Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Rural Living Things you see....

City folks just don't know what they're missing.

This morning it was in the upper 60's, and I was drinking my coffee while sitting on the porch, looking out across the back yard. Saw something move by a stump and out ran a otter. Crossed my back yard within 35' of me and ran on into the bushes. The nearest creek that keeps water year round is about a mile away, but he was headed in the other direction. There is a wet weather branch a 100 yds or so in the direction it was going.

Over the years, I've trapped several otters and this one was about 2/3's grown.

Never seen an otter in the wild.

I did have an ermine come around the house for awhile though.

Saw an ocelot once while coon hunting.

I like seeing things your don't encounter often!

Barry, I've never seen an ermine or an ocelot, so you're 2 up on me. I hope, one of these days, I get to see a bear in the wild. We have a few in La. and once every few years, one is seen around this part of the country.

Barry,I have never seen ermine, in Texas, have seen them in the Rocky's, . 3 years ago a little kid in Rio Grande City tried to sell me a ocelot kitten, looked to be 2-3 months old, he wanted $200.00 for it. I have seen ocelot here on the ranch, mostly early morning in the dark taking hunters out, catch then in my head lights,

Randy, Never seen an otter here. most otter I have ever seen were in Calif. on the coast. Rio7

A few weeks ago I stepped out of the cabin and heard a "woof". There not 20 yards away was a sow and a cub. She allowed me to head back in to grab my iPhone while the cub rocketed into the woods.

I have seen a couple of otters here, and there is a season on them, but I didn't kill them. Have seen a few mink in the wild, and caught a large one in a trap after it had killed several chickens. I have seen bears in the Smokies, and in the Shenandoah Forrest. One was spotted in the county I live in a few years ago, and there are lots of them in Eastern Kentucky, on the other side of the state.

Blue, I should have been more clear.

The one I saw was in NM.

What was surprising was that it wasn't in the mountains, but in the desert flats. It was winter colored, too... White.

We are in the southeast Arizona desert and elevation ranges from about 3,000 to 5,000 feet. Saw a bear one time along side a wash and what appeared to be a very dark brown or black mountain lion crossed a wash in front of me.

I've mentioned this before, but it is still great. A number of years ago, the DNR imported some otters to be released at the Chelsea Marsh. It was a big event, covered by local news. A cameraman knelt down in perfect position to film an otter as it was released form its cage. It came rocketing out, bit the cameraman, and headed into the marsh.

Worked stream surveys on the N coast of Cali in the 90's. One of the wildlife guys on that crew worked with fishers. I got to help him release a trapped one after working it up for his grad study.

Fast forward a few years, on my way to work in NW PA. Gravel road about 6 miles to get to work from the hiway. Something crosses the road in front of me, headed toward the river. Too small for river otter which aren't all that to fishers, too big for a mink. I say to self, that's a friggen fisher, but I don't think they have them here.

Fast fwd a few months, I'm at a conference with PA G&F, talk to the local guy. Told him I think I saw a fisher, and described my experience in Cali with them. He immediately gets very excited and asks just where did I see it. I gave him location. He said that's cool, we released some about 20 miles away a few years back to help control porcupine populations, we didn't know they'd spread so far.

Lotta porkies there, and a lot of woods for them to use. Food and habitat will do it every time.

Oh, stopped at a rest area on the 2 lane road from coastal Cali to Grants Pass OR. Look over, see something moving. Say to self, is that a cat? it comes around the building for the restroom and it's a dang Pine Marten. First one of them I'd ever seen not on a TV screen.

While out riding my mule in a secluded area. I came around a clump of trees and there was couple going at it buck naked. She was making enough noise they never heard me.Looked and sounded like they were getting close to finish,so I backed out of there without them seeing me or saying any thing.

I'd rather have my balls pounded with a wooden hammer..........

than live in a bigger town than I do now......

Out my back door.......

Saw a wolverine once.


Humpity humpity humping along.....

That would make my day, week, month, maybe even year.

For years , I have had people ask me if we have bears, here on the ranch? my answer was there ain't no bears in Texas, then a few years ago I was in Big Bend, parked beside the road, my dog needed to go out so we walk up a path about 200 yards just looking around, came around a tree and there was a bear sitting on a rock about 30 yards away, we sat down on a rock beside the trail and looked at each other for awhile, then the bear wandered off. Talked to a park ranger he said they had about 30 bears in the park. I had been telling people wrong for years. Rio7

I have seen a few otter in the Red Water river in western South Dakota. We have a few mink around too, some are on our place and probably live in the marsh on the upper end of our irrigation reservoir. They are chocolate brown with a small white chest patch.

how about this cute little guy ?

Just don't pizz him off

What is that?

Pop! Goes the weasel!