View Full Version : Rare sighting in the Ozarks this weekend!
The Solemates
04-14-2008, 10:22
So I did a 30-mile jaunt along the Ozark Highlands Trail in Arkansas, as I always do when the wife is out of town for the weekend. I have seen much wildlife in my years of backpacking. I saw 6 deer on this trip, two of which were small fawns. BUT, one thing that I was not expecting was to see a FOX! It was really a rare sighting. These creatures are very shy and and don't allow themselves to be seen. I was crossing a creek, so the water rumbling must have muffled my footsteps. I crossed the creek and caught something out of the corner of my eye approximately 30 yards uphill. I turn, and this guy (http://www.freewebs.com/whitefoxwebmaster/foxsilver.jpg)was staring right at me (except mine didnt have a white tail and had a little bit of brown in his coat). He stayed there for several seconds before turning and pouncing away. Thankfully, it was still leaf-off so I got a good look at him all the way up the ridge until he vanished from sight.
So that got me thinking, has anyone seen a fox in the wild before? What are some rare sightings you have had? Let's start a list.
I've seen my share of deer and birds, etc. but here are some of my rarer sightings:
black bears
grizzly bears
moose (bulls, cows, and babies)
caribou
beavers
porcupines
skunks
boar
lynx
and now a FOX!
Yeah, I saw a fox on the PCT. It just walked by, at a distance, minding it's own business.
From your list I haven't seen a lynx or a caribou, but the others, and a mountain lion, javalina (like a boar), mountain goat, mountain sheep, and elk
Once saw a ringtail cat at the crack of first light. Very cool.
Fisher. Also very cool.
Peregrine. Cool. (OK. Very cool.)
have seen fox here in alaska.. yesterday saw wolf tracks .HUGE. i have seen a red wolf here and the slim outline of a black in the evening, seen wolferine tracks but never actually seen one. boy, would I like too !
envirodiver
04-14-2008, 10:36
Not all rare stuff, but what I have seen
Black Bear
Deer
Moose (cow and baby)
Lynx
skunk
possum
Bison
coyote
fox (in subdivision)
bulldog49
04-14-2008, 10:42
black bears
grizzly bears
moose (bulls, cows, and babies)
caribou
beavers
porcupines
skunks
boar
wolf
coyotes
elk
wolverine
river otters
My coolest encounter was on Isle Royale. I was walking along and as I came over a rise in the trail I saw what at first appeard to be a large dog walking straight towards me. My first thought was "some idiot illegally snuck a dog into the park". Then I realized it was actually a very large wolf. We both stopped and eyeballed each other before the wolf slowly ambled about 10 ten feet around me and continued along down the trail.
Oh yeah, bison on the side of the road in Yellowstone. Does that count? LOL...
I think wolf fear factor is way over rated and AFAIK human attacks are rare. Now if you're a cow or a sheep all bets are off.
From a vehicle is a good place to see a buff.
They seem sour.
sherrill
04-14-2008, 11:03
I used to have a pair of red foxes come and eat the bird seed from under my feeders about every midnight up til a couple of years ago.
I would have to creep very quietly to the window. I could guess when they were there when the motion detector light came on. Once, the floor creaked under me and they were gone.
taildragger
04-14-2008, 11:06
Oh yeah, bison on the side of the road in Yellowstone. Does that count? LOL...
I think wolf fear factor is way over rated and AFAIK human attacks are rare. Now if you're a cow or a sheep all bets are off.
I think I'd be more worried about bison than wolves (ever accidentally scared a herd of them, it can be unsettling)
For me
Turkeys (Love to call them in the mornings)
Ferrel hogs
countless deer
1 possible bear (it was dark, in a tree, and I'd another larger body run in a different direction, I decided that I should back out and not inspect)
Moose
Countless eagles, hawks, and owls
bobcat
coyotes
gray and red foxes
prairie chicken (greater, and the only ones that I've ever seen)
I think thats it as far as what most people consider cool
I dont mean to take away from your experience, Sole, but I have one who lives in my backyard... little red one. Oddly, he (she?) comes to visit mid-day. A little on the thin side, and its a flea-bag. Does nothing but sit and scratch all afternoon!
NICKTHEGREEK
04-14-2008, 11:27
Over the last 5 years fox have become about as common as squirrels in the suburban area where I live. There's been quite a bit of development and the balance of the woodlands have been lost. There are 4 at least that follow a fairly fixed hunting schedule. In winter there are fox tracks in the snow coming up to my door. They are not as shy as they once were, appear well fed, and raise hell with the cats that used to roam at night.
The Solemates
04-14-2008, 11:39
I too have seen river otters, bison, eagles, falcons, possums, hawks, and owls. I guess I didnt consider those rare.
I have never seen elk in the wild, despite my intentionally searching for them. I've always wanted to see one.
Furlough
04-14-2008, 11:41
Not necessarily rare but here are a few:
Countless Deer
Many Black Bears
Red Foxes
Bobcat (twice)
Coastal Hiking:
Osprey
Bald Eagles
Logger Head turtles
And oh yeah that big a$$ resident shelter rat at black rock hut.
The Scribe
04-14-2008, 11:43
We had an owl (1 1/2 - 2 feet tall) swoop down the other day to try to get a red squirrel off a bird feeder. The squirrel made it. The little guy went into the tunnels under the snow to get away. The owl must have been able to hear him and he pounded around on the ground trying to figure out where it was. It got away and the owl lit on a branch in front of the house for 15 minutes or so. This was just 12-15 feet in front of the house. Awesome. Sorry, I wasn't hiking. Unless you count the trips to the fridge to refill my glass. ;)
Alligator
04-14-2008, 11:44
antelope
elk
mule deer
bighorn sheep
mountain goat
moose
bison
red fox
coyote
black bear
porcupines
badgers
beaver
prairie dogs
otter
ground squirrels
yellah bellied marmot
woodchuck
snowshoe hare
jackrabbits
quite a few birds, some notables
golden and bald eagle
ferriginous hawk
great horned owl
trumpeter swan
snowy egrets
magpie
raven
sea lions
some whales
no boar, nor any wild cats.
Bulldawg
04-14-2008, 12:10
Well, I could possibly be castigated here for posting this, but here it goes. I was deer hunting once maybe 15 years ago. I was using a doe bleat call in a thick southern pine thicket. I heard a rustle coming my way. When the animal came into view it was a red fox. I tried to scare it away by moving and making some sounds. But that only made it come my way faster. So, I shot it. It was a small red fox, maybe 15-20 pounds. But you are right, they are rarely seen in the woods.
Other animals I have seen in the wild
Whitetailed Deer
Black Bear
Squirrels
Rabbits
Coyote
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Alligator
Horned Owl
Hmmm probably lots more, but that about does it for what I can remember.
Bulldawg
04-14-2008, 12:11
Well, I could possibly be castigated here for posting this, but here it goes. I was deer hunting once maybe 15 years ago. I was using a doe bleat call in a thick southern pine thicket. I heard a rustle coming my way. When the animal came into view it was a red fox. I tried to scare it away by moving and making some sounds. But that only made it come my way faster. So, I shot it. It was a small red fox, maybe 15-20 pounds. But you are right, they are rarely seen in the woods.
Other animals I have seen in the wild
Whitetailed Deer
Black Bear
Squirrels
Rabbits
Coyote
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Alligator
Horned Owl
Hmmm probably lots more, but that about does it for what I can remember.
Oh wow, how did I forget this one................
Black Panther in SE Georgia, November 1991.
The Solemates
04-14-2008, 12:41
add rattlesnakes, copperheads, and many other snakes, as well as hundreds of marmots to my list.
Alligator
04-14-2008, 13:09
Well, I could possibly be castigated here for posting this, but here it goes. I was deer hunting once maybe 15 years ago. I was using a doe bleat call in a thick southern pine thicket. I heard a rustle coming my way. When the animal came into view it was a red fox. I tried to scare it away by moving and making some sounds. But that only made it come my way faster. So, I shot it. It was a small red fox, maybe 15-20 pounds. But you are right, they are rarely seen in the woods.
Other animals I have seen in the wild
Whitetailed Deer
Black Bear
Squirrels
Rabbits
Coyote
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Alligator
Horned Owl
Hmmm probably lots more, but that about does it for what I can remember.I don't believe we've ever met.
taildragger
04-14-2008, 13:11
I don't believe we've ever met.
I think that I saw you in a bar ditch in Florida, or was that a relative
Alligator
04-14-2008, 13:15
I think that I saw you in a bar ditch in Florida, or was that a relativeME, lying in a ditch, why that's...that's...well that's entirely plausible. Especially if a bar was involved.
berninbush
04-14-2008, 13:45
One morning I was out walking near my (suburban) house and crossed paths with an armadillo. It startled me quite a bit, as they're not so common this far east in Texas. I understand you're much more likely to see them further west.
While hiking, I've seen wild hogs, deer, and a raccoon. I kept a respectful distance from the hogs.
I saw bison at Yellowstone, just hanging out by Old Faithful and studiously ignoring the tourists.
I saw a fox run across the road in a state park in Maryland.
At one time or another, I've seen in the wild:
Whitetail Deer Mule Deer
Black Bear Jack Rabbits
Squirrels Chipmonks
Cyote Mountain Lion
Diamon Back Rattler Water snakes (don't know what kind)
Alligator Moose
Eagle Falcon
Hawk (Red Shoulder or Tail?) Pheasent
Prarie Dogs Armadillo
Fox Bison
Antelope Skunk
Mice Loon
Egrets Ferrel dog pack
Grandkids (pretty wild :D)
At one time or another, I've seen in the wild:
Whitetail Deer Mule Deer
Black Bear Jack Rabbits
Squirrels Chipmonks
Cyote Mountain Lion
Diamon Back Rattler Water snakes (don't know what kind)
Alligator Moose
Eagle Falcon
Hawk (Red Shoulder or Tail?) Pheasent
Prarie Dogs Armadillo
Fox Bison
Antelope Skunk
Mice Loon
Egrets Ferrel dog pack
Grandkids (pretty wild :D)
Heck, the list was suppose to be in two rows, darn
Saw a female Northern Harrier today. Unusual for here.
Unusual is relative to where your frame of reference is.
Saw a cow killer in FL. Interesting. Don't have them here.
Saw a woman come upon a porcupine here, (common) and say "How cute! Do you think he'll let me pat him?" So I guess she would be unusual.
Anyone seen a CA condor?
TIDE-HSV
04-14-2008, 19:34
I live in north AL, almost on the TN border and the armadillos have finally worked their way north and east to here. Global warming, I guess...
Jan LiteShoe
04-14-2008, 20:17
Over the last 5 years fox have become about as common as squirrels in the suburban area where I live. There's been quite a bit of development and the balance of the woodlands have been lost. There are 4 at least that follow a fairly fixed hunting schedule. In winter there are fox tracks in the snow coming up to my door. They are not as shy as they once were, appear well fed, and raise hell with the cats that used to roam at night.
I saw a bunny in the Shennies that was pretty cool, hanging out by the privy.
I don't mean to be flip - it really WAS cool. Something about a free-living creature tugs at the spirit.
Here was my first bear sighting, it was pretty funny:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=35607
The bunny sighting was the next day/eve.
:)
Thanks for helping remember some good times. Damn good times.
Saw a female Northern Harrier today. Unusual for here.
Unusual is relative to where your frame of reference is.
Saw a cow killer in FL. Interesting. Don't have them here.
Saw a woman come upon a porcupine here, (common) and say "How cute! Do you think he'll let me pat him?" So I guess she would be unusual.
Anyone seen a CA condor?Yeah, I saw two Condors at Big Sur, probably 25 years ago and a friend has some pictures of condors from her trip to Napa last year. Seems they've made a big comeback. Also I've seen the South American variety in northern Chile. They remind me a lot of the turkey buzzards down here. UGLY!
I've seen a Lone Wolf numerous times right here in Damascus. In fact I think it hangs out around Dot's Inn.......
grrrhaha
07-09-2008, 17:31
3 of the funnest ones i've seen are:
wild donkeys (SD)
hila monster (utah) <----am i spelling this right?
snowey owl (kentucky/s.ill.)
3 of the funnest ones i've seen are:
wild donkeys (SD)
hila monster (utah) <----am i spelling this right?
snowey owl (kentucky/s.ill.)
"Gila Monster"
I'm not going to list all the interesting wild animals I've seen over the years. I'm sure I would leave several out.
But I did have a fascinating sighting a few minutes ago. I had stopped at a small one man saw mill, a couple of miles up the road from my house, that I use to produce rough-sawn planks for our town land trust bog bridges.
Anyway, as I was leaving the sawyer pointed out "my pet," a bald eagle chick standing on the edge of its nest, apparently pondering whether it really wanted to chance just yet that thing called flying.
Eagles had nested next to his mill for several years. They disappeared a couple of years ago when the wind blew down their nesting tree. They returned this spring. Built a nest on a new tree. And produced an offspring.
Weary
Back about 10 years ago, I was surf fishing in the wee hours under the Montauk Lighthouse at the tip of Long Island, looking for a Moby Striped Bass that never came. At least that night. I was wearing my waders and tossing a plug under a full moon at about 5 AM. With the waves at my knees, I saw some movement in my peripheral vision, and right behind me, a Red Fox was working his way up the wrack line looking for something to eat. He acted as if I wasn't even there. It was way cool, and certainly made up for an otherwise fishless night.
RadioFreq
07-09-2008, 22:51
So I did a 30-mile jaunt along the Ozark Highlands Trail in Arkansas, as I always do when the wife is out of town for the weekend. I have seen much wildlife in my years of backpacking. I saw 6 deer on this trip, two of which were small fawns. BUT, one thing that I was not expecting was to see a FOX! It was really a rare sighting. These creatures are very shy and and don't allow themselves to be seen. I was crossing a creek, so the water rumbling must have muffled my footsteps. I crossed the creek and caught something out of the corner of my eye approximately 30 yards uphill. I turn, and this guy (http://www.freewebs.com/whitefoxwebmaster/foxsilver.jpg)was staring right at me (except mine didnt have a white tail and had a little bit of brown in his coat). He stayed there for several seconds before turning and pouncing away. Thankfully, it was still leaf-off so I got a good look at him all the way up the ridge until he vanished from sight.
So that got me thinking, has anyone seen a fox in the wild before? What are some rare sightings you have had? Let's start a list.
I've seen my share of deer and birds, etc. but here are some of my rarer sightings:
black bears
grizzly bears
moose (bulls, cows, and babies)
caribou
beavers
porcupines
skunks
boar
lynx
and now a FOX!
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21745&highlight=Gooseberry+Falls&page=2 Page down to post #33.
Had an AMAZING sighting in the Bald River Gorge Wilderness on the Bald River Trail this afternoon I had a coyote chase a fawn down the Bald River directly towards me. The coyote broke off the chase when it saw me about 75' away. It's a much better story than that actually, so I'll save many of the details, as I plan to write it up for publication. Wow!!
When I first saw this poster's fox picture, I thought it might be a wolf. The "Predator World" wolfe the we all hoped would make it down to Arkansas and survive in the wilderness of the OHT. But a little over a year ago, Predator World, a place that keeps exotic predators and deadly snakes, near Kimberling City, Mo almost on the Arkansas border, had a pair of newly acquired black wolves escape. The male was killed by a local farmer within a few weeks for messing with his livestock. The pregnant female was never located. We have red foxes in town, but I have never seen a fox that color. Very cool picture.
Matteroo
07-10-2008, 21:08
I have seen a wolverine in daylight in Alaska in 1999. It was at Twin Lakes, the lake made more famous by Dick Prennoeke, the "hermit" of the lake.
4386
Seen plenty of foxes around urban areas in Michigan. My girlfriend's parents have a fox den under their back deck. They live in suburbia (but near a semi-edge), and specifically have a bit of a swampy area behind their house.
Jim Adams
07-10-2008, 22:55
have seen most of those listed....coolest sighting was musk-ox.
geek
roycroft
07-11-2008, 01:34
Black Bear
Coyote
Red Fox
Great Horned Owl
Snowshoe Rabbit
Bobcat
Pileated Woodpecker
Deer
Bald Eagle
Giant Mosquito
Saw a female Northern Harrier today. Unusual for here.
Unusual is relative to where your frame of reference is.
Saw a cow killer in FL. Interesting. Don't have them here.
Saw a woman come upon a porcupine here, (common) and say "How cute! Do you think he'll let me pat him?" So I guess she would be unusual.
Anyone seen a CA condor?
Seen Condors in the Grand Canyon and Macchu Picchu, Peru. Spotted Fox here on LI a few times.
Saw a female Northern Harrier today. Unusual for here.
Unusual is relative to where your frame of reference is.
Saw a cow killer in FL. Interesting. Don't have them here.
Saw a woman come upon a porcupine here, (common) and say "How cute! Do you think he'll let me pat him?" So I guess she would be unusual.
Anyone seen a CA condor?
Yeah, up at the Grand Canyon, big, graceful while flying. One can usually spot them in AZ by looking for the young wildlife manager holding a portable radio antennae ( they try to track them everyday ), much easier to spot that way.;)
I see fox in my neighborhood (along with deer) almost every evening. Kinda cool...
Oddest sight: A feral donkey chasing a coyote in So Cal
leeki pole
07-11-2008, 09:48
I was walking my Labs on the back 40 a couple weeks ago, early about 5:00 am. So I'm still kind of sleepy. All of a sudden they start barking and then take off when we get to the creek. I look up in a tree across the creek, and I see the biggest raccoon I've ever seen. Remember, I'm still kind of hazy and it's pretty dark. Then it barks/growls at me and I look closer. Holy cow, that's a bear! A cub, and then I think about the caveat that you never hike with anyone faster than you, and the dogs are long gone. Oh, man, this might not be good.
But we retreated and no harm was done. There's only 12 recorded black bears in Mississippi, so I felt privileged to see him. My father-in-law saw him as well the same day, sauntering across the pasture that evening. I'm trying to get a picture of him on my game camera for the state wildlife folks, but no luck so far.
saimyoji
07-11-2008, 10:38
Was in Delaware Water Gap area yesterday. Reports of bears abounded. I didn't see anything special, unless you count those the Ivory Billed Woodpecker mating pair.
Jim Adams
07-11-2008, 11:30
I was walking my Labs on the back 40 a couple weeks ago, early about 5:00 am. So I'm still kind of sleepy. All of a sudden they start barking and then take off when we get to the creek. I look up in a tree across the creek, and I see the biggest raccoon I've ever seen. Remember, I'm still kind of hazy and it's pretty dark. Then it barks/growls at me and I look closer. Holy cow, that's a bear! A cub, and then I think about the caveat that you never hike with anyone faster than you, and the dogs are long gone. Oh, man, this might not be good.
But we retreated and no harm was done. There's only 12 recorded black bears in Mississippi, so I felt privileged to see him. My father-in-law saw him as well the same day, sauntering across the pasture that evening. I'm trying to get a picture of him on my game camera for the state wildlife folks, but no luck so far.
That is soooo cool!:cool:
geek
Jim Adams
07-11-2008, 11:38
I'm not going to list all the interesting wild animals I've seen over the years. I'm sure I would leave several out.
But I did have a fascinating sighting a few minutes ago. I had stopped at a small one man saw mill, a couple of miles up the road from my house, that I use to produce rough-sawn planks for our town land trust bog bridges.
Anyway, as I was leaving the sawyer pointed out "my pet," a bald eagle chick standing on the edge of its nest, apparently pondering whether it really wanted to chance just yet that thing called flying.
Eagles had nested next to his mill for several years. They disappeared a couple of years ago when the wind blew down their nesting tree. They returned this spring. Built a nest on a new tree. And produced an offspring.
Weary
Weary,
Although I've seem them many times, eagles and loons amaze me. I don't know why but I can watch them for hours.:sun
geek
Weary,
Although I've seem them many times, eagles and loons amaze me. I don't know why but I can watch them for hours.:sun geek
Eagles are on the rebound on the coast of Maine. There was a nesting pair during the 30s and 40s near the farm where my cousins lived in Phippsburg. That nest disappeared sometime between 1946 and 1958, when I was away for 12 years.
A pair attempted to nest a few miles up river for a couple of decades, but never hatched a fertile egg. The recovery began in the 80s after the banning of DDT. Now there are two active nests within a couple of miles of my house -- the one at the mill and one on an island in the river, a quarter mile across a cove.
Whenever there is a road kill near my home, I deposit the body on the marsh for the eagles. I did the same with the body of the wood chuck I shot for nibbling at my beans.
But I suspect the eagle's main diet are the stripers and blue fish left by fishermen.
Weary
Jim Adams
07-11-2008, 12:26
LOL!...glad you got the woodchuck.
geek
envirodiver
07-11-2008, 13:39
How many eagles could a woodchuck feed if a woodchuck could...oh never mind.
I was entranced by the wild ponies on Mt. Rogers. I went there with a friend that was diagnosed with the 100% fatal Lou Gehrigs disease. The ponies were everywhere and so cool. As we were finishing the weekdn hike they seemed to be drawn to her and nudged her. She took some trail mix and put it in her hand and the pony ate out of it (I know that it's not good to feed wildlife, but it was a special circumstance). I got photos of this and someone later photoshopped a unicorn horn on the pony. For many reasons that is one of my favorite wildlife sightings.