Enjoyed reading this thread.
Most here in So Cal don't know there are bighorn sheep behind Cucamonga peak near Baldy. had a couple nice encounters with them back when I was a teenager spending most of my time backpacking and hiking all over that area.
Most of my wildlife encounters have been when riding alone in the earlier part of the day. I'm quiet and they are out!
Saw a Cougar in O'neil park. Biking I went onto a side singletrack and just around the corner there it was. Looked at me and walked away. I was checking it out, then turned around and rode out. I didn't have the least bit of fear, was more elated to have seen on close.
Used to ride down a hill in O'neill couple times a week and a Roadrunner would jump out and race me down. This happened dozens of times and i knew coming up to that spot I'd have a race on my hands.
Bobcats galore! Love seeing Bobcats. Had one jump right in front of me with a rabbit in it's mouth. Pretty cool, but of course not for the rabbit...
Multiple snakes, a lizard about a foot+ long. Never seen a lizard like that before or since. Probably a pet that got away.
A big turtle, Deer, horned lizards, Marmot, eagle and all kind of the usual critters.
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