Tell that to Australia. And the goats killed a guy, and hurt a bunch more. They were introduced and not native.

They were mostly murdered a third were dislocated. And they were not particularly dangerous. A rabbit once attacked a president in a boat and we didn't go kill all the rabbits.

I haven’t been following this one, but did Catholicism turn out to be a weird child r*pe cult or what?

99% of things out there are actively trying to avoid you.

Make a lot of noise while you’re adventuring. Don’t wanna startle a mother with cubs!

If you enjoy stomping around the woods maybe consider a career in forest management? No idea about your age/ physical abilities, but it sounds like being outside is good for you. Utility company’s need powerline tree trimmers, the state needs fire fighters. Just sayin, get paid to do what helps your mental health.

You’re only worry is poison Ivy and getting lost, or stumbling into some homeless camp. Just tell someone where you’re going, it’s not a big deal.

I live in Olympic National Forest, I often go off trail for hiking. I have encountered lot of animals, sometimes within feet, bears, coyotes, elk, goats, and a cougar eating salmon once, that was mad as hell, one of the few times I felt in danger. It’s fairly safe, all the tracking gps stuff people suggested is a great idea, people go missing here all the time. I will say the two things I won’t be caught without are a good first aid kit, with a tourniquet, and a big bottle of Benadryl. I can’t stress enough how important it is! I saved my life with it once after breaking a log walking on it, and ground wasps swarmed me, after 100+ stings and bites, running for a mile at least, that Benadryl came in clutch. I can think of 4 times that I have been swarmed, they are aggressive here. Be careful!

I've ate shit stepping off the road into what I thought was a shallow ditch but ended up being closer to a ravine more times then I'd like to admit haha.

Yeah we got rid of the goats a couple of years ago. Flew them out with helicopters, I haven’t seen one in ages now, although I’m sure there a few still out there.

Nice pic. But it's been sunny like the last 3 weeks. And this winter in general has been really sunny.

Might try cross posting to r/PNWhiking

r/PNWhiking might also be able to answer your questions

r/PNWhiking might also be able to answer your questions

Definitely do this ^

Definitely do this ^

[deleted]

My guess is from somewhere in the High Point/Delridge area? (W. Seattle). Nice shot, OP!

All bears can be the killing kind. Black bears are more likely to attack humans with the intention of eating them than grizzlies are, and the black bear population in western WA isn't small. They wander into Oly on a regular basis.

Not the killer kind.

Download Gaia on your phone. Use it for your excursions. Keep a battery pack on you to recharge your phone in case it gets low.

You’re hiking, just not on trails. That is fine.

Bears regularly wander into urban areas.

But mountain lions and bears don't attack people in the PNW. This isn't Alaska.

Probably not too many bears 3-4 miles from town. At least not the killer kind.

Totally agree, and might add the risk of falling. Depending where someone is wandering, elevation change can be extreme. Bushwhacking in dense vegetation, it is possible to walk off a cliff or into a hole some places.