Hey Riders,
Many of you would have heard by now about a scary situation which took place yesterday in Woolastook Park involving a small pack of coyotes aggressively approaching a woman walking her dog. We can’t imagine what this may have been like and RVC is relieved to hear that she made it out safely.
Clearly, whatever she did to react was right.
Since then we’ve received some questions about riding safety. This incident in Woolastook involving coyotes was rare, but there are wildlife present in many of our riding areas, and in addition to coyotes there are risks posed by black bears, white tail deer, and moose (we don’t have cougars – we don’t care what you’ve seen online). We thought we’d highlight some of the strategies that you can take to increase your safety in the woods.
First – RVC isn’t an organization that is the authority on human/wildlife encounters. What we are providing here for ideas are picked from reputable Fish & Wildlife Agencies across North America, with a little bit of focus for riders in our local neck of the woods (we expect most of you don’t carry pistols or bear-spray cannisters on the average ride). These are tips you will probably never need to rely on.
- Ride in a group. If you must ride alone make sure you have a cellphone that works and that someone knows where you are. Better yet though… ride in a group! Animals are skilled at math and most will run when outnumbered.
- Be loud. Carry a whistle. Models which weigh only a few grams can produce a blast which can frighten and startle an aggressive animal. A whistle buckle on the chest-strap of your riding pack is right where you need it. If you don’t have a whistle you can yell firmly. Everyone has lungs.
- Remain calm. If you encounter an animal that advances on you keep eye contact, and do not turn your back on it to run. Dismount the bike and lift it up to make yourself look big. Start to put distance between yourself and the animal by walking back carefully (to not loose footing) and identify an escape route such as a climbable tree if you need it. You cannot outpace any animal on a single-track trail. Make sure the animal also has an escape route.
- If the animal charges – fight. Your bike can be used as an effective shield so put it in front of you. Be loud and aggressive and you will win.
Animal attacks such as the one that occurred yesterday are exceptionally rare, but they do happen. Knowing how to respond may just save your life.
More info:
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a20034489/animal-attack-bike/
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/nr-rn/pdf/en/Wildlife/Coyotes.pdf
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/nr-rn/pdf/en/Wildlife/BewareBlackBears.pdf
