Look, we need to have this conversation, because you want to move slight away from sources of light.

Dolomedes Tenebrosus will run away from humans, but can bite, and it is a bee or wasp type sting.

You are more likley to be bitten, by a wasp or a bee than a spider that just wants to run away from you.

Please understand, spiders are everywhere, and so are bees, and snakes, and the terrible ticks.

Spiders unlike ticks have a wisdom, and will avoid humans.

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Unless you shine a flashlight at them, which especially in Dolomedes Tenebrosus culture means…

That you are lonely, and interested in… clears throat the ritual.

And even then, you would need to eat nothing, but beans and lactose, while being gravely lactose intolerant.

To attract them fuhrer with your “good vibrations”, these spiders freaking love vibrations.

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Dolomedes are gentle and smart little creatures, and you can hang a flashlight away from your camp...

To send them that way, and they are not crazy about the fire, unless crazy bright.

So if you build up a collar around your camp fire, they won’t bother to head your way.

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It is nature, you are nature, and there is a natural order of things.

They will not crawl up your anything, they just get interested in bright lights.

Maybe that means, they love sunsets, too.

Some Dolomedes can hunt underwater, by creating a bubble around themselves.

They are, part of the order of things.

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Your main worries at Nordhouse are, above all, your knife, or axe, maybe saw.

Always, cut away from yourself, this is an important rule of adventure.

If you ignore it, your adventure will end.

The knife blade must always point away from you, especially when carving.

If you must point the blade towards yourself, than you put it away, you are not ready.

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You know the rules when it comes to thunder storms, don't stick out.

In the woods, you additionally have to watch out for widow makers.

Dead trees or branches, that may fall due to wind gusts.

Just don't be out in the open, duck.

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Then, your next worry, is not to setup camp, in places where a flash flood may occur.

And then then ticks, meaning stay on the trail, don’t take shortcuts, do not harm dune grass especially.

And then garbage, while raccoons are rare, they may come if you leave food out.

So, hang your food away, in a tree, from a branch, in a bag, on some cordage so that they can’t climb in there.

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Other than that, there are porcupines, but they just like to peek at you then leave.

Porcupines do not attack, they are wise, intelligent, beautiful and curious.

I have not heard of wolves, but I did hear Coyotes from far away.

They are extremely delicate, and as scared of you as squirrels, keep away.

There are some bears, but they have been reintroduced by Park Rangers.

So they are being watched over, and likely have a raccoon personality.

They may test you, to see if you run, but only for fun, and as a warning.

So if you are not by their home, and they want to be unwise.

Start dancing in circles, they will dream about the encounter for ages.

Animals chase what runs, don't run.

If I was alone, I'd grab a stick, and ready for an attack.

If others were with me, the bear would need a stick.

As I'd be the one attacking, just to entertain my guests.

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The bears to worry about are up in Canada, there you will need to fire a warning shot.

Or if you like me, hose yourself down with pepper spray.

As they don’t want to eat anything, that screams.

But, again, natural order of things, they won’t attack you, unless you are making a huge mistake.

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Over at the state park, the deer are tame, they may still not let you touch them.

Unless you are a real princess, or so I hear.

They woudn’t let me pet them, but they enjoyed staring at me standing there.

With my feelings slightly hurt, and open mouthed…

From the awe of being so close to a little pony, with horns, it was quite the experience.

I made my way to the state park, as I heard the office had WI-FI.

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Make sure you have water, and just in case a water filter.

The camp sites few miles off, all have water-pumps.

But I one saw daring teenagers filter water, straight out of lake Michigan.

This can be safe, given a proper filter, those things work.

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If you want, and I did, look for a bite extractor.

It clams to work for mosquitoes, snakes, wasps and beets, and will work for spiders too.

It is like a reverse plunger, that sucks, in all ways.

And then for tick bites, you need a tick removal kit.

Which will be tweezers, probably, you can often find alcohol prep pads at the dollar store.

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Just add it to your first aid kit, and never worry about it.

You go to Nordhouse to restore your body, an unhealthy lifestyle is your #1 worry.

Overwork and Overeating, and the damage that causes, is a million times more dangerous than anything at Nordhouse.

Michigan's Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area, is a place of healing.