+cachew nut Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 While surfing I read an article about people seeing cougars running loose in Kalkaska, Michigan among other places. Speculation is that because of the overpopulation of deer and recent drought, many herds are becoming diseased, and the predatory animals are returning on their own to help clear out the disease and control the population of the herds. Pretty interesting stuff. Now that these animals are showing up in unlikely places, it would be a good idea to keep your eyes and ears open in the forest, not that it would help if something was hunting you. Here's one of a few articles I've seen about this Quote Link to comment
+Rusty & Libby Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 Rusty... -------------------------------------------------- Friends don't let friends cache locationless! Rusty & Libby's Geocache Page Michigan Geocaching Organization Quote Link to comment
+leatherman Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 Preparation, the first law to survival. Mokita! Quote Link to comment
+W8TVI Posted October 1, 2002 Share Posted October 1, 2002 Thats just on the other side of town from me, and I know Allen Strouse. The 1,800-pound Percheron mule (Named Chief) is 6 feet tall at the shoulder. I have friends that have seen large cats (not house cats or bobcats) going after deer. Quote Link to comment
+ZachNLiam Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 We've found 'wildlife' at two of the caches we've done here in the middle of California. One was a particularly difficult cache (4.5 stars) and the whole time we were looking around for it a big (but very sickly skinny) BULL was staring right at us, about 30 feet away. It never moved fortunately. There would have been nowhere for us to go. The other time we were looking for a cache stuck up in the roots of a tree on a riverbank. When I finally spotted the cache I realized there was something else there also. There was a big OWL 6 INCHES from the cache. I have no idea what owls do when they are awoken, but I VERY CAREFULLY removed and replaced the cache. It gave me a creepy feeling, because you really had to climb into this tree's roots to get to the cache. I had visions of my face being torn off by this freaking owl!!! Quote Link to comment
+ZachNLiam Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 We've found 'wildlife' at two of the caches we've done here in the middle of California. One was a particularly difficult cache (4.5 stars) and the whole time we were looking around for it a big (but very sickly skinny) BULL was staring right at us, about 30 feet away. It never moved fortunately. There would have been nowhere for us to go. The other time we were looking for a cache stuck up in the roots of a tree on a riverbank. When I finally spotted the cache I realized there was something else there also. There was a big OWL 6 INCHES from the cache. I have no idea what owls do when they are awoken, but I VERY CAREFULLY removed and replaced the cache. It gave me a creepy feeling, because you really had to climb into this tree's roots to get to the cache. I had visions of my face being torn off by this freaking owl!!! Quote Link to comment
+georgeandmary Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Last month while hitting some caches in San Fransico I ran into 2 skunks playing in a garden between me and the cache. I walked AROUND the skunks and kept going toward the cache. As for dangerous wildlife like mountain lions. California has had those for years. I've been in and out of the woods and hills and I have NEVER seen one. They're out there though. george Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more. Quote Link to comment
+bitbrain Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 In the past month, I've run across a pretty good list of benign & hazardous animals... * Many White Tail Deer * Bunches of Wild Turkey * One large but unidentified raptor * One medium Copperhead * One huge Cottonmouth * 1,000,000,000 Fire Ants * One Cougar (in a cage) * A herd of Bison - "This river dont go to Aintry. You done taken a wrong turn." - Quote Link to comment
+bitbrain Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 In the past month, I've run across a pretty good list of benign & hazardous animals... * Many White Tail Deer * Bunches of Wild Turkey * One large but unidentified raptor * One medium Copperhead * One huge Cottonmouth * 1,000,000,000 Fire Ants * One Cougar (in a cage) * A herd of Bison - "This river dont go to Aintry. You done taken a wrong turn." - Quote Link to comment
+Lil Devil Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Anything that intends to harm you will stalk you silently. Lil Devil Quote Link to comment
rain theory Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 One thing I have been worried about while caching is poisonous snakes. Where I live there are only two known kinds. Copperheads, and Timber Rattlesnakes. Unfortunately my uncle had a frightening ordeal with an unprovoked timber rattler, and it left him in ICU for two and a half weeks. Where this happened is very close to at least 4 caches that I know of. I have been debating leaving notes in the logs of these caches regarding this possible danger. - - - rain theory - - - Quote Link to comment
+Criminal Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 While benchmark hunting this weekend I was pricked by some particularly ferocious blackberry bushes. I later discovered it was allied with some poison ivy. I haven't had that since I was a kid! The plants around here (pacific northwest) are usually the most aggressive “nature” I have to worry about. Here is the benchmark. If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around, If your house catches afire, and there aint no water around, Throw your jelly out the window; let the dog-gone shack burn down. **Huddie Ledbetter** Quote Link to comment
+Team MGGPS Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Do African lions count? Someone released some into the wild in Arkansas. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/24/national/main523057.shtml Quote Link to comment
+bigredmed Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 quote:Originally posted by cachew nut:While surfing I read an article about people seeing cougars running loose in Kalkaska, Michigan among other places. Speculation is that because of the overpopulation of deer and recent drought, many herds are becoming diseased, and the predatory animals are returning on their own to help clear out the disease and control the population of the herds. Mountain Lions have been migrating eastward from the Rockies for several years now. We routinely see them in eastern Nebraska, and had a live find at a country club near Lincoln last year. Hopefully they won't become infected with the wasting disease that is hitting deer up in WI and MI. By appointment to the Court of HRM Queen Mikki I. Quote Link to comment
+leatherman Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 Here in the North West, we have always had a very large population of cougars and bears. You are not likely to see them, while your out and about. They will know of your presence before you do. The only encounters we have are a stalking attack, or an animal appears in a back yard. Which the person sees them through the window. Because if you went into your back yard the animal would be gone before you got there. Preparation, the first law to survival. Mokita! Quote Link to comment
Alphawolf Posted October 2, 2002 Share Posted October 2, 2002 There have been a few times where I have pondered carrying my bear spray in my hand instead of my V! I have been hiking Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding areas before light at times, and knowing you are in prime Grizzly country sends a few shivers up the spine in the pre-dawn darkness. I've been within 30-50 yards if Grizz. before, but not while geocaching! You never feel so alive, as when you are close to an animal who could easily make you lunch.(incidently, I have never replaced the V in my hand with the bear spray......I fear being lost more than bears!) Quote Link to comment
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