What is the coolest animal to see in the backcountry?

[BirdShooter]

Nothin’ gets the heart racing like a grizz in the wilderness.

[Guests]

This doesn’t rank up there with Grizzlies, but the nesting family, babies still in the tree, of pileated woodpeckers I saw this spring definitely ranks up there for me.

[Tree Top Flyer]

The coolest for me has to be alligators. I can sit and watch them all day long if they’re willing.

I love seeing black bear cubs climbing up the trees. However, I don’t stick around for long as momma bear is close.

[Guests]

I was on a canoe trip one time in Maine and saw a moose swimming across a lake. A friend and I were taking photos of the sunset and we saw the moose from a distance and got some pictures. That was a great moment in the backcountry. I still have that photo framed and hanging in my living room. It’s one of my most favorite moments in the wilderness……

[Stagefright]

I say Wolf. Never seen one before and it’s the only thing on the list that’s eluded me. I prefer to see a lone wolf over a pack. That would scare the shit out of me – especially at close range.

[Guests]

I was camping at a wilderness area in ma.and on my way back to campsite saw something through brush so we waited and evetually a moose came into site we stayed in that spot and watched it come closer it finally went right to my site and actually checked things out.It was awesome and I had my siister there and it was first time she had ever seen one.so cool

[April Flower]

The wolf is by far the hardest to see in the wilderness. It gets my vote.

[Moondoggy]

I went from never having seen a bear in the wild to seeing three in two back to back weekends. These were three of the most exciting wildlife encounters for me.

[BirdShooter]

Moonpooch, wait ’til you see CC’s photo of that bear. The Camel hasn’t stopped talking about it. I’m still working him for a copy.

[Guests]

You have to admit that it’s pretty cool to see a rattlesnake coil up, dance the head, rattle the tail, and make you wonder if you are out of striking range.

[TreeFrog]

Saw a moose once in New Hampshire. It was rainy – had been pouring all day – and I wasn’t enjoying the trail that much. After seeing the moose, which was the first time I spotted one from the trail, my entire mood changed. I didn’t mind hiking in the rain anymore that day.

[RB83]

I once saw a family of five otters feeding in a spring during a morning run at a park in southern Missouri. Very cool!

[Guests]

Folks, We don’t have moose or grizzlies where I live, and I personally don’t think there is anything cool about rattlesnakes (although they are very tasty). Furthermore, wolves have only recently been reintroduced in my area, so sightings are very rare. My vote for the coolest animal to see in the woods is the Mountain Lion, known in some places as the cougar. We have the highest concentration of mountain lions in America here in New Mexico, and some of these cats are 200 pounds or so. To catch a big cat against the skyline at dawn is nature as its finest

[Lenny]

Hey all,

down here in Florida I often see feral hogs, deer, turkeys, never seen a bear but plenty of scat at times at Ocala National Forest, also just saw a gator on a dry trail yesterday while on a local day hike. It was about 75 yds from water on either side of the trail. I almost never see diamondbacks although I know they are there. Cottonmounths seem less shy and see them much more often.

I would like to see a black bear while hiking!

[Author]

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