Leave alone young animals found day hike

Resist the temptation to interact with newborns
found along the hiking trail.

Sometimes your children will stumble across newborn fawns, fox cubs or other babies while hiking in the wilds. Stay away from them.

Newborns can bite just as well adults – or worse, the mother may be nearby and become very agitated by your interest. In addition, the newborn may be ill, which could result in your children picking up the disease.

Also, sometimes mothers will not return to their newborns if humans stay around too long, as can be the case with white-tailed deer.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Avoid hoofed animals when hiking with kids

Bison bull. Photo courtesy of NPS.

Deer, elk, moose and bison actually kill more people annually in North America than do bears and mountain lions.

Usually the problem is people who mistakenly think that herbivores can’t be dangerous and provoke the beasts by getting too close or by cornering them. This is an issue especially if the hoofed animal has young nearby. Their antlers and horns, not to mention their hooves, can be quite lethal.

You can avoid the danger simply by keeping your distance. Don’t try to feed them or get close for a snapshot. Once you see an agitated animal – especially one that’s pawing its hooves at the ground and huffing as staring at you – back off.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.