Have you had any animal encounters?

[jujube]

A Florida Black Bear was banging my trashcan up against my garage door once, trying to get the can open. We had a brief discussion that consisted of me screaming and him leaving.

We had a (harmless) snake fall out of a tree into our canoe. All of us were in the water very shortly.

I jumped off our pontoon boat and came face-to-snout with a gator in the water. I had a religious experience and walked on water back to the boat. I think the gator relocated to the next county.

A raccoon once walked across me on a camping trip while I was sleeping. I didn't move until I was sure it was gone.

 

[hollydolly]

Muntjacs?

Sounds like you see a variety of beautiful birds. I''m unfamiliar Red Kutes, Wood Pigeons & Collard Doves.I've seen pheasants when visiting Northern California countryside. Fox I've only seen way north (Whitehorse, Yukon). Badgers I've never seen except in nature documentaries.

sorry, spelling error I should check before I post..Red Kites...

Collared Dove ..roughly half the size of an adult cat... I have lots who visit my garden, and have nests in my trees...this is one on my fence under the holly tree

the wood pigeons are bigger and fatter than the Doves...

 

[hollydolly]

Aren’t you a-mixin’ up your fairy tales just a tad, @hollydolly ?

As for me, closest I’ve come to wildlife recently was two red-tailed hawks sitting on the same branch outside Ed’s house… only ever seen them alone

actually when I said it...I was like...hmmmm... was it her...or was it Hansel and Gretel..

Did goldilocks build the gingerbread house and did the wicked witch of the west let her hair down for Rumplestiltskin... who knows... anyone ?

 

[hollydolly]

Muntjacs?

Sounds like you see a variety of beautiful birds. I''m unfamiliar Red Kutes, Wood Pigeons & Collard Doves.I've seen pheasants when visiting Northern California countryside. Fox I've only seen way north (Whitehorse, Yukon). Badgers I've never seen except in nature documentaries.

we have pheasant everywhere.. partridges, pheasants, they are the stupidest animals on the planet. They wait for you to drive along the road.. then walk out in front of you, like they're taking a walk in the sun on the French Riviera..*bang*.. another one hits the windscreen..

 

[JBR]

Pheasants are very pretty. But... the bimbos of the avian world?

 

[hollydolly]

Pheasants, are very pretty. But... the bimbos of the avian world?

exactly that....

 

[hollydolly]

Pheasant in my garden

if you go to this link in the photo section, you can see all the animals that I encounter on a regular basis..( no muntjac..they are very timid)


Animal Pictures you've taken yourself....

 

[oldaunt]

Armadillo! How exotic.

They are common as rats here.

 

[RadishRose]

Bears are in my neighborhood but I've been lucky not to have seen one.

We do see foxes, skunks, opossums, loads of gray squirrels, owls, hawks and all the birds native to our area, but no close encounters. Oh, except for the time a skunk sprayed Doggie Delight. Gawd, that was a nightmare!

 

[Lewkat]

I was chased by a bison in Oklahoma once. Not the best experience of my life. Kicked an alligator in the snout in Florida when he attempted to grab a little boy in front of me at Cape Canaveral. Other than that, just deer many times.

 

[RadishRose]

I was chased by a bison in Oklahoma once. Not the best experience of my life. Kicked an alligator in the snout in Florida when he attempted to grab a little boy in front of me at Cape Canaveral. Other than that, just deer many times.

Oh my @Lewkat, you're a hero saving that little boy!

 

[dobielvr]

I've seen the occasional fox in my backyard. I don't like them.
Lot's of squirrels around eating whatever it is they eat off the ground. And, my citrus.

Raccoon in the attic, but I've never seen her. Had her babies up there.

 

[perplexed]

Many years ago we had bought supper out and came in and sat down to eat it and heard this peeping noise, it would stop and start over and over, we looked at each other and I said"that sounds like a baby bird" we continued our supper and again peep peep peep so we got up and tried to follow the peeps but they were so infrequent, finally we heard the peep again and it was behind our stove. My husband pulled it out and there were two baby birds back there. I was frantic. Where was the mama. I would not let my husband touch them as your not supposed to touch them because the mama will not come back for them but we knew we had to get them out.

We called 911 and we tried to call the wildlife people to no avail. A female officer came and put on gloves and said she would put them outside for the mama to get. I was scared she would not come back for them but when we looked they were gone so I have to believe she did.

We think she built a nest in the vent on the roof and they fell through. I know of no other explanation for it.

 

[caroln]

This isn't about wild animals so I hope it counts.

When we raised cows (we only had 3) I would feed them corn once a day. One day they were far across the field and I shook the bucket of corn and said, "here cows, here cows". They came running across the field and it looked like 3 locomotives barreling towards me. I dropped the bucket and ran into the barn. It appears they can run really fast and stop on a dime but I thought for sure they were going to trample me.

 

[Paco Dennis]

One morning about 25 years ago I was crossing our footbridge over the creek and was looking down. When I got to other side looked up and there was a fawn about 3 feet from me. We talked for a bit. It was so calm and curious of me. Not afraid at all. Then I heard the mother snort off in the woods. The little fawn turned and vanished. I still wonder if it really happened.

 

[Lilac]

Used to race the pheasant down our driveway in the car, but haven't had them in several years. Mama fox & her kits every spring ... just seen one run across the road last week in the evening.

In the backyard we have our squirrels (fox, gray, black & piney), chipmunks, Pileated woodpeckers, other assorted woodpeckers, black vultures & the deer will be showing up soon. In the woods are the hawks & great horned owls. Garter snakes & black snakes show up under logs. Twice, little garter snakes got into the basement & the one cat caught them. Recently, we had our very first mouse in the house in the basement & the cats had no interest, so husband caught it.

Raccoons & groundhogs are useless & cause so much damage. The opossums show up at night looking for food & skunks usually pass through the area in the spring. In late summer, I seen or first wild mink running through our wood pile.

 

[Nathan]

Last week was returning to my truck at the supermarket, looked down and saw a snake several feet away, thought I would rescue it, then noticed it was a rattlesnake... I changed my mind about the rescue, didn't have any equipment with me.

 

[RadishRose]

A female officer came and put on gloves and said she would put them outside for the mama to get.

It takes a woman!

 

[RadishRose]

This isn't about wild animals so I hope it counts.

When we raised cows (we only had 3) I would feed them corn once a day. One day they were far across the field and I shook the bucket of corn and said, "here cows, here cows". They came running across the field and it looked like 3 locomotives barreling towards me. I dropped the bucket and ran into the barn. It appears they can run really fast and stop on a dime but I thought for sure they were going to trample me.

I didn't know they could run that fast.,

 

[Bella]

Last week was returning to my truck at the supermarket, looked down and saw a snake several feet away, thought I would rescue it, then noticed it was a rattlesnake... I changed my mind about the rescue, didn't have any equipment with me.

I was wondering if snakes counted. I guess so!

One morning, about four years ago, I was waiting for my cousin to come over, and I went upstairs to take a quick shower before he got here. When I came downstairs, as I glanced into the living room, I saw a snake! I ran into the garage to get my gardening gloves, and when I came back into the living room, the snake was gone.
I looked around and noticed the mat by the door that I wipe my feet on when I come in from the yard was raised up in the corner. I went over to the mat, lifted it up, and there was the snake. I grabbed it, opened the screened door, and flung it into the yard.

I'm not sure what kind of snake it was other than to say it was medium-sized. I know it wasn't a garter snake; it was too big. When something like that happens, I try not to overthink it; otherwise, I'd be paralyzed. A few weeks later, I found another snake in my basement, sleeping on some wood flooring I had stored down there. This one was a little smaller. At least I didn't have to chase him, lol! I grabbed it by both ends and walked it to the back of my property, and off he went. Since then, the only other snake I've seen has been outside, thank God.

Yeah, I'm a snake wrangler, but not by choice.

 

[RadishRose]

I was wondering if snakes counted. I guess so!

One morning, about four years ago, I was waiting for my cousin to come over, and I went upstairs to take a quick shower before he got here. When I came downstairs, as I glanced into the living room, I saw a snake! I ran into the garage to get my gardening gloves, and when I came back into the living room, the snake was gone.
I looked around and noticed the mat by the door that I wipe my feet on when I come in from the yard was raised up in the corner. I went over to the mat, lifted it up, and there was the snake. I grabbed it, opened the screened door, and flung it into the yard.

I'm not sure what kind of snake it was other than to say it was medium-sized. I know it wasn't a garter snake; it was too big. When something like that happens, I try not to overthink it; otherwise, I'd be paralyzed. A few weeks later, I found another snake in my basement, sleeping on some wood flooring I had stored down there. This one was a little smaller. At least I didn't have to chase him, lol! I grabbed it by both ends and walked it to the back of my property, and off he went. Since then, the only other snake I've seen has been outside, thank God.

Yeah, I'm a snake wrangler, but not by choice.

You're brave. I'd be off crying somewhere far away.

 

[Bella]

You're brave. I'd be off crying somewhere far away.

I don't know about bravery, Ms. Rose, but thank you. All I could think of was not letting that sucker get lost in the house, so I moved as quickly as I could. If I hadn't seen that the mat had been lifted and that he was under it, I would've been out of my mind!

 

[David777]

My last animal encounter was a small spider that I found trying to crawl back up the ceramic wall of my bathtub. Any spiders, houseflies, mosquitoes, gnats, or silverfish I find inside my residence, which is infrequent, are immediately terminated. As I was about to take a shower, washed it down the drain. If I find a moth inside I will capture it and toss it outside.

 

[Ruthanne]

Yes I've had plenty. Will be back to post more about it. Gotta get some sleep

 

[Jules]

I thought this thread was about critters we encountered around our homes. Within the province, I’ve seen moose, elk, fox, big horn sheep. A pig wandered down the driveway in the last house.

There are lots of birds around here, including pheasant. If you think they’re stupid, you should watch the quail. Even more dumb are the grouse. The term bird brain exists for a reason.