Respect Wildlife

• Run into traffic and get hit by vehicles.
• Lose footing on cliffs and fall.
• Be separated from their young or forced to abandon their nests or dens.
• Become more vulnerable to predators because they are distracted by people or acquire a human scent.
• Abandon an important food source, reducing their chances for survival.

Wild animals, especially bears, should never be allowed to obtain human food or garbage. Wild animals that receive these "food rewards" just once may become aggressive toward humans. To protect people and their property, these animals may be destroyed by wildlife managers. Keep human food and garbage away from all wildlife.

• Animals fed along roads tend to stay near the road, increasing the chances of vehicle-animal accidents.
• Animals used to human food may eat aluminum foil, plastic, or other wrappings. These can severely damage animals’ digestive systems and may even cause death.
• Human food may cause tooth decay, ulcers, malformation of horns, arthritis, or other disease in wild animals.
• Animals may try to eat any item with an odor. Do not leave boxes, wrappers, plastics, or cans of any type where animals can get them. Litter can harm animals!

Approaching or feeding wild animals is never appropriate. Giving food to, or approaching wild animals not only interferes with their natural activity, it is the leading cause of conflicts, which result in serious injury or death to both people and animals.

Many wildland visitors mistakenly believe that there are specific gestures and warning signals wild animals make that will give people time to retreat to safety. Wild animals are individualistic and unpredictable. Animals that ignore you, look calm, or appear friendly may suddenly and without warning charge or strike out.

Human injury often occurs when an animal responds to a perceived threat with instinctive "fight or flight" behavior-people get injured simply because they are in the animal’s way. A car horn, barking dog, or excited children can trigger an animal into fight or flight behavior.

Both the females and males of most wildlife species are equally dangerous.

Although animals may look or act tame, they are wild and may change quickly and unpredictably from passive or "friendly" to aggressive behavior.

If an animal approaches you, it is your responsibility to move away to maintain a safe distance. Your safety is your responsibility!

• Keep a clean site by properly disposing of food scraps and garbage;
• Do not leave food or garbage inside fire rings, grills or around your site;
• Never leave food or coolers unattended;
• Where bear-proof containers are not available, store food and garbage inside a vehicle or camper trailer; or hang it at least 10' off the ground.
• Never store food inside your tent;
• Wipe tabletops clean before vacating your site;
• If a bear is observed nearby, pack up your food and trash immediately;
• If a bear approaches you, move away slowly and get into a vehicle or secure area.

• Putting trash in the bear-resistant trash can provided.
• Taking food and trash with you when you leave
• Hanging food and trash from a tree, out of a bears reach
• Storing food and trash inside a closed vehicle with a hard top.

• Hang food, garbage and anything with strong odors (toothpaste, bug repellent, soap, etc.) at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet from a tree or limb; use special food storage boxes and cable systems if available;
• Eat and cook food at least 100 yards away from your tent; do not sleep in the clothes you cook in;
• Avoid camping and hiking alone in backcountry;
• Make noise to avoid surprising a bear;
• Never approach a bear or other wild animal;
• Keep dogs and other pets under control, or leave them at home;
• Do not hike in the dark;
• If a bear approaches you, back away slowly; do not run;
• Carry EPA registered bear pepper spray;
• Pack out trash; do not bury it.

• Let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return;
• Hike with a group;
• Carry EPA registered bear pepper spray;
• Read all signs at the trailhead;
• Keep children close at hand;
• Make your presence known by making some noise;
• Hike during daylight hours and stay on the trail;
• Watch for bear signs: scat, claw marks, digging, logs or stumps torn apart, etc;
• Avoid taking pets; they may attract bears to you.

• Keep a close watch for deer at dawn and dusk. Deer are most active during these times.
• Be especially alert and drive with caution. Be on the lookout for deer crossing signs and slow down.
• Be aware of your surroundings, just because you don’t see a deer crossing sign posted, it doesn’t mean deer won’t unexpectedly appear.
• Flash your lights or honk your horn to frighten deer away from the side of the road.
• When you encounter deer along the roadside, turn on your emergency lights to let other motorists know about the potential danger.
• Use your high-beam headlights when there is no opposing traffic. The headlight beam will illuminate the eyes of deer and provide greater driver reaction time.
• Upon seeing a deer, immediately slow down. Do not swerve - because this can confuse deer as to where to run. It could also cause you to lose control and hit a tree or another car.
• If you can’t avoid the accident, then just hit the deer while maintaining control of your vehicle. Some experts say that if such a collision is inevitable, you should avoid braking at impact so that the deer may pass underneath your car as opposed to hitting the windshield.
• Look for other deer after one has crossed the road. Deer commonly travel in groups, so the probability is high that other deer will be in front of or behind the one you’ve seen.
• Don’t rely on hood-mounted deer whistles and other devices to scare away deer.
• Always wear your seatbelt. Most people injured and/or killed in deer - automobile collisions were not wearing their seat belt.
• Finally, remember to ... SLOW DOWN FOR WILDLIFE!

If you are unable to avoid a collision with a deer, take the following steps:

• Do not touch the animal! The deer, in attempting to move or get away, could hurt you or itself.
• Remove your automobile from the roadway, if possible.
• Call the police.

Whether a 300-400 lb. boar with 4 inch tusks, or a sow with pigs, these animals are formidable and will attack people. Recreationists have been treed by aggressive sows who sense that their piglets are in danger. 

Although most hogs run away at the sight of people, they can be upset by human presence, can unexpectedly become aggressive, and have been known to charge. Do not give them a reason or an opportunity to attack. 

• As with other large animals, be alert for signs of feral hogs, know where they are and what they are doing, and always keep your distance.
• Avoid surprising them, or getting between a sow and her piglets.
• Plan your escape route, and be willing to backtrack rather than getting too close.

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) asks that all feral hog sightings are reported. Reporting sightings helps with the ongoing interagency eradication efforts by increasing the effectiveness of trapping. An effective trap can eliminate many breeding pairs of hogs; whereas shooting one feral hog can cause the rest of the sounder to scatter.

To report feral hog sightings or damage, go online to www.mdc.mo.gov/feralhog.

Familiarize yourself with the snakes of the area, both venomous and non-venomous species, before venturing out into the forest.

• Learn which habitats the venomous species are most likely to be encountered in, and use extra caution in those habitats.
• Take a buddy into the field with you.
• Wear boots and loose-fitting pants or snake leggings if you are venturing into venomous snake territory.
• Always be alert and try not to take a snake by surprise. Stay on trails, and watch where you place your hands and feet, especially when climbing or stepping over fences, large rocks, and logs, or when collecting firewood.

Venomous snakebites are rare, and they are rarely fatal to humans. Of the 8,000 snakebite victims in the United States each year, fewer than 10 die. For any venomous snakebite, or bite of a snake that you think might be venomous, get medical care as soon as possible.

• Try to keep the snakebite victim still and calm, and keep the injured body part motionless below heart level.
• Transport him or her immediately to medical care. Do not allow him to eat or drink anything.
• If medical care is more than half an hour away, wrap a bandage a few inches above the bite, keeping it loose enough to enable blood flow (you should be able to fit a finger beneath it). Do not cut off blood flow with a tight tourniquet. Leave the bandage in place until reaching medical care.
• If you have a snakebite kit, wash the bite, and place the kit's suction device over the bite. (Do not suck the poison out with your mouth.) Do not remove the suction device until you reach a medical facility.
• Try to identify the snake so the proper antivenin can be administered, but do not waste time or endanger yourself trying to capture or kill it.
• If you are alone and on foot, start walking slowly toward help, exerting the injured area as little as possible.