I've seen a lot of critters in the woods over the years wandering in different kinds of places, high, low, swampy, desert, etc. One time I got a marten on a trail camera along the crest of the Cascade Range in the snow but I'd never seen one in the flesh 'til one day about 3 years ago I was hiking with some friends off trail and we ran into 2 of them the same day about 3/4 of a mile apart. There's a spot in the area where I ML hunt most often where there's a little colony of fishers. I see the little brown 'n' tan weasels now and then. I think mostly juveniles 'cause about 5 years ago I ran into a much bigger one than I'm used to, maybe 2-3 times the length.
We've got some foxes around here. The young and dumb ones will follow me around 20-30 feet away. My suspicion is I stir up the rodents in the grass and distract them making them easier pickin's for the foxes coming along behind me. They don't get too close, just .. near enough. It's kinda common to get that "being watched" feeling and look around to see 'em sitting back at a distance watching whatever I'm doing.
