Rabies

[Keyfer 55]

This year rabies seems to be a topic here
in GA . How likely is it for hogs and black bears to have rabies?

 

[buck460XVR]

While it does happen, rabies in both Black bears and Wild hogs is extremely rare in the U.S..

 

[Art Eatman]

From August, 2017: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...g/02/arealert-after-rash-rabies-cases/441147/

Nothing in Google about 2018.

 

[JohnKSa]

I found one paper that suggests that black bears may actually have some level of resistance to the disease. Not enough to totally prevent rabies in black bears, but enough to make it quite unusual.

 

[H&Hhunter]

The veterinarian present says unlikely but possible.

 

[FL-NC]

My understanding is that in the US it is most prevalent in foxes, skunks, and coons, but still rare. It was very prevalent in Haiti (according to our doc- not a huge surprise given that there are no services like animal control there) in stray dogs, which there were plenty of- all of which were very combative. As a result, any dogs which showed aggression were dealt with using either OC spray and/or small arms.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Don’t forget bats, and coyotes.

 

[22250Rem]

This year rabies seems to be a topic here
in GA . How likely is it for hogs and black bears to have rabies?

.....Don't know much about hogs and black bears in regards to rabies but around here raccoons seem to be the ones that pop up rabid the most. Twenty years ago we had several reports very close to me, some within a couple hundred yards. Then just tonight in the gathering dusk I spot something walking around in the drainage ditch by the road. Stuck his head up and I see a raccoon. Then he comes to our driveway, gets out of the ditch and starts walking up the driveway towards my wife and I. I wave my arms and shout.... no response. The wife runs into the house to get her blank firing gun ( not what I would have retrieved) thinking it will scare him away. Just before she returns the raccoon turns around, runs out to the road and off into the woods. It didn't seem normal for him to continue on toward us with me waving & shouting like that. I'm thinking this one might just be rabid.... Haven't had any for about 20 years... Maybe we're due. Sound like rabies to anyone out there? That was my guess;, ( I even thought of this thread). I'm now keeping the Ruger Single Six Convertible handy with the 22LR cylinder in it loaded with CCI stingers. If he returns & comes close that should take care of business. But they say to not come in contact with it even when dead. Just call the cops and they can send someone like an animal control officer who will double bag it in plastic bags and turn it in for testing. Now I'm thinking we might just have another summer where I don't set foot in the woods without a .22 handgun at minimum like I did back then.. This could get interesting.

 

[RPZ]

.....Don't know much about hogs and black bears in regards to rabies but around here raccoons seem to be the ones that pop up rabid the most. Twenty years ago we had several reports very close to me, some within a couple hundred yards. Then just tonight in the gathering dusk I spot something walking around in the drainage ditch by the road. Stuck his head up and I see a raccoon. Then he comes to our driveway, gets out of the ditch and starts walking up the driveway towards my wife and I. I wave my arms and shout.... no response. The wife runs into the house to get her blank firing gun ( not what I would have retrieved) thinking it will scare him away. Just before she returns the raccoon turns around, runs out to the road and off into the woods. It didn't seem normal for him to continue on toward us with me waving & shouting like that. I'm thinking this one might just be rabid.... Haven't had any for about 20 years... Maybe we're due. Sound like rabies to anyone out there? That was my guess;, ( I even thought of this thread). I'm now keeping the Ruger Single Six Convertible handy with the 22LR cylinder in it loaded with CCI stingers. If he returns & comes close that should take care of business. But they say to not come in contact with it even when dead. Just call the cops and they can send someone like an animal control officer who will double bag it in plastic bags and turn it in for testing. Now I'm thinking we might just have another summer where I don't set foot in the woods without a .22 handgun at minimum like I did back then.. This could get interesting.

You want to avoid any contact with bodily fluids - blood etc. If you shoot one on your property, like your driveway, hopefully it drops in place. After Animal Control have removed it I would spray the ground where it lay, and any blood trail or pools generously with bleach.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Groundhogs are the number 1 carrier in rodents according to the CDC.

Just thought I'd throw that out there

 

[Flintknapper]

Skunks are the number 1 carrier of rabies where I live.

 

[sage5907]

Groundhogs are the number 1 carrier in rodents according to the CDC.

Just thought I'd throw that out there

I can understand how groundhogs can contract rabies. We go to Bull Shoals Arkansas twice each year to camp and it is common in the campground for feral cats and groundhogs to be living in the same hole in the ground. It's also common here in Oklahoma for skunks and feral cats to be living together.

 

[jeepnik]

As of a few months ago my area had an outbreak of rabies in our racoon population. The local animal cops tried to pass it off as a distemper outbreak. They got busted and have been very quiet since.

I got involved when I spotted an obviously rabies infected coon in my neighborhood. The animal control "expert", hey she had three months experience, tried to pass off the distemper story and I called her on in right there and then. Never did hear back from them after emails to both her boss' and the local county supervisor.

 

[Robbins290]

last year i had 4 raccoons attack me while hunting. i shot 3 out of the 4. they were obvious rabid. now i carry a full size handgun. the M&P shield with thick hunting gloves did not work will.

 

[SoonerMedic]

last year i had 4 raccoons attack me while hunting. i shot 3 out of the 4. they were obvious rabid. now i carry a full size handgun. the M&P shield with thick hunting gloves did not work will.

How were they acting?

 

[Robbins290]

How were they acting?

They seemed aggressive. They were walking single file. Once they saw me. They change direction directly towards me. Why would 4 animals do that. So i assumed they were rabid. They did look foamy at the mouth with the 3 i dispacthed. It was aroubd 2 or so in the afternoon.

When i went back the next day to grab them (with the right equipment) they were all gone. Not sure if the coyotes got them.

 

[buck460XVR]

last year i had 4 raccoons attack me while hunting. i shot 3 out of the 4. they were obvious rabid. now i carry a full size handgun. the M&P shield with thick hunting gloves did not work will.

Hopefully you reported this to the appropriate authorities. The immediate recovery and disposal of the carcasses is paramount.