Wildlife

One of the wonders of the outdoors is seeing wildlife in its natural habitat.  That said, some wildlife encounters can become dangerous. 

Snakes

Most of the Untied States has venomous snakes.  That said, we do NOT have venomous snakes on the Western side of the Cascades, other than what you would find at a zoo or in a personal collection.  East of the Cascades, we have the Western Rattlesnake.  

Western Rattlesnake

• Found under rocks and bushes

• Hibernate (brumation) late October to April

• April and September/October - active at dusk and dawn as the snakes move between hibernation spots

• Summer - rattlesnakes move to summer foraging areas

  • Active during the day when temperatures are moderate 

  • Switch to nocturnal activity during the hottest months of the year

  • When not active, they shelter under shrubs and rocks

• Venomous and potentially dangerous snake

  • Rarely strike unless harassed, handled or stepped on

  • Any encounter within the striking range could result in a bite

  • Don't Mess with Jake!

Venomous Snake Bite treatment is discussed in our Wilderness First Aid Course.  Please review this information prior to heading East of the Cascades or out of state.  Treatment may require antivenom, which means the victim needs to be sent to the hospital.  Keep them calm and carry them out.  All other treatments are generally more harmful than helpful.  

Do NOT use a tourniquet, suck out the venom, cut the bite site or use a taser.  These antiquated treatments cause more harm than good. 

Resources

• Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Pitviper Envenomations in the United States and Canada

Bears

Washington State has bears.  We will encounter bears on outings.  These creatures are potentially dangerous, but if certain precautions are taken, it is very unlikely we will have a dangerous bear encounter.

Washington has Bears

• Grizzly Bears 

  • Restricted to northeast Washington's Selkirk Mountains ecosystem

  • North Cascades Ecosystem from Interstate 90 north to the U.S.-Canada border is also a federally-designated Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone - but Grizzlies have not been spotted recently 

• Black Bears 

  • Common throughout Washington

    • Also in suburban areas

  • Not in the interior of the arid Columbia Basin

Storing food in bear country

Food must be stored away from camp and in a way that it makes it too difficult for bears to get to it.  We discuss this in our Leave No Trace Courses.  Food must either be appropriately hung, or placed in a bear-proof container.

Bear Encounters

Once a bear has noticed you and is paying attention to you, additional strategies can help prevent the situation from escalating. Here are some general tips. However, please check recommendations for each park you visit: recommendations do vary from park to park based local bear behavior.

• Identify yourself by talking calmly so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal. Remain still; stand your ground but slowly wave your arms. Help the bear recognize you as a human. It may come closer or stand on its hind legs to get a better look or smell. A standing bear is usually curious, not threatening.

• Stay calm and remember that most bears do not want to attack you; they usually just want to be left alone. Bears may bluff their way out of an encounter by charging and then turning away at the last second. Bears may also react defensively by woofing, yawning, salivating, growling, snapping their jaws, and laying their ears back. Continue to talk to the bear in low tones; this will help you stay calmer, and it won't be threatening to the bear. A scream or sudden movement may trigger an attack. Never imitate bear sounds or make a high-pitched squeal.

• Pick up small children immediately. Do not make any loud noises or screams—the bear may think it’s the sound of a prey animal. Slowly wave your arms above your head and tell the bear to back off. Do NOT run or make any sudden movements. Do not make any loud noises or screams—the bear may think it’s the sound of a prey animal.

• Hike and travel in groups. Groups of people are usually noisier and smellier than a single person. Therefore, bears often become aware of groups of people at greater distances, and because of their cumulative size, groups are also intimidating to bears.

• Make yourselves look as large as possible (for example, move to higher ground).

• Do NOT allow the bear access to your food. Getting your food will only encourage the bear and make the problem worse for others.

• Do NOT drop your pack as it can provide protection for your back and prevent a bear from accessing your food.

• If the bear is stationary, move away slowly and sideways; this allows you to keep an eye on the bear and avoid tripping. Moving sideways is also non-threatening to bears.

• Do NOT run! If the bear follows, stop and hold your ground. Bears can run as fast as a racehorse both uphill and down. Like dogs, they will chase fleeing animals.

• Do NOT climb a tree. Both grizzlies and black bears can climb trees.

• Leave the area or take a detour. If this is impossible, wait until the bear moves away. Always leave the bear an escape route.

• Be especially cautious if you see a female with cubs; never place yourself between a mother and her cub, and never attempt to approach them. The chances of an attack escalate greatly if she perceives you as a danger to her cubs.

Bear Country Gear

Troop 60 carries gear recommended/required by managers of the areas we visit.  This may include:

• Bear Canisters

• Bear Bags

• Bear Spray (note that this is banned in some parks)

Resources

• WDFW Black bear (Ursus americanus)

• WDFW Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) 

• Leave No Trace 101 Course Notes (3+ hours)

• National Parks Service - Bears 

• North Cascades Bear Safety

• North Cascades Grizzly Bears 

• Olympics Black Bear 

Cougars

Washington State has Cougars.  Scouts may never see a cougar the entire time they are in Scouting.  That said, there is a good chance cougars have seen or heard our Scouts. 

Preventing an Encounter

• Don’t hike or jog alone

• Keep children within sight & close to you

• Avoid dead animals

• Keep a clean camp

• Leave pets at home

• Be alert to your surroundings

• Use a walking stick

If You Meet a Cougar

• Don’t run, it may trigger a cougar’s attack instinct

• Stand and face it

• Pick up children

• Appear large, wave arms or jacket over your head

• Do not approach, back away slowly

• Keep eye contact

If Cougar is Aggressive

• Don’t turn your back or take your eyes off it

• Remain standing

• Throw things

• Shout loudly

• Fight back aggressively

Resources

• WDFW - Cougar (Puma concolor) 

• Olympics - Cougar 

• Olympic Cougar Safety Pamphlet 

• North Cascades - Cougars 

Mountain Goats

Goats are surprisingly dangerous and must be avoided.  They are native to the Cascades and were introduced to the Olympics in the 1920s.  They are being actively removed from the Olympics. 

Concern with Goats

• Goats have sharp horns that can and have caused lethal injuries

• Goats are attracted to the salt in your urine and sweaty pack and clothing

  • Urinating in camp basically invites goats right into camp

• Trying to share a trail with a goat is asking for disaster

Bugs

Bugs can really bug you.  Several also carry significant disease or toxins. 

Mosquitoes

• 40 different species in Washington State

• Mosquito-Borne diseases in Washington State

  • West Nile virus

  • Western equine encephalitis

  • St. Louis encephalitis

Ticks

• Western Washington

  • Not common 

  • Blacklegged tick is the most common species

• Eastern Washington

  • American dog tick 

  • Rocky Mountain wood tick

• Tick-Borne diseases in Washington State

  • Few cases each year

  • Babesiosis

  • Lyme disease

  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever

  • Tick-borne relapsing fever

  • Tick paralysis

  • Tularemia

• Tick-Borne diseases in other States may be more prevalent

Spiders

• Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus species)

  • Few small populations in Western Washington

  • Common to Eastern Washington

• Yellow Sac Spider (Cheiracanthium species) 

  • Eastern Washington 

  • Seattle area

• Hobo Spiders (Eratigena agrestis)

  • not considered dangerous anymore

• We DON'T have Brown Recluse Spiders in Washington State

• When to seek medical attention

  • Suspected a Black Widow Spider bite

    • Neurotoxin

    • Can cause severe pain or life-threatening symptoms

  • Symptoms don't improve

Bees and Wasps

• Generally not an issue unless victim has allergy to bite/sting

• May need to be treated with Epinephrine and evacuated to hospital 

Basic Protection Against Bugs

• Insect repellant - DEET or picaridin (others are ineffective or short lived)

• Clothing treated with permethrin

• Long sleeved shirts and pants

• Mosquito nets are fantastic

Resources

• Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Tick-Borne Illness in the United States

• DOH - Mosquitoes 

• DOH - Ticks 

• DOH - Spiders 

Rabies

Many animals in are capable of transmitting rabies.  In Washington State, bats are only know mammal to carry rabies.  In fact, every State except for Hawaii has bats with rabies.  Almost every county in Washington State has rabid bats.

Human Rabies is Fatal.  Although it is rare to see people contract rabies in the United States, exposures with bats or other mammals must be taken seriously. 

Any exposure with a bat will need a workup by a medical provider.  Bats have razor sharp teeth and bites are not always noticed.  There are many cases of rabies transmission from bat to human with no signs of a bite. 

Treatment of Animal Bite

• Stop life threatening bleeding as needed (generally not a issue with bats)

• Wash wound with soap and water and ideally Betadine (povidone-iodine) for 5 minutes

• Seek medical care

Resources

• DOH - Rabies

• DOH - Medical Provider Assessment of Rabies Exposures