I recently posted in another thread about a woman with her small dog in Edmonton in the river valley. She was approached by three coyotes and her dog was injured by the coyotes. She jumped on an ice flow in the river and got on her cell phone to get help. Help arrived but the dog was injured.
I believe when critters are hungry they may attack. I think if you show fear an attack is more likely. Conversely I have been in a situation where a dog approached me and it looked like it was going to attack me. There were no rocks around me but I reached down as if to pick up a rock and the dog backed off.
I think pepper spray and a big stick are the minimum you should carry especially in the bush.....G
