View Full Version : What was your favorite Trail animal encounter?
Bare Bear
11-17-2008, 18:03
And no, other hikers do not count as 'animals' although....we have all known a few.
Mine is probably the early August morning, solo walking (0630) NOBO in Maine along a lakeside, still wisps of fog drifting up. I heard a noise in the bushes to the right up the slope and thought I had spooked up a deer. I stopped and waited and then a very large BEAVER jumped up on a stump about 3-5 feet away. I never knew they were so big. He had to be over 30 pounds. Glistening, hair looking so heavy, greasy and stiff it was like a porcupine. Nasty hugh yellow teeth. We both stared then I remembered my camera and of course the beaver then took off into the lake 10 feet to the left of me. I have a great shot of the V shape swimming away. But in my mind I will always have that image of just me and nature's glory. I felt sorry for the hikers that were still back lingering over their coffee back at camp.
sheepdog
11-17-2008, 18:13
This one.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/4/9/2/0/smokies_bear_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=28403&catid=member&orderby=views&direction=DESC&imageuser=14920&cutoffdate=-1)
The bear walked right up to us. We had to talk to it to make it go around.
Low Impact
11-17-2008, 18:47
Howdy -
My favorite wildlife encounter on my 2008 NOBO Thru-Hike was on DAY ONE. Got into Stover Creek at about 5:00pm - sat down to eat dinner and out of no where - a HUGE black bear approaches the shelter.
Gave us all a rush of excitement. The bear stuck around for almost an hour. Snapped some nice pics.
I remember going to sleep later that night and thinking "damn, this is gonna be a hell of a journey". Guess what? It was! :D
5179
Serial 07
11-17-2008, 18:55
in the shennys i had a frog the size of a fist jump out right in front of me onto the trail...it had a 1 ta 2 foot rattle snake attached to its back left leg...i watched the snake sink its teeth into the frog, let go and slither away...the frog just sat in front of me stunned and filled with venom...it began to bloat up and i carefully removed it from my path with a long stick, as to not get any of what he had on me...who knows, maybe they go for the jugular at that point...
it was cool because of the adrenaline rush i got from the situation...that was hardcore nature...at least for me...
Tennessee Viking
11-17-2008, 18:55
This was a few years ago on Bays Mtn in Tennessee. I was walking up Front Hollow Road to the lake, and over the rise I see a mama bear and 2 cubs. The cubs jumped up the trees, and I ran backwards for about 100 yards. Luckily mama didn't see me. I ended up walking an old logging road down the mountain with about 30 minutes to get back up and get my car before the park closed.
sheepdog
11-17-2008, 19:29
This one was pretty cool too.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/4/9/2/0/charging_buck.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=29421&original=1&c=549)
Tennessee Viking
11-17-2008, 19:34
this One Was Pretty Cool Too.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/4/9/2/0/charging_buck.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=29421&original=1&c=549)
Mad Deer!
sheepdog
11-17-2008, 20:36
I was about 30 feet from him. He took a jump right at me (when I took the picture) landed about 15 feet away, and then bounded off to the right. At first I thought I was toast. It was at the snp near a shelter.
Lone Wolf
11-17-2008, 20:46
a fisher cat killing a rabbit when i came around a corner in maine
Bears are always amazing but my favorite encounter was with a yearling deer. We were hiking Massie Gap to Damascus. I can't remember the exact area but we were hiking along when Gungho stopped and said "LOOK!!!" Up ahead was the deer. He was so intrigued with us. He would walk slowly toward us and stop. Gungho finally scared him off since he was in the middle of the trail. We started hiking again and I turned back to look and he was following us. He didn't follow long. What amazed us was how puzzled he looked to see us. It was nature at it's most pure.
smokymtnsteve
11-17-2008, 21:12
psychotic deer
Hikerhead
11-17-2008, 21:26
A Black Rat Snake and a Copperhead in a fight to the death falling off a rock ledge and landing at my feet.
Amid all the bears and deer and other big animals, my most memorable encounter was when a red squirrel ran across my foot while I was hiking in southern Maine. It's not often you get to touch a wild animal (er, one gets to touch you).
Cuppa Joe
11-17-2008, 22:12
My best encounter came, not on my thru, but on a small section the year after. I was doing the jaunt from Dutch Haus to Bear's den and it was just before I arrived in Waynesboro.
Early in the AM and I rounded a corner and there, on the trail ahead of me was a medium sized bear. I stopped and stared waiting for him to run off as they usually do but this time it was different. He just stood there .. stood there and looked at me as I looked at him. Time seems to slow when you are in an encounter like this but it did seem like it was a while before I made made my next move. That thought and move was to back the hell up because he was bigger and badder and was nor moving!
I backed up slowly while "badass" watched me, all the while thinking I was going to be breakfast. I was so convinced that HE should run away, not me .. goes to show you who is on top of the food chain at that moment! :)
Anyway, I backed out of sight , waited a few, and then moved forward again ... there he was, still hanging out ... Now I had places to go and Badass was hindering my progress so I decided to take action .. I yelled and slapped my poles together, making lots of noise. Badass stood there, looking at me (as I am thinking, "Oh crap" now he is pissed) when with wha looked like a toss of the head and a shrug as if to say, "You are not worth my time", he wandered off the trail ...
All in all it was a pretty cool encounter :)
Gray Blazer
11-17-2008, 22:26
On the FT in Etoniah Creek State Forest I ran two bear cubs up their respective trees. I could hear the mother rooting around so I got from in between the 2 cubs and then waited for her to appear so I could take her pic. When she stuck her head out of the bushes 20 yards in front of me I turned on the camera. As soon as the camera went on she wheeled and was out of there.
The wildlife encounter I most regret is not getting the pics of fresh bigfoot prints in the sandy jeep road in the same FT area. I was shocked and anxious that he/she was watching me that I did not think to get out my camera and take pics. I thought that any moment he/she would jump me so I skedadled.
taildragger
11-17-2008, 22:30
Bear in Yosemite that walked into camp, saw humans, then proceeded to turn its head and look another direction as it blindly walked into camp.
In '02 on the peak of South Marshall Mountain in the Shenandoah's, after watching a bright red sun that appeared to be blinking become obscured by the clouds, Miles and I were resting on a rock when a HUGE bear appeared on the trail. Slowly, it lumbered up the trail. You could see the fat rolls on the bear's shoulders shift when the it threw its weight forward. For at least a minute the bear slowly made its way toward us up the trail. Looking back, I doubt it knew we were there cos when it got within 20 feet of us, I let out a nervous chuckle and the bear cut straight into the woods. And if that wasn't enough, within seconds, a massive buck with a huge rack crossed the trail and followed the exact path the bear took into the trees. The psychedelic sunset, big ol' bear and huge buck in about a 20 minute stretch.
I was on the PCT in Oregon when 3 bears came down the hill in front of me, and onto the trail. I had stopped b/c I saw the dark shapes coming through the trees after hearing them walking, and assumed they were cows moving this slowly and noisily. It appeared to be a female, her yearling, and her cub.
The yearling jumped on the female trying to get her to play, while the small cub just sat beside the trail watching them. The female finally got irritated with the yearling, and growling softly, bit him on the head.
The yearling turned and started walking towards me, finally noticing me and lifting it's head to try and get my scent. The wind was blowing towards me, which is why I suspect they did not realize I was standing directly behind them. As the yearling got a little too close for comfort, I finally spoke. The female wheeled around, and the yearling froze in it's tracks. They both stared for a moment and took off up the hill as the cub flew straight up a tree next to me.
I moved around the tree to try and get some pictures, while trying to watch for mom. She realized the little one had not followed, and worked her way back down the hill, where she raised herself up on a log on with her front legs and watched me for a moment. I backed up quickly, and she started making a grunting/growling type of noise. Baby came down the tree, and immediately went up the next tree. Mom repeated the call, and this time he came down and went to her, where they proceeded to lope back up the hill.
That was by far the most amazing animal encounter I have experienced, and the first time I have really seen bears interact with each other. In hindsight I was probably too close, but it just happened so quickly, and was truely an amazing experience.
Blue Jay
11-18-2008, 08:18
I am always very happy to see human females. Not only are they very beautiful but sometimes you can go for days without seeing one.:banana
Homer&Marje
11-18-2008, 08:44
My favorite encounter was because of circumstance. It was back in July I was supposed to do a 3 day 34 mile hike of the Warner Trail near my hometown and 3 hours into the hike I sliced my finger with my knife requiring stitches. (Still can't feel that finger. Severed nerve)
So... long story short, we were running out of the woods. Me bleeding with a gauze wrapped finger, both hands over my head my left hand cut, my right hand holding my bear whistle (Orange one with long rope) that was being used as a tourniquet (sp)
When out of no where we came around a corner and there was this huge white tail deer about 8'-10' to the left of us. Marje and I both stopped in our tracks and I said "Wow, that's nice." and as I said that the deer figured the situation out and took one leap and was gone into the under brush.
Then we started running again. But for 2 seconds all time stopped and the Deer, Marje and I were staring at the whites of each others eyes. No time for a camera, nor the hands to use it but we have a great mental picture of that situation, we talked about it the whole time I was at the hospital:D
BAG "o" TRICKS
11-18-2008, 09:08
Sasquatch.., naw just B Jack slackin through the woods.
stumpknocker
11-18-2008, 09:43
I was walking on the AT in VT about four years ago. There was about 6 inches of snow on the ground. I noticed something coming towards me pretty fast from my left side....a snowshoe hare. It ran by me, about 5 feet in front of me.
I was thinking; Wow, I can't believe he would run right in front of me like that....and then I saw why. A fisher was after him.
That fisher ran right in front of me too. I don't think either one of them ever saw me.
I doubt that hare lived much longer that day.
Okay...one more.....I got to watch some baby pine martens playing on the edge of a pond in Maine in '06. :)
How about another.....I watched a bear this year scratching his back against a tree in VA. He was standing on his hind feet with his back against the tree and moving his whole body back and forth. :)
StarLyte
11-18-2008, 10:06
That's it? Just bears, deer and fishers? Just kidding.
4:00 a.m. Three Forks, April of 2003: a stomping boar. Thought it was a deer and I was in his path, opened the front of my bivy and there he was.
He stomped so hard it shook the ground and woke me up. Then it snorted a little. It was mental fight to the finish, but he ran around. Two to 5 minutes seemed like an hour when you think you're going to be breakfast. I was literally stuck in my bivy and just peeked out. His head was about 4' from my face.
Couldn't get a pic - 4:00 a.m., no light except my headlamp. I just stayed up after that experience. Here's what I looked like at daybreak - a ghost needing coffee ha ha
A Snowy Owl perched on the summit post of a 3700' ME Mtn.
A cow Moose with two calves
And on the smaller end of bird species, the Golden Crowned Kinglet in two different locations and the Boreal Chickadee in two different locations.
bloodmountainman
11-18-2008, 10:15
I started a pre dawn hike in mid November from Tray Mountain. It was a cold, still, frosty morning. As the sun came up, I was coming around an Eastern slope and the sun lit up the side of that hill with intense gold colors. A Great Horned Owl swooped down and landed on a stump about 20 yards ahead of me with his back turned from me. I stopped dead still and watched as he (she?) turned it's head all the way around and stared me down. That was one of the greatest memories I have!
D'Artagnan
11-18-2008, 10:16
Not really "wildlife", but I was hammocking in the pasture by the abandoned brick house between Buzzard Rock and Lost Mountain Shelter and I woke up in the middle of about 6 curious cows. They were sniffing and licking and crapping. I guess they were trying to figure out what the heck that thing hanging between two trees in the middle of their pasture was. :D
Kerosene
11-18-2008, 10:36
Three notable encounters over my years of section hiking the AT:
South of the South River Picnic Grounds in SNP (9/22/88): We had tented off the Trail, hanging our food high about 50 yards down the trail as we knew there were bears in the area. Late at night I woke up and heard something, but I couldn't tell what it might be until I heard a heavy rock flip over and knew it had to be a bear. I laid there for an hour (probably more like 10 minutes) thinking the worse, before I finally woke up my brother and told him what I had heard. He just said, "Oh," rolled over and went back to sleep. Eventually I couldn't take it any longer and got out of the tent with my trusty jackknife, fork and a penlight. The bear looked at me from 25 yards away while the knife and fork went, "tink, tink, tink". Fortunately, s/he got bored and turned away into the woods.
North of Bryant Ridge Shelter in VA (10/21/03): Met a 6-point buck in a mountain laurel thicket with only 15 yards separating us. We both just stood there and looked each other up and down, but after about 20 seconds he took off as I slowly reached for my camera. Pretty big deer.
Three miles north of Harpers Ferry (10/19/01): Came around a bend and over a small hummock on a lovely cool Fall day when I saw an animal about 40 yards ahead of me. For some reason, I automatically clapped my hands to get its attention, which caused it to quickly glance at me before it loped off the Trail and into the sparse woods. It only took me a second to realize, by its coloring, shape and the way it moved, that this wasn't a dog, deer, or anything else you'd expect to see. It was fawn-colored, a little lighter at the belly, with a surprisingly long tail and moved with a feline grace. A little small for what I imagine a mountain lion to be, but that's what I continue to believe. I kept an eye over my shoulder for the next few miles!
sheepdog
11-18-2008, 14:53
Three notable encounters over my years of section hiking the AT:
Eventually I couldn't take it any longer and got out of the tent with my trusty jackknife, fork and a penlight. The bear looked at me from 25 yards away while the knife and fork went, "tink, tink, tink". Fortunately, s/he got bored and turned away into the woods.
I can just hear the bear thinking, "uh oh he's got a knife and fork, he means business." :D
I have three.
First was on my very first backpacking trip. In the Smokies. Mother bear and two cubs across a stream from us. Cubs were playing, Mom was turning over logs hunting food. Since the stream was between us, neither felt threatened and just watched each other for about 10 minutes. They finally just ambled on up the side of the ridge.
Second was in SNP at Rock Spring Shelter. I spent the night alone. When I woke up, about 14 deer were feeding all around the shelter. I got out my camera and started taking photos. One somewhat bold doe got curious and kept advancing on me until she was right across the fire pit from me, attempting to sniff my camera. I had to back away in order to focus. Later on that morning, I noticed a young buck and doe bedded down only a couple dozen yards from the shelter. They allowed me to get within a few feet of them taking photos before they started to get nervous. I let them be before they got up and bolted.
The third was a Bull Moose in rut on Isle Royale that approached my partner and I. We shimmied up a leaning tree, leaving our packs at the base. The moose sniffed our packs, sniffed the air, circled the tree for almost 45 minutes snorting and pawing. He apparently could smell us but couldn't figure out where we were. He eventually sauntered off snorting and pawing the ground.
Plenty of other encounters, too. One of the reasons I prefer hiking alone or in very small, quiet groups.
Ok, let me add one more to my list.
Boundary Waters, near the Canadian border, May 2003. Was on a Volunteer Vacation, clearing brush on the KEK. There was a lunar eclipse at about 10 pm and we all stayed up to watch. We were camped on one of the islands, and the moon rose directly across a section of lake from our site. As we sat there watching the eclipse, a symphony of loons started. Probably about 6 or 8 different groups, coming from different directions and different lakes in the area, all with a great variety of calls. Simply amazing. Even the local KEK trail volunteer who spent many of night in the Boundary Waters had never heard anything like it. We attributed it to the eclipse. Will never forget that night.
splash1986
11-18-2008, 15:53
Ok, let me add one more to my list.
Boundary Waters, near the Canadian border, May 2003. Was on a Volunteer Vacation, clearing brush on the KEK. There was a lunar eclipse at about 10 pm and we all stayed up to watch. We were camped on one of the islands, and the moon rose directly across a section of lake from our site. As we sat there watching the eclipse, a symphony of loons started. Probably about 6 or 8 different groups, coming from different directions and different lakes in the area, all with a great variety of calls. Simply amazing. Even the local KEK trail volunteer who spent many of night in the Boundary Waters had never heard anything like it. We attributed it to the eclipse. Will never forget that night.
Nothing better than the sound of loons in the north woods. Would have given anything to have experienced that.
smokymtnsteve
11-19-2008, 15:10
I am always very happy to see human females. Not only are they very beautiful but sometimes you can go for days without seeing one.:banana
oink oink oink;)
My wildlife encounters on the AT include bears and rattlesnakes, but for irony, this takes the cake so far. I was hiking the AT in CT on a hot summer day and came to the view of the racetrack at Lime Rock. I was thankful for the peace and quiet but found the scene somewhat surreal: just the thought of screeching tires and screaming engines in that tranquil setting made me want to get away. Just then a hummingbird appeared a couple of feet from my face, its little "motor" purring harmoniously. Of course I didn't get a photo, but I will remember it a long, long time.
the Real Jackaroo
11-19-2008, 16:30
i've only ran into the usual....bears, grouse, snakes, etc. but two of my buddies ran into an emu on the trail. they thought it was another hiker at first until they got up close to it. i think that happened in new york somewhere.
My first shelter stay of my first hike. Along the trail to the privy, a big doe was standing only about 15 feet off the trail eating grass and keeping a close eye on us. There were about five of us at one point all standing there, talking, and taking pictures, and the doe wasn't phased by us at all. Way cool!!!
warraghiyagey
11-19-2008, 19:27
VF and I saw a fisher carrying her kitten in her mouth through some pines by a lake in Maine.:sun
I got a good laugh out of a toad, when it was pretty brisk, trying to jump out of the way. Went about a mm forward, and tipped over on it's back. All in slow motion. Had to be there.
I don't think I will ever tire of watching water drain out of a moose's jowls.
turtle fast
11-20-2008, 12:56
There we were in the Shenandoahas in a heavy downpour with having done a long day longing for the dry shelter surely a mile or two ahead. Here Little Bear, Long Man Walking, and I were slogging thru wet to the core and came upon a black cat on the trail rummaging around. I get closer and this cat has a white stripe! Long Man Walking who is English had never seen a skunk, so here this skunk who is aware of our presence just continues to stay on the trail and I told him of their noxious spray. So here in the downpour, here we wait ...being denied a dry shelter and hot food. Finally it moved off trail and I started to leed us by when the skunk decides to CHASE me!!! The others ran back down the trail while this skunk chases me...them laughing in the downpour. Finally it left, and me happy I didn't get sprayed. It was surreal and now that I look at it was probably my most memorable animal encounter.
I have 2...
Once in NJ, in the DWG, I was hiking in the early morning on the Mt Tammany Trail. I came over a rise in the trail and I saw a porkie. Not wanting to disturb him, I watched him for a few seconds and then took a break. When I got going again, he was coming AT me on the trail. I held back. He turned around the other way. I gave him a few seconds, then continued to walk. The porkie would not leave the trail, he just kept looking back at me with I swear an expression of "What are following me for?" on his face. Eventually he left on a deer path.
The second is when I lived in Anchorage, AK for a brief period. I didn't have a car, and in the winter I took the bus to work. I usually came home at 9 pm, and I cut through a path from the bus stop to my apartment building. Of course, it was pitch black outside. I mindlessly walked on the path I'd walked on everynight, and I came within inches of stepping on a moose. He was lying in the snow. I could barely make out his dark figure lying there, and I don't know what made me look down, but another step and I would have stepped on him. He didn't even move or make a sound. I backtracked and took a different way home. The next morning, back to the bustop, I saw the huge imprint of him in the snow. Crazy.
This past Monday Romie and I were during our usual hike north on the Gathland section of the AT and this is what we saw,
http://www.pbase.com/muskrat/image/30234883
There were about half dozen or so, sauntering across the trail about 100yds up from us. Romie got real excited and lunged, good thing he's always leashed. Told him "ours is already at home in the freezer, buddy".
Got such a kick outta that sighting, though! At first it scared me because they looked like huge vultures, I didn't know what they were till I came home and googled pics. I have seen plenty of the usual squirrels, turtles, deer and dogs, but that made my day.:)
Happy T-Day all.
20 feet from me I saw a hawk get a squirrel in the Maryland AT section
Bare Bear
11-20-2008, 18:37
While hiking the Florida Trail in January 06 I was deep in the Glades and 15 miles from nowhere, all alone on a narrow tram path. About thirty yards ahead a Florida Panther came from my right onto the Trail and stopped, looked casually at me then growled very strongly but quietly in a "you keep out of my way and I won't have to kill you today" way. The mesage was very clear to me and I waited while he paused then walked slowly on across the Trail and into the swampy woods. I hiked about 4 mph for a while before I felt safe again. I admit to making a bigger than necessary fire that night. No photo DUH! But like most great encounters, I just have to close my eyes and remember it to see it all perfectly again.
Jim Adams
11-20-2008, 23:20
1990, awoke to Mule screaming because of the skunk sleeping on his chest in the Smokies.
1990, awoke in the morning in N.C. to see a mouse sleeping in Hippy Man's beard.
1990, watched a fawn being born just north of Atkins.
1990, porkies, moose and loons in Maine.
2002, woke up with a moose standing with his head inside the shelter just north of Gorham.
2007, "accidently" saw a mountain lion lying on a high rock watching me just outside of Big Bear, Ca. on the PCT.
geek
During my thru I spent the night at Bearfence Mountain Shelter with a group of Boy Scouts. I was sitting at the picnic table, in front of the shelter, talking to the scout leaders when one of them said, " here comes a bear." Turned around to see a bear walking tword the shelter. The leaders went into panic mode. Rounding up all the scouts who were tenting in back of the shelter. The bear became agitated when the leaders started to try to chase it away. It circled the shelter area just in the woods line until it got to the path to the privey. It went to the privey, opened the door and went inside with the door closing behind him. I got my camera and went as close to the privey as I dared and took a picture of the bear comming out of the privey. That photo I consider one of my best trail shots. It's in my scrap book with the title: "who said a bear s***'s in the woods." The photo is posted under my photos.
In Yellowstone I watched a mother coyote stand guard over their den while her three pups played. In the same meadow, three other adult coyotes were hunting rodents. Every few hundred yards they would stop, pounce, and then throw the mouse up in the air a few times before eating them.
To me one of the more fascinating things about nature is when you find a critter doing whatever it is that they do uninterupted by us. See pics below.
jersey joe
11-21-2008, 13:41
Right outside of Pearisburg I ran into a GOAT that was just standing on the trail. I didn't expect to see any goats on the trail, it took me by surprise.
StarLyte
11-22-2008, 07:34
1990, awoke to Mule screaming because of the skunk sleeping on his chest in the Smokies.
1990, awoke in the morning in N.C. to see a mouse sleeping in Hippy Man's beard.
1990, watched a fawn being born just north of Atkins.
1990, porkies, moose and loons in Maine.
2002, woke up with a moose standing with his head inside the shelter just north of Gorham.
2007, "accidently" saw a mountain lion lying on a high rock watching me just outside of Big Bear, Ca. on the PCT.
geek
hey Geek...what about Ziggy! You forgot to mention! :D
Jim Adams
11-22-2008, 07:49
Starlyte,
Ziggy really wasn't "wildlife"...he was just crazy!!!!LOL
geek
superman
11-22-2008, 08:40
Winter and I have many animal stories. One evening we were stealth camping not too far from the AT. It was just about sundown and we were about to get into the slickrock for the night. Winter indicated that someone was coming. Some times she gave me as much as a five minute warning that we were going to have company. So we got into the tent and just sat side by side watching the trail where the person should come from, our right front. It wasn't a person it was a big buck deer. We both stayed still and quiet. The deer walked up the trail toward us and then left the trail as it got close and crossed within feet of our tent (and us). The buck walked right in front of us as if we were invisable. We just sat there as it disappeared into the woods to our left. Winter and I looked at each other and smiled.
GoldenBear
11-22-2008, 09:00
It's one thing to see a human-animal encounter on a TV show, it's another to have it happen to yourself.
While hiking on the AT several years ago, I chanced upon a snake swallowing a rodent it had just finished off killing (don't know if it used venom or choking, and I wasn't about to find out). Took several photos as the snake took in the rodent's head, then its body, and finally its feet.
Okay, this wasn't on the AT, but it was still memorable. Out in the Superstition Wilderness of Arizona, I met a diamondback about three to five meters (no WAY I could get an exact measurement!) in front of me on the trail. Its pose was right out of a scene on an Animal Planet show -- mouth open, tongue out, body coiled up, head about 20 cm above the ground, rattle shaking. My only thought was, "Snake, there's one thing you and I DEFINITELY agree on -- I should NOT get any closer." After I stood still for a few seconds, the rattler slithered away.
GreenHeron
12-09-2008, 22:47
My First Post!:)
Anyway, Years ago during spring break in college, I went hiking on the AT with some people I knew at school. We went backpacking for few days at Shenandoah. I wasn't as in shape as I am now, and quite a bit pudgy in these days so I always lagged behind those guys. They kept telling me about the wildlife they kept seeing even though I hadn't seen any. On the last day- it was cold and snowing, I decided to stop at Big Meadows (It was closed at the time) because I didn't feel like walking more plus I wanted to wait and see if any deer would show up.
They kept on walking south toward the car they were hoping one of the guys' brother left for them while I just stood among the silent, empty and dark cabins. Sure enough, after a bit while, I was suddenly surrounded by dozens of deer walking around me. It was a sight! I'm not sure if I had my camera on me then but I don't have any to show. I was freezing, cold and raw to the bone. But it was worth it.
stumpknocker
12-10-2008, 09:37
I almost forgot about this one....I was walking south through the mossy green forest in the One Hundred Mile Wilderness in Maine ( I think it was either '05 or '06) and I saw a WARRAGHIYAGEY!! :eek:
That was by far the strangest thing I've ever run into.
Scared me worse than I've ever been scared before!! :)
In 2004 I was camped at the Kleghorn picnic area just S of Cajon Pas on the PCT. Around dusk a Mountain Lion walked casually through my site. No photo.
weasel and bunny
12-11-2008, 00:23
Just off Climgmans Dome I picked up Bobcat who was hitchhiking. We drove down the road just a bit and there was a 2-year-oldish black bear feeding alongside the road.
For me it was just another bear, but for Bobcat, well she was amazed at the sight of her first bear. So much that she forgot about her camera.
I asked her if she had one and it finally donned on her.
She took a few pics but if I recall her camera was stolen at Trail Days, so I sent her a copy just in case it was lost.
Cookerhiker
12-11-2008, 09:19
Just off Climgmans Dome I picked up Bobcat who was hitchhiking. ....
Bobcat eh? My most unique wildlife encounter was a bobcat/wildcat while on an early morning day hike in Shenandoah. It occurred in all of 3 fleeting seconds; this large cat appeared on the Trail about 20' in front of me, walked along the path in the same direction for a few seconds, and vanished into the brush. What impressed me the most was how noiseless it was. When a bear, moose, deer, or small mammal run into the bushes, you usually hear something but this cat was as quiet as a mouse, er cat.
The cat was larger than I expected for a wildcat but since I had a rear view, I could see its short tail and therefore knew it wasn't a cougar.
I got yelled at by a chipmonk until I took it's picture. It must of been yelling for 3-4 minutes as I was trying to walk past it. It kept going from one side of the trail to the other while doing this. I finally got my camera out and it stood up and waited until I lowered the camera and said "Happy?". At that point it squeeked once more and disapeared into a hollow log. Gave me a good laugh the rest of the day.
Chaplain
12-11-2008, 21:47
About 1972 I was with a group of hikers and we had been bushwacking for about two weeks in the Western Cascades, near Glacier Peak. It was one night they were all asleep and it was my two hour watch at the fire. I was sitting there and it was very late, I was writing in my journal. I spotted some movement out of the corner of my eye and here was an Elk not 30 feet from the campfire. It was stepping closer and closer and it was about 10 feet from stepping on a hiker sleeping on the ground. for some reason I was threatened so picked up some firewood and eneded up throwing about 3 or 4 pieces at the Elk hitting it each time in the head or antlers. Well it finally ambled off. I never did wake up my partners. In the morning they thought I was telling them a whopper, until they saw the footprints and wood and all. Fun.
But by and large over the years the greatest animal life I have encountered while hiking as been watching birds through the lense of binoculars. It is really something to get so "closeup" to a little bird, with its vibrant colors, lively action and listening to its call. These have been the absolute best.
On the AT in VT last year, two red squirrels were squawking at each other, each from his own tree. Their "argument" just kept gettng louder and more violent while I watched, then they both ran down their respective trees and started running right at me like I was just another tree to climb and continue their feud. When it was clear that they had forgotten that this 6' pink tree had just arrived, I gave out a "HEY!" They abruptly stopped with a shocked look, :eek::eek:, did a 180 and ran back up their own trees. They then followed me down the trail for a bit, screaming at me from the treetops instead of each other.
I had clearly interrupted a domestic dispute. Do squirrels have make-up sex?
middle to middle
12-11-2008, 22:41
I always enjoy an owl near my camp that whos in the night. I just like the company.
Almost There
12-12-2008, 22:54
In the Wilderness along a lake, I came around a corner of the trail and spooked a Moose Cow...she spooked me too as she was less than ten feet away. She tromped down into the lake and watched me, before walking across it with an eye on me until she was half way across it.
fancyfeet
12-13-2008, 05:35
I was hiking through the Lye Brook Wilderness in Vermont during October. It was a very wet day. I was enjoying the rain, slogging through wet leaves and puddles. My eyes were on the trail, watching out for the bigger puddles when I looked up to see a bull moose just off trail maybe 20 feet away. He was chomping on the leaves still clinging to the trees, sticking his tongue out as he chewed. We eyed each other curiously. After watching for a moment, I continued on. He just calmly watched me pass by, still enjoying his snack. It felt like we were the only two creatures out on that rainy afternoon.
johnnybgood
12-14-2008, 02:12
My favorite animal encounter was hiking AT near Lewis Mtn Campground one late afternoon when suddenly hearing a whoosing sound over my head and then seeing this great horned owl descend on a tree branch about 15 feet off the ground directly in front of me. This owl stopped me dead in my tracks and stared intently at me . I was at awe but also fearful what his intentions might be. No sooner than than that thought crossed my mind he took flight. What an impressive wingspan on this bird. My least favorite encounter with wildlife was when my wife was bitten by a copperhead snake and and we were 1/2 mile from the car. She needed 5 vials of anti-venom in the E.R. and was hospitalized for 4 days in the I.C.U.
BackTrack1
12-14-2008, 07:48
On the LT in VT last summer, i was hiking along with a buddy of mine came around a bend in the trail and there were 2 moose standing in the middle of the trail, one bull and one cow, they are huge animals, ive never been so close to one before,
that happend to me 3 times while on that hike,it was very cool.
papa john
12-14-2008, 10:00
I think it was 2006 on my section hike from Standing Indian Campground to Stecoah Gap. I had spent the night at Beech Gap. The next morning I packed up and headed out for the day. Shortly after lunch, I was walking along, fat, dumb and happy when all of a sudden there was a very sudden rush of animals moving along both sides of the trail. The noise was quite profound, enhanced by the fact that I could not see what was making the noise. I stopped and watched and listened trying to get a glimpse of the noisemakers. Couldn't see anything, although they were pretty close. After the hair went down on the back of my neck, I started to walk again, making my presence quite clear. The noise continued and seemed to be moving with me alongside the trail. After awhile, the noise started to fade somewhat and then on a side hill off the trail, I caught a glimpse of the noisemakers. Two packs of wild hogs! Must have been around 15 total. They ran off and didn't see or hear them after that.
My favorite encounter so far was when I stopped to rest on a trail in Radnor Lake here in Middle Tennessee. I saw a bird in the grass with what looked like a leaf in its mouth. It would toss the leaf up in the air and catch it, then shake it in its mouth, like a dog would do with a rag. I watched that bird do this over and over for a good two minutes, amazed that it would actually 'play' with a leaf. Then I noticed the worm stuck on the other side of the leaf. After a bit, he finally got the worm loose, flew up onto a branch of a tree and just sang and sang for a good 30 seconds, with that worm hanging out of its beak. He then flew to another tree, higher up, and gave the worm to the female in her nest. She fed it to her young and the male flew off again. It was very, very cool.
Nearly Normal
12-15-2008, 19:20
At least twice a year I pack in along the Chattooga River. Multi-day trips where I catch and eat as many trout as I can. So far that is my favorite wildlife encounter.
fiddlehead
12-15-2008, 20:05
Fav? tough one, there's been a lot.
was it the time i hid in a tree and a herd of elk passed within 7 feet of me and a mother elk sensed me and talked to her young one who then ran away in fear? (who says animals can't talk, this one did)
or the time the moose followed me for at least a 1/4 mile after i talked to her for about 5 minutes?
or the owl that watched the northern lights with me for close to an hour, perched in a tree not 50' away and looking down at me every once in a while.
Hard to pick a "best" for sure.
Hard to pick a "best" for sure.
Even watching a red squirrel stomp it's feet at you is amusing.
Hanging with an owl sounds pretty OK to me.