For the past three years, I have worked a running camp in the mountains of North Carolina. Part of our training as staff is to learn how to deal with wildlife on trails. If there is a horse and rider, stop and let the rider tell you what to do. Don't worry about deer for they run away. If there are bees, re route the trail and keep kids from getting stung; the epi pin is only used in the most dire situations. If there is a bear get real big and just hope you are faster then the slowest runner.
I have never been told what to do about a skunk.
To set the stage, I was out on my long run of the week at around 6:45 a.m. It seemed that all the wildlife in the small park was waking up. I really was not quite awake myself and I had to really focus as not to bite it over rock or tree branch. I'm not particularly clumsy but it had been awhile since I ran true trail. I was only about 4 miles into my 10 mile run when I saw it.
Now, skunks are not fearsome looking creatures, in fact they look like some form of a house cat. The Disney portrayal of the animal (flower) in Bambi is pretty right on except for the whole talking part.The skunk was enjoying some sort of greens and minding its own business. I was the one bothering it. I was trying just not to scare it and end up on the wrong end of the animal.
I decided the best idea was to wait till it moved off the path. So I waited and waited and prayed that animal moved the opposite direction. About five minutes later, the skunk was far enough off the trail that I was able to sprint by.
I did not get sprayed but I feel like there might have been a better way of handling the skunk
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