sugnim
I went for a quick 5 mile run after work on the usual riverfront trail in my town & happened upon a lone white tail buck. This isn't all that unusual, but somehow seeing wild animals at night is just so much more wild & real to me. Seeing them, shadowed in the distance; not knowing if they are human; slowly realizing they are an animal; and then the glowing eyes staring back at you. So cool! Also cool were the geese sleeping afloat on the river. I don't know how they do it. It was 31 degrees out, & I'm sure the water will partly freeze tonight. Ouch!
Do you have any interesting night-time animal encounter experiences from running?
I got into a staring contest with a juvenile male bighorn sheep, before sunrise on a little run inside Zion National Park earlier this year. My headlamp there's him for a loop, I think, and we just stood staring at each other for about 5 minutes. He gave in finally, and went straight up the cliff side kicking rocks at me as he went past. I spotted him a couple hours later, on the far side of a canyon, hanging out with a few more friends.
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Wandering Wally
I've had coyotes keep me company. That's creepy. I've had deer coming exploding out of the bushes right next to me. About had to change my undies right there. Just about stepped on a possum once that ran out in front of me. I love seeing the owls come out at dusk. They are so quiet. In the summer it's neat to watch the bats dart in and out of my the cone of light from my headlamp. Just last night a rabbit came running down the path from behind me, burned by and then darted off into the brush. We have ducks that stay the winter and I don't know how they do it. It can be hovering around 0F and they are just bobbing away in the little patches of open water.
Run! Just Run!
Trail Runner Nation Podcast
Pete
Last year I almost stepped on a beaver in the dark. I just about jumped out of my skin! On the same run I ran by a herd of deer in a little piece of low ground. Their eyes were far enough apart that I could tell they were fairly large animals, but looked low to the ground. They were only maybe 30 feet away. It kind of freaked me out until I realized what/where they were.
TrailTromper
Tallahassee, Florida
Endless trails
I turned a corner onto a trail, early in the morning, and saw two coyotes-not too unusual. Then
I climbed a little hill and saw three more. They all ran together in front of me and two at a time
ran into the brush. The last one peeled off to my right, chased a rabbit, killed it and then turned
to look at me with the rabbit hanging in his mouth. Wild!
I saw a mountain lion once while mt. biking up a hill, I decided that I really didn't need to be up
that particular hill.
Le professeur de trail
On an early morning trail run my headlamp showed a glowing pair of eyes of a deer , it took off, a minute later I came to a cleaing in the trail, looked to my left, nothing there, looked to my right up the hill and now saw two pair of eyes glowing at me. Was a bit frighteing for a second but also a cool sight.
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
Coyotes are no fun to run into on the trail. I'd rather the glowing eyes stay away from me.
A couple of weekends ago I was running my normal trail before daybreak. I saw eyes maybe 10-15 yards to my left off the trail. The animal stared at me. I slowed to a walk keeping my bright as heck Petzle headlamp directly on it. I couldn't make out what it was. I was wishing I had my Fenix handheld with me as it's even brighter and would easily help me identify this animal. I thought it was a deer, but the back end of it didn't resemble one. I moved a little closer to it. Usually the deer scurry away. This one stood still, staring me down. I decided it'd be best if I continue walking up the trail so I did. Looking back every few seconds, it never moved. It also never attacked me from behind so that's a good thing. I don't know what it was, but things like that will surely make the hair on your neck and arms stand up.
1/8/22 - Frosty 50k - 5:21:19 (strava)
3/26/22 - Blackbeard's Revenge 100 - 27:27:06 (strava)
9/30/22 - Yeti 100 - Abingdon, VA - 25:46:01 (strava)
4/1/23 - Umstead 100 - Raleigh, NC
I turned a corner onto a trail, early in the morning, and saw two coyotes-not too unusual. Then I climbed a little hill and saw three more. They all ran together in front of me and two at a time ran into the brush. The last one peeled off to my right, chased a rabbit, killed it and then turned to look at me with the rabbit hanging in his mouth. Wild! I saw a mountain lion once while mt. biking up a hill, I decided that I really didn't need to be up that particular hill.
Oh, so cool! I've seen wild coyotes, but I've never seen them hunt. And I have always wanted to see a mountain lion! Predators are really the coolest animals. I'm jealous of your encounters.
I had a owl attack me and knock my hat off. He swooped me 4 or 5 time before I got away. Don't know what was up with him.
It was not a cool experiance.
I had a owl attack me and knock my hat off. He swooped me 4 or 5 time before I got away. Don't know what was up with him. It was not a cool experiance.
I've had corvids do that to me. They do that to protect their nest as they view any passers by as potential predators. I've never heard of owls doing that though--no owls even make their own nests, so I'm not sure how much they protect them. Maybe the owl thought you smelled like a rabbit or a mouse.
On the trailheads in CA they post placards that explain that mountain lions are here and what
to do when/if you encounter one. I've been in a few remote spots in the hills and have been
scared to death by the thought of a female cat pouncing on me. It doesn't help that it actually
does happen to hikers/runners.
Right, Queen of Nothing and Andie?
On the trailheads in CA they post placards that explain that mountain lions are here and what to do when/if you encounter one. I've been in a few remote spots in the hills and have been scared to death by the thought of a female cat pouncing on me. It doesn't help that it actually does happen to hikers/runners. Right, Queen of Nothing and Andie?
I guess I'd rather be killed by a large predator than a microscopic one in the form of a virus, bacteria, or cancer cell. All life is food, and I've eaten my share of animals, so I wouldn't mind an ending as animal food. My last thought would be simultaneous "Oh shit!" and "Wow, cool!" as I had an up close & personal view of some massive teeth. However, I've seen those mountain lion signs, and they do make your hair stand up!
Uh oh... now what?
What about in the fog?
rgot
Either you have some good zoom or are very sneaky
Trying to get the sequence in--it was a good walk in the fog.
Gone gone gone...