(meteorobs) Meteor Watching and Wild Animals

[Wayne Watson]

I have 100' to walk from my house to my observatory. Often I carry a 
crafted walking stick or a 2x2x36"* stick at night. I live in the midst 
of some interesting wild life country, but not remote. Sierra foothills 
in N. Calif.

The area between my house and obs is sometimes frequented by our 
neighborhood black bear (his color is cinnamon). He's raids my bird 
house several times a year. It's on a 6' pole, which he bends over and 
clobbers the bird house for seed. In the winter, of all times, I've 
found his tracks all over our property during snow periods. Nice claws. 
Some of my neighbors do not take precaution in packaging their garbage. 
That's the big attraction for him. Bears have good memories of where 
people have placed food outdoors.

I'm sure there are times when he's passed through without making any 
disturbance. I've found his tracks in the summer, as well as winter. At 
night, particularly, if you are in your car reading a book or map, keep 
your window nearly rolled up. I happily missed such an experience a few 
years ago because my window was rolled up. He left a nice fat lick on my 
window.  In fact, if you are out where bears might be present and are 
outside your car, make sure the window is up, so in a quick escape you 
don't need to roll it up.

We have bears, bobcats, cougars and rattlers to contend with.  My 
walking stick(s) serves two purposes.  One is to ward off any cougars or 
bears I might encounter. The other is for rattlers. The 2x2x36" I tend 
to use more during rattle snake season. Our soil is pretty rocky, so as 
I walk along I plant it solidly ahead of me as I walk.  I do think the 
sound is transmitted well through the ground, and hopefully any nearby 
snakes will scatter. They really do not want to deal with people**.   
When I open and close doors to the house and obs, I do not do it gently. 
Generally, I make noise when I'm hiking on my own in areas that are 
known for dangerous animals. Clap stones together, whistle (which 
probably is good to carry anyway in the outdoors), or clunk your walking 
stick on rocks as you go where visibility is poor.

I suppose if one gets real edgy about cougars, wear a helmet that gives 
protection to the back of one's helmet. Probably a time to worry more 
about these animals is during droughts and such that might make food 
scarce.  Note that if one is attacked by a black bear, you'll need to 
fight back. They don't attack for the fun of it. Don't run from them 
(bears or cougars), they will be happy to pursue you.

I read a riveting account a year or two ago of a camper who encountered 
a cougar. He was 40-50' away. The lesson was keep looking at the animal. 
A break in your gaze can be an opening for it.

Your best defense against a rattler is a cell phone. Have a help # in 
your phone list. So says a well-known rattle snake expert, Ken Ramierez, 
we have in the area. He's been on National Geo Ch and has taken rattlers 
off our property.

BTW, groups of six people or more have not been known to be attacked by 
grizzlies. :-)  If confronted by one lie down and cover your face with 
your hands.  They go for faces.

I hope everyone got through Halloween without any trouble. Sweet dreams. :-)

P.S. I have an extra all-sky camera I've used for meteor work that I 
plan to put in my yard that can be triggered by movement. I plan to use 
it some day to see what actually moves around here. I'll catch that bear 
on video yet!

* My neighbor made the 2x2 stick for me for fending off dogs in the 
area. He carved a handle for it from common lumber. I hike through a 
rural nearby residential area that people sometimes people allow their 
dogs off the least. I've needed it a few times just to put a barrier 
between me and them. Most dogs back off quickly when they see the stick.

** See Rattlesnakes by L. M. Klauber. I think he has a story about using 
them in an Indiana Jones movies. Any time a human approached a group of 
them, they would scatter.


-- 
           Wayne Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)

             (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
              Obz Site:  39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet  

               1,595. That's the number of people who died in 
               car accidents for a year's period after 9/11/2001 
               who shouldn't have died. Why? We stopped flying
               because of fear and took up driving. Bad choice.
                   -- The Science of Fear by Daniel Gardner
 
                    Web Page: <www.speckledwithstars.net/>