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In 2005, there was a spate of deer attacks in California that still has wildlife officials baffled. The conclusion reached is that the interaction between deer and man, the direct result of encroachment and urban sprawl, has caused the usual fear of humans to dissipate. The animals see man as encroachers and will attack even if unprovoked. People doing something as innocent as gardening have been attacked for no apparent reason.
The deer herd in southwestern Connecticut is now so large that finding one chowing down on your backyard veggie garden is about as commonplace as is catching a rabbit helping itself to what’s growing there. And because many of the houses are close together, the deer are far too accustomed to the presence of man. Yelling at a deer and sending threatening body language to it are completely ineffective. The deer down there act like gang members, and if they could, they’d carry knives. If you get close enough, you may find yourself being drummed by fore legs or gored by an antler.
Unlike the moose, deer are very likely to gore a victim before they trample him or her and have been known to pin someone to the ground with their antlers. So, Bambi they ain’t, and it’s a very good idea to stay clear of both deer and moose, or risk some serious injuries if you don’t.
Raccoons and Skunks
These guys usually work the night shift, and while raccoons can be ornery critters, skunks can spoil your day with a little of the spray with which God armed them.
From time to time, you may encounter one during the day. If you do and it’s acting strangely (seems uncoordinated, is foaming at the mouth, seems very aggressive and shuns water) it could very well have rabies.
Rabies in 99.999% of human cases is fatal. I think there’s been only one reported case of a man bitten by a rabid raccoon who, after symptoms manifested, managed not to succumb to the effects of this nasty virus. It is invariably deadly to the animal and all humans except for that one case. Immediate medical attention is required if you are bitten, even if the animal appears to be well, or even if you’re scratched by its claws.
Rabies is even more prevalent in bats in some areas. I’ve had a bat swoop down and just graze the top of my head when I was hiking just after dusk. It didn’t bite me, but it did hit me, which was unusual inasmuch as that’s a fairly rare happenstance. But bats are significant vectors (carriers) of rabies. So as with raccoons and skunks, if you get bitten or scratched, seek medical attention right away.
 If you live in the country, it’s a good idea, too, to keep an eye on the ceilings of your house and doorways, especially in the basement. Bats can get in, hang from a ceiling beam or door jam and go unnoticed. When nightfall comes, they’ve been known to fly around the house where people who, lying in their beds, have been bitten by bats, never knew about it and developed symptoms of rabies.
I can remember the tortuous case of a 12-year-old girl in Connecticut who lived not far from us. She began to develop flu-like symptoms, a stiff neck and headaches. She was seen by a doctor, who not suspecting rabies, ran some test for meningitis, which were negative and sent her home with some simple antibiotics. As her symptoms worsened, she was seen again. Same diagnosis. A day later she was dead. It wasn’t until the autopsy that they discovered the cause. She had rabies, and sure enough, her parents found a bat flying around their rather large home.
If symptoms develop and the doctor is on the ball and recognizes them for what they are, you’re fortunate. He or she will begin immediate treatment and there’s a fairly strong likelihood you’ll survive. But, if you get the usual fallback diagnosis of flu or meningitis, check the person affected for any signs of puncture marks or scratches. If you find any, report them to the doctor immediately.
If you are bitten by a raccoon, skunk or bat, you need immediate medical treatment, even if the animal has shown no signs of rabies. If you see a doctor before rabies’ symptoms begin to manifest, you’ve got an excellent chance of neutralizing the virus before it begins to affect you. If you can capture or kill the animal and take it to the hospital with you, it will help confirm whether or not rabies is present. Veterinarians perform a necropsy and study the animal’s brain. If rabies is present, you’ll need to undergo treatment, but you should be fine.
If you encounter a raccoon or skunk in the woods, just give it wide berth. Rabid animals can be very aggressive, so given the slightest opportunity it is likely to attack you. Just steer well clear of it.
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