Run ins with wildlife?

[fishbait]

Can't wait for Bow Season!

Over 600,000 deer in New Jersey and motorists seem to have better luck that the hunters. I have friends that go out and never see a deer during hunting season. I know others that will get there bag there limits for the year for what ever season they hunt.

[Jcavenagh]

dj - I had almost the same thing happen to me...

"One of the first hangs I did with my WBBB was in the woods out back here. I was all snug and falling asleep. All the sudden I hear this sort of growling. I turned on my headlamp and right there about 3 feet away was a racoon up on his haunches. It was spiting mad and hissing, grunting, growling at me. The light made its eyes glow like a demon. Scared the crap out of me! I yelled at it and it backed off about 25 feet, but paced back and forth letting me know it wasn't happy I was there. I don't think I was by any nest, but I was in its spot. I never saw a racoon that mad!"

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...3&postcount=56

[nu2hike]

Be very afraid of those raccoons! A good friend of mine got bitten by one a few months ago! She & her son were staying in a state park & evidently this raccoon
had no fear of humans! It kept coming closer & closer & when she attempted to chase it off with a stick it charged her & bit her on the arm near her elbow! Fortunately, the raccoon was not rabid and other than being sore for a few days she healed without incidence! They may look cute but they can be vicious!

[Pag]

Loved the wolf video shug, I usually can never get that close to them. I've seen bear, moose, deer, raccoons and skunks, but my favorite was a very excited grouse at 6am. I got up to water the weeds and my ankles got attacked. I was out grouse hunting in the bwca and my dog had been pointing the bird for who knows how long that morning before I got up. It sure did have a lot of anxiety to work out, but not enough time left in life as I grabbed it pretty quickly. What a way to wake up.

My father in law has some sort of mouse attractant too. He's always screaming jumping up and down throwing his sleeping bag around for a little mouse. It is kind of comical to see a 6'3" guy jump and scream like that in the middle of the night, and it happens fairly often, at least every year.

[cwciwatch]

We were hanging on the edge of a beaver pond last night where there is a known problem bear that cruises through and terrorizes little old ladies, small dogs, and bird feeders along with the occasional trash barrel. I thought We were carefully practicing bear safety until I noticed my brother was blessing the camp area by flinging his cook pan drippings around. When I yelled at him and asked him why he was experiencing such a lack of brains he simply said "pfft, don't be a pansy, I ain't fraid of no stinkin bear" It was then that I thought about rubbing beef jurky on his pillow and moving my hammock but I pressed on. All freaking night I awoke at every sound thinking that surely the bear was going to be peaking in my bug screen at any moment. Then, sure enough, at right around 4:30 AM I woke up to some rustling of leaves and small twigs cracking. It then was quiet.... Eirily quiet and to make matters worse It started sprinkling out so I could not hear as well due to the rain hitting the tarp, as my ears strained to hear any sound they could....... all of a sudden WHAM!!! About 10 feet away a beaver smacked his tail on the water making a sound that can't be described in words when ones ears are fine tuned to pick up mosquito farts after 30 minutes of bear patrol. I nearly crapped my pants, then contemplated shooting the little bugger before deciding to just laugh at myself for being "such a pansy"

[pig.slayer]

I had a great experience last April in a fly camp hunting Red deer in the Rut (Breading season). Not sure if anyone has heard a red deer in the rut but they roar a bit like a lion x cow at each other, sometimes all day, It's an awesome experience to be close too and rather noisy, makes all your neck hairs stand up etc. It's a pure display of testosterone for the stags.

Well I set up the hammock on some dodgy offshoot of a old gravel forest track after packing out into some distant corner of the property chasing a monster stag. Around 3am I was awoken by the sound hoofed feet clobbering on the gravel, then the roaring started from about 30 meters above and below my hammock. It was two stags about to have it out
Slowly over a few minutes of roaring there heads off and a whole lot of snapping small trees with there antlers I guess they plucked up the courage to physically confront one another. It just happend that I was right in the middle (well off to the side of the track about 3 meters). They both made it to within a few meters of my camp and must have smelt me and both bolted in a shower of gravel. Man my heart was all but smashing out of my chest !!

I've had plenty of minor issues with rats, possums etc. Even had a rodent pinch my petzl e-lite last winter in a hut.
Oh and I had a wombat take a dump under me last summer too. I didn't know he had even been there until the morning when I spied his steaming pile of ......

[FlyingMonkey]

At least you only spied it, and didn't find it with that first morning exploratory foot...

[skyclad]

Several years ago my wife and I were sleeping by the river in Big Bend Natl. Park. A snuffling sound woke us up and the flashlight revealed 10-12 javelinas in our camp rooting around for food. She was really spooked and slept in the car the rest of the trip.

BTW Big Bend is the best place I've been for sky watching, if you can catch it when there's no moon or clouds. There's very little light pollution down there.

sky