I don't care what anyone says. How can you even dispute the fact that we Mainers, or at least some Mainers, are the toughest people on the planet? Yesterday, Richard Hannibal from the town of Wayne, was accidentally shot by a turkey hunter. He was just out walking his dog and checking out some wild turkeys near an outcropping of trees. What he couldn't see was  the man hiding out in those trees, waiting to take his shot. They two men were hidden from each other.

William Penley of Scarborough wasn't able to see Hannibal, and a single pellet from his 12-gauge hit Hannibal in the chest. Now...I know a single pellet isn't necessarily going to be fatal, but I bet it felt a bit smarter than bee sting. Medical personnel was called to the scene, but like a true hardcore Mainer, Hannibal refused any medical treatment, according to a press release from the Maine Game Wardens.

The thing is, this is not really a unique story. In the last 18 months alone, we've seen some crazy things that also lend credence to the idea we're tougher than the rest of the country. Last summer, there was a woman in Hope, Maine that was attacked by a rabid raccoon. And she grabbed it, and proceeded to drown it in a puddle. No running. No fear. Just pure grit.

Then in February of 2018, a man let his dog out to do it's business in Dedham, and his puppy was attacked by a black bear. What he do? HE FOUGHT THE BEAR!!!! He didn't run, he apparently needed no help, and just went ahead and intimidated the crap out of a black bear and sent it running into the woods. Granted, the man was injured slightly, but c'mon......he attacked a bear!!!

And.....how can we forget about 95 year old Brunswick man who clubbed a rabid fox over the head. And a Lisbon man that killed a fox with a meat cleaver. For real.....how do Mainers get this hardcore?! Maybe it's something in the water...or the lobster.

Anyway, I'm just gonna go back to slaving away over a hot keyboard, talking about how tough other people are. If my toughness is in question, I understand. I'm afraid of the deep end of my bath tub. But hey...I'll brag about how tough other Mainers are til I finally turn into one. I hope!

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