wildlife encounters

[desert spirit]

This afternoon I was wandering out in Tucson Mountain Park and stumbled upon a small bunch of javalina in a little wash. Made me think about the wildlife I've been lucky to see over the past few years ... bear, elk, bison, eagles, bighorn sheep, a bobcat, a gila monster, etc, etc, not to mention various unfriendly crawling critters. Never seen a mountain lion, but I heard one bringing down a deer one time, off in the woods. I was also stalked by a griz a couple years ago, up in the Tetons. I was never so petrified in my life.

So I'm curious ... what wildlife have you guys seen?

Hayley

[JimmyLyding]

Te-wa, kind of like Rosie O'Donnell, but meaner

[Jeffshadows]

[outdoor_lover]

Figures, my first Bobcat sighting in the Wild was in Desert Hills tonight. It was eating a chicken in the Coop, where I'm staying. He had to really work to get in there and once I yelled at him he had an even harder time getting out! Not sure what I would have done if he hadn't escaped, there were still 13 other chickens in there with him... Nothing like an adrenalin spike at 1 A.M...Guess I'll be working on a Coop later today...

[big_load]

Yikes!

[beterarcher]

@Outdoor Lover
what, no pics? Ok, OK, we'll let it ride, it WAS 1:00 AM ;)

[Nighthiker]

During a recent trip to Las Vegas I stopped at a ball field on the North end of Boulder City just before sundown. Was eating a sandwich and enjoying the view of Lake Mead. Noted the signs about sheep and thought must be a ranch nearby. Did not think it was referring to bighorn until they showed up in the outfield to graze.

[Jim]

If it is irrigated with reclaimed water, it could be a good source of mineral salts, for them. Other things, too, though.

[Nighthiker]

While out at Washington Park today I observed a weasel, first one in many years.

[trekkin_gecko]

toddak saw one, too
http://hikearizona.com/photo=427701

[azbackpackr]

While out at Washington Park today I observed a weasel, first one in many years.

I saw my first ever weasel in California a few months ago. San Diego County has the long-tailed weasel, and its population has been on the rise, so much that people talk about seeing them all over the county. The one I saw ran across the road in front of the car.

[Alston_Neal]

Does Huppenthal fall under weasel sightings?

[rwstorm]

@Alston Neal
Don't insult weasels.

[FOTG]

@Alston Neal
Hey that's my boss! ;)

[imike]

yesterday's hike included an elk calf left on the hillside, allowing us to walk within one foot... assumed left by his mom as we hiked the off trail elk route on the north side of Alamo Peak...

[songdog]

I did a solo backpack up to Reavis Ranch a couple of years ago. Came up on a watering hole and heard a bunch of commotion......I thought maybe some folks were swimming to cool off........so I climbed up over a huge rock to ask if I could join the group but much to my surprise it was a black bear! Splish Splash he was takin' a bath! I decided not to join him!

[Nighthiker]

Javelina visited my place again in Payson. I had opened the side door to my garage to hang my US flag and a javelin wandered up to the open doorway with a uprooted potted plant in its mouth. Dropped it in the doorway and wandered off.

[RowdyandMe]

Thats just the damnest thing. I have been in Arizona six years now. I have seen a Chupacabra, a Big Foot , UFO and even Jaguar, but I have never seen a Javelina. I will more than likely find the Lost Dutchman Mine before I ever see what people call a Javelina.

[azbackpackr]

I saw Bob Dole!

[rwstorm]

@azbackpackr
Wow Liz, I'm underwhelmed! Now if you told me you saw him go over viagra falls in a barrel, I'd be impressed.

[Nighthiker]

Slept outside under the covered patio and early this morning woke up to a javelina with a runny nose poking me. Also have a nesting pair of coppers hawks that like to field dress the dove on my roof.