# Critters You've Seen Camping



## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

Verstelle's Donner Lake thread got me to wonderin' - what's your favorite run-ins with animals?

On our trip to the Redwoods in Crescent City over the 4th, we had 5 bull Elk grazing in a field beside the CG.


----------



## 3LEES (Feb 18, 2006)

Scrib said:


> Verstelle's Donner Lake thread got me to wonderin' - what's your favorite run-ins with animals?
> 
> On our trip to the Redwoods in Crescent City over the 4th, we had 5 bull Elk grazing in a field beside the CG.


This is my favorite critter encounter. 









Picture was taken in my backyard, and yes it's real.

I checked this evening and he's still sleeping there.

Dan


----------



## rnameless (Jun 30, 2005)

Saw a wild porcupine meandering thru Neal's Lodges in Concan, TX on our stay there this last memorial day. Kinda caught us and every other camper/visitor by surprise.


----------



## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

My favorite has to be Competitive Munking (Chipmunk 'fishing') on the eastern slopes of the Oregon Cascades.
Ahh!!! Good times!









Happy Trails,
Doug


----------



## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

A pod of dolphins while camping at Jalama Beach, makes you want to swim out and try to join them...beautiful


----------



## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Beside wild life I have seen fellow campers take their pets.

Dog
Cat
Ferrets (3 of them)
Birds (2 of them parrots)
G. Pig

Thor


----------



## Golden Mom (Apr 25, 2004)

Racoons!! LOT OF THEM!








Skunks!!








Deer (One ran out in front of me while riding scooter)









RULE #1 Always remember to throw garbage away each night. Then you'll have less critters!


----------



## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

While we were at TopSail in Florida with the Southeastern Outbackers everyone thought they saw Sasquatch on the beach. It turned out they actually saw me from behind.

Reverie


----------



## biga (Apr 17, 2006)

Tent camping at Lake Guntersville SP, it was probably 9:00 and we had finished breakfast. The CG was bustling (July weekend, and it was just about full). We look up from our chairs and about 20 yards in front of us three does (female deer) came out of the woods and began eating at the edge of the grass. They ate for probably 20 minutes. A crowd assembled to watch with at least one kid getting about 5 ft from one of the deer. They decided they were full, and bounced off into the woods.


----------



## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

PDX_Doug said:


> My favorite has to be Competitive Munking (Chipmunk 'fishing') on the eastern slopes of the Oregon Cascades.
> Ahh!!! Good times!
> 
> 
> ...


LOVE IT! We've observed this sport (must be a bi-coastal thing) and were a bit baffled by the rules, but thoroughly enjoyed the participants!!

While wilderness canoe camping 2 summers ago, we shared a VERY small island with a Moose cow and her calf and watched her teaching him about tree rubbing, branch breaking, water-weed pulling, & swimming. At the same time, had NH only nesting pair of eagles in the backwaters just off our site, teaching their single off-spring how to fly. What a wonderful reminder that WE were the visitors!!

Same place, prior year - we had a female mallard duck join us IN the tent site for the entire week. Every evening she climbed the 50+' up from the water). Really felt like a pet as, anytime we packed up and went for a paddle, she'd appear and go with us.







At one point, we pulled over into a cove to swim....looked up and there she was....with 7 ducklings right behind her. While sitting and watching (VERY quietly) she actually brought the ducklings over to the canoe and just swam them along side.... We were even able to pick one up. SIMPLY AMAZING!!!! (and almost unbelievable 'cept that we have pictures...somewhere)


----------



## countrygirl (Apr 9, 2006)

This year we had geese visit us each morning for a handout at Hamburg State Park in Ga. We also saw deer each day of the archery tournament.

We once had an otter sit on the axle of our popup in our yard...we have deer in our yard daily...raccoons, armadillos, opossums, snakes.

Many years ago while tent camping I swam with the Manatees at Silver Glen Springs Camp Ground.

At the FWC in Ocala...I have seen deer and turkeys...I know the bears are there I have just never seen them. The evidence is there though...on the telephone poles...they poles are changed out every few years due to the claw marks.

We do a lot of primitive camping on the Occmugee River in Georgia near Douglas... I have seen a lot of hogs, deer, turkeys, snakes including diamondback rattlers, possums, armadillos more squirrels then you can count,and several bobcats. I hear there is an emu in the woods there...but have never seen it.

In Maryville Mo.... beavers, huge enormous deer, turkeys, a family of white raccoons, coyotes, bobcats and a critter I am trying to think the name of...has a yellowish striped coat low to the ground...weasel...nope...I will think of it. I forgot the giant squirrels they.have up there...they are sooooooo funny,

In Marshall Mo. deer, turkeys and some very primitive men.

In Cloverdale, In. large beautiful deer, turkeys, and one huge black hairy spider...it was on my leg.


----------



## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

countrygirl said:


> ...and some very primitive men.


----------



## Kenstand (Mar 25, 2004)

With the SE Outbackers at TopSail I saw an alligator, bobcat, snake, deer and Sasquatch on the Beach (resembled Reverie).

Closer to home I have seen skunks, ground hogs, possums, raccoons, deer, vultures, wild turkeys, squirrels, rabbits, turtles and various colorful birds.


----------



## Reggie44 (Aug 12, 2005)

We always see plenty throughout the summer. Bears (black, once in awhile grizzly), deer, elk, moose, coyotes, Big horn sheep, mountain goats, pheasant, quail and spike the elusive chocolate swimming lab.


----------



## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

Reverie said:


> While we were at TopSail in Florida with the Southeastern Outbackers everyone thought they saw Sasquatch on the beach. It turned out they actually saw me from behind.
> 
> Reverie


My kids are still having nightmares.


----------



## And4togo (Feb 18, 2004)

About 5 years ago i was in my float tube fishing on my favorite lake in the eastern sierra and I had seen a bear walking around the lake just looking around, the next morning I was back in the same lake and could hear and see 2 shore fishermen yelling at something and raising there arms, and i saw the bear againg this time walking away from them, well I kept up fishing and afew minuites latter I looked up and saw the 2 men walking backwards up the side of the lake as the bear walked down to where they were fishing, and as I was making my way to the other side of the lake he got there stringer of fish and had breakfast right there on the shore. that was pretty amusing.

On that same lake about two weeks ago I was fishing with my daughter and as we sat there, we saw 2 birds comming in our direction, they soon were close enough to make out and we wachted 2 Baldeagles circle and land on trees across from us. That was a sit back and think what could be better than this, moment.

Rob


----------



## countrygirl (Apr 9, 2006)

Oh year...I forgot the aligators we also sometimes have them in the yard...and I see them in Ga. also...

I saw elk in Cloverdale...but the were being raised on a farm so that does not count. Neither does that poor buffalo just outside of Palo Dura campground in Tx.

The yellowish and black striped critter I saw in Maryville was a badger....the do a lot of damage to farmlands by digging holes in pastures etc.


----------



## mik0445 (Jun 5, 2006)

Well, its a shame, here in AK we don't get to see much wildlife!







Alright, that's not the complete truth. Where do I start, porcupines (including the biggest I've ever seen) walking right by my truck, Moose cows and calves galore, oh wait, that's in my yard. Watched a bald eagle grab a fish out of a lake 50 yards from where I was fishing, that was cool. Had a loon fight me for a fish in the same fishing hole. Have seen Dall sheep and mountain goats on a couple of occasions, caribou once. The best (and scariest) thing I've seen was a sow black bear and her triplet cubs that were only a few months old and were about the size of teddy bears. We decided then to get our ob.







Haven't seen any brown or grizzly bears yet, hopefully that'll change this year, and I am still dying to see a wolverine (from afar) as I would also like to see a 70" bull moose in my scope this fall!


----------



## 3LEES (Feb 18, 2006)

mik0445 said:


> I would also like to see a 70" bull moose in my scope this fall!


Oh oh.

Ahhh...........Moosegut?

I think someone is looking for you?!?!









Dan


----------



## montanabound (Jan 6, 2006)

Where do I start? While visiting Glacier National Park in Montana my navigator has spotted Grizzly bears and a few Black bears. While on vacation at Yellowstone we have seen Grizzly and Black bears, Elk, Buff's, Coyote, Wolf, Fox, Eagles and one woman wondering the campground in a red bra. Oh, and lets not forget the infamous Buffalo stampede of 2004 at Madison Campground.


----------



## JimWilson (Feb 24, 2004)

Man, some of you guys get to see exotic animals. For us, it's the more common ones; snakes, opossums, racoons, skunks, chipmunks, mice, woodpeckers, owls, coyotes and black bears. Well, coyotes might be a bit unique, but not much other then that...


----------



## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

Saw a black bear walkin down the median of I-75 last year, does that count?


----------



## ROO-ING (Jun 24, 2006)

When I was a non outbacker we had a TT and we took it to Wallowa, Oregon and a deer tried to enter the TT. Then he went to search the tent. They are constantly walking the campground. The are pretty tame except during the mating season then they can get pretty aggressive.

Another time my youngest daughter was petting the chipmunks near Swift Resevior in Washington. I actually have a picture of her doing it. She has a knack with all animals


----------



## Txcamper (Apr 3, 2006)

We always have a 5 gallon bucket full of deer corn, it is cheap. It helps to bring the deer, javalina, racoons, skunks, etc... and makes the camping interesting and fun. Hunters use the corn to attract the deer, we just want to look at them.

I always dump the trash every night so the animals don't make a mess.


----------



## BlueWedge (Sep 11, 2005)

At the PNW Spring rally "cute rattle snake". The DW and I walked right by it on the trail didn't know it was there until the party behind us saw it. We stopped and looked at it 10 minutes later on the way back. It was just looking for breakfast along the river. Very interesting to watch.


----------



## dougdogs (Jul 31, 2004)

rattlesnake at north rim Grand Canyon (I forget the name of the campground, but I'll never forget that snake!!)


----------



## Sexy Momma (Apr 18, 2005)

This year at Priest Lake Idaho we've seen a black bear, lots of deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and of course fish. Several years ago we were staying on our friends boat and a bald eagle flew right over us. It was amazing. We haven't seen a bald eagle this year yet, but my oldest son who is seven and my DH found a couple of eagle feathers near the edge of the lake. We kept them for good luck. One is in the Outback above a window, and the other is in our boat.


----------



## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Hi Scrib,

We saw that same herd last year on our way to Oregon. Took several pictures and one field must of had 15 Bulls. The one thing that puzzled me was there was not very many Cows there. I'm sure they were some where, must be California Happy Cows









We have had tons of different critters in camp from Bears to scorpions, but one critter that I got a kick out of was a Pack Rat. I didn't even think there was such a critter until we saw one at a camp ground north of Spokane were the whole family likes to camp at. The cute little critter was taking brush and sticks up into my Dads truck engine. When we opened the hood there was a pile of sticks and stuff and he stuck his head out and checked us out. We had to run him off and remove all the sticks and now I know what a Packrat looks like.

I also started to do a little bird watching, bought a field guide and have been suprised how many different birds there are around camp.

It fun sharing the woods with all the critters, and remember there is always room for all Gods critters...right next to the mash potatoes and gravy


----------



## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

Verstelle said:


> and remember there is always room for all Gods critters...right next to the mash potatoes and gravy


Amen to that !!!!!!

Steve


----------



## mik0445 (Jun 5, 2006)

JimWilson said:


> Man, some of you guys get to see exotic animals. For us, it's the more common ones; snakes, opossums, racoons, skunks, chipmunks, mice, woodpeckers, owls, coyotes and black bears. Well, coyotes might be a bit unique, but not much other then that...


"Exotic" is all relative. Seeing a robin around here is an odd occurance...compared to the amount I seen growing up in the mid-west. To me, seeing a whitetail, racoon, possums, or even a snake would be exotic!


----------



## aplvlykat (Jan 25, 2004)

One of the strangest and scariest encounters we have had was at Deadman's Summit outside of mammoth. We pulled into the CG with our old Class-C MH and sitting on a picnic table was a bear drinking a jug of orange juice. Well the wife was telling her husband to go get the juice back luckly he didn't listen to her and their fellow camper had the insight to scare the bear away. That same bear came back into the CG every two days and raided someones icechest. He got into our icechest and took our hershey bar and the butter, the way we saw it was he must have had a sweet tooth and as mentioned by someone else, store your trash and icechest well away from your sleeping area. One of the sighting that took me by surprise was only 1/2 hour from home in the mountains just above Cucamonga, Ca. We were 4 wheeling along the ridge and up on the hillside above us was a herd of big horn sheep. I have heard that they were there but had never seen them untill this one time and have not seen them since. Kirk


----------



## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

Have seen several armadillo at the State Park in Abielen. A "sand" mole in Port Aransas burrowing into the sand dune to eat the grass roots.

Deer, skunks, racoons are all common around here.

Oh, and once a big goose when crawling into bed with the DW.









Mark


----------



## edt (Jan 30, 2004)

Hi,

I have been outbacking for three years,

Deer in a park along the Skyline Drive (Virginia)
Aligator, frogs & lots and lots of birds (and bugs) in the Everglades
Otters in Vermont
Salamanders & Frogs in Sue St Marie Ont.
Snapping turtle, muskrat, fisher, beaver?, toads and frogs & lots of birds in Kingston Ont.

And probably others that do not come to mind just now.

Ed



edt said:


> And probably others that do not come to mind just now.


How could I forget the manatte near Vero Beach Florida

Ed


----------



## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

It was early in the AM and I had yet to put my contacts in. We were dry camping in So. Central Washington and I had wandered out in the early morning sunshine to visit the outs. As I was attending to business, I happened to see some movement at the tree line about 20 yards ahead. All I could see was two big brown blobs (one quite a lot larger than the other). All of a sudden the larger of the two blobs made a sound to cause sudden stream interuption and serious shrinkage - a cow elk buggling from 60 feet away when you didn't know she was there is quite a fright. They went crashing off into the woods. Got back to the camper and everyone was laughing their heads off;"Daddy, you sure looked funny with your pants down trying to run!"

I guess that is the best wild critter I DIDN'T see now that I think about it.


----------



## countrygirl (Apr 9, 2006)

I have seen other things while camping and I failed to mention them...tent camping at Big Pine Key in the 70's....lobster...YUM...also hugh stingrays...wider then our boat was.

I also went to visit friends who were camping on the beach a lil place called Mickler's Landing and I watched a sea turtle come in dig a hole and lay her eggs.

I have also seen the tiny turtles hatch and amazingly go straight to the water. (I wasn't camping them though)

My dd went tent camping this weekend at Ginny Springs and she said she saw Outback's that looked like mine.


----------

