Last year it was the bear now replaced by the mountain lion. It was seen(for a long time) strolling down my neighbors driveway, not bothered at all by my barking dogs. A few nights before it was heard screaming it's lungs out early in the morning. What a bone chilling sound that is, just like a woman was screaming at the top of her lungs. Ah the wonders of wildlife in the mountains.....Tedd

 

 

In that case you should experience African lions roaring while walking through your campsite at night in the Serengeti or Hyenas while you are hitting the latrine in the bush behind the tent. You can hear them for miles so imagine the noise when they are up close and personal.

 

Bone chilling is an apt description. My brother-in-law and I were backwoods camping in the late 80s and we were both awakened in the middle of the night by that sound. I'm a heavy sleeper, as in I slept through a rain storm (no tent, just a sleeping bag on the ground) but that sound woke me right up. Didn't know if my brother-in-law heard it until he whispered "Did you hear that?" Luckily that was the only time the cat sounded off that night.

 

Virginia wildlife dept says it don't exist and can't in this area, but too many folks have seen/heard it and caught it on game cams. There's a big cat or two in this county.

We also have a bear roaming around here. Saw it a few weeks back, loping thru a wheatfield.

Two mornings this week I've found the bird feeders on the ground and the suet cage chains wrapped around the crepe myrtle's limbs, and the cages pried open and emptied. Only thing I can figure is deer. Doubtful squirrels could toss them over the limbs and raccoons are too heavy to go up a crepe myrtle.

Read that NYC rats are pestering sidewalk diners. Seems the plague has cut off their restaurant scraps.

 

8 or 10 years ago my nephew was deer hunting in the flat country around Midland Texas. Now this country is as flat as a pancake and you wouldn't expect to see a big cat but he had the golden opportunity to bag one. Probably the one of very few in that country.

 

About 10 years ago a neighbor (about a mile down the road) was up watching TV when he heard this hell of a commotion outside like a dog fight. He ran out in his BVD's and barefoot found his female black lab under a mountain lion about to receive the kutagraw, he screaming and yelling the lion released the dog (which ran between his legs and back into the house) lion did not move but looked at him right in the eyes,now what to do, about this time his wife came out to see what all the noise was about and there they were both standing about 12 feet from the lion. Lion slowly turned and left into the dark looking almost not afraid.... True story. This is what happens when wild critters become to use to people, it's really our fault..... Tedd

 

I would have fixed that lion. That's the nice thing about them standing still. Easy shot.

 

My wife and I camp host in South Dakota. One late spring evening, sun was low on horizon, driving a golf cart by a campsite we saw a cats head peering around a fire ring. Drove on 10 ft realizing the head was big for a domestic cat. Backed up the cougar's blacked tip tail flicked up from the other side of the fire ring. Stayed some seconds got up and leisurely stepped over a 4 ft retaing wall. Wasn't overly concerned as there is pislenty of game in the area.
also had a bobcat cut thru our camp site.

 

If you see the kitty
It is already hunting you

 

Don't worry Tedd, the Tokens are here to protect you:

 

Yeah, I quoted them above, but in a cornball latin accent.

I don't buy the "if you see it, it is already hunting you" thing. I've hunted pretty much my entire life, I think I was in a deer stand at 5, and shot a deer at 9 and moved on from there. You can tell when an animal is oblivious, is aware something is going on, and is completely aware of you. I've had cats walk by my tree before, the trick is to see them before they see you. Another good trick is to have some animals out in front of you that are hanging around. They will see things that you can't due to a different viewing angle, but, if they stop and stare, you should too.

 

I knew exactly what song you were referring to you when you posted that^^...I thought it was pretty funny, actually.

Frank, I've never watched The Tokens perform The Lion Sleeps Tonight, but that was awesome.

 

I'm a ordance happy guy and for some reason I seldom have a bang stick when I need one. A few years ago in the middle off the night a racoon got up on my deck Lucy my Springer had it cornered on the top rail. Racoons can tear up a dog when cornered. I grabbed the first shotgun I came to and reached for a shell and of course it was 12 gauge and the gun was 16 gauge fumbled and muffed around found the proper shell finally and got back to the the fight just in time to see the racoon bail off the rail (18 feet to the ground) and escape. This or something like this has happened at least three times that II can remember. It sure isn't a shortage of weapons, it's mostly being unorganised and too selective on what I need for the job at hand..... Tedd

 

Thanks alot, Now that song is stuck in my head

 

Wimoweh, a-wimoweh...

I have the original RCA Victor 45 here somewhere with it's "Hugo and Luigi Production" logo. Mama loved the song and I could actually sing it till my voice cracked age 12 or so.

 

Thank you. Sometimes my humor is poorly taken, so it's nice to know it works sometimes.

 

Camping is another one of my passions, camping in Az is wonderful , during the winter months we camp in the desert , people have a lot of misconceptions about the desert
thinking it lifeless,or dull, NOT SO !! wildlife and plant life are abundant. I have a Jeep so tend to camp in remote areas where I am away from other people, it's not uncommon to share the campsite with critters ,during my outings have have seen Coyotes, Mountain Lions, Tarantulas, Rattlers,Mule deer, Javelina, Racoons,Skunk, Steers (BLM open grazing land)and wild burro's and although it's not real common there are bears in the higher desert elevations who will upon occasion in time of drought wander down to the lower desert in search of food (cactus fruit hence Bears in the Pears) the sound of coyotes during the night is as common as ants at a picnic !! now that being said I never go camping with out protection usually my Henry 410 lever loaded with 000 buckshot potent enough for most desert critters. Most of those critters don't scare me EXCEPT for the BIG CATS !! I find even domestic house cats to be unpredictable, so once while camping I heard something outside my tent that kept me alert for awhile I managed to fall back asleep thanks probably to some malt beverages I consumed before turning in. we

had a light rain during the night (yes it rains in the desert) and when I got up in the morning to answer mother nature this is what I found outside my tent !! for comparison purposes that's a size 11 next to it !! now that made me hesitant to spend a second night there !!
During the Summer months we camp northern Az. mostly on the Mogollon Rim or White Mountains Bears there (but not like Yellowstone) Elk, Deer and assorted ground varmints, but I gotta say those cays un-nerve me !!!

 

I have worked in Forestry since the late 1970's. This day I was hiking a road that had been washed out. There was a light rain falling when I came across these tracks so I knew they were fresh. I never saw the bear but it was keeping an eye on me as it crossed the road four time within the next mile and a half. I love the outdoors but one has to keep their wits about them!

 

Appears an area ripe for some .22 Rimfire plinking?

Is that a chestnut?

 

I was in my yard picking peaches and dropped my phone right on a fresh racoon turd (face down).

 

Your humor works Koda. It was very funny. I had to post the song after reading your post.