[pct-l] Pct-l Digest, Vol 6, Issue 13

[Austin Williams]

I am starting my southbound solo thru of the PCT around July 5th... I have a
question about animal attacks...

Am I significantly more likely to be stalked/attacked when hiking solo?  Am
I really going to be actively hunted by coyotes in the dessert night (I plan
on walking mostly at night)?  Do animals out there really see me as a meal?
Or are my survivalist family members just being overly paranoid?

Is bear mace a good idea for solo hiker?  A rist-rocket?  or should I leave
it at home and save a pound?

I'm not worried about rattle snakes... I've read that no PCT hiker has ever
been bit by one (Wilderness Press).  I'm just a *tiny* bit worried about
being a skinny thru-hiker-meal to a mountain lion.. or (more likely?) a pack
of coyotes.

I'll be hiking alone from mid July to late October.  Any wisdom on this
matter is kindly appreciated.

-Austin

P.s.  Ray Jardine speaks of coyotes "playing tag" and being friendly with
hikers... my dad interprets this as Ray being stalked and hunted and him
being to naive to realize it....  I don't know who to believe here.