killing the little bugger if I could have done so WITHOUT getting sprayed in the process.

 

And yes you are right. I normally carry a mirror and gloves, but this was supposed to be a short trip to just drop off a cache in town and my pack was in the car. When I saw a potential cache hiding spot my curiosity over ruled my logic circuits. :-(

[+SKUNK APE]

Two Left Feet,

 

If you die can I have your GPS?

 

Just joking glad to hear the bite didn't break the skin!

Edited May 7, 2006 by SKUNK APE

[Luckless]

Part of my caching equipment is a "pokey" stick. It's usually something I pick up on the way to the cache. The stick always goes into any hole before I do.

[+Team LaLonde]

How's this for a close encounter? I was at Presque Isle in Marquette, MI.

 

[+briansnat]

No skin was broken and there were no open sores on that hand. It was a minor "warning" bite. 2. I am going to the doctor to get the shots since I could not capture the critter and have it tested.

 

Broken skin might not be obvious. Even a pinprick can do it. A local guy died of rabies last year. Relatives said as far as they know he was never bitten, but he did remove a bat from his attic some time before he came down with it.

 

Good idea going for shots.

[+two left feet]

Part of my caching equipment is a "pokey" stick. It's usually something I pick up on the way to the cache. The stick always goes into any hole before I do.

 

Yes, again a part of my regular equipment that stayed in the car. My pokey stick is pretty serious. It is a 5 foot ash staff with a 6" spike made out of quarter inch steel rod. Would have had skunk-k-bob for dinner.

[+BadAndy]

Getting skunked on a cache.

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

My step-daughter went throught the shots when she was 12. A bat fallen out of her blanket when she shook it and landed on her foot. There was a small scratch (she didn't even know if it came from the bat). Our Dr. said to go directly to the ER and start the shots. Painful and expensive (though covered by insurance), but not worth taking the chance.

 

Something similar happened on the Navajo Reservation awhile back too. A girl had a bat drool on her foot, and ended up getting rabies shots. Yes the bat was rabid. Its behavior was unusual and it was caught.

[+two left feet]

Update:

 

Started my series of shots today and they are not too bad. The GAMMA GLOBULIN was split into two injections. One for each cheek because it is a pretty high volume dose. The rabies shot itself was in the arm and pretty small dose. Have to go back on days 3, 7, 14 and 28 for additional shots.

 

Lessons learned;

 

1. Avoid animal holes entirely.

2. Carry gloves, mirror and stick ALL the time.

3. If you get any animal bite, if possible, have the animal captured and tested to avoid the shots.

4. If catching it is not feasible, go get the shots!! They aren't that bad.

5. If you don't get shots and wait until symptoms show up. It is TOO LATE!! Write your will, get a case of beer, and enjoy what little time you have left. Only 2 people are known to have survived after having symptoms.

6. Did I mention avoiding animal holes??

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

Im glad you got the medical treatments started.

 

That whole carrying a stick thing is a good idea.

[+headybrew]

Problem is that I am still thinking that hole would make an interesting place to hide a cache.

 

Rattlesnakes and Rabbies have been covered... So let me put a word in for the skunk's point of view.

 

That hole is his home. Respect that. It takes a lot of biological energy for him to make his home. You shouldn't even think about placing a cache there.

[+two left feet]

.

 

Rattlesnakes and Rabbies have been covered... So let me put a word in for the skunk's point of view.

 

That hole is his home. Respect that. It takes a lot of biological energy for him to make his home. You shouldn't even think about placing a cache there.

 

Hmmmm. I thought the sarcastic humor was obvious when followed by a ";-)". OK, insert "With tongue in cheek:" prior to the comment, and a "Just kidding" after the whole thing. :-)

 

Although I'll have to admit using a stong scent as a new form of geo-beacon is interesting. :-)

Edited May 8, 2006 by two left feet

[+Lighteye]

See doctor soon. Skunks tend to have rabies.

Not true. They do NOT "tend" to have rabies, but yes it is "possible" for them to carry rabies. No false panic please. As with any wild animal bite, a doctor's visit would be mandatory for myself.

 

I wasn't caching at the time, but I have been bit by a squirrel. I didn't realize how sharp their teeth were, but I was shown firsthand. I had just rescued it from a cat, and it was upset, and saw me as merely another predator, and not a rescuer. Pad of my thumb vanished in half a second. I took him to my friend's mom, who was a veterinarian, and she probably put him down, but I never asked again...my duty was done, and the bill paid in full.

[+Lakebum]

From experience, while young and foolish, I can tell you a skunks dieing thought is to spray as much as possible. I would rather get rabies shots than deal with that again.