Encountering animals while jogging

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Nekromantix

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Just started exercise after about six months of being a bum playing online games all day.

Decided to start off my starting jogging again and the only time I've actually been able to enjoy jogging has been in the wee hours of the morning, when I try midday n such it just feels like a chore. Atmosphere of the night at around 2-3 am ish is just an awesome feeling and don't really wanna give that up.

Anywho, before my period of being a bum I jogged at the same time I've always had, same route I always did and never thought of animals like coyotes or cows. My route passes a lot of places that are uninhabited, they're just beginning to expand by building more houses n such.

Now that I've explained that (feels like I dragged on too much about all that crap), the other night I came across a cow and it freaked the hell out of me, and really didn't see it as much of a threat, but I hear coyotes a lot howling and would think I'd encounter a coyote before seeing a cow (not even sure what a cow was doing there, haven't really seen any ever... in the past.)

You guys ever come across wild animals while jogging? Not sure if I should be carry a weapon with me or something, all I ever take is water and my wallet in case the cops ever feel like pulling me over. (happened quite a few times when I'd drive to the park and start my jog from there, start my route from my house now.)(also one of the times cops pulled me over said there's mountain lions, wish just seemed like he was being a dick and trying to scare me, but eh... never really thought of it much until I came across that cow the other night.)

Logical solution seems to be jog at another time, but yeah... wondering if you guys have any tips of what you do when you encounter creatures.
 
There's a German shepherd that belongs to another jogger coming from the opposite direction that tried to get a grip on my leg once, i just run right at it and suddenly change direction to throw him off.
 
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During the summer i go running in the morning when its a little cooler out. And this stupid lady always lets her dog loose outside. It always runs up to me and scares me half to death. I started carrying a knife with me, but instead found it smarter to just change when i run. Id recomend running a little later on in the day. It wouldnt be good if the cops pull you over and you have a knife on you :rolleyes:
 
I don't know about wild cows...you might consider bringing a bone saw and cooking up some PWO steaks or something...lol

I think you'd be able to fight off a coyote if one is ballsy enough to attack you (they don't tend to attack)...your biggest concern would probably be rabies.

As for bigger dogs, if you encounter them often, you should probably bring some sort of blade or deterrent (pepper spray)...or just know your route well enough that you can shake it off/loose it.
 
This thread reminded me when I was out on trail with my horse a few months ago. I was coming out of the woods back onto the regular trail when I saw what I thought was some sort husky dog or something. I was about to yell out for whose ever dog it was to get a leash on it but then I realized that there was no one else there. Man, I swear it was a wolf. There aren't supposed to be any wolves in Illinois but there have been cases of a few that wandered down here from Wisconsin. I'm almost certain it was too big to be a coyote (which I see almost every time I go out on trail). Anyways, it was pretty neat and I just watched it slowly walk down the trail till it was out of sight.

As far as advice with wild animals there's nothing to worry about. People's dogs I understand why you would worry though. I've managed to ward off dogs by staring them in the eye and yelling back at them. Might not work with a dog thats not right in the head though.

~Nicole
 
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To get to my favorite stretch of road for biking, I have to pass through a residential area that has lots of dogs that chase anything that is fast. This is a very common problem among bikers and most carry some sort of pepper spray. Its easy to just whip out and doesnt cause any long term damage to the animals.
 
I'd worry about snakes more than anything, especially if it's dark, easy to step on one. I hear snipes and chupacabra's are bad too.
 
Deer, deer and more deer, although I have also seen snakes, foxes, armadillo, bunnies, house/feral cats and oppossum. Everything (but the snake) ran from me (the snake just lazed across the trail, while I waited). Ok, some of the deer just ignored me.

I have had a run in with a dog and that was scary because I did not have any protection. I would recommend carrying one of those small pepper spray cartridges (although it will not work on an attack horse, so I don't know if it is any good for cows) if a dog (or man) approaches you aggressively.

So what is the deal with the cow? Your post reads almost as though you were scared of it. The only aggressive cows I have ever seen were in Gary Larsen "Far Side" cartoons. Felling guilt about that Rib Eye are you? ; )
 
anytime I'm out cycling and some stupid dog chases me I give it a squirt with the water bottle and it usually goes away. if you're running with a bottle that might work.

also, depends how fast you are - can you outrun a cow? :p
 
A coyote won't attack you (can't guarantee that, but I would estimate it almost never happens.) I ran once at night and a fisher cat shrieked at me, if you've ever heard one, it sounds like someone screaming like they're being killed. I think i ruined my underwear on that run.
 
I remember once I took a wrong turn at like 6 in the morning in winter. Everything was pitch black. Ran under an underpass and one stream of light hit this tramps face. Scariest thing ever.
 
Jake 85 said:
It wouldnt be good if the cops pull you over and you have a knife on you :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Where do you live that you can't carry knives? Or are you reffering to some big-a*s hunting knife?

No, C-Mayhem, you don't really have to run faster - just faster than your buddy next to you. :p
 
Had heard it moo at the bottom of the hill I was on, sounded way far away, reverted back to the perfect silence that I love about the wee hours of the morning, half way up the hill it moos again and it's right by me.

Not sure why it scared me, don't think I've ever ran faster than I did when I darted across the street.

For the next few jogs every little noise I'd hear made me paranoid.

Maybe watching too much CSI or know the lyrics to Iron Maiden's; Fear of the Dark too well. :eek:

Meant to reply sooner, not that anyone probably expected one, router went to crap.

Hopefully gonna stick around these forums, good source of motivation/information to be found here lurking around. :)

Have you ever been alone at night
Thought you heard footsteps behind
And turned around and no ones there?
And as you quicken up your pace
You find it hard to look again
Because you're sure there's someone there...
 
i've seen a ton of stray dogs while running... some cows too but they aren't too threatening to me lol
 
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