There's often banter back and forth about which are "safe" places to live. I'm not talking crime or tornadoes, but wildlife. We kid around (or sometimes not kidding) about living where there are alligators, scorpions, poisonous snakes, polar bears, what have you.

I've always maintained that Vermont is a safe place, critter-wise, if you don't do something stupid, such as try to pick up a cute little bear cub or have your picture taken with your arm around a moose.

I'm not counting domestic and farm animals, such as being kicked by a cow or mauled by a dog. This is about WILD animals.

My guess was that most human vs wild animal fatalities in Vermont are due to motor vehicle accidents (hitting a moose or deer). So I contacted the good people at the Fish & Wildlife Dept. and sure enough, the last recorded fatality by wild animal was back in the forties! And it was his own fault.

Seems a hunter shot a bear, leaned his rifle against a tree , and went to inspect the "dead" bear. Big mistake. The bear wasn't dead, and the hunter soon was.

Turns out this happened down near where my Dad grew up in the southern part of the state, and my aunt remembers it well.

Just a little more useless information, but now I'm curious as to statistics in other states, and one of these days I'll continue my research. Have a good day and enjoy the wildlife where you are!