Walking/running and wildlife

WhatMeRunning

Strange, I thought I posted here a couple days ago...I guess not!

Anyway, I ran into a small herd of deer once on a trail. I was the only one that really seemed surprised...I'm sure they heard me coming and to this day I have no idea why they had not scattered before I came around. There was a buck in the group who I spotted first and I just kept going, hoping I was not going to be chased by any pointy antlers. They never moved and just watched me go right on by.

I have never crossed paths with a skunk but there is one that lives around a trail I frequent, I smell it nearby fairly often.

I usually get startled by squirrels of all things. In the fall particularly they were regularly darting out from the brush and leaves along the side of the trial right in front of me and the rustling and sudden movement usually gives me the biggest spook out of any animal I've run across so far. Harmless as they are (although I wouldn't want to be bitten).

PAtinCO

Like what others have said, most animals will run away when you cross their paths. There are exceptions though. If you walk in Grizzly country, they'll usually just ignore you unless you get too close. Watch for cubs though.

Also moose tend to not be very afraid of people either. I had a close encounter with a moose in Rocky Mountain park last year while in a dense part of the forest. I turned a corner in the trail and there he was, 15-20 feet away at most. He put his ears back and made a grunting noise at me and I backed away as quick as possible. He wouldn't get off the trail either. We waited about 20 minutes while several other hikers caught up and no dice. We ended up having to go off trail up a hill too the right and circle around him to get by and finish the hike.

Jruzer

I thought the flock of wild turkeys I run into occasionally was pretty cool, but compared to some of you it's right boring.

Machka9

Most of my wildlife encounters in Canada and Australia have been while cycling ... not so much while walking.