Influencer II
A couple of encounters I have experienced over the years. First I recall was bears messing around camp in the garbage cans. That was back in the '70's. The unimproved campground had trash cans, the old kind as in non-bear proof. So around 10 at night you'd hear the cans getting knocked around.
Later, saw a bear cub near a camp we were checking out near Mineral King in Sequoia NP. We were in the car, slowed, stopped to take a picture - from the car, mind you - while my father kept his head on a swivel for mama. Got pic and left the cub to be.
Next encounter was also in Sequoia NP. Was walking along the dirt road and suddenly hear a rattler! Got my heart racing! Let him be.
Later, driving down a dirt road up in Lassen NF and saw the sleek lines of a cat running across the road up ahead about 50 yards. That was neat.
A few years ago driving along another dirt road in Lassen NP saw a bear - blonde in color, so about a 2 year old - running across the road in the middle of the day! They're funny to watch run - big, kind of lumbering, not smooth at all.
And of course the typical deer, foxes, coyotes, squirrels, birds and such.
Later, saw a bear cub near a camp we were checking out near Mineral King in Sequoia NP. We were in the car, slowed, stopped to take a picture - from the car, mind you - while my father kept his head on a swivel for mama. Got pic and left the cub to be.
Next encounter was also in Sequoia NP. Was walking along the dirt road and suddenly hear a rattler! Got my heart racing! Let him be.
Later, driving down a dirt road up in Lassen NF and saw the sleek lines of a cat running across the road up ahead about 50 yards. That was neat.
A few years ago driving along another dirt road in Lassen NP saw a bear - blonde in color, so about a 2 year old - running across the road in the middle of the day! They're funny to watch run - big, kind of lumbering, not smooth at all.
And of course the typical deer, foxes, coyotes, squirrels, birds and such.
Living in the Northeast, Bear encounters have become more and more common. We used to just see them in Vermont, but now we see them here in Connecticut as well.
One of the first times we encountered bears was heading up to Coolidge State Campground in Plymouth, VT (which if you're in the area, I highly recommend staying at.) We had booked our first trip one week before Memorial Day weekend - so when we got there the whole place was all about empty. As we were driving up the hill up to the ranger station, Ma bear and her two cubs were sitting in the road playing. They scurried off in a hurry but later in the night they took out a garbage can up the trail from our site.
Growing up on an apple orchard, it was also a common occurrence to pop out of my tent out in the backyard and have deer lying around, as well as foxes.
This was especially true if I got out of the tent early in the morning. This was before camera phones, or I am sure I would have 1,000 pictures of it.
In the late 1990's, Coyotes starting making a come back in Connecticut and it wasn't uncommon for them to be roaming around at night.
I've never had a problem with an animal - driving, hiking, camping. This was their land before it was ours, so I usually start talking to them while backing away.
I'm always aware that they could turn cold-blooded on me and attack me, but I'm generally not worried. I'm used to them.
One of the first times we encountered bears was heading up to Coolidge State Campground in Plymouth, VT (which if you're in the area, I highly recommend staying at.) We had booked our first trip one week before Memorial Day weekend - so when we got there the whole place was all about empty. As we were driving up the hill up to the ranger station, Ma bear and her two cubs were sitting in the road playing. They scurried off in a hurry but later in the night they took out a garbage can up the trail from our site.
Growing up on an apple orchard, it was also a common occurrence to pop out of my tent out in the backyard and have deer lying around, as well as foxes.
This was especially true if I got out of the tent early in the morning. This was before camera phones, or I am sure I would have 1,000 pictures of it.
In the late 1990's, Coyotes starting making a come back in Connecticut and it wasn't uncommon for them to be roaming around at night.
I've never had a problem with an animal - driving, hiking, camping. This was their land before it was ours, so I usually start talking to them while backing away.
I'm always aware that they could turn cold-blooded on me and attack me, but I'm generally not worried. I'm used to them.
Years ago I was camping in Yosemite at the White Wolf Campground, in the middle of the night I woke up because nature called and standing 5 feet from me with his front feet inside one of my storage boxes was a bear. Just as I realized what was going on, when a ranger ran into my camp yelling at the bear. The ranger scared me much worse than the bear. The bear took of when the ranger yelled at him. He told me that his intial encounter with every bear he shoots them with rubber bullets and yells at them, after that there is no need for the rubber bullets he just yells at them and then they take off. Bears are pretty smart. He told me the bear probably thought the storage box was an ice chest and since it did not have a food scent just to put it out of sight.
While none of the aforementioned animal encounters have ended in violence (thus far), it is important to remember that these situations can turn violent, quickly.
In such instances, sometimes it's better to be the instigator of the violence. Watch the video for a good tutorial on holding your own against aggressive wildlife (and potentially save a beloved pet and family member in the process).
In such instances, sometimes it's better to be the instigator of the violence. Watch the video for a good tutorial on holding your own against aggressive wildlife (and potentially save a beloved pet and family member in the process).
I have seen that a couple of times in the last couple of days. Do you think it's real?
Influencer II
Hah, yes, I think it's real.
And for those who think I'm actually encouraging people to pick fights with animals.......I'm not.
Yeah I looked it up, it's real. Aparently the guy works at zoo and is trouble at work because everybody there is upset that he hit a kangaroo.
Influencer II
Years ago while camping in Mortimer NC our group saw what we called a "coon ass cat" walk through camp. I spend a lot of time outdoors and never saw anything like this. I have heard stories since about a similar animal.
A couple years ago I was delivering a 50000+lb excavator to the Colville Indian Reservation. I caught a ride in to check out if there was a place to turn the lowboy around. I was with a tribe member named Lonnie, nice guy, bring a lot of equipment to his cousin too.
Anyway, Lonnie was acting as tour guide also, it's not everyday a non tribe member gets to see the interior. Between him and his cousin, I have heard some tales of the animals there. Massive elk, wolves, and mountain lion. Usually they have cell phone pics of the animal, dead or alive, or it's tracks at least. We rounded a bend in the road, and standing before us was a cinnamon phase black bear. Maybe 200lbs, so not huge, but that bear wasn't one bit afraid of us. He gave us an annoyed look, and continued on his way.
The wildlife in the remote parts of the Rez have little interaction with humans. Even the deer I saw that day just ran off a little way when I passed, then they returned to feeding in the same spot.
Anyway, Lonnie was acting as tour guide also, it's not everyday a non tribe member gets to see the interior. Between him and his cousin, I have heard some tales of the animals there. Massive elk, wolves, and mountain lion. Usually they have cell phone pics of the animal, dead or alive, or it's tracks at least. We rounded a bend in the road, and standing before us was a cinnamon phase black bear. Maybe 200lbs, so not huge, but that bear wasn't one bit afraid of us. He gave us an annoyed look, and continued on his way.
The wildlife in the remote parts of the Rez have little interaction with humans. Even the deer I saw that day just ran off a little way when I passed, then they returned to feeding in the same spot.
Traveler II
I've never run into any large predators , and I'm somewhat disappointed by that fact (though I'd probably tell you different in the middle of such an encounter). A bobcat strolled within 20 feet of me while sitting on a friend's deck- that was cool. They'd never seen one at their property, and they are apparently fairly elusive. Otherwise, plenty of deer, elk, raccoons (total dicks), a couple moose from a safe distance in Wyoming...
Beyond that, only one other encounter stands out, and that's mostly because I have no idea what we stumbled across. I was probably 12-13 years old, exploring the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range. There were 3 of us, plus my buddy's German Shepherd. His property was adjacent to timber land, so we spent a lot of time out there. We had heard rumors of an old mine nearby, and we figured we'd try to find it, cuz that's what you do obviously. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, we were ready for adventure. About thirty minutes up an old trail, we noticed that it was completely silent- no birds, no insects, not even any wind. Except, there was a noise: a low rumble from the dog... her hackles were up, and all of a sudden, she started barking madly at something unseen ahead of us. Then, and this is the best part, the dog bolted back down the trail, stopping briefly to turn around and bark, before continuing her getaway. She straight up abandoned us to whatever malevolent force lurked in the woods! Needless to say, we decided not to heed any of our lessons about dealing with wild animals; instead, we legged it the hell out of there. I think we spent the rest of the afternoon playing video games...
Beyond that, only one other encounter stands out, and that's mostly because I have no idea what we stumbled across. I was probably 12-13 years old, exploring the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range. There were 3 of us, plus my buddy's German Shepherd. His property was adjacent to timber land, so we spent a lot of time out there. We had heard rumors of an old mine nearby, and we figured we'd try to find it, cuz that's what you do obviously. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, we were ready for adventure. About thirty minutes up an old trail, we noticed that it was completely silent- no birds, no insects, not even any wind. Except, there was a noise: a low rumble from the dog... her hackles were up, and all of a sudden, she started barking madly at something unseen ahead of us. Then, and this is the best part, the dog bolted back down the trail, stopping briefly to turn around and bark, before continuing her getaway. She straight up abandoned us to whatever malevolent force lurked in the woods! Needless to say, we decided not to heed any of our lessons about dealing with wild animals; instead, we legged it the hell out of there. I think we spent the rest of the afternoon playing video games...
Last spring while camped outside Sedona Az. got rattlesnake bit. Later in June camped at Grand Lake Co. south of Rocky Mtn N.P. I was attacked and hit by a bull moose. What about you?
A few years back I was hiking a streambed near Red Rock just west of Vegas. Vegetation along the banks is pretty heavy, especially in the spring, and as I was approaching a stand of trees a huge mule dear that was bedded down stood up about 15 ft in front of me and took off. Needless to say it scared the sh:t out of me.
Got in the truck and drove into Sedona to urgent care. The PA took my blood pressure and heart rate, cleaned the wound and sent me back to camp. The bugger hit on the wrist bone and didn't get a big load of venom in, lucky. Some swelling and minor pain, just a small red spot there now.
I had a Bobcat run in front of us on a trail in Big Bear a couple of weeks ago. Captured from my dash cam.
