HUNTING SURVIVAL TIPS: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN WILD ANIMALS ATTACK?

The wild is a universe of its own, and it consists of two types of animals:  the good and the bad animals.  The good animals—as I call them–aren’t brutal, nor do they pose a threat to humans. These animals include Antelopes, elks, deer, rabbits, etc. On the other hand, the bad animals are quite brutal and will harm humans when they feel threatened.

While hunting, the chances that you’ll encounter one or more wild animals is high. For this reason, you need to be prepared, so you don’t end up at the mercy of these vicious predators. To ensure that your encounter with a wild animal doesn’t end up as a sad story or a catastrophe, I have highlighted some helpful survival tips.

 Survival tip 1: Stand your ground

When you encounter a huge mountain cat staring at you, your fight-or-flight response kicks in, and you want to run or disappear if possible. While such is quite logical, it isn’t advisable. Rather than bolts like a scared kitten or show signs of fear, you should consider standing your ground. These predators have fears, and when you act like you are a match for them, they’ll choose not to attack you.

 Survival tip 2: Defend yourself

The best form of defense, they say, attacks. While it has been proven that wild animals are frightened by the presence of humans, when they get close, you may want to act. And what better way to act than leveraging your weapons. What weapons are we referring to?

Common weapons that can be used to defend yourself from these ferocious beasts are a gun, knife, or something sharp and heavy. If you are a crossbow hunter, you can use the bow to defend yourself, or better still, fire one or more warning shots. Ensure you use an arrow speed calculator to determine the speed of your arrows. The success of your hunting trip, and probably your life depends on it. 

Survival tip 3: Appear big

When approached by a wild animal, one of the best ways to scare them off is by appearing big. What does this mean? Or how do you even appear big?

You see, appearing big simply means making yourself look bigger and intimidating, like a huge structure or mountain. There are several ways to appear big. You can do so by holding something or someone on your shoulders. While trying to appear big, consider making noises to frighten the animal. This applies to wild animals like cats or even bears.

 Survival tip 4: Protect your throat

Predators like lions kill by breaking the necks of their prey or suffocating it by fastening their jaws around its throat. This applies to some other wild animals as well. So what does this mean for you? It means if you encounter a wild animal, the chances are that it’ll go for your throat. To prevent that, ensure you protect your throat by crossing your arms around the back of your neck and raising your shoulders for extra protection.

 Conclusion

Injuries as a result of wild animal attacks are responsible for several deaths each year. As a hunter, or even a camper, you should note that you are at risk of an attack by one wildlife or the other. 

To ensure that you aren’t attacked, or worse, end up being dinner, lunch, or breakfast of one of those wild beasts, stick to the tips highlighted above. As a rule of thumb, ensure you go with a working phone and a flare gun in case the need to call for help arises.