JULY/AUGUST 2019
BACKPACKER.COM 107TEST YOUR WILDLIFE IQ.
Think you can read the body language of a bruin or charm the sting out of a snake? Let’s see what you really know.YOU THINK A FIRE IS ENOUGH
TO DRIVE OFF MOSQUITOES.
It’s called a smudge fire, and it only really
works if your head is directly in the thick,
sticky, green-wood smoke. Instead, use
DEET and a headnet to foil the swarm’s
would-be blood meal.You think baby rattlers are deadlier
than mature ones. A study of
envenomations in California puts the
“baby rattlers inject more venom”
myth to rest; bigger means badder.
You think that coiled pit viper is
sleeping. Nope! It’s getting ready to
strike—rattlers can strike one-third
to one-half the length of their bodies.You cook in the tent vestibule while
wearing the clothes you’ll sleep
in. And all a grizzly can think is,
“Mmmm. Tamales.”You start your adventure when the
sun has already risen. On a long (or
risky) hike that may take more hours
than daylight, start fresh in the dark
and finish tired in the light.- All snakebites are.
a) neurotoxic.
b) defensive.
c) aggressive.
d) life-threatening. - Fire your bear spray when the
charging bear is.
a) 50 feet away.
b) 40 feet away.
c) 30 feet away.
d) 20 feet away. - Your hiking partner was
just bit by a venomous snake.
What’s your next move?
a) Tie a tourniquet above the
wound to isolate the venom.
b) Use my knife to cut a deep X
over the wound site and start
sucking out the venom.
c) Attempt to raise his heart
rate so his kidneys can pro-
cess the venom faster.
d) Keep him calm and get help.
4. If confronted, which of these
should you hold eye contact
with? (Choose all that apply.)
a) Mountain lion
b) B ear
c) Moose
d) Wolf
5. Which is the most successful
killer of humans?
a) Bears
b) Mosquitoes
c) Mountain lions
d) Wolves
6. Which animals have the most
powerful jaws?
a) Snapping turtles
b) Beavers
c) Grizzly bears
d) Mountain lions
7. True/False: Menstruating
women attract bears.
a) True b) False
8. Howling along with wolves
tells them:
a) I’m scared
b) I’m scary
c) I’m here
d) Absolutely nothing
9. A bear’s sense of smell is
more powerful than a
person’s.
a) 100 times
b) 500 times
c) 1,000 times
d) 2,000 times
10. Mice can spread
which diseases? (Choose all
that apply.)
a) Influenza
b) Hanta virus
c) Lyme disease
d) Encephalitis
11. True/false: Peeing a
perimeter around your tent will
keep predators at bay.
a) True b) False- When a deer screams it
means:
a) It’s scared
b) It’s angry
c) It’s looking for love
d) Any of these
HOW’D YOU DO?
10-12 correct: Top of the food
chain.
7-9 correct: You know just
enough to stay safe.
3-6 correct: You know just
enough to get hurt.
0-3 correct: Bring a friend
you can outrun.You pack a lot of received
wisdom for bears when you
only need to know three
things.
Black bear, grizzly bear—doesn’t matter
which it is, you should behave in the
same way, according to Larimer County,
Colorado, wildlife manager Ty Petersburg.- Scare them. You know another name for bear
bells? Dinner bells. Yell or sing to let bears
know you’re around. - Confront them. You already know the part
about standing your ground and using your
windbreaker or puffy to look huge. Also make
sure you leave your tent to drive off curious
bruins, otherwise they may try to join you
through the side panel. - Repel them. When bears stand and sniff the
air, they’re just checking things out. But when
they crouch, woof, and charge, they mean
business. Deploy bear spray as soon as the
animal is within the range.
YOU THINK A
TICK CHECK IS SUFFICIENT.
Disease-carrying deer ticks are as tiny
as a grain of salt. Pre-treat your socks
and shorts with permethrin before you
head out (and do a tick check in camp, fo-
cusing on the backs of your knees, groin,
waistband, and head).All of this is true for
mountain lions, too.- b; 2. c; 3. d; 4. a & d; Answer key:
5. b; 6. c; 7. b; 8. c; 9. d; 10. b & c; - b; 12. d
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