Animal Encounters

[+Stargazer22]

We have seen black bears 2 times in the last 3 weeks while caching in the Ocala National Forest.

Stopped to clean the 'love bugs' off the windshield and spotted this mom and her cub across a field. She took the baby into the woods heading off in the opposite direction of us (whew!). It took her a couple of minutes to cross the field with the cub so we managed to get a couple of fuzzy pictures.

 

We went again this past weekend and due to recent rains in the area, some of the puddles had quite a bit of water in them. Came around the corner in the jeep and saw a nice big male taking a bath in a puddle that was about 2-3 feet deep. It was a hot (over 90) day and he sure looked like he enjoyed his roll in the puddle. He casually got up and watched us for a minute before he went off into the woods. Only got a poor picture of his rear end on that one so I won't include it.

 

We've seen lots of snakes, spiders, rabbits, and all manner of other small critters.

 

Love seeing the wildlife!

[+simplyred]

Well I've seen lots, here are some from my logs.

Canada Geese

 

Deer

 

Red Fox

 

 

Ducks

 

 

Snake

 

 

Trout

 

 

Rabbit

 

 

Bear

 

 

 

Moose

 

 

And more, some I never had the chance to get a pic of.

[+Miragee]

While bushwhacking our way to this cache, we disturbed this guy. Initially, he moved towards me , but then he tucked himself into this hiding place.

 

[+JohnnyVegas]

I saw this Southern pacific rattle snake about three weeks ago while checking one of my caches.

I see a few of these a year, as well as the local non poisinous snakes.

We also see lots of Deer, Squirrles, hawks, Rabbits and Wild Turkey (Not the kind in a bottle)

[+2techs]

The other day out was out on a trail and heard something running thru the grass right towards me. I lifted my feet to avoid getting hit by a very young bunny rabbit. It took little notice of me and continued acroos the path. I was just thinking how odd that was when I heard something else coming along the same path. At first I thought it was another one, but just as I realized it was probably whatever was making it run a mink ran out on to the trail. It saw me and turned right around. I know they live in this area, but I had never actually seen one before. It was even more odd since they are noctournal and this was around noon.

[+Thrak]

Numerous deer, quail, ducks, geese, rabbits, a couple of rattlesnakes, various raptors, beavers, muskrats, pheasant, etc. Twice I have encountered flocks of wild turkeys. I'd never seen wild turkeys before - it's only because of geocaching that I've encountered them.

 

[Edit]

Peacocks as well and I guess I forgot to mention Buffalo while caching in Yellowstone. At one cache I had to wait for them to leave the trail so I could get to the info sign and log the virtual.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Thrak

[+katsbear]

I was placing a cache along my favorite fishing river last summer and I couldn't think of a name to call the cache. I spent the night thinking about it and returned the next day. As I approched the location I scared up a bull moose that was lying in the tall grass, 15 feet from the cache. I ended up calling the cache "Bullwinkles Bedroom".

[QuigleyJones]

Out caching with my usual caching partner and I hear a big scream.

Turns out to be an inch worm.

Not an animal but does this count?

 

[+Too Tall John]

Out caching with my usual caching partner and I hear a big scream.

Turns out to be an inch worm.

Wow! What a lucky sighting! It is very rare to see the "Green Screaming Inchworm." Glad you got a picture, you should send a report in to the Entomology Department at your local university.

 

 

[+ecfackler]

We've run into snakes, deer, typical bugs/birds, and a short-tailed weasel. He was great - sat about 8 ft up in a tree and let us take pictures.

[+gelfling6]

Okay, Now I get to post an encounter. Walking along the path to Pinnacle ( GCTGHN ), I spotted what looked

like a long branch, til I got closer.....

 

Just sitting there, sunning itself, a good 4-1/2 foot long black rat snake. Tossed a few pebbles near it,

to get it to clear off, but flat refused to move.. Finally found a BIG long branch, and coaxed it away.

(lift with the stick. Turned to look at me as if to say "Leave me Alone!", then finally moved off.)

 

Stephen (gelfling6)

[+RoyalRed]

I was doing a cache in the burbs west of Philadelphia. As I was signing the log I heard a nosie like a stampede coming from behind me. I immediately thought it was a bunch of muggles coming to raid the cache I was signing. Quickly shut eveything up and threw the cache back into place and stand up and turn around to see what the noise was.

Immediately two white tailed deer bucks come charging out of the underbrush right at me. I didn't know what to do so just froze. They proceeded to charge right past on either side of me with one of them clipping my leg with his leg. Spun me around and dazed me a bit. Couldn't believe it!

[+team moxiepup]

While driving from one cache to another today, we saw something that made us turn around for a second look.

 

 

A Barred Owl sitting on a road sign in broad daylight!

[+89SC]

I ran into this owl while night caching:

 

 

It just sat there and watched me.

[+89SC]

Another curious critter:

 

[+aerofarm]

Brother-In-Law and eye were watched by a large coyote in San Diego's Balboa park last Sunday. Fotunately no snakes, but this guy just watched us as we wandered through the brush.