S/O: coolest "nature encounter" during a run/hike/ride/etc.

[aurora]

Inspired by jene's thread, what's the best or most interesting encounter you've ever had with wildlife during an outdoor exercise adventure?  Major bonus points if you have pictures.

[zoidberg]

I was once taunted by a roadrunner.

[aurora]

To answer my own question, I lived in Alaska for a long time so I have met a lot of animals. Probably the most interesting (and potentially dangerous) was when I was doing hill repeats on some trails where I used to run all the time. I had my head down and was working hard when I caught motion out of the corner of my eye and realized there was a yearling moose in the trail right next to me. I could have touched it if I had taken just one more step. I am incredibly lucky that it wasn't very interested in me and just kind of stood there, probably thinking "this human must be a real dolt."

I have definitely paid more attention to my surroundings since that day!

[aurora]

Jul 13, 2013 13:31:57 GMT -5 zoidberg said:

I was once taunted by a roadrunner.

OK, so humor me.  Is that a real bird?

[zoidberg]

Yep.

[foundmylazybum]

Jul 13, 2013 13:36:20 GMT -5 aurora said:

Jul 13, 2013 13:31:57 GMT -5 zoidberg said:

I was once taunted by a roadrunner.

OK, so humor me.  Is that a real bird?

[foundmylazybum]

One time while running on a trail...I saw a group of somethings moving around in the brush out of the corner of my eye.


I kind of kept running but saw the things keep moving...They were gray and brown...and like...waist high.


They were a pack of WOLVES!!!










Okay they weren't wolves. That's just what I thought for some odd reason. It was a GANG OF WILD TURKEYS and it was SUPER AWESOME. There were like thirty of them wandering around in the forest right near me! There were a bunch of hens and a bunch of really nice looking Toms too.


That was probably one of the neatest things I've seen...

[zoidberg]

You're lucky they didn't try to kick your ass! Turkeys are mean as hell.

[foundmylazybum]

Jul 13, 2013 13:56:36 GMT -5 zoidberg said:

You're lucky they didn't try to kick your ass! Turkeys are mean as hell.

Hmm..these  turkeys were just walking around pecking the ground doing their own thing..I didn't try to like...approach them or anything

[zoidberg]

I have seen them attack people and cars, but maybe it is only during mating season when the males are all crazed and aggressive.

[joenali]

I saw this deer a few years ago on a bike ride. I did have a picture of me taking a picture if the deer but I can't find it. This is the extent of animals I see.

[sadlebred]

I see deer, snakes, turkeys, etc. when mountain biking. I got chased by a turkey one time on my mountain bike.

[Wines Not Whines]

Most of mine happened while hiking. The most interesting were black bears, elk, and coyotes. Once I startled a deer and it let out a loud honking sound. I had never heard a deer make that sound before.

[gncorman]

On Sunday we were mountain biking and I encountered my first bear! He was just roaming around looking for some food. DH was loving it, I was worried about being able to get away! But it really was a cool moment to see him.

[aurora]

I never realized there were so many bird encounters where the birds didn't just fly away. It does remind me, though, that my family and I got dive-bombed by a bald eagle once while we were walking apparently too near to its nest. Those things are huge! Fortunately it didn't make contact.

foundmylazybum, I'm glad your turkeys weren't wolves!

[Deleted]

I see a lot of deer along one of my running routes. That's probably the extent of anything cool.

[shellfish26]

In Key West, I had to dodge roosters. Which was part annoying, part hilarious.

On my regular path around a local lake, there was a huuuuuge black snake that was stretched almost the whole way across the entire path. It was harmless, but I was startled and screamed. A poor fisherman came running up to see if I was OK, and I felt pretty dumb for my reaction.

[joenali]

Yesterday, i was swimming in the lake and I looked up to sight and there was a duck about a foot in front of me. It scared the shit out of me. I screamed. I was not expecting to see a duck when I looked up. I just thank The Lord above that it was not a dead body.

[Deleted]

Flocks of cockatoos are annoying, they sqwak and fly in groups dropping twigs and stuff on your head. So is a pluver trying to protect its next...or maggpies for that mater (I hate birds)

I've seen a number of kangaroos/walaroos, but when i've been running in the bush

Bush turkeys aren't that uncommon around where we live at certain times of the day.

[jordylee]

I saw a wild peacock standing on the side of the road while I was running in Ecuador!

[marclovesme]

I see a lot of nature in my area, but most recently I was running through the preserve near my house and I saw a buck and a doe about three feet from the path. I see does all the time but I've only seen a buck with the full-on antlers maybe once or twice. I was a little scared it was going to gore me so I picked up the pace, but it's expression showed disinterest.

[chw57]

I see a lot of deer and wild turkeys, but last weekend in the Marin headlands, I saw a bobcat for the first time in my life

[Raggedeannie]

Snake on a trail jog in rural Russia. A girl in my group had gone to the hospital that week because of a snake bit, so I hightailed it on out of there.

[hurricanedrunk]

There is a fair amount of wildlife on the trail I run. Usually can expect to see 'something'. The scariest was when I came across a turkey right by the side of the trail and it took off flying. They are loud and huge when they take off, luckily it was going in the other direction but it still scared the crap out of me. One time I came upon a group of 7 deer and another a giant snapping turtle right in the middle of the path.

[gummybear]

The only semi-cool animals I see are foxes and deer. However, the most interesting are the bullfrogs, IMO. It took me forever to figure out what the hell I was hearing (I am a city girl) but the bullfrog chorus is very amusing. I also see lots of birds (different types of hawks, bluebirds etc.)

[grace]

Hubs and I saw a moose when we were hiking! We got within 15 feet of him! (Not intentionally, we came around the corner and he was standing there).

[hannahb]

I would shit my pants if I saw a bear, any wild cat, or a moose while running. Ill take my tame deer and foxes thank you very much...

[Deleted]

A bald eagle on a run in Colorado. We sign on the property that I saw that bald eagle at in four days. It was a sign I needed that day.

[kams]

Yesterday I was chased by a dog DURING my race! I could hear jingles and I thought someone was passing me. It scared the shit out of me (almost literally, I had been racing for 2 hrs at that point). I'm being a little dramatic, as it just wanted to play. Scary when it surprised you from behind, though.

Otherwise, I see the occasional coyote and lots of roadrunners, but no real encounters with scary things. i was told there was a bear down the road during a run in Tahoe...could have been a close one I suppose!

[sassystace]

I've seen a coyote and a bald eagle (not on the same run).