Wildlife encounters

Derkderkall

Derkderkall

iMTB Rockstah
@Luis post in the anf section got me thinking of past close encounters with wildlife on our bikes. What encounters has everyone had? Out here I've really only seen some snakes that I've probably rolled over. Rabbits everywhere. A roadrunner at bonelli, coyote at chino hills and Marshall.

Back east I met a few black bears, well, not met but caught them crashing away through the trees on the local club trails. Got chased by angry partridge...
I used to cruise local logging roads near my house, came down around a turn on one of them and came face to face with a very large moose. That was way scarier than any bear.... He just chose to saunter off into the trees,..

So...any good stories?

What have you seen out there?
 
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Grey fox, red fox, bobcat, deer - including a huge stag that scared the crap out of me because he piled across the trail 10' in front of me and I almost ran into him, tons of coyotes, snakes, spiders. No mountain lions in the flesh but @Faust29 pointed out some fresh tracks once... Oh and my dog, Dash!

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GREAT THREAD!!!

In my years of riding, I have seen two black bears, both in the San Gabes. The first one scared the cr@p out of me and I it when we crossed paths as I was flying back down the mountain from Lukens towers on the Hanies Cyn side. The second was was seen from afar on Upper Winter creek closer to the Mt. Zion trailhead.

I have seen countless bobcats. Verdugo mountain is littered with them. Best bobcat sighting (and likely the best wildlife sighting in my entire life) was at Cherry Canyon, 3 Springs ago. I was doing a predawn ride. It was gray light as I was topping on of the fire road sections and at a blind turn I surprised a mam bobcat and her 6 very young kits. They were stumbling around like drunkards. So young and so cute! Mama was growling at me from a safe distance as I stood still and watched the babies struggle to climb up the embankment to get to her.

I've also seen a few foxes on Verdugo Mountain and at least once at Cherry Canyon.

Coyotes galore, everywhere, same with deer. A few Roadrunners. A few Springs back, I even saw one on the Backbone Trail in the Santa Monicas!

Countless birds of all types and varieties, lizards, ohhhhh, and Sssssnakes.... :cool:

I've tangled with many a rattler, some have even ended up in my grip. Last Fall I happened upon a pair of 3 footers that were chasing one after the other. Hopefully, they made baby rattlers! Many a lesson have I given to passers by who were held up by a rattler crossing the trail.

I am still waiting for the opportunity to see a Mountain Lion...

 
Two mountain lions together ran in front of my car: http://www.ousleycreative.com/misc/canyoncats.m4v

The other time I saw a pair was rolling right by them on our tandem on the GDMBR near Ovando MT. I've got four other single lion sightings, all in CA. They are generally elusive, and many high-mileage outdoorspersons have never seen one. Not sure why I've seen so many, and I was very surprised that pair hung around for me to get them on vid. When you think about how badass a housecat is, and then you see a muscular adult lion (or two) up close...all I can say is respect.

Also odd, I've never seen a bear while riding. Does that mean my bear repellent is working?

Moose, bison, elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, wild horses, bobcat, coyote, fox, porcupine, marten, bald eagle are the bigger ones off the top. How about cows? I know cows.
 
Several years ago I was riding some nice singletrack in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta. This park is just north of Glacier National Park and the only thing separating the two is an international boundary. Waterton is famous for its wildlife.
So, I hit a hike a bike section and started pushing - head down and gasping for air. I looked up and there is a black bear looking down the trail at me from about 30 ft away. I was surprised but not scared. The bear kept looking right, left and back at me. I could tell it was trying to decide the best way to escape. I was fumbling to hurry and get my phone out so I could take some pics. I managed to get one picture before it headed off to my left. I switched to video and as the bear started off into the brush I said something like stupid like "Hey bear". It turned around and looked at me for a second and then took off. Lost the video when I upgraded to a new phone.

Same park a couple of years later. I'm riding along a bike path in a slight rain/sleet storm. It is kind of dark and gloomy with no one else around. As I am headed down a hill and going fast there is an explosion of sound from the thick aspens and brush to my left. Something was crashing through the trees right next to me. I hit the binders expecting a grizzly to come charging out at me. Instead a cow elk shot out and headed for the other side of the valley. She must have been bedded down in the trees trying to stay dry. It took a couple of minutes to recover and continue on my way.
 
mike said:
Two mountain lions together ran in front of my car: http://www.ousleycreative.com/misc/canyoncats.m4v

The other time I saw a pair was rolling right by them on our tandem on the GDMBR near Ovando MT. I've got four other single lion sightings, all in CA. They are generally elusive, and many high-mileage outdoorspersons have never seen one. Not sure why I've seen so many, and I was very surprised that pair hung around for me to get them on vid. When you think about how badass a housecat is, and then you see a muscular adult lion (or two) up close...all I can say is respect.

Also odd, I've never seen a bear while riding. Does that mean my bear repellent is working?

Moose, bison, elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, wild horses, bobcat, coyote, fox, porcupine, marten, bald eagle are the bigger ones off the top. How about cows? I know cows.
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Most excellent @mike!

You've reminded me now that I too have seen elk a few times, while riding in Kingman, AZ.
 
Danmtchl said:
Lots of rattlers, a few roadrunners and some mean dogs. Oh I saw some cows at Lehigh on Saturday.
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Haaa, now you've reminded me of something.

A mean Pitbull was trying to get me locally a few years back. The owner had it off the leash and it was persistent about attacking me but I got off my bike and kept it between us. Round and round we went for a solid minute. The dog was starting to get frustrated because I was way too quick for it to come around me. I matched it's every move. The dumbass owner stood there in shock. I gave her a very loud mouthful of choice words and she eventually got control of it. At which point I gave her another batch of very loud choice words. I've never seen her around the are since, lol. I have the whole thing on video, too.
 
Lots of various snakes, a few wild turkeys in Idyllwild, a couple moose in Park City, a few porcupines in Park City, a mountain lion with cubs at Whiting Ranch in 2004 a week before that girl was attacked, a scrawny or young mountain lion crossed the trail 30-40 yards in front of me last year at Lake Hodges in Escondido, a bobcat and multiple javelina in Prescott last year, saw bears from the lifts in Whistler almost every day in July (the same ones....a mom with two cubs) and lastly, a deer popped out literally less than 10 feet in front of me while I was riding down Angry Pirate in Whistler...it just stepped out of the way like it was no big deal and watched me go by.
 
CBone said:
Several years ago I was riding some nice singletrack in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta. This park is just north of Glacier National Park and the only thing separating the two is an international boundary. Waterton is famous for its wildlife.
So, I hit a hike a bike section and started pushing - head down and gasping for air. I looked up and there is a black bear looking down the trail at me from about 30 ft away. I was surprised but not scared. The bear kept looking right, left and back at me. I could tell it was trying to decide the best way to escape. I was fumbling to hurry and get my phone out so I could take some pics. I managed to get one picture before it headed off to my left. I switched to video and as the bear started off into the brush I said something like stupid like "Hey bear". It turned around and looked at me for a second and then took off. Lost the video when I upgraded to a new phone.

Same park a couple of years later. I'm riding along a bike path in a slight rain/sleet storm. It is kind of dark and gloomy with no one else around. As I am headed down a hill and going fast there is an explosion of sound from the thick aspens and brush to my left. Something was crashing through the trees right next to me. I hit the binders expecting a grizzly to come charging out at me. Instead a cow elk shot out and headed for the other side of the valley. She must have been bedded down in the trees trying to stay dry. It took a couple of minutes to recover and continue on my way.
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Yikes!
 
Great thread!
Twenty yrs on the trails I’ve seen plenty of the usual snakes(one sidewinder and one red racer!), coyotes, two kinds of fox, bobcats, two black bears and 6 mtn lions. One mtn lion was just feet from me, I was on the SOT running with a few friends, the Big cat came onto the trail out of the bushes but was looking the opposite direction(smelling the air where my friend and his dogs had just passed thru) then he turned my way and looked right at me, my dog caught sight of it took off after it.. scary stuff! Thankfully nothing happened to any of us or our dogs, just had the daylights scared out of us:gag:
 
BonsaiNut said:
Grey fox, red fox, bobcat, deer - including a huge stag that scared the crap out of me because he piled across the trail 10' in front of me and I almost ran into him, tons of coyotes, snakes, spiders. No mountain lions in the flesh but @Faust29 pointed out some fresh tracks once... Oh and my dog, Dash!

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California Mtn King snake, LUCKY!!!
I had a Cayotee take a hen last night, stole her right off the nest
 
I was diving at about 30' @ Harris Pt on the north tip of San Miguel Island. I saw a huge pile of muscle shells tumbled off the side of the submarine canyon. I was out looking for big bugs and ended up under the island in the merky blue I looked up and saw two eyes from Pirates of the Caribean, then I thought hey I am not at Dissyland, and those eyes they were huge and staring at me. Then I realized there was a giant nose between them and an even bigger head. It was a bull elephant seal which weighs about 25o0 lbs on the land and stands up to 9ft tall on his belly. He was underwater so size and weight do not matter. It scared the crap out of me so I quickly turned back down the canyon. Then a huge surge came and tried to sweep me into the island, I grabbed the walls but they were smooth with no life (because I was under the island and nothing grows in the dark). I skidded up the canyon for a bit and then dashed out never looking back. Lucky for me I had a 12 lb and a 13 lb bug in my dive bag so it was the end of a great day.
Happy big animal encounters

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da big hills said:
I was diving at about 30' @ Harris Pt on the north tip of San Miguel Island. I saw a huge pile of muscle shells tumbled off the side of the submarine canyon. I was out looking for big bugs and ended up under the island in the merky blue I looked up and saw two eyes from Pirates of the Caribean, then I thought hey I am not at Dissyland, and those eyes they were huge and staring at me. Then I realized there was a giant nose between them and an even bigger head. It was a bull elephant seal which weighs about 25o0 lbs on the land and stands up to 9ft tall on his belly. He was underwater so size and weight do not matter. It scared the crap out of me so I quickly turned back down the canyon. Then a huge surge came and tried to sweep me into the island, I grabbed the walls but they were smooth with no life (because I was under the island and nothing grows in the dark). I skidded up the canyon for a bit and then dashed out never looking back. Lucky for me I had a 12 lb and a 13 lb bug in my dive bag so it was the end of a great day.
Happy big animal encounters

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Now that is extraordinary! :thumbsup:

I've fished San Miguel (and the rest of the chain) many, many, many times.

Have you ever seen the Indian relics and dwarf mammoth fossils on Miguel and Rosa?
 
-More coyotes than I could ever count. Seriously, lots and lots and lots.
-I spotted a mountain lion riding a fatbike in the Santa Ana River in the sand.
-Wild pigs in Hidden Valley Nature Preserve on my roadie.
-Chased a mountain lion down the SART through Hidden Valley on the roadie. A day later, one blitzed straight across the trail right in front of me. I imagine it was the same one though, different days, hunting rabbits.
-Followed and passed a scared bobcat this week on SART on my roadie. Stopped, turned around, and took a photo of him running away.
-Lots of snakes. A plethora. Everywhere. Many times they are rattlesnakes, but not always.
-A deer ran across me at Skypark not long ago. Saw several in one day (or the same one repeatedly) on Exploration. Lots of deer.
-One blackbear, twice. Barely caught a glimpse when flying by on Post Office Loop. Then @LLPoolJ and I went through the same spot an hour later, the same bear (I assume) was there again!
-Fox on the SART on the roadie.
-Countless roadrunners, especially on SART.

In case you haven't noticed, you see a lot of wildlife on the SART.

I'm sure I've encountered plenty more, that is the highlight reel. Not counting moose that just wonder through town when I was stationed in Alaska. Or all the various birds where I lived in Jamul for a year, even found a young snake in the house!
 
What’s the most dangerous of the ones you’ve seen?

Rattlers and large carnivores obviously have a danger element. But almost all animals would rather run than fight. Not the bull moose we saw; he was not budging and in fact took a few steps toward us out of the brush. That was creepy, knowing that they do kill people and are known to be testy. Nice moosie...
 
this is an awesome thread!
Weird thing I ever saw. A Monday at Holy Jim parking lot. A very large turkey was roaming the parking lot. He had a very blue chin flap thingy...
Wow, I said. Nice turkey. Sure is big. I was a good 20 feet from it. The turkey went straight to me, on the attack! I used my blue pivot to block it from pecking at me but the crazy bird .. hissing and attacking.. I backed up... dropped the bike. and the turkey pecked at my bike and then stopped...
and wandered off..

I think it was attacking its own blue reflection... dumm bird..

chased a coyote with a rabbit in its mouth down stagecoach, near the road where there is a fence...

Wish I could see a mt lion.... only tracks.. seen everything else out there... momma bear w/ two cubs in the sierras... marmots galore..one took my shoe..
 
Sidewalk said:
-I spotted a mountain lion riding a fatbike in the Santa Ana River in the sand.
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That's a truly special sighting. I've never seen a mountain lion riding any kind of bike. How do they operate the brakes?

Never seen a mountain lion. Only one bobcat after 10 years of riding. Coyotes, deer, roadrunners, snakes of all kinds ... Scariest wildlife I ever saw was a naked hiker. Fortunately we were going the same direction and, no, I didn't turn my head to look as I passed.
 
So there I was, passenger in a HiLux on a rutted, muddy, two-track, in the mountains north of Chaing Rai, Thailand.
A large snake was blocking our passage so it was suggested that I get a piece of bamboo and move it. So, eager to please my Thai hosts, I jump out to take care of the slippery road blocker.
First piece of bamboo I find is about 5ft long, perfect! I nonchalantly walk up and poke that snake right in the ribs.
The snake immediately turns and strikes the stick. I'm told I jumped 3 feet up and back as the cobra coiled back and opened its hood.
The Thais laughed with glee... Yeah funny, just my life on the line... Ha!
 
Sidewalk said:
-More coyotes than I could ever count. Seriously, lots and lots and lots.
-I spotted a mountain lion riding a fatbike in the Santa Ana River in the sand.
-Wild pigs in Hidden Valley Nature Preserve on my roadie.
-Chased a mountain lion down the SART through Hidden Valley on the roadie. A day later, one blitzed straight across the trail right in front of me. I imagine it was the same one though, different days, hunting rabbits.
-Followed and passed a scared bobcat this week on SART on my roadie. Stopped, turned around, and took a photo of him running away.
-Lots of snakes. A plethora. Everywhere. Many times they are rattlesnakes, but not always.
-A deer ran across me at Skypark not long ago. Saw several in one day (or the same one repeatedly) on Exploration. Lots of deer.
-One blackbear, twice. Barely caught a glimpse when flying by on Post Office Loop. Then @LLPoolJ and I went through the same spot an hour later, the same bear (I assume) was there again!
-Fox on the SART on the roadie.
-Countless roadrunners, especially on SART.

In case you haven't noticed, you see a lot of wildlife on the SART.

I'm sure I've encountered plenty more, that is the highlight reel. Not counting moose that just wonder through town when I was stationed in Alaska. Or all the various birds where I lived in Jamul for a year, even found a young snake in the house!
Click to expand...

I don't think I've seen so much as a common rat snake on SART. Hmmm....maybe this weekend.
 
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