[Blessings2You]

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!

[soxmom]

Its unfortunate when wild animals attack. Probably 90% of the time
due to human stupidity.

We see ALOT of wildlife where I live at the edge of the hills. In the
Spring and Summer I have to admit, Im nervous to come around the
house and come face to face with a bear. I find myself googling
safety tips and getting all confused as to what to do when I meet one.

"DO NOT LOOK THE BEAR IN THE EYES BUT DONT TURN YOUR HEAD
AWAY FROM THE BEAR" What????? Ill just stay inside, Thank you.lol

But the pros outway the cons as we see bunnies, moose, deer(I almost
hit one yesterday), bobcats, bear, foxes, hawks, eagles, badgers,
racoons, and many others. I wouldnt trade it for anything. I just
have to remember to woop and holler when I am working in my
vegetable garden(which is surrounded by raspberries and bears
looove raspberries)

So I will enjoy my wildlife but with a little bit of caution.

soxmom

[AfterMyNap]

It's interesting, B2, so many of us live in places where it seems nearly impossible, but it definitely happens. I live in a fairly high animal population area and frequently see animal/car crashes.

We don't have much in the ways of human fatalities here, but big bucks on dark nights have done a few drivers in from time to time.

Here's a link of some national averages from the NTSB: http://www.icoet.net/ICOET_2005/05factsfigs.asp

[braingonebad]

Amn - 150 deaths per year, and 90% of animal/car crashes involve deer. I can believe deer are the ususual culprits. But I would have thought there would be more deaths.

Deer are certainly the most dangerous wild animal in my neck of the woods. We don't have bears, and we have one poisonous snake but I doubt you'd ever see one (I've seen one the whole time I've lived here).

There is a large pack of coyotes within a mile of my house but they're keeping to themselves. I wish they'd get a taste for deer, lol.

[PolarExpress]

It can happen anywhere..
I think Minnesota isn't that far off from Vermont as far as wild critters (bear, moose, coyotes, the occasional cougar, wolves up north, rattlesnakes by the Mississippi..).
I grew up in Colorado, and when we had particularly bad conditions in the mountains (drought, fire, etc), it would drive the mountain lions down to the foothills. More than one jogger has been accosted at the Broadmoor by hungry mountain lions. Of course, if they wouldn't go alone (like they're told not to), it may never have happened.
Who exactly is the "dumb" animal?