This should be a shoo in for the Darwin Award.
. These morons continually go out to see “nature” with zero preparedness, zero knowledge and then are surprised when bad things happen. Then they are amazed the help wasn’t right there to help them
. Anytime you’re out in a rural (much less wilderness) area, you’d best be prepared to take some responsibility for your own well being. A few years ago my neighbor and his buddy were horseback riding in the backcountry at Mammoth Cave NP in the late fall. They were several miles back in, hadn’t seen a soul all day. Came around a bend in the trail and here is a young woman (early twenties) by herself in shorts and a halter top who had nothing with her and who was completely lost.. She was out on a “nature hike”. 
. They wound up giving her some water and some food and pointed her down the trail that would take her out of the area. When they finally got where the had cell service they called and reported it to the park rangers. If they hadn’t came along who knows what she’d have done. If they had been thugs she could have been raped and killed and nobody would have known the difference, at least for a while. People are fundamentally stupid..
As a wise man once said
Not to mention the “fun” of a rabies series of shots following a close encounter of the Raccoon kindWhile I doubt any are killed, many city people learn quickly and painfully NOT to try to feed or pet that racoon that wandered into their yard. I've heard racoons described as a chain saw in a fur coat. They can do a lot of serious damage real fast.
Skunks can be downright hilarious!
. Bob ask ed that evening if I wanted to help, but having no inclination to do so I declined the honor. Bob approached the trap with a large furniture blanket and covered the trap. He loaded it in his truck and hauled it off. I’d have loved watching him get it Out, but I passed on that as well. Bob and his truck both had a rather distinctive “air” about them for a while after that. Suspect there were some serious discussions held at home on the subject
. Also, the groundhog, apparently not liking the smell of the area, left on his own
There is a book titled Rabid that describes the history of rabies and development of a vaccine that is sobering. Still a terrible disease with no cure once it developsNot to mention the “fun” of a rabies series of shots following a close encounter of the Raccoon kind
i had rabies before.... hold on. no, i had scabies. not rabies. sorry for the confusion.
And many of them, both raccoon and skunk, carry rabies. No, they are not cute. They are messy pests.While I doubt any are killed, many city people learn quickly and painfully NOT to try to feed or pet that racoon that wandered into their yard. I've heard racoons described as a chain saw in a fur coat. They can do a lot of serious damage real fast.
Skunks can be downright hilarious!
Word. And given the fact that in many of the wilderness areas and both state and national parks, the weather can change drastically in a matter of minutes, many are caught unaware and suffer grave consequences for it. I have been places where the temperature suddenly dropped nearly 50 degrees in a matter of minutes when a front suddenly rolled in. Hypothermia is not your friend. When I do hike anywhere, I have a little pack that has a canteen, a fire starting kit, a first aid kit, one of those reflective emergency blankets that folds down to almost nothing, a waterproof windbreaker that does the same, snacks, a small fixed blade knife, a multitool, and of course my phone so somebody can find my happy *** in case I die on the trail. One thing the military survival courses taught me was to be prepared, at times to save your own life.Sad fact, the majority of folks today have no clue about wildlife or wilderness. Everything’s all warm and fuzzy, and the cute lil animals are all our friends
