Wildlife encounters.

My daughter and I enjoy watching Animal Planet and to break up the routine, I brought her to the Old Mission Dam in San Diego to hike around and hopefully seesome wildlife. This area is one of the few undeveloped areas that chances are you will see possums, raccoons, coyotes and various other critters. About 15minutes into the hike we came accross a small bridge to cross over the San Diego River. On the bridge was a sign warning that Mountain Lions have beenobserved in the area recently. Obviously, we decided to call it a day and walked back to my truck. It seemed amazing that they would be that close to the urbansprawl. Maybe the recent fires have brought them to this area. Anyway, with all the modern gadgets that kids have today, I wouldn't trade growing up in SanDiego as a kid and exploring the canyons, streams etc and catching snakes,lizards, frogs and toads. Half the fun was exploring these areas and after a few dayscaptivity letting the creatures go. I would have to say I have seen alot more nature in the ocean. Mostly dolphins and seals and in La Jolla, leopard sharks. Afew years ago I stepped on a stingray and got nailed. Very painful indeed. From that point on, I got the stingray shuffle wired. Anyone else have any wildlifestories?<br>Dave.

I have a few but i'm off to bed right now. I'll get back with you soon!<br>Tim

I have dozens of great stories, but I'll share just 1 right now.<br>We live in rural Oregon, and have LOTS of wildlife around. A few years back my wife and I spotted a small group of deer down by our pond. She said she wasgoing to see if she could feed them, so she went in and chopped up an apple and slowly approached them. They didn't run away. She tossed a few pieces theirway and they came over and ate the pieces. She did this for a couple weeks with them getting closer each time. She started buying cobb (corn, oats, and barley)and put out small piles for them. Their numbers and size grew. She now has a herd of about 2 dozen that come almost everyday for a little cobb, and some pets!.That's right, pets! The friendliest ones are 2 very large bucks that were just little spikes when she started feeding them. I'm talking HUGE! Ifyou've seen the pictures on TTP of a lady feeding 2 large bucks, that's them. They eat out of her hand and get a little scratch on the forehead. Theyhave never showed any type of agression towards her, except for a little nudge one gave her when she was petting one and he wanted some pets too! It's therut here right now, and they go off for a few weeks and sow their oats. She always gets lonely and nervous this time of year, because we never know when or ifthey will come back. We heard a loud shot nearby the other day, and have not seen them recently. They do disappear for about 3 weeks, so it isn't unusual.Hopefully they will return.<br>It's always fun to see the does come around in late spring to show off their little spotted offspring. The little ones are very curious and since the momsdon't show any fear of Tena, they come right up and put their noses on her legs to see what this unusual thing is.<br><br>One more with the bucks.<br>About a year ago, my wife and step-daughter rescued 2 stray kittens (small cats actually) down the road where somebody had dumped them. The coyotes werehowling and most likely got a couple of their siblings. They were skinny, scared and needed some vet care. We took care of these cats and they are the mostmellow cats I've ever seen. They make friends with everybody, even our wolf mix dog. The deer know that cats are predators, and were spooked by them atfirst, and a few times the deer chased them and attempted to stomp them, but eventually came to lick them. That's right, that isn't a typo! One day oneof the (now cats) was up on our deck and had it's hair all sticky and matted. We wondered what had happened and then found out the next day when we saw iton my tractor seat getting a tongue bath by the biggest buck. That buck stood there and licked the cat for a full 10 minutes, stopping to cough out somefurballs every minute our two. These cats and deer are now good friends. I hope to get a video of this when they return and put in on youtube. It's prettyamazing to see.<br>If anybody could help me post a picture here, I'll be glad to show a couple shots of the deer.<br>Paul<br>

<font color="#0000FF" size="4">Paul your stories are awesome! I want to see pics. You can email them to me and I'll post them for you (</font><a href="mailto:kmacph@shaw.ca"><font color="#0000FF" size="4">kmacph@shaw.ca</font></a><font color="#0000FF" size="4">). I'm off to take kids to school right nowbut I'll check for pics when I get back.<br><br><br>~Karen</font>

Karen, YHM. I also sent you a short video clip. I hope you can view it.<br>I have another story that's pretty cool.<br>A few years ago while "turning over the garden". I stuck the shovel in the ground and heard some crying sounds. I thought I had chopped a mole orgopher in 1/2. I started digging a little and came to a pile of straw, which was wriggling. I opened up the ball of straw and found about 6 tiny little groundsquirrels! I had disturbed their nest, but didn't harm any of them. I looked up and saw their mother neverously watching me from a few feet away. Icarefully covered them back up and decided to wait until later to figure out what to do with them. They were cute little blind things about the size of mice.The next day I noticed that mother had moved them from the enclosed fence of the garden to a pile of rocks a few feet outside of the garden. She must havesensed that I didn't mean her or her children any harm. From that day on, she had no fear of me. Normally ground squirrels are a little skiddish. She wouldcome to within just a few feet of me while I was watering or working in the garden. She loved to eat the clover around my putting green and would lay out flaton the green and eat the clover on the fringe. She has never dug even 1 hole in the green.<br><br> BTW, the deer love the putting green, especially around early Oct. when they are sparring. They think they have their own private sparring rink. Nice flat,soft groung to gouge up. I consider them part of the "grounds crew", although their sporatic method aeration and fertilizing leaves a lot to bedesired!<br>I no longer try to chase them off the putting green. They use it a LOT more than I do.<br>

<p><font color="#0000FF" size="4">Cute story about the ground squirrels. No video came through. I only got the pics. Here they are. Talk about awesome!<br></font><br><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/twinny4/Pauls%20pics/more_deer_005.jpg" alt="image"><br><br><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/twinny4/Pauls%20pics/more_deer_003.jpg" alt="image"><br><br><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/twinny4/Pauls%20pics/more_deer_001.jpg" alt="image"><br><br></p><blockquote> Anyway, with all the modern gadgets that kids have today, I wouldn't trade growing up in San Diego as a kid and exploring the canyons, streams etc and catching snakes,lizards, frogs and toads.</blockquote><p><font color="#0000FF" size="4">I know what you mean Dave. We grew up by a creek (it was actually part of our school grounds. Stoney Creek Elementary was thename of our school) and loved to go exploring in the spring and summertime. We'd catch minnows, frogs, snakes, etc. It was so much fun.</font> <img src="http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/happy.gif" alt="image"><br><br><br><font color="#0000FF" size="4">~Karen</font></p>

When I lived in Carrollton, TX they built a new nature trail park off of one of the main drags. It had about 2-3 miles of concrete and some dirt trails aswell. Sure e'nuff Mountain Lion signs were posted and I had accounts from several people that a juvenile cat had been spotted. One year I went to Yosemiteand was walking w/ wife in tow w/ camaera. Spotted a large Bobcat about 25-30 yards upwind. Whispered to wife over shoulder behind me, "If we are quietand patient we should be able to close half the distance and get some real nice close-ups. Well I got close before the cat took off and asked my wife if shegot any good pics....I looked behind me and saw her running the other direction!<br><br>So no pics...<br><br>Amazing but true!

Karen, thanks for posting the pics. The video clip was returned to me. The file was too large.<br><br>Dave, I grew up in So.Cal myself. I grew up in a time when kids could go exploring without having to worry about the child molestors and kidnappers. I am suresome were around, but it didn't keep us from being adventurers. My best childhood memories were from those times of exploration, finding and catchingtadpoles, frogs, lizards and once in awhile a snake. Then we would have to catch some field mice to feed the snake! I've always liked lizards and have agreat story to tell about one.<br><br>Again in my garden: Around the time of the baby squirrel incident, I was weeding the garden and was alerted by a "rustling sound". I turned to find alizard running up the corner post in the garden, which is wood and about 6 feet high. He scampered to the top of the post and was peering down at something. Ilooked over and saw a "racer" type snake. I've seen lots of garter snakes and even a Rattler nearby but not one of these fast, striped ones. Iwas somewhat between the snake and the lizard on the post. The snake would start towards the post and I would step towards it. It would stop and stare at me,then move towards the post again and I would take a step. It was really funny if you saw it. The lizard the whole time was looking at me, looking at the snake,looking back at me.<br>The snake started up the post and I went and stared at it up close (about 2 feet) It decided to go back down the post and look for lunch somewhere else. Itreally was a funny scene.<br>Later that day, while on my deck I looked over the rail and spotted the snake again. He was curled up on a rock, sunning himself contentedly, while digesting alarge lizard. He apparently found another one because he had a pretty good sized lump in his belly. I chased him off and didn't see him again, nor myfavorite large black (blue bellie) lizard that always hung out around my deck.

<blockquote> Whispered to wife over shoulder behind me, "If we are quiet and patient we should be able to close half the distance and get some real nice close-ups. Well I got close before the cat took off and asked my wife if she got any good pics....I looked behind me and saw her running the other direction! <br><br></blockquote><font color="#0000FF" size="4">LMAO!!! I hope that taught you a lesson. Always carry the camera yourself so you don't miss any good shots!<img src="http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/laugh.gif" alt="image"><br><br>Cute story about the lizard Paul. Years ago I saved a mouse from being eaten by a neighbour's cat. It was so cute, had big ears like Mickey Mouse. The cathad it in its mouth and I ran after it to try to get him to let go. The cat was too fast so I grabbed his tail and pulled as hard as I could. The cat screamedand dropped the mouse. <img src="http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/devil.gif" alt="image"><br><br><br>~Karen</font>

most of my encounters with wildlife end with a loud bang or the swoosh of an arrow. I did have a lion charge me at the zoo once...that scared to s&amp;%t rightout of me!!! good thing there was a strong fence.