Bears and other Scary animals

A lot of people laugh at that... right up until they're swarmed by packs of angry badgers!

I may write a book on the subject.

 

We were keeping quiet about the badgers - do not want to put tourists off.

 

Someone mention badgers?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIyixC9NsLI

 

Canada doesn't have scenic wonders like this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gira9EJBdc0#t=0

 

Scandinavia, has wolves, bears, wolverines, moose, lynx, badgers, and mosquitoes.

Luckily, they so far have managed to keep rabies away from the foxes and wolves.




Its the moose you really have to worry about. They lurk by the motorways and highways, and leap out at unsuspecting motorists.

You wouldn't think it could be difficult to spot a grey creature that's 2,20cm+ tall (7ft+) against a green background, but damn do they blend in well, especially at dawn or dusk, when they are most active. What's more, they're so damn big, you end up with a moosehead's antlers redecorating your face with shards of windscreen, and rearranging your innards. Because the impact is unlikely to actually kill the beast outright.

 

Old old joke:

People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.


I would not agree that black bears are generally safe to be around. They're dangerous as heck

One a lighter note:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRDrX0KRGUA

Same thing happened to my friend last season in Georgia. He didn't get it on video though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g18HxMC7R04

 

At least I will get some good meat in BC. Moose, bear and badgers too. Apparently badger was eaten in UK during the war along with horse, whalemeat and Spam. We never ran out of haggis as they are prolific breeders.

This is my pet haggis called Scuddy

 

just checked the smilies. even got badgers .

 

Well spotted Owen! I couldn't find haggis though. You would think we would have something better to do than scrolling down looking for smilies!

 

Remember to account for the back blast ...

 

Toki2, it's possible y'all are the travelling killers preying on gullible/friendly Canadians. lo.

Ken, wishing I was able to view your post, as the frame will not open. Subsequent posts indicate it was juicey.

 

In BC, it's the moose you have to watch out for!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn9STvcnoKo

 

Poppy, if you hear the skirl of bagpipes - run! (Everybody else does)

 

Ha. You are exposed. When you here the 'pipes, drop and play dead. ..You may not survive here.

 

Out of curiosity... Vegemite seems to do wonders at keeps the Yanks away .. Would it work against the Bears?

On another note if you survive Canada come back down and visit Australia if you havnt already toki. All of our animals are safe and harmless... Irukandji

Box Jelly fish, Irukandji, Bull shark, Eastern Brown snake, Salt water Crocs, Sydney Funnel web spider, Blue ringed Octopus, Coastal Taipan, Common death adder, Cone shells, Spotted brown snake, King brown snake, Red bellied black snake, Tiger shark, Tiger snake, Great white shark, Yellow bellied sea snake, Blue bottle, Common lion fish, Collets snake, Highland copperhead, Inland Taipan, Red back spider, Reef stone fish, smooth toad fish, Blue bellied black snake, Australian Paralysis tick, bull ant and Giant centipede to start with =)

Probably safe that the Japanese didnt invade Australia...

And what ever you do do not run into a Wombat.. You could hit one of those b***ards with an M1 Abrams, Wreck it, And the wombat will still get buck up and walk away not phased in the slightest...

 

I've heard everything in Australia either bites, stings, infects, strangulates, poisons, rips off a limb or gives you a rash - and that's just the women you meet in clubs. Once you get out into the bush, it's even worse...

 

Was in Oz two years ago and survived so BC should be a walkover! I was invited several times to see people's resident funnel web spiders but declined as they would give me the heebie jeebies. At a zoo my cousin encouraged me to reach over and stroke a wombat, then I saw a sign that said 'Do not touch. These animals bite' The only croc that I saw was in an animal enclosure on the 4th floor of a casino in Cairns. A bit weird I thought. It was lovely however to see kangaroos bounding across the country in Hunter Valley. The vegemite was okay but you guys love your meat. (I thought the Americans were the biggest carnivores) You do however have wonderful seafood and multi cultural restaurants aplenty. Brilliant sense of humour and strangers were eager to chat and give travel advice. Had a great holiday.

 

I survived the bears and other scary animals but nobody warned me of the murderous mosquitos! My face, hands and arms were swollen up despite soaking myself in Deet and smelling like a kipper from the campfire smoke. Saw lots of wild life including the down and outs in Skid Row Vancouver (I took a wrong turning). Saying that I was immediately offered a joint so wasn't all bad. The scenery was amazing over the Rockies and I have never seen such angry swift moving water in the rivers and canyons with the spring melt. Unfortunately half an hour after we left the trail down to Nairn Falls near Lillooet a man fell into the swollen river. A couple in our campsite saw him seconds later being swept downstream. It was a very narrow path with rocks and exposed tree roots and I had immediately felt uneasy going down as there was not much room to manoeuvre and lots of people about. On a lighter note I was thrilled to pat a timber wolf that a guy had rescued as a pup after it had been shot. It was 13 years old and went running with him. Also loved listening to the ravens in the campsite - I swear they can talk - and I kept a handful of pine cones nearby to throw at them when they had the cheek to swoop down on the picnic table. I am in two minds about the Athabasca glacier which is a big commercial attraction. Everybody goes on about global warming (since the early 1800's???) causing it to recede yet there are massive big Snocoaches going on and off the glacier continually with thousands of visitors daily. The glacier is in plain sight from the road and you can hike up to it. Reminded me of when I was in a semi submersible on the Great Barrier Reef with the commentary about the need to preserve the corral that takes hundreds of years to form - yet the keel of the boat was scraping the said corral. All in all my trip over the Rockies was top notch and I even heard someone playing the bagpipes in one of the campsites. Cant ask better that that !