Animals encountered on the trail?

[marty]

One of the many joys in hiking in Western Maine is that there is an abundance of wildlife. Here is a few recollections:

MOOSE - I have seen many, especially early in the AM. This includes a couple of close encounters. The first was hiking with my wife, young daughter and former dog on the Bemis Stream Trail. We came around a turn and came face to face with a sizable bull moose. It became immediate reaction time: grab the barking dog, grab my daughter and calm my wife who was hyperventilating. We just froze and backed off slowly. After a few, the bull meandered away into the woods. The other was encountering a cow moose just below the Saddleback Horn summit. It false charged me and I scooted behind a large rock and watched it false charge the rock twice. It wandererd off after a 20 minute standoff. I have run into many cow/calf situations without incident, too.

MINK - once on AT on Bemis Mt. and once hiking a trail around a pond in Rangeley.

BEAR - only one in ME and one in NH.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK - on Old Blue on AT near Andover, ME. That one attacked me and I ran away like a frightened child. Thankfully, it did sink its talons in me.

OTTER - hiking Metallak Stream on Richardson Lake near Andover, ME.

FISHER - once on AT on Bemis Mt.

BIG OWL - bushwhacking on Bemis Mt.

COYOTES - dog chased mother and baby coyotes in 100 Mile Wilderness area.

RABBITS, HAWKS, FOXES, SNAKES, DEER, GROUSE, BEAVERS, TURKEYS, SQUIRRELS, JAYS, ETC. - all the time.

BALD EAGLES - see them occasionally around Richardson and Mooselookmeguntic Lakes. Believe they live near Upper Dam.

Marty

 

[PA Ridgerunner]

Deer
squirrels (red and gray)
chipmunks
skunks
beavers
woodchucks
birds galore
red fox
holsteins in Finger Lakes Nat. Forest
toads
red newts

--bald eagles on Mt. Desert Island and in PA Grand Canyon
--porpoises in Somes Sound, ME
--Gray Jays begging for food on Mt. Blue, ME
--A very erratic behaving racoon in the middle of the day at a local nature preserve...we gave it a wide berth!
--an armadillo on an island off the west coast of Florida...that's northeast of the Yucatan peninsula

 

[WinterWarlock]

You guys are lucky - I haven't seen nearly as much...did see a bat flying erratically in the middle of the day along Lake Rd at the Ausable Club once, which was pretty weird. And we found a red eft in the col between Cascade and Porter...other than that not so much. Oh yea - I forgot one...I've stumbled across the fierce "Little Rickie" a few times!

 

[rhihn]

You guys are lucky - I haven't seen nearly as much...did see a bat flying erratically in the middle of the day along Lake Rd at the Ausable Club once, which was pretty weird. And we found a red eft in the col between Cascade and Porter...other than that not so much.

I forgot about efts. I've seen those too. If I want to see bats, all I have to do is set up a chair in my yard, look toward the chimney on a summer evening, and watch the show.

Oh yea - I forgot one...I've stumbled across the fierce "Little Rickie" a few times!

Wow, truly amazing. You've really put us all in our place! Were you lucky enough to get any good shots? Did you follow it to see what it eats?

 

[WinterWarlock]

Wow, truly amazing. You've really put us all in our place! Were you lucky enough to get any good shots? Did you follow it to see what it eats?

If you've happened to see this one, you'll know that it eats anything...but really enjoys gourmet food the best! Don't worry though - he's harmless!

 

[WinterWarlock]

If I want to see bats, all I have to do is set up a chair in my yard, look toward the chimney on a summer evening, and watch the show.

You're lucky, with the problems the poor bats have had this year. And the one I saw was in broad daylight, and having a tough time flying, which was very odd. I'd have to guess something was wrong with it.

 

[1HappyHiker]

- moose (over half a dozen this year, unfortunately none close and/or still enough to get a good photo)
- grouse
- deer
- bear
- snakes (real ones, not politicians, though I did see a prominent one last year on a 4k )
- fox
- woodchuck
- beaver
- a skunk a year or two ago I think (might have been a porcupine, I forget)
- porcupine
- forestgnome
- grayjays and other assorted birds

OK . . . gotta tell you that you really tickled my funny bone by sneaking in “forestgnome” on your list!

 

[Jason Berard]

You guys are lucky - I haven't seen nearly as much...did see a bat flying erratically in the middle of the day along Lake Rd at the Ausable Club once, which was pretty weird.

I saw a bat flying a 20 foot long erratic figure 8 up at Peacham Bog a few weeks ago in broad daylight. We watched it for a few minutes.It made me think the bat was sick in some way.....

 

[WinterWarlock]

I saw a bat flying a 20 foot long erratic figure 8 up at Peacham Bog a few weeks ago in broad daylight. We watched it for a few minutes.It made me think the bat was sick in some way.....

Jason - very similar to what we saw...Adventerous and Leaf were with me. I was worried it might be rabid when I first saw it..

 

[gooly]

I have yet to see a moose while hiking, but have seen most of the usual suspects as depicted in prior posts. My favorite encounter was on Wachusett this past winter. A rather large owl flew silently passed me and perched itself maybe thirty yards up-trail from me. i was able to watch and follow it for maybe twenty minutes or so before it had enough of my presence and glided away effortless and silently.

 

[BlackBuffalo]

No forestgnomes yet, I know they're out there though.

On trails:
Owls in MA and VT
Grouse in VT
Chippies and squirell everywhere
Beavers all over
Gobblers in VT
A fox in CT
A Porqy in MA
Large Black rat snake in CT
Many garter snakes everywhere
Little (small) "lost" birds that can't fly
Lots of orange salamanders in MA and VT
Wabbits
Domesticated canine everywhere, some don't like me.

In the car:
Deer in MA and VT
Bobcat in north-central Ma.
Moose in NH

I must make a lot of noise out there, cause the good one's like bear and mountain lion elude me.

DaveG.

 

[gooly]

I think there is a thread on this, but how frequent are Timber Rattlers spotted? I've heard western Mass has a population...but any where else? I'd like to see one...but not too close!

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Maybe I missed it, but I don't remember anyone mentioning the "Little Pussy Cats" like this.

 

[WinterWarlock]

Maybe I missed it, but I don't remember anyone mentioning the "Little Pussy Cats" like this.

Cool - did you take that? Was Lauky with you? He must have gone nuts!

 

[Viewseeker]

luckily it only been grouse, porkys',deer and chipmunks...no bears or cats'...oh and those dangerous VFTTers'......Such animals they are!!!

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Cool - did you take that? Was Lauky with you? He must have gone nuts!

The picture was actually taken by a friend right here on the edge of the woods in Bridgton.

 

[MattC]

I think there is a thread on this, but how frequent are Timber Rattlers spotted? I've heard western Mass has a population...but any where else? I'd like to see one...but not too close!

Overlook Mt. in the Catskills has a population. They can frequently be seen on warm summer mornings around rock outcrops.

Matt

 

[rocket21]

OK . . . gotta tell you that you really tickled my funny bone by sneaking in “forestgnome” on your list!

Well, a forestgnome is half gnome, half camera, and half moose, so it certainly belongs on the list

 

[marchowes]

What about Crazy Animal encounters while sleeping in your tent?


I had a rabbit run into my tent once. Scared the hell out of me cause it was about 10 mins after I fell asleep.

Also, three times in the last 6 months I have been harassed by Moose while in my tent.

First time this moose would walk by my tent -- really closely (under 10ft away), every hour or so from 2am - 7am (I didn't know they could be nocturnal?!) It made such an amazing amount of noise each and every time. When I woke up and went back to my car there he was in all his hugeness chewing on some tree buds.

Second time a cow moose walked right up to my tent, put its head right up near where my head was (I could hear it breathing -- I could almost feel it breathing) Then I stirred, startled it and it took off. I poked my head out and saw her at the other end of the landing running off. Hoof prints were under 2' from the tent.

Then a few weeks ago at 5:30AM the dreaded "Beast of West East Kennebago" harassed me for over a half hour. I could hear it coming towards me - antlers clanking on trees and branches smashing loudly. Then it proceeded to make mating calls (presumably at my car?) walk by me and my car, walk away, come back make more calls, repeat over and over walking not 10 feet from me.

 

[audrey]

East Kennebago moose

We also had a moose encounter a couple of years ago - on the summit of East Kennebago. A cow approached us to about 25 feet and then start running in circles and back and forth in a panic-like mode. We were wondering if there was a calf nearby. Little Bear had a firm grip on Genie, and we got the hell out of there in the opposite direction, not the way we had intended to descend. I don't think I have ever seen as much moosepoop anywhere else.