What's the most dangerous animal you've come across?

[+TheBearPack]

None for me sadly. Encountered an alligator while hiking, but that was before I was a geocacher. Snakes, too, of course.

 

However, today we found a cache in on a trailhead sign. It was really high and out of my reach. The husband grabbed it, thank god. I'd have died. It was one of those sliding gum tins like you see at starbucks. He opened it and suddenly dropped it on one of our dogs, then started frantically brushing her off. I saw all these things crawling away. He said there were about 20 earwigs in the cache. He didn't make a peep. I'd have freaked the eff out. Ugh. Not dangerous, but extremely creepy.

[+germanybert]

Humans.

 

Agreed. They are very unpredictable and have been known to kill other of their own kind or other living creaters just for sport.

[+TheLoneGrangers]

Humans

 

but I've ran into a alligator, spiders, ticks, (i hate spiders), deer

[+RocTheCacheBox]

The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog by far was the worst encounter ever. Twas the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on! That rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!

Edited September 22, 2011 by RocTheCacheBox

[+geodarts]

The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog by far was the worst encounter ever. Twas the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on! That rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!

 

Yes, I encountered its twin and am only glad that I lived to tell the tale, particularly because I had forgotten to bring a holy hand grenade in my caching pack.

 

So far, that is the same with most of the animals I have encountered. The mountain lion could have turned its attention to me, but instead it continued across the trail on whatever mission it was doing. The snake could have bit, but did not expect to see me as much as I did not expect to see it. The bison could have charged from about 100 feet away, but instead it just looked at me. The black widow could have fallen on my hand, but it did not move. The tick might have carried lyme disease, but the Western Fence lizard protected me. The coyote followed me and howled every time I stopped to look back, but I was walking out of its territory and ultimately proved to be boring. The bear ambled on. The mother moose did not seem to appreciate that I was between her and her calf, but gently shooed me away and then left with the baby. I suppose that whatever flew across the sky on a summer's night could have abducted me. And the most dangerous of all, a human being, decided to do something other than become a serial killer. So danger is probably a matter of time, place, and circumstance -- and so far I have been lucky, even when meeting an Acorn Assassin:

 

Edited September 22, 2011 by geodarts

[+luvvinbird]

The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog by far was the worst encounter ever. Twas the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on! That rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!

 

Yes, I encountered its twin and am only glad that I lived to tell the tale, particularly because I had forgotten to bring a holy hand grenade in my caching pack.

 

So far, that is the same with most of the animals I have encountered. The mountain lion could have turned its attention to me, but instead it continued across the trail on whatever mission it was doing. The snake could have bit, but did not expect to see me as much as I did not expect to see it. The bison could have charged from about 100 feet away, but instead it just looked at me. The black widow could have fallen on my hand, but it did not move. The tick might have carried lyme disease, but the Western Fence lizard protected me. The coyote followed me and howled every time I stopped to look back, but I was walking out of its territory and ultimately proved to be boring. The bear ambled on. The mother moose did not seem to appreciate that I was between her and her calf, but gently shooed me away and then left with the baby. I suppose that whatever flew across the sky on a summer's night could have abducted me. And the most dangerous of all, a human being, decided to do something other than become a serial killer. So danger is probably a matter of time, place, and circumstance -- and so far I have been lucky, even when meeting an Acorn Assassin:

 

We call them "Tree Rats" in our neck of the woods. Loved your story.

[+Team Pixos]

Myself - living where I do we don't have poisonous spiders, snakes, ticks, etc., I forget when I go other places that there is a whole other set of circumstances to be wary of.

 

Although the bears in waterton park every hundred feet were intimidating.

[+TK7464]

 

Can't take credit for the photo but I have run across many of these

[+DonB]

A cacher on his way to a cache trying to get a FTF

[Mr.Yuck]

The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog by far was the worst encounter ever. Twas the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on! That rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!

 

I figured he was only in the UK, but I see you must have stumbled on him in the U.S.A. Haven't seen anything like that, but I did see a Jackalope in New Jersey once.

 

 

Oops, thought this was the newer thread, didn't realize someone had a Jackalope picture on page one. I personally never tire of the Jackalope gag.

Edited September 23, 2011 by Mr.Yuck

[+luvvinbird]

The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog by far was the worst encounter ever. Twas the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on! That rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!

 

I figured he was only in the UK, but I see you must have stumbled on him in the U.S.A. Haven't seen anything like that, but I did see a Jackalope in New Jersey once.

 

 

Oops, thought this was the newer thread, didn't realize someone had a Jackalope picture on page one. I personally never tire of the Jackalope gag.

What? It's a gag?

[+A & J Tooling]

Humans.

That.

I've had close encounters with black bears, alligators, venomous snakes, feral cattle and all manner of stinging, blood sucking insects, but mankind is certainly the most dangerous.

 

Humans was my response as well. Come across drug dealers and gang bangers on occasion.

 

From experience, (thankfully not much experience) an equalizer generally renders all but the most suicidal or idiotic humans as gentle as a kitten. Some dogs will even shy from a gun.

 

Also from experience, I've never had a bear or any other wild animal shy from my gun pointed at them in case they got too close.

 

 

Sidebar: For those that got the reference (by the photo) to the 80's cop show. It was unintended.

Also, I own one of those and it has to be the most impractical sidearm EVER invented. It's the most expensive paperweight I ever bought. What the heck were the Israelies thinkin'?

I have one of the Baby Eagles in .45 ACP. It's all steel and works great with the hi-cap mag with 10 rounds of +P ammo. It has all the bells and whistles that a defense side arm needs. Those big ones are just for looks, and won't scare a snake, coyote, or bear and more than a smaller sidearm. But I would sure as heck prefer one of the big ones chambered in .50 AE if a bear were attacking me.

 

I'll have to disagree here. I pointed mine at a few animals (coyotes) and they ran pretty fast. I think animals that have witnessed what a gun will do learn they are bad mojo.

[+Texas Charles]

Mush Ox in Nome, Alaska

 

Texas Charles

[+A & J Tooling]

Dinosaurs here in Michigan were the oddest things we've come across...

[+Team OPJim]

Rattlesnakes, especially the black timber rattler.

Had a bull charge me because I was coming near his "herd" but wearing a red shirt may have been part of the problem.

Guys with beer (not all guys and not all guys who drink beer, but you get the idea).

Skunks and scorpions are a concern, but haven't seen any.

While I've had no issue, my friend 321Kaboom has several encounters with Javelina (a wild pig with teeth).

[+The A-Team]

I've had 5 seperate encounters with black bears, but luckily never had one stand its ground or charge. Twice, the bear was within metres of GZ when I spotted it, but I was able to make the finds (one was treed, the other was scared away by my car horn). We have quite a few cougars around here, but I've never encountered one.

[+mullyman]

I live in Japan and from time to time I come across suzumebachi, or the giant Asian hornet. They are responsible for more deaths each year than any other animal in Japan. Best thing is to steer clear, don't flail your arms around if one comes near you, and, oddly enough, don't wear dark clothes, they don't like that for some reason. One will give you a pretty nasty sting, like needing a hospital run, but what happens is one stings you and it lets out a pheromone that alerts the others and then you're screwed. Not fond of them at all.

MULLY

 

No, this is not my hand, just a photo I grabbed off Google to show how big these mothers are.

[+A & J Tooling]

About 3 1/2 hours ago, I had a run in with a nice 8 point buck. He was hopping the center line cables and his face and antlers made contact with my mirror and drivers side window. Cracked the window, dented the door and destroyed the mirror. He got away with 3 tines broken off one antler.

[+GeoBlank]

Caching in the Northwest...

 

[+Hunter1227]

Here in southern Indiana...we don't have to worry much about dangerous animals....

Probably my worst encounter would have to with stray dogs and the undesirable individuals a person come in contact with

[Little Miss Muffet]

closed my eyes while scrolling to the bottom of this page to skip all the creepy photo's.

 

spiders and their webs get me EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

 

It wouldn't be a normal caching trip without me having what looks like a seizure because I walked into a web and imagining a tarantula on me......and screaming at the top of my lungs in fear is not only a good way to clear my lungs for a hiking trip but also scares off anything bigger than a rabbit in a 2 mile radius.

 

People KNOW when & where I'm caching, lol.

 

An imaginary spider is way more frightening than the real thing because you never feel like you got it off your back. <shudder>

Edited October 25, 2011 by Little Miss Muffet

[+FloridaFour]

Humans and dogs are probably the most dangerous.....

 

Other than that...

 

Mosquitos, cotton mouth snake, pygmy rattle snake, alligators are others I've come across.

[+Team Firenze]

We have only been caching for a month and it has been great except for this thread. The Great Horned we almost walked into and the tick I just found on me today.

 

I haven't been too much of the woodsy type for most of my life but am trying to learn. But I can tell you I am not looking forward to any of this kind of nastiness.

 

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[+jmobr]

I think the most dangerous I have come across is a yellow spider, I don't have a photo of one, but the official name is Argiope aurantia or perhaps its other common names; black and yellow garden spider, zipper spider, banana spider, x spider or corn spider. Freaks me out to reach into bush hides sometimes. Now, arguably, I would say that deer are also the most dangerous, in the fall, because usually, there will be elmer fudd type hunters around? :lol:

[+Ry Dawg]

Cougar... =/

[+delanos]

Wild/ferrel dogs. Cotton mouths. Coral snake. Copper head snake. I came close but didn't see the Ferrel pigs. I could see where they had chewed up the ground routing afterward. Looked like someone was tilling drunk. They are a real problem in Texas and most of the south. FYI you see one get out or get up a tree. Their teeth are sharp. They kill people.

The snakes well I almost soiled my pants on them all.

I haven't had this happen to me but knew two guys who happened on bear in the Sierra's. Lucky running worked.

 

Oh when I cache or hike I carry pepper and citronella spray. Pepper spray for the human animals and citronella for the critters. I wear boot for the snakes.

I also carry a small first aid kit with an ice pack in case i get bit by a snake. So far the worst injury has been sprains and minor cuts.

Edited November 13, 2011 by delanos

[+Otis.Gore]

Foxes, Snakes, but the weirdest are still all those albino animals you find dwelling in caves and old cellars...like albino centepedes.

We once stumbled upon some fish living in the 4th cellar basement of an abandoned bowling alley.

The ground basement floor (approx. 10m below the grass) was filled about 1m with water (wich must have been groundwater, because where else should it have come from?)and I suppose this water had been there for about 10 years.

And in this water there were fish, and they were almost completely see-through

I've never seen anything like that. Not that I'm a fish expert, but those kind of creepy looking things must have been something new

[+Walts Hunting]

The most dangerous place in thus hobby is between a ftf hunter and the cache.

[+GeoStar Husband]

I've never considered any wildlife "dangerous"

 

Having grown up in the woods of northern Minnesota, I've grown to be aware of the animals and understand that they don't generally want anything to do with us. I have encountered black bear, timber wolf, bobcat, owls, osprey, a badger and a pine martin while geocaching. The angriest/funniest encounter was with an adult beaver. I was near its dam and it didn't seem to care for my presence. It climbed onto the dam and started coming toward me slapping its tail. I backed away, and it started charging me! Funniest thing I had seen in a long time! Once I scooted out of his way and up the bank a bit it wandered back into the water.

 

Was charged by a moose once for being too close to its calf, but that wasn't while caching.

 

Picking blueberries about 10 years ago, we headed around a clump of brush to get to the other side of the berries and came face to face, about 6ft away, from a black bear. He was just eating away, i popped around the corner, scared him and he scrambled off! So engrossed in eating the poor guy had no idea I was there until I was right on top of him. His feet went like scooby doo! Good fun.

 

Surprised a big whitetail buck once too. He was bedded down and I was stalking the woods searching for grouse when i nearly stepped on the bedded buck! I jumped back, he scrambled to his feet and dashed through the brush, running headlong into an aspen tree! He shook that off and tore out of the area.

 

Took a nap in my deerstand about 5 years ago and woke to a full grown timber wolf sniffing the tree my stand was in. Walked around the tree for a few minutes, sniffing and circling, then wandered off into the woods. When I got down and headed back to my truck I saw that almost every one of it's paw prints were in my boot prints. Big fella had followed me nearly step for step down the trail.

[ritepath]

I just started cachin' a week ago, but considering I jeep, hike, bike in our area...I'm going to go with Rattlesnakes. The woods hides I've found so far seem to be around rocks and logs. About 90% of the rattlers I've come across were either on logs, or around the rocks. Glad I didn't find about this hobbie until this fall.

[+eureka1]

Over time I've seen: coral snakes, cotton mouths, black widow spiders, deer, skunk, raccoons, coyote, grass snakes, 1 tortoise, armadillos, bugs (I don't know what kind, but lots of them), all types of interesting birds, and rabbits and squirrels galore. Happily I've avoided ticks. I'm not sure which was the most dangerous but the most annoying is the agressive mosquito.

Edited November 16, 2011 by eureka1

[+SoloSeekers ヅ]

The most dangerous animal I've come across was a 4' Rattlesnake! He was concealed under some fallen branches and I just caught a glimpse of his tail, that was protruding, right before I was about to step on it! He was about 11' from the cache sight! I scared him off, but of course he headed right for the pile of rocks that concealed the cache I was after, so I gave up that day and returned a while later to claim the find. The most common is the tick! I've found a few on me but my dogs seem to always pick some up on our geocaching excursions. I once had a homeless person follow me all the way to my car. I think he might have done something, but I had my two very large dogs with me, and he hesitated long enough for me to reach my car and leave the area! I have since gotten a carry permit so I never leave home without protection!

Edited January 10, 2012 by Untied_ShoeLaces

[+humboldt flier]

Two legs, 5'6", blonde, blue eyes, tongue sharper than a surgical knife. Used the sharpened tongue regularly then poured iodine into the wounds.

[+Psychoticjesters]

Ran into plenty of ticks and mosquito's, but the most dangerous would have to be a large pair of rattle snakes just last week who DIDN'T RATTLE THEIR TAILS! Also ran into plenty of yellowjacket, and honey/bumblebee hives. Don't have to worry too much about Black widow's in California since they've mostly been replaced with brown widows (non-posionous)in urban area's.

There are coyote's and Mountain Loins in the area too though I haven't run into any personally, but I know others who have.

[siltsweetie]

rifleman58 and I were chased by wild tom turkeys last week...if we weren't so worried they'd catch us it was laughable. they chased us around the whole stinkin' pond. memorable!

[+313JTG]

An Africanized honey bee, about the size of my thumb. It was sitting on top of a container in a Michigan rest stop. My dad and I tried to get it to move, but that thing held it's ground. I just took my DNF and moved on.

[Clan Riffster]

Don't have to worry too much about Black widow's in California since they've mostly been replaced with brown widows (non-posionous)in urban area's.

From Wikipedia:

(Hey, it's on the Internets, it must be true!)

 

Like all Latrodectus species, L. geometricus has a neurotoxic venom that, drop for drop, is as toxic as the black widow's. However, brown widow bites are usually not very dangerous; usually much less dangerous than the black widow's. Brown widow venom is twice as potent as black widow venom, but is usually confined to the bite area and surrounding tissue, as opposed to the black widow's. Mere toxicity of the venom is not the only factor in dangerousness. Brown widow bites are minor compared to black widow bites, because they cannot deliver the same amount of venom as the black widow.

 

I didn't know that. I figured they were as nasty as the black widow.

[AZcachemeister]

Two legs, 5'6", blonde, blue eyes, tongue sharper than a surgical knife. Used the sharpened tongue regularly then poured iodine into the wounds.

 

Truly, the pack of semi-wild dogs were nothing.

 

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

 

The Female of the Species

 

WHEN the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,

He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.

But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

 

When Nag the basking cobra hears the careless foot of man,

He will sometimes wriggle sideways and avoid it if he can.

But his mate makes no such motion where she camps beside the trail.

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

 

When the early Jesuit fathers preached to Hurons and Choctaws,

They prayed to be delivered from the vengeance of the squaws.

'Twas the women, not the warriors, turned those stark enthusiasts pale.

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

 

Man's timid heart is bursting with the things he must not say,

For the Woman that God gave him isn't his to give away;

But when hunter meets with husbands, each confirms the other's tale—

The female of the species is more deadly than the male.

 

Man, a bear in most relations—worm and savage otherwise,—

Man propounds negotiations, Man accepts the compromise.

Very rarely will he squarely push the logic of a fact

To its ultimate conclusion in unmitigated act.

 

Fear, or foolishness, impels him, ere he lay the wicked low,

To concede some form of trial even to his fiercest foe.

Mirth obscene diverts his anger—Doubt and Pity oft perplex

Him in dealing with an issue—to the scandal of The Sex!

 

But the Woman that God gave him, every fibre of her frame

Proves her launched for one sole issue, armed and engined for the same;

And to serve that single issue, lest the generations fail,

The female of the species must be deadlier than the male.

 

She who faces Death by torture for each life beneath her breast

May not deal in doubt or pity—must not swerve for fact or jest.

These be purely male diversions—not in these her honour dwells—

She the Other Law we live by, is that Law and nothing else.

 

She can bring no more to living than the powers that make her great

As the Mother of the Infant and the Mistress of the Mate.

And when Babe and Man are lacking and she strides unclaimed to claim

Her right as femme (and baron), her equipment is the same.

 

She is wedded to convictions—in default of grosser ties;

Her contentions are her children, Heaven help him who denies!—

He will meet no suave discussion, but the instant, white-hot, wild,

Wakened female of the species warring as for spouse and child.

 

Unprovoked and awful charges—even so the she-bear fights,

Speech that drips, corrodes, and poisons—even so the cobra bites,

Scientific vivisection of one nerve till it is raw

And the victim writhes in anguish—like the Jesuit with the squaw!

 

So it comes that Man, the coward, when he gathers to confer

With his fellow-braves in council, dare not leave a place for her

Where, at war with Life and Conscience, he uplifts his erring hands

To some God of Abstract Justice—which no woman understands.

 

And Man knows it! Knows, moreover, that the Woman that God gave him

Must command but may not govern—shall enthral but not enslave him.

And She knows, because She warns him, and Her instincts never fail,

That the Female of Her Species is more deadly than the Male.

Edited June 3, 2013 by AZcachemeister

[+Walts Hunting]

A FTFer on the way to a cache.

[Hosscatt]

So far the scariest is the caches hid in a 'homeless lair'. The people we run into make me nervous as they have been drunk/ stoned. Though it was funny when one asked my dad if he lost his job

 

Other than that snakes. Cant stand snakes.

[+etphoneme2plz]

Came across a Guardian scorpion this past weekend... Have a pic but don't know how to post it here....

[+humboldt flier]

Two legs, 5'6", blonde, blue eyes, tongue sharper than a surgical knife. Used the sharpened tongue regularly then poured iodine into the wounds.

 

Truly, the pack of semi-wild dogs were nothing.

 

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

 

The Female of the Species

 

WHEN the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,

He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.

But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

 

When Nag the basking cobra hears the careless foot of man,

He will sometimes wriggle sideways and avoid it if he can.

But his mate makes no such motion where she camps beside the trail.

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

 

When the early Jesuit fathers preached to Hurons and Choctaws,

They prayed to be delivered from the vengeance of the squaws.

'Twas the women, not the warriors, turned those stark enthusiasts pale.

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

 

Man's timid heart is bursting with the things he must not say,

For the Woman that God gave him isn't his to give away;

But when hunter meets with husbands, each confirms the other's tale—

The female of the species is more deadly than the male.

 

Man, a bear in most relations—worm and savage otherwise,—

Man propounds negotiations, Man accepts the compromise.

Very rarely will he squarely push the logic of a fact

To its ultimate conclusion in unmitigated act.

 

Fear, or foolishness, impels him, ere he lay the wicked low,

To concede some form of trial even to his fiercest foe.

Mirth obscene diverts his anger—Doubt and Pity oft perplex

Him in dealing with an issue—to the scandal of The Sex!

 

But the Woman that God gave him, every fibre of her frame

Proves her launched for one sole issue, armed and engined for the same;

And to serve that single issue, lest the generations fail,

The female of the species must be deadlier than the male.

 

She who faces Death by torture for each life beneath her breast

May not deal in doubt or pity—must not swerve for fact or jest.

These be purely male diversions—not in these her honour dwells—

She the Other Law we live by, is that Law and nothing else.

 

She can bring no more to living than the powers that make her great

As the Mother of the Infant and the Mistress of the Mate.

And when Babe and Man are lacking and she strides unclaimed to claim

Her right as femme (and baron), her equipment is the same.

 

She is wedded to convictions—in default of grosser ties;

Her contentions are her children, Heaven help him who denies!—

He will meet no suave discussion, but the instant, white-hot, wild,

Wakened female of the species warring as for spouse and child.

 

Unprovoked and awful charges—even so the she-bear fights,

Speech that drips, corrodes, and poisons—even so the cobra bites,

Scientific vivisection of one nerve till it is raw

And the victim writhes in anguish—like the Jesuit with the squaw!

 

So it comes that Man, the coward, when he gathers to confer

With his fellow-braves in council, dare not leave a place for her

Where, at war with Life and Conscience, he uplifts his erring hands

To some God of Abstract Justice—which no woman understands.

 

And Man knows it! Knows, moreover, that the Woman that God gave him

Must command but may not govern—shall enthral but not enslave him.

And She knows, because She warns him, and Her instincts never fail,

That the Female of Her Species is more deadly than the Male.

 

I see you have met her ... or one like her.

[thezebra]

Went to my first GC today a few minute walk from my house. Right where I assume the gc was hidden was a HUUUGE copperhead curled up under the brush. Thankfully I had tied my dog up a few trees away by the trail and had a long stick to move around the brush with but as soon as I saw that thing I lept back pretty fast and grabbed my dog, sat on the nearby bench and watched it for a few minutes before leaving. The snake didnt seem to be leaving anytime soon, either. For sure had the heeby jeebies the rest of the day hunting....Couldnt muster up the courage to dig out a bunch of dead mulchy leaves and rotted logs to get to the second stop's gc (which I could see, just not get to) People around here should really take these critters into consideration when hiding. Next time I am wearing my tall boots! Thankfully the third and final stop of the day resulted in a find that didnt have me worried about any venomous snakes! Ahh got to love Texas....

[+DragonsWest]

 

The dreaded, fearsome Ape-cacher!!

[+Scootercop]

1 scorpion, 2 snakes, and a whole lot of squirrels and spiders.

[+joshuar9476]

Chiggers .... I assumed pants would keep them off me. It took me two weeks of having bites all the way up my leg and toward my nether region before I realized that they can still get in your pants. A can of Deep Woods Off now accompanies me on every trip.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I haven't found many caches, so for me, it's your garden-variety deer

For me is was a homeless guy with a pit bull, I have seen a couple of Rattle Snakes but they are more predictable than homeless guys with pit bulls

[+Redfist]

For me, a rattlesnake warming itself in the sun right across the trail I was on. Luckily I saw it ~10-12 feet out. I would've hated to accidentally step on him.

[+Walts Hunting]

I've found that being between a FTFr and a just published cached can be very dangerous.

[+OldLog]

The most dangerous animal on this planet is man.