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critters on the trail

Posted: 09:33 pm Jun 21 2013
by diymirage
I was out riding today and I encountered some interesting critters there, for starters, a turtle
now, I never knew turtles lived in the woods but sure enough there it was sitting right on the trail, I missed it by about 2 inches

I pulled over and put the little feller back in the woods off of the trail

what I encountered next really surprised me
as I was coming around a turn I saw a critter scurrying away (couldn't quite tell what it was)
when I rounded the corner I saw what he was scurrying away from, a little baby deer
only the head and the hind legs were still left
when it was alive it couldn't have stood more then a foot tall

then I noticed some movement in the brush next to me and there was the critter
it was either a really big fox or a coyote and he was not ready to leave his meal behind
(edit: did some googling, it was definitely a coyote)


so lets hear it, what are the strangest critters you have seen out on the trails ?

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 09:40 pm Jun 21 2013
by chkdx
Meth addicts. :shock:

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 09:44 pm Jun 21 2013
by diymirage
chkdx wrote:Meth addicts. :shock:

funny you should mention that, when hunting in the woods I once came across an inflatable boat
not only over a mile away from the nearest river but also about 75 yards elevated above it

only conclusion I could come to was: meth addicts

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 10:09 pm Jun 21 2013
by Postigo
Saw china dirt bikes on the trails once.

critters on the trail

Posted: 10:56 pm Jun 21 2013
by jeeptech1
Chased my share of deer, but hands down the dumbest "critter" was a bunch of cocky drunk wannabe rednecks. Sure they could go fast on the road, but once the trail started, down they went!

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 11:01 pm Jun 21 2013
by KDXGarage
wild turkey ( noooo, not in a bottle) :lol:

critters on the trail

Posted: 11:50 pm Jun 21 2013
by rbates9
Deer a plenty, fox, racoon, bear, turkey, pheasant, porcupine, bob cat, and the occasional dog. Oh yeah, and bunny wabbits.

critters on the trail

Posted: 12:05 am Jun 22 2013
by kawagumby
Bobcats, badgers, roadrunners, mountain lions, red foxes (rare), gray foxes, coyotes, skunks - both single-stripe and v stripe (the v's are meaner), raccoons (no fear), mule deer, white-tail deer, golden eagles, redtail hawks (and other species) wild turkeys and quail everywhere, rattlers, king snakes, gopher snakes, wood rats (cute), ground squirrels, tree squirrels, wild pigs, and a bunch of others. I raised an orphan ground squirrel and she lived with me for 9 years - man, she was a smart little thing.

The weirdest thing was stopping atop a mountain ridge to look over the valley/town below. Everthing's quiet, then I move toward the bike and loud snort/buzzing noise made me jump straight up! It seems a big boar had come up behind me and being mostly blind didn't see me...and I didn't hear him. We scared the crap out of each other!

critters on the trail

Posted: 12:44 am Jun 22 2013
by SS109
Yeah, I have crossed tons of critters. Cows, white/black tail deer, cotton tails, jack rabbits, grey squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, javelin, bobcat, and too many varieties of birds, snakes, and lizards to mention. The most memorable was a gila monster that was right in the "trail" and wouldn't move. It was actually going down a crevice, steep on both sides, and I had nowhere to go. Couldn't go around and sure couldn't go back up! Had to just wait him out.

BTW, OP, turtles don't live in the woods. That would be a tortoise. :mrgreen:

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 01:42 am Jun 22 2013
by Postigo
I have seen cows, turtles, snakes, mongoose, iguanas, goats, chickens, horses, dogs, cats, bees, hornets, etc and some times it seems they came from nowhere. Here the law is different and you can ride every trail you want if it does not have a warning that says private property do not trespass. If the owner catch you in his land he can ask you to leave his property immediately.

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 10:21 pm Jun 23 2013
by zepplin153
peacock & skunk.

critters on the trail

Posted: 02:33 am Jun 24 2013
by gwynfryn
Kiwis, Moas and Taniwha.

critters on the trail

Posted: 05:40 am Jun 24 2013
by diymirage
gwynfryn wrote:Kiwis, Moas and Taniwha.

fruits don't count :lol:

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 06:16 am Jun 24 2013
by KDXsg
I came across lions, tigers, elephants, dinosaurs and pigs too. LOL

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 06:28 am Jun 24 2013
by Tyl3r
I do enjoy chasin critters too lol There are a few deer paths behind my house that are pretty sweet single tracks, its fun trying to keep up with them on those when I see em out there.

I hate to say it, but I got a bird a few weeks ago when I was riding the quad, I actually felt pretty bad. Usually when I see a critter, I get on the gas a little to scare it up out of my way. Well a bird was walking down the trail and I came up behind it, gave it some gas, it started to take off and when it was about 2inches off the ground, it caught the front tire and went right under me... whoops! lol It was a complete accident, but I couldnt help but feel bad. I never thought I'd actually get one!

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 02:59 pm Jun 24 2013
by diymirage
I guess its forgivable, provided you ate it :lol:

critters on the trail

Posted: 08:10 pm Jun 30 2013
by chippy
A G-bear standing up on his hind legs, popping his jaws, just daring us to try and pass!

We had pushed him off the trail on the way up the mountain, but he wasn't backing down twice in one day. Single track trail with nowhere to run. After a short stand-off he bounded up the hill a bit and we zoomed by at high speed, not daring to stop and gather ourselves until many miles had passed. We see bears every year ( 3 blacks and a moutain lion this year) but usually they run the other way!

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 09:37 pm Jun 30 2013
by kawagumby
Dang, a grizzly! They will eat you and use your bike as a tooth pick! I'm not sorry they're none around where I live.

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 11:44 pm Jun 30 2013
by chkdx
Hey chippy,

Back in the late '70's I raced a few times in a cross-country race in western Montana called "Mount High" if I recall right. You ever race in it? Is it still being held? It was a pretty major event back then.

Re: critters on the trail

Posted: 10:27 am Jul 01 2013
by UI Vandal
I am more cautious of the moose than the bears around here.