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Top of the food chain? NOT! :O)


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I know that each area of the country has it's share of critter who prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that man is not necessarily the top of the food chain. A co-worker's wife spotted something out their back window and captured THIS short video of a rather large Florida Panther stalking something in their back yard. They live in a very urban area of North Port, Florida (just south of the Tampa Bay area on the west coast), and it's a pretty strong wake-up call that those late day trek's into the wilderness alone, might be an invite to be a main course. :lol: Ran across bobcats, gators close by, large snakes (stepped on one which got me a "Focus!" geocaching t-shirt as a reminder present), and large families of wild hogs that I almost ran over one on my mountain bike, but have not ran across one of these kitties yet (and hope I don't).

 

Do things like this make you hessitate to head into the wild, especially alone? What exeriences have you experienced with critters in the wild?

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Hiked alot in bear country, and had a few encounters. Be smart, be aware of what is around you, and you will be fine. Doesn't stop me for a second, and I carry no protection with me. I do tend to be talking while walking, as well as making plenty of hiking noise, I doubt I could surprise anything hanging around in the woods.

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Do things like this make you hesitate to head into the wild, especially alone? What exeriences have you experienced with critters in the wild?

 

We ran across a cleverly hidden rattlesnake last summer on a trail. Very large, very unhappy with us. Backed carefully away on tippy toes. Found another way down the trail waving hiking sticks in the grass.

 

Have seen black bears and scat. The only time we were a little concerned was with a mom and 2 babies. But we were in a drift boat, so she would have had to work to get to us.

 

Had a good sized cougar run across the road in front of us a few weeks ago. Happily it was headed uphill and didn't stick around. Great looking cat but I'm glad we were in a car. It looked a whole lot like the one in the video, just a bit lighter gold.

 

Most of what we see are a whole lot of birds. A pair of bald eagles look really large just over head but I don't think we're part of their normal menu.

 

We cache together and do carry poles and a cell phone. Running into another rattler concerns me more than the cougar. There's a whole lot more of them up by our house and the chances of running across one this time of year are quite good.

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I know that each area of the country has it's share of critter who prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that man is not necessarily the top of the food chain. A co-worker's wife spotted something out their back window and captured THIS short video of a rather large Florida Panther stalking something in their back yard. They live in a very urban area of North Port, Florida (just south of the Tampa Bay area on the west coast), and it's a pretty strong wake-up call that those late day trek's into the wilderness alone, might be an invite to be a main course. ;) Ran across bobcats, gators close by, large snakes (stepped on one which got me a "Focus!" geocaching t-shirt as a reminder present), and large families of wild hogs that I almost ran over one on my mountain bike, but have not ran across one of these kitties yet (and hope I don't).

 

Do things like this make you hessitate to head into the wild, especially alone? What exeriences have you experienced with critters in the wild?

 

Rather than sermonize on the state of our 'natural areas' due to removal of predators and other scary critters that belong (see, I'm already halfway there!), I'll just say that your friends should be proud they are living in such an apparently healthy natural environment. They should also make sure any house-cats and small dogs are indoors after dark!

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Nice video. Looks like a bobcat, not a panther - the cat in the video has the black and white ear spot of a bobcat and the short striped bobcat tail. It's also well out of range for a panther.

 

Mosquitoes are the most dangerous critter in Florida. The only deaths from exposure to Florida fauna I know about are two folks of my past acquaintance dead of mosquito born illness.

 

Statistically, I believe stinging insects rate highest - bees wasps hornets. I've gotten hammered by ground dwelling hornets a couple of times. Fortunately, I'm not particularly sensitive, but I understand that could change at any time. I might discover the sensitivity change by dying. Oh well.

Edited by Isonzo Karst
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Nice video. Looks like a bobcat, not a panther - the cat in the video has the black and white ear spot of a bobcat and the short striped bobcat tail. It's also well out of range for a panther.
They have a few blurry still shots, too, and Fish & Game are investigating. Was thinking bobcat at first, too, but this is a lot bigger then any bobcats I've seen and the coat is solid tan, no dark markings like most bobcats have. Should have any answer back today as New Channel 8 WFLA picked up on the story and hopefully will have a news story broadcast today as they interviewed his wife last night.

 

Mosquitoes are the most dangerous critter in Florida. The only deaths from exposure to Florida fauna I know about are two folks of my past acquaintance dead of mosquito born illness. Statistically, I believe stinging insects rate highest - bees wasps hornets. I've gotten hammered by ground dwelling hornets a couple of times. Fortunately, I'm not particularly sensitive, but I understand that could change at any time. I might discover the sensitivity change by dying. Oh well.
Agreed with our Florida State Bird (the skeeter) being a big danger and some places between they and the horse flies it's a race to see if you can outrun them. Had a nest of ground dwelling bees in a palmetto shrub by the house, disturbed them when on the riding mower and they dang well let me know they were not happy.... ouch!
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I used to see bears all the time close up in Cades Cove between TN and NC and had no fear of them at all until I ran across one while hiking alone, which I apparently spooked. He came up within eye contact and didnt see me, or notice me and then turned and stared directly at me and ducked his head down a little. I suddenly felt like I was going to be his next meal and scattered out of there by sliding down a steep hill. It felt like he was following me and I have probably been too paranoid since then. In north jersey I ran across a baby bear and the momma, and I couldnt sit still so perhaps I left too quickly as it seemed that the baby bear started to follow me for some odd reason, and which caused the mother bear to follow also. Luckily, I has some clean underwear in the car trunk.

 

I fully agree with this Wilkipedia entry on Bears. Although for some odd reason it looks like the site was hacked into.. :rolleyes:

 

http://www.wikiality.com/Bears

 

Bears are soulless, godless, rampaging killing machines. They are Satan's minions and the TRUE symbol of evil. Once believed to be the work of dragons, Bears (like purple donkeys) enjoy running around the woods molesting and raping innocent people and squids. For years now, ravenous bears have had free reign to use our woods as their personal latrine, protected by their "endangered" status. Now the government is wisely considering ending the grizzlies' special treatment in order to protect our honey jars and Paddington Station. Bears' strong vitality and resilience makes them one of mother nature's nearly unkillable animals. A bear has never been downed by any less than five gunshots. Combinations of high explosives, assault weapons, and trebuchets have been known to only piss the bear off....
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Hiked alot in bear country, and had a few encounters. Be smart, be aware of what is around you, and you will be fine. Doesn't stop me for a second, and I carry no protection with me. I do tend to be talking while walking, as well as making plenty of hiking noise, I doubt I could surprise anything hanging around in the woods.

 

I don't live in what would be characterized as bear country. Black bears are somewhat common in the Adirondacks and there is a narrow region at the southern part of the state where they are seen occasionally. A couple of weeks ago I got a call from my in-laws who live about 5 miles from me. They had just watched a bear come out from the trees, drink from their pond, then walk within 100' for the house and cross the driveway. They opened the door to get a picture and it ran off. They're have actually been several bear sitings very close to town this year. I don't worry about them much though. I've encountered black bear on a few occasions when I lived in California and spent time backpacking in Sequoia National Forest.

 

I have a cache a few miles away that along a rail-trail. Just across the road from the parking coordinates is a buffalo farm. Apparently about a week ago somehow all of the buffalo escaped. They have been seen just a bit north of my cache and as far as I know none of them (about 20 of them) have returned. What I found kinda strange was that about a day later there was a report of a couple of buffalo escaping a smaller farm about 30 miles to the south. Who knew that upstate New York would be a place where the buffalo roam.

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