Killer Swan Drowns Man..Talk About Bizarre

asdjklasjd wrote:

I will back up the C&O canal dude as I have been harassed by those insane geese many times. I think they hang out between mile 2 and 3. They are not so easy to avoid as there are usually a dozen or more of them sprawled all across the trail, sometimes with baby geese.

Last time I lived in the DC area I was starting at the chain bridge and running north of there...no geese up that way.

I used to run around the intramural field at University of Washington, full of packs of Canadian geese. They never bothered us. Not sure why the ones in DC are more nasty...

Thank you. I know that I am not a total wimp. I fought the thing, too. Obviously I am still alive, so I guess I won the fight. I didn't kill the goose, but the poor thing had goslings right next to the trail.

You are right about miles 2 and 3. I usually dealt with them somewhere between Georgetown and Fletchers. I still run there when back in town.

I will be honest for a second: I know a goose attack sounds hilarious, but it was scary. The thing was trying to kill me. I didn't think I was going to die, but I was worried about some damage to my nuts.

Another thing: to all of you saying "just grab its neck." It isn't that easy. Those fvckers are fast as hell, and there is no way it is letting you grab its neck. You'll lose an eye before you get its neck.

There's a bunch of geese on one of the trails I run frequently. When I run by they hiss and try to act all tough. If they get too crazy I stop and face them arms out and hiss back at 'em - they run like hell then. I would kick the everloving piss out of some goose that attacked me. It wouldn't end until he, or me I guess, was dead.

For those of you attacked by geese, know that swans can weigh twice as much as a goose - 30 or 35 pounds.

Old married fart wrote:

"A memorial fund has been established in Hensley's name, who was a married father of two."

No way, Jose. He should have owned life insurance.

He had goose insurance but nothing for swan attacks.

sf wrote:

I've never taken care of anyone attacked by a swan, but I have had 3 patients who have lost eyes after being attacked by roosters. Sounds funny but actually not too funny.

doctors are idiots wrote:

That's not funny at all.

Doctors are idiots? He didn't say it was funny. Given the tenor of this thread (many people laughing at a dead man - see second post) he anticipated the likely reaction and addressed it: "not too funny."

Who's the idiot?

look at the SIZE of this thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Railiy7JAM&feature=related

that is a MONSTER swan

great goose attack:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cV4FCwtTEo

Lots of geese around here. I have found that running straight at them (or through them) is the best strategy for keeping them away.

we actually have some good video of that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZPHtZUP6B0

poiu wrote:

look at the SIZE of this thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Railiy7JAM&feature=related

that is a MONSTER swan

great goose attack:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cV4FCwtTEo

Great post with video of why it can catch you off guard. The goose in the 2nd video is pretty. The ones in DC are bigger and ugly as hell.

Hammerschmidt wrote:

There's a bunch of geese on one of the trails I run frequently. When I run by they hiss and try to act all tough. If they get too crazy I stop and face them arms out and hiss back at 'em - they run like hell then. I would kick the everloving piss out of some goose that attacked me. It wouldn't end until he, or me I guess, was dead.

I didn't really have time to do any of that. It just kind of came at me from the side.

About the kicking... I was trying to kick it. I couldn't land a kick. It was weird. Pus, every time I kicked, it would expose my nuts and the thing was going for my nuts. I am not kidding, it was going straight for my nuts.

yep, and imagine being caught in the water with no life jacket against that thing, even if u can swim. they float naturally and are in better position to attack and disorient a person. im sure the swan didnt drown him in the same sense they drown ducks, but im sure he lost enough enery tryin to fend it off, probably suffered a gouged eye too.

poiu wrote:

look at the SIZE of this thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Railiy7JAM&feature=related

that is a MONSTER swan

great goose attack:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cV4FCwtTEo

another thing, the defense posture with the oar held the swan at bay. when he tried to come at them the second time, the guy raised the oar and the swan backed off.

swan attacking a swimming dog

Goose Cooked wrote:

Hammerschmidt wrote:

There's a bunch of geese on one of the trails I run frequently. When I run by they hiss and try to act all tough. If they get too crazy I stop and face them arms out and hiss back at 'em - they run like hell then. I would kick the everloving piss out of some goose that attacked me. It wouldn't end until he, or me I guess, was dead.

I didn't really have time to do any of that. It just kind of came at me from the side.

About the kicking... I was trying to kick it. I couldn't land a kick. It was weird. Pus, every time I kicked, it would expose my nuts and the thing was going for my nuts. I am not kidding, it was going straight for my nuts.

Are you sure that wasn't a honey badger?

Ironically, the guy that drowned never met a distance runner that he couldn't beat to a living pulp.

Holy crap!!!

I have been following this thread while at work. At lunch today, I went out to Hagan-Stone Park in Greensboro, NC for an easy 6 miles. I was attacked by a damn tom turkey, no kidding. The thing rushed me on that crushed gravel trail in the woods. Scary as a mutherfvcker. I feel for this swan guy.

I didn't even know we had turkeys in this part of the country, and isn't it too hot for them right now? Was this thing rabid or something? It didn't get me, but it tried. Its feathers were all out and scary looking.

NC is right in the beginning of spring Turkey Hunting season, so it would not be unusual for the birds to be moving into the parks. Believe it or not the animals learn where they are safe from being hunted.

It is not too hot for them. I would think a Turkey attack would be much more unusual than a Swan. Turkeys are usually most active at daybreak and sunset and are generally more skittish around people. A swan or goose attack does not surprise me as they are both foul tempered and aggressive birds.

Pansy McGee wrote:

Dude, you sound like a huge pu$$y. Are you the same guy who assumed the fetal position when two weiner dogs 'attacked'? You got all chewed up by two weiner dogs and tried to sue the owner?

No, that was Flabbergasted that did that. Nice memory!

I've had a few run-ins with the geese on the C&O towpath in the same area that you guys are talking about - heading north from Georgetown but before Fletcher's.

On one occasion, about a dozen of them lined up on the entire width of the path and they would not let me cross. The problem for me was that I had to go in that direction because I was running home to Bethesda. I tried everything, tip toeing around them, yelling at them, kicking dust and nothing I could do would make them back down. Finally I gave up and turned around and until I could find a spot to cut over to the CCT.

I know it's hard for people who haven't experienced this to understand. Most people who I told the story to asked why I didn't just run through them. Much easier said than done!