Incredibly easy to deal with. They do hurt, but honestly they shouldn't take more than 1/5th of your health if you're not hit completely unaware by accident in that area when it's not time for you to be in the plains yet.

Eat decent food and have decent armor. Then they are not a threat even if they suicide right into your rear.

But that's the case with this entire game. So many people aren't prepared when they go anywhere I've noticed. So they think it's difficult. But when you are prepared with decent food (which is very easy to get and make) and have decent armor (also not hard to get) you're totally fine.