Wild Animals & Insects

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Dealing With Pests in 1876: Mosquitoes—Sand-Flies—The Breeze-fly—The Trumpet-flies— Jack-Spaniards—Stone-Wasps—Rattle-Snake Bites—A use for the Rattle—The Trap-door Spider—The Deer-tick—Leeches in the Mouth. Excerpt from: "At Home In The Wilderness" By John Keast Lord, 1876; Chapter 18

Some Deer That I Have Met... A Deer's Sense of Smell — The Habits of Deer — A Deer's Sense of Hearing — A Deer's Reasoning Powers — Deer Yards — The Mating Season — The Food of Deer — The Feeding Time — Still Hunting Deer — A Yarn - The Real Still Hunter - When to Still Hunt - The Month for Still Hunting - Suggestions About Still Hunting - See the Deer First - Where Deer are Found - Deer Licks - When in Sight of a Deer - The Tonguing of a Deer - Where to Hit a Deer - When a Deer is Hit - When a Wounded Deer Runs - Paddling Toward a Deer - When You Lose a Deer - After the Killing - Carcass of a Deer - A Yarn.

Dealing With Insect Pests: In the months of September and October trappers are much annoyed by gnats and mosquitoes, and, as a preventive against the attacks of these pests, we give some valuable receipts, which have stood the test of time, and are still the most effective remedies.

Treatment for Snakebite in US Naval Units Deployed Ashore & the Use of Antivenin.

Spiders - Brown Recluse & Black Widow ~ Pest Management Practices for Home and Landscape: Spiders and insects belong to the phylum Arthropoda and have similar characteristics, including segment appendages, i.e., legs, a segmented body that is divided into two or three more or less distinct regions, and a hard exoskeleton. Although similarities exist, they are not in the same group or class. Insects are in the class Insecta, and spiders are in the class Arachnida.

Close Encounters of the Bear Kind The primary objective of this article is to better acquaint people with bears, their life history, their behavior and how humans fit into their lives. This information will help you make more rational decisions while you are in bear country and/or when you encounter a bear. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Ticks, Ticks, and Yechh, More Ticks. by M. Hodgson. Repelling the little buggers. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Avoiding The Sting. by M. Hodgson. Tips for preventing stings and bites. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Repelling Biting Nasties. by M. Hodgson. Insect repellent recommendations. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Alligator Attacks on Humans in the United States: From 1948 to August 1, 2004, 376 injuries and 15 deaths have been reported in the United States as a result of encounters with alligators. The number of nuisance calls as well as the alligator population is increasing.

COUGAR ATTACKS ON HUMANS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA: Cougar attacks have clearly increased during the last 2 decades, despite some possibly undocumented nonfatal attacks during the early years. There were more fatal attacks during the last 20 years (5) than during the previous 80 years (4). Also, C. Hart Merriam documented only 3 attacks (1 nonfatal, 2 fatal) in the 23 years from 1909 to 1932 versus 36 attacks (31 nonfatal, 5 fatal) reported during the last 21 years.

Map of United States (incl. Hawaii) Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks

How To Survive A Bear Attack By: Jack L. McSherry, III: In the early days of the north, the natives of Alaska and the Yukon, believed that bears were another species of man. They also knew that they could be dangerous! So, if they came upon a bear, they would stop and hold their hands over their heads and say “Hello brother bear, I did not mean to disturb you. I will leave your territory now and let you in peace.” Then they would back away, unharmed. While this is only legend, it does work! At times...

Bear Facts The Essentials for Traveling in Bear Country. See Also: Kodiak Bear Fact Sheet (PDF) [Links recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Living in Harmony with Bears [Link updated 4/9/11]

You Are In Bear Country wherever you are in the mountain national parks! Bears are naturally wary of humans, and generally choose to avoid us. However, bears may threaten and even attack people when they become accustomed to humans, when they are surprised, or when they are forced to defend themselves, their young or their food. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Raven: The Northern Bird of Paradox by Mark Schwan. This article was first published in Alaska Fish & Game, January 1990. Although Mark Schwan is an expert on ravens, he has many interests. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!] Learn more about the raven from Alaska's Wildlife Notebook Series.

What To Do About Aggressive Moose Moose are not normally aggressive; however, they can be very aggressive in winter when they are hungry; tired of walking in deep snow; or harassed by people, dogs, and traffic. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!] See also Living in Harmony with Moose, a project of the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust.

Alaska's Birds of Prey Historical and Contemporary Perspectives by Karen Lew. Interesting. [Link updated 4/9/11]

Homeowners Guide to Goose Solutions Most people enjoy the sight and sound of Canada geese. Ironically, these big birds have outsmarted humans by adapting and moving into cities and suburbs throughout their breeding range. As Canada goose populations grow, our yards, parks, lakes, and athletic fields are increasingly fouled with goose feces. This guide explains why problems with geese arise and how homeowners can reduce these problems. [Link updated 4/9/11] See Also: Homeowners' Guide to Goose Problems

Wild-animal attacks appear on the rise By ANTHONY ACERRANO SPORTS AFIELD Wildlife attacks on humans appear to be on the increase. Twenty years ago people felt lucky just glimpsing a mountain lion in the wild. Attacks or even close encounters were rare. Exact numbers are hard to come by, yet the numbers that are available and the anecdotal news accounts indicate wildlife attacks are on the rise. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Emergency Behavior Strategies: Part 1 of 2. Zoological & Privately Owned Facilities, Multiple Species: Handling Attacks or Aggression [Link updated 4/9/11]

Animal Attack News from Around the World TOP SECRET ANIMAL ATTACK FILES. No survival info here, but a good source for a species search on which type are more prone to attack.

HOW TO DEAL WITH WILD ANIMALS - INCLUDING THOSE WITH BIG TEETH I should really say that I mean those with sharp teeth, like bear and cougar and wolves. But there are animals with big but not necessarily sharp teeth which can be hazardous to human health, too. Really, partly what I mean to talk about here, though, is one's interaction generally with animals in the wild. Following that I will discuss each of the possibly dangerous creatures you might come across away from human settlement. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

Mountain lions — attacks are still rare, but just in case . . . Near the top of North America's wildlife food chain is the mountain lion, a close second to bears in various forms in ferocity, strength, and killing ability. In recent years, the wild felines, also known variously as panthers, pumas, cougars, catamounts (cat of the mountains), and big cat, increasingly have become entangled with every animal's worst enemy—man.

Safety in Bear Country, Bear Facts & Encounter Stories. Surprisingly large and interesting pamphlet from the US Scouting Project.

Widow Spiders Good info on spiders to avoid.

Spiders and Scorpions Excellent article on arachnoids to avoid. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

CURRENT STATUS OF LYNX IN COLORADO [Link updated 4/9/11]

All About Beavers. Great article. Besides being a keystone species, beaver reliably and economically maintain wetlands that can sponge up floodwaters, prevent erosion, raise the water table and act as the "earth's kidneys" to purify water. (PDF) [Link recovered 4/9/11 - now hosted onsite!]

"Care Instructions for Infant Squirrels" Found some abandoned/injured squirrel babies and don’t know what to do? This text will tell all. (I hear they taste like greasy chicken, but that’s an entirely different matter.) [Link updated 4/9/11]

Alaska Wildlife Notebook Series [Links updated 4/9/11]
The ADF&G Wildlife Notebook Series includes descriptions of more than 100 of Alaska’s wild fish and game. The complete notebook series is available for sale in printed form — either bound or loose, 3-hole punched.
BIG GAME American Bison Black Bear Brown Bear Caribou Dall Sheep Moose Mountain Goat Muskox Roosevelt Elk Santa's Reindeer Sitka Black-tailed Deer SMALL GAME Bats Hares Lemmings Pikas Porcupine Shrews Voles MARINE MAMMALS Bearded Seal Beluga Whale Blue Whale Bowhead Whale Gray Whale Harbor Seal Humpback Whale Northern Fur Seal Orca Polar Bear Ribbon Seal Ringed Seal Sea Otter Spotted Seal Steller Sea Lion Walrus	FURBEARERS Arctic Fox Beaver Coyote Lynx Marmot Marten Mink Muskrat Northern Flying Squirrel Red Fox Red Squirrel River Otter Weasels Wolf Wolverine SHELLFISH Abalone Alaska King Crabs Dungeness Crab Razor Clam Scallop Shrimp Starfish Tanner Crabs AMPHIBS/REPTILES Frogs & Toads Turtles	BIRDS Accipiters American Dipper Boreal Owl Canada Goose Chickadees Common Raven Eagles Eiders Geese Great Gray Owl Grouse Gulls Harlequin Duck Loons Northern Hawk Owl Osprey Peeps & Sandpipers Phalaropes Plovers Ptarmigan Puffins Sandhill Crane Sparrows Swans Terns Woodpeckers Yellowlegs	FISH Alaska Blackfish Arctic Char Arctic Grayling Brook Trout Burbot Chinook Salmon Chum Salmon Coho Salmon Cutthroat Trout Dolly Varden Eulachon Lake Chub Lake Trout Lampreys Lingcod Longnose Sucker Northern Pike Pacific Halibut Pacific Herring Pink Salmon Rainbow Trout Rockfish Sheefish Slimy Sculpin Sockeye Salmon Steelhead Trout Whitefish

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