Fisherman bitten by beaver in Forsyth County

By Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

There are some hazards that go along with fishing -- getting stuck by a hook, finned by a fish, sunburn.  Getting attacked by an angry beaver  is generally not considered a high risk.

That's what happened, though, to an Atlanta man, who is recovering  from wounds suffered when he was attacked by a beaver last week while fishing in Forsyth County.

Russ McTindal was fishing on Thursday when he was bitten on his leg and arm by the large beaver.

Forsyth County Fire Capt. said the incident happened shortly after 9 a.m. at Lower Pool Park, on the Chattahoochee River just south of Buford Dam.

"It was attacking me," McTindal told Channel 2 Action News. "He was actually attacking me. I hadn't provoked him or anything."

"I've never tried to fight off a 35-, 40-pound beaver," he said. "This was one of the biggest beavers I've ever seen."

After the attack, McTindal said he was losing "a lot" of blood and used a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

Shivers said McTindal was taken to Northside Hospital-Forsyth, where he received stitches for the wound.

McTindal is also receiving rabies shots, Channel 2 reported.

"I know there are two things you don't mess with in the woods," he told Channel 2. "You don't mess with raccoons because they [are] mean. And you don't mess with beavers."