Another maybe not so funny animal encounter

[Brandi]

My husband a couple days ago was riding in the hills here by our house. He said a animal jumped out of the bushes not far from him
he thought it was a small coyote until it turned to run back into the bushes.He caught it's profile. It was a bob cat! He was so excited!!!! We don't see the big cats very often around here. Which can kinda be scary, at least when it comes to mountain lions hiding in the bushes! florida panther's if you are where Nanci lives.

[Nanci]

That's exciting! It is _very_ rare to see a wild cat. We have bobcats here, too, but you only see them dead on the road. Some people claim to have seen a Florida Panther up in the woods here, but it would be way out of its normal range. There certainly is enough undeveloped space for panthers and bears to move north if they had to, because of territorial pressure, though. (I _do_ worry about the wild pigs when I am trail running- those guys are big and mean! And bears if I am down in the Ocala Forest.) They are talking about relocating some of the panthers to states further north to re-establish the original territory. I don't think Florida Panthers go for people like the cougars out west do. A bunch of people on the ultrarunners list knew that lady that got eaten- what a way to go. Still, I would never support slaughter of cougars because of it.

Nanci

[Running Mommy]

I live in a community that's in the foothills of a mtn range out here called the Sierra Estrellas. While we have about 2500-3000 rooftops out here there are still alot of open spaces and hiking trails. Since we've had no rain in 130+ days the wildlife is starting to come out looking for water. We have a resident mtn lion who everyone calls "elvis" because he *leaves the building* so to speak as quickly as he comes. Well there have been alot of Elvis sightings lately, as well as Javelina- something of a cross between a pig and a rodant- coyotes and apparently a bob cat. One evening my son and I were videotaping down by our lake and a coyote came out from behind a palm tree. It kind of freaked us out, but was cool at the same time He was in a very populated area. My guess is either he was looking for a duck for dinner or wanted water.
I think my worst wildlife encounter was on my roadbike last fall. I was coming down the road near the school and a lady in a car going to opposite direction stopped me and warned that there was a HUGE rattlesnake in the street ahead. Well man was she right! The things was at least 4 feet long! It took up the entire center turn lane! The real scary part was in was slithering into the school yard. I stopped and warned them in the office, but they didn't seem surprised. The school apparently has many wildlife encounters. There is a rugged mountain across from the school and a desert wash behind it. So basically wildlife habitat all around. In fact when we first moved here the "class pet" in my sons class was a tarantula that they caught outside the classroom!
Snakes.... Just another reason why I don't mtn bike here in the spring or fall!

[bcipam]

I'm fortunate. I live and ride in a area (Orange County, CA) where it's common to see Coyote and Bobcats and occasionally lions. On one trail (Chino Hills - Telegraph Canyon) the bobcats and coyotes are so common, they will lop along beside your bike. I never take these encounters lightly. I love seeing both animals. Biggest thrill: Riding in Aliso Woods/Wood Canyon along Coyote Creek trail and seeing a bobcat and Lion facing off. One on the left and the one on the right. My group of 5 riders stopped and for a brief moment we all faced off each other. Finally the cats turned and went in their own direction. I have a feeling we saved the bobcat's life.

Now I really want to see a ringtail cat. Apparently they are out there but sightings are rare. I'm fortunate to have seen alot of big raptors: red tail hawks, red shoulder hawks, Cooper's hawks, kestrels, peregrines, turkey vultures, etc. Love seeing the big raptors!

And rattlesnakes, they are like ants. They are everywhere. I just give them their space and they leave me alone. And I love fall when the Tarantula Hawks (a big black and orange wasp) starts hunting the spiders. Nothing cooler than seeing a hawk dragging a tarantula across the trail!!!!

[Aint Doody]

YIKES!!!!

[Nanci]

I'd have to rescue the tarantula, since I like spiders (in their place) and hate wasps.

Lots of rattlesnakes here, too. I've run over a (non-rattle) snake twice on an MTB- they just come out so fast, if it's a narrow trail with high grass on each side. Both times I've thrown down my bike and stopped to see if the snake was ok- they both appeared to be- nothing broken, anyway. I feel badly when that happens. I could bunny hop over them if I saw them in time, but they just dart across at the last second...

Nanci

[Trekhawk]

Its funny this thread should pop up now because on the weekend we headed down from the hills to the flats and on the way saw a Coyote crossing the road he/she then just stopped by the side of the road and checked us out. Before this we had never seen a Coyote except at Yellowstone National Park so the kids were pretty excited.

I have never seen a Cougar but in some of the places I mountain bike they have warning signs about them. When I cycle at these spots I try hard to keep up with my riding partner Im such a chicken.