Critters to look out for?

[rwc1969]

What kind of critters do you have to watch out for where you live, in the woods or otherwise?

Here, it's pretty much just bees, wasps, maybe army ants and a spider or two. None are really deadly, or if they are you don't hear about them much.

As far as animals go there isn't much in lower michigan that could hurt you. maybe coyotes in a rare case, or a rabid coon or something, but nothing is above us on the food chain.

We don't have any water critters that can swim up your peehole, etc. and the only snake is the Missisauga rattler which is pretty rare now. People have been bit by northern pike, but that's rare too.

I have had close encounters with whitetail buck's in the rut which could have went bad, but that's pretty rare too.

Up north there are wolves, bears, maybe an elk or moose if your lucky.

When we lived in KY we had to always be aware of copperheads, rattlers and water moccasins. It seemed every thing contained them. The water moccasins would swim right in your boat and were real aggresive. Every spring we'd have a rattle snake round up of sorts, because they were thick like flies.

When my kid was in TX he had to go thru a ritual each day of shaking out boots, covers, etc. to make sure no scorpions or killer spiders decided to take up refuge, and they usually did. People were getting bit quite often as compared to here.

I've kinda let down my guard on the critters up here because they don't ever seem to bother you. What's it like in your neck of the woods?

[crashdive123]

I think Rick has a list of things that I need to look out for.

[rwc1969]

OK? I don't get it.

[Justin Case]

oh man, Lots of stuff, bees, wasps, skeeters, widows, recluse, scorpion, tarantula ,rattlesnake, badger, gila monster, and I am sure theres a few i cant think of right now,,

We have several different species of Rattlesnakes here, but i "Believe" its the only dangerous snakes,,

[Batch]

Rick has a list of why he ain't coming to Florida.

We have mosquitoes

we have the things that swim in your body and kill you.

There are more shark attacks in Florida then any where else in the world.

We have the most lightning strikes in this half of the world.

alligators (10 states have alligators and only one other state has ever had a fatal attack. That state was GA and it was probably a Florida gator that did the killin. Every other fatal gator attack has happened in the state. )

crocodiles

spectacled caiman (nasty temper and bite)

panthers

bears

snakes (where I go is loaded with snakes. Some are deadly. You'll just have to tell me if you want to talk poisonous or not. You know, giant anaconda or python or would you rather talk the deadly coral snake, mean ole water moccasins, eastern diamondback rattlers, dusky pygmy rattlers) I didn't mention hoop snakes because of how flat it is down here. Oh, but I should add that we have so many exotics that you had better know the difference between a green rough snake and a green mamba or whack! You are dead!!! We have the copperhead and canebreak a little north of me in central Florida.

Giant carnivorous monitor lizards

Killer bees

Less than lethal bees

all the other flying stinging and biting insects that can exist.

Giant poisonous water bugs

Scorpions

Spiders (BIG!!! spiders!!!) then black widows, brown widows, brown recluse.

Wild hogs this big!!!

Coyotes and wolves

Skunk ape

The occasional rabid bobcat, fox or attack squirrel. Ever been attacked by a rabid flying squirrel? Didn't think so. Not, many people who have would still be around to tell about it.

Also, when you come down here in South Florida hold your breath as much as possible. It is well known that Florida has a higher than normal amount of dihydrogen monoxide in the air. Even in small amounts dihydrogen monoxide can kill if breathed into the lungs. Our beaches, lakes, rivers, and canals are filled with the stuff!

That's about all for now. Cause I have to chase a Chuppacabra of the back patio...

[krazykangaroo]

We have a nice selection in Aus:
Snakes
Skeeters
Scorpions
Snakes
People
Sharks
Snakes
Bees
Ants
Saw bush
Spiders
Stone fish
Snakes
Blue-ringed octopus
Spiny freshwater crayfish
Emu - dangerous when guarding chicks
Drop bears
Feral pigs, camels, horses etc
Feral Panthers - rumours but no real eveidence

Up north:
Crocs
Stinging trees - many people have shot themselves because of the pain
Box jellyfish
irukandji
Snakes
Sharks
Scorpions
Feral dogs
Cone shell

[BUSH]

Justin Case, you forgot the most dangerous thing in AZ., the dreaded " EASTERN SNOW BIRD".

[Batch]

I forgot, we have carnivorous plants as well. But, I am trained in identifying them and so I can just walk around them. (They can't walk...)

[Justin Case]

Justin Case, you forgot the most dangerous thing in AZ., the dreaded " EASTERN SNOW BIRD".

Oh geeze, You're right, That was careless of me, !

[Ken]

Up here?

Anything rabid - rare, but there are some.

Coyotes, porcupines, skunks, spiders and ticks top my list on land. Of course, there are the often present mosquitos, bees, wasps, hornets and rare but annoying black fly.

In the water, I keep an eye out for sharks (yeah, lots of sightings here lately), schools of blues, jelly fish, and Portuguese men of war.

I'm probably more concerned about the antisocial two-legged critters than any of the rest.

True story. When I was about 18, I went fishing with a next door neighbor off of Warren's Point on the Rhode Island coast. The man, about 45 years old at the time, did a lot of commercial fishing as well as fishing for his freezers - alone - from a 23' open boat. We had landed over 600 lbs. of tautog (some folks call 'em "blackfish") using rod and reel and decided to do a bit of snorkling and spearfishing. Well, the swells were pretty nasty, over 6', and I was back on the boat in about 10 minutes, but he just kept on going. (I'm still impressed to this day.)

After he was in the water for about 30 minutes, he swam back toward the boat, and looked like he was having a problem. I was ready to go back in when he told me to stay in the boat. When he got back aboard, he was COVERED with Portuguese men of war and he must have been stung several hundred times.

I used a rag and pliers to pull most of the pieces off of him, and told him to relax while I brought the boat back to Westport. Hell no. He was doing the driving. We got the boat back on the trailer, drove back home, and filleted or cleaned all 600 lbs. of fish. He was still covered with tentacles and tiny bits of that damn man of war. When we were done cleaning the fish AND washing the boat, he asked his wife to pull out the tentacles (stingers) that he was still covered with.

To this day, I don't know if he had tremendous fortitude or was just crazy, but I don't think I could have done that.

[Justin Case]

Gotta watch the Portuguese, I hear they have a temper

btw, we have skunks, coyote and racoons also , (by the river)

[Ken]

Gotta watch the Portuguese, I hear they have a temper

btw, we have skunks, coyote and racoons also , (by the river)

.

[rwc1969]

That's just messed up. LOL! We do have lotsa ticks at times and also killer snow geese. I didn't even think of the geese, but they can be pretty dangerous I suppose. A girl got attacked by two and the association decided to kill em all. You'd try to launch your boat and about 5 or 10 would come running wings a flappin'. They're big too.

I don't even know what to say about all the other stuff you guys listed. Skunk apes and drop bears, men o' war, dyhydrogen monoxide? WTH!

Are you guys always on the lookout or do you just get used to it?

[Camp10]

Black flies are rare over there Ken? That surprises me, they are terrible during the spring here. There isnt to many critters to watch for here. Coyote, skunk, porcupines..stuff like that. Moose can have a temper and I do keep my distance but they are pretty easy to spot and avoid. We do have the brown recluse spider and I think that the state is now willing to admit that there could be mountian lions and wolves here.

[Ken]

Black flies are rare over there Ken? That surprises me, they are terrible during the spring here. There isnt to many critters to watch for here. Coyote, skunk, porcupines..stuff like that. Moose can have a temper and I do keep my distance but they are pretty easy to spot and avoid. We do have the brown recluse spider and I think that the state is now willing to admit that there could be mountian lions and wolves here.

Camp, the one thing, the ONLY thing, that keeps me away from Maine (except the coast, and even then....) is the black flies. I'm sure that 50,000 generations later, some of them suckers still have traces of my blood in 'em.

[Justin Case]

Dang it, you guys keep reminding me of stuff, We got Mountain lions and Bobcats here too

[Camp10]

Camp, the one thing, the ONLY thing, that keeps me away from Maine (except the coast, and even then....) is the black flies. I'm sure that 50,000 generations later, some of them suckers still have traces of my blood in 'em.

Yeah, up here you can tell what season it is by what insect is sucking the life out of you! Black flies first, then the mosquitoes and finally the deer flies.

[Ken]

Are you guys always on the lookout or do you just get used to it?

On land, just used to it. On the water, ALWAYS on the lookout.

And yeah, I've been the victim of a goose attack while fishing from shore. Smacked that thing with my fishing rod a dozen times before it gave up. Then, it stood about 50' away hissing at me for the next hour.

[Ken]

Yeah, up here you can tell what season it is by what insect is sucking the life out of you! Black flies first, then the mosquitoes and finally the deer flies.

July, 1975. Lake Sebago. Four days of steady rain, black fly bites, wet sleeping bags, and not a single bite from any type of fish out there.

On the morning we broke camp, some kid started throwing rocks in the water right near where we were trying for salmon. I wanted to KILL HIM! A while later, he comes back with a handline and some bread for bait and catches one awesome looking salmon in about 10 minutes. BREAD! He caught it with BREAD!

We broke camp, loaded the truck, and turned onto 302 just as the sun broke out for the first time since we arrived in Maine.

Most miserable outdoors experience of my life. Still brings tears to my eyes.

[Justin Case]

Must have been "Wonder Bread" !

(those weren't rocks, It was Chum )