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Posted by yellowbelly (173.14.177.33) on 07:13:47 11/02/12
In Reply to: An account of a bison tossing posted by Roadie
Interesting post... depending on the terrain, I guess I'd have been behind a tree somewhere.
I've been bluff charged by a mother pronghorn and real charged by a mother elk from 200 yards to the point that only bear spray would stop her. With each incident, my estimate of a "safe zone" has increased... especially with buffalo. When I'm crossing an open meadow, I like to keep 100 yards if possible from those guys. So, right about now, I'm sure that Plenty Coups is laughing out loud... but that's were I've come to be. Walking down narrow game trails between a raging river and a cliff is a whole other matter.
So one of my points is that only my real life experiences have given me the respect that these wild animals deserve not a fact sheet casually handed out as you drive into the park.
Also, some of you might recall an earlier posting that 1 in 500 animals is absolutely crazy and doesn't act like the others (much lower for humans... 1 in 50 I'd guess.) I'd be real wary of an enormous backcountry loner bull bison... Do I yet again hear Plenty Coups chuckling?
But still, I won't stop heading into the backcountry were the hair on my neck will likely stand up straight at least a few more times.
Here's why... my theory is that man evolved and survived with daily doses of adrenalin while foraging and hunting and we still have primal needs for this type of excitement and anticipation even if you never see an animal... and so be it.
Join with me to thank the Creator for adrenalin.
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