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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Listening Point - General Discussion Rare Wildlife encounters..... |
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03/21/2013 03:35PM
Pine marten came into camp on the last night of my solo. I swore I was going to be torn from lim to lim. At that moment, listening to it run around camp in the dark, I was alive and aware of my surroundings.
Joy is a great teacher, but so is dispair. Wonder is a great teacher, but so is confusion. Hope is a great teacher, but so is disillusionment. And life is a great teacher, but so is death. To deny yourself any of those in any aspect is not experiencing life totally.
03/21/2013 03:45PM
On Ashigan once, we had paddled across the lake to a flat rock near shore to clean our fish. Suddenly a mink came out of the bushes eyeballing our fillets. When I saw those little needle-like teeth, I became very aware of my bare toes! The more we scared it off, the pestier it got, returning again and again until we left the gut-pile for it to feast on before the gulls came. When we got back to camp our buddies said they had heard us yelling at this darn thing but were worried that we were actually confronting the bear we had chased away from our site the previous day!
03/21/2013 05:19PM
Add me to the Pine Marten viewing list. Spotted one on the "Man Chain" several years ago. Other than that, I've seen the other usual suspects, with the exception of anything in the cat family, at least in "Quetico-Superior".
Hans Solo
Water reflects not only clouds and trees and cliffs, but all the infinite variations of mind and spirit we bring to it. – Sigurd Olson
03/21/2013 05:31PM
quote joshawes: "You really seen a cougar??? Thats aawesome! I suppose you only got a quick glimpse and he was gone into the forest???"
Saw him (or her) walking along the shoreline just under the browse line of the trees. Watched it for about 45 seconds before it cut into the woods. It was right at twilight. Couldn't make out a tail, but deduced it was a cougar based on its size (big), color, and most of all, the way it walked. Thought it may have been a wolf when I first spotted it, but as I watched it was clearly feline in its gait.
03/21/2013 06:31PM
Not in the BWCA, but I briefly spotted a gray wolf while hiking a snowmobile trail a few miles east of Superior last summer. Beautiful animal ... a lot more fur than the ones on display at the Wolf Center.
"I go because it irons out the wrinkles in my soul" -- Sigurd Olson
03/21/2013 07:00PM
While driving to BWCA, nearly ran over a cougar that ran across the road in front of our van north of Ashland, WI. Missed it by about 10 feet. They do move FAST and have really long tails. It was a skinny cat but from tip of nose to tip of tail seemed longer than the width of the van.
Wilderness both captivates your soul and sets it free :)
03/21/2013 07:33PM
Wolves a few times. Bob cat from my tree stand during gun and bow. One put on a pretty good show when it got a hold the roll of line I use to raise and lower my bow up and down the tree. Looked like a big kitty cat playing with a ball of yarn, when she was done, (I know it was a female because she was scent marking too) it was wrapped around every bush and tree in the area. Saw a black panther once maybe twice in the same area. Driving my tractor down a fire lane one day, I came across a fisher in a jaw trap. I took off my Carharts, put them over him and went to work. He was wrapped up pretty good in the tie wire but I got him free with out getting my face tore off. In fact, I was surprised at how docile he was through the whole process. All most like he knew I was there to help.
Heres some close ups I think are pretty cool;
Heres some close ups I think are pretty cool;
Bruceye
03/21/2013 10:50PM
I wasn't paddling but a Mountain Lion strolled across the road in front of the truck I was driving 1/2 mile south of the Mudro Lake entry point in August of 2009.
Two Pine Martens chasing a rabbit galloped through the campsite on Horse Lake in August of 2011.
While canoeing an Otter swam by with an egg in it's mouth.
Two Pine Martens chasing a rabbit galloped through the campsite on Horse Lake in August of 2011.
While canoeing an Otter swam by with an egg in it's mouth.
03/22/2013 04:48AM
I had my hammock set up about 50 foot or so from the group in the tents. Every night when I walked up the path there was 2 little eye reflections but never seen what it was. After reading this post and looking up a picture it might of been a Pine Martin. About the right size from what I remember.
03/22/2013 07:34AM
Not in BWCA, but in Woodland Caribou Provincial Park (WCPP) I saw this Woodland Caribou in 2012 while on Solo on Haggart Lake.
Video One of Woodland Caribou
Video 2 Woodland Caribou
Sorry for the poor quality, but was on the water and hard to get a good shot while trying to paddle with one hand and video and take picture with other hand. :)
SunCatcher
Video One of Woodland Caribou
Video 2 Woodland Caribou
Sorry for the poor quality, but was on the water and hard to get a good shot while trying to paddle with one hand and video and take picture with other hand. :)
SunCatcher
"WWJD"
03/22/2013 07:38AM
A couple years ago on a trip with my kids, for 3 evenings in a row at the same time, a big rabbit would run through camp shortly followed by a fisher.
Never did see it but my dad and uncle, while canoeing back from fishing, said the watched a wolf walk close to the shoreline toward our camp and within about 50 feet of camp (where I was at the time) darted off into the woods. Really makes you wonder what you don't see around you.
Never did see it but my dad and uncle, while canoeing back from fishing, said the watched a wolf walk close to the shoreline toward our camp and within about 50 feet of camp (where I was at the time) darted off into the woods. Really makes you wonder what you don't see around you.
"I'm not superstitious. I'm a little stitious" - Michael Scott
03/22/2013 07:42AM
I saw a fisher on Agnes once.
I had a bobcat walk through the yard at my fishing shack on the Au Sable in Michigan.
I've seen a lot of mink, otter and beaver while trout fishing in northern Michigan as well as in the BWCA.
My most memorable wildlife sighting in the BW wasn't any really unusual animals, but it was a fascinating procedure. I watched and photographed a garter snake swallow a toad over the course of an hour and a quarter. Watch the slide show.
Snake and Toad
I had a bobcat walk through the yard at my fishing shack on the Au Sable in Michigan.
I've seen a lot of mink, otter and beaver while trout fishing in northern Michigan as well as in the BWCA.
My most memorable wildlife sighting in the BW wasn't any really unusual animals, but it was a fascinating procedure. I watched and photographed a garter snake swallow a toad over the course of an hour and a quarter. Watch the slide show.
Snake and Toad
03/22/2013 09:18AM
I have been pretty fortunate to spend a large part of every summer since 1986 in the BWCA / Quetico. I have seen a number of pretty cool things. The cougar on Canadian Agnes probably tops this list! But the coolest thing, was probably two bald eagles that dive bombed the canoe from the upper atmoshpere. At first we could only hear them, then we could see two dots coming down. The shot right toward the canoe and opened their wings about 10' above the canoe. AWESOME is all I can say!
03/22/2013 11:12AM
Thought of another odd one:
Camped on Spoon Lake, near Bonnie and Knife, Mommy and the little martins casually walked through our camp within about five feet of us humans. An adult and two or three young passed through between us and our fire as we were just sitting around yakking. Though they may have smelled it in our pack, we did not have any food out so I'm not sure if that's what drew them in. The adult looked right at us and they did not seem to be hurried or bothered by humans at all. I could almost hear the adult saying, "Don't mind us, just passing through. Taking the family out for a stroll!" They did not hang around and were gone as quickly as they appeared. It was actually pretty comical and before anyone said anything, we all just looked at each other and laughed!
Camped on Spoon Lake, near Bonnie and Knife, Mommy and the little martins casually walked through our camp within about five feet of us humans. An adult and two or three young passed through between us and our fire as we were just sitting around yakking. Though they may have smelled it in our pack, we did not have any food out so I'm not sure if that's what drew them in. The adult looked right at us and they did not seem to be hurried or bothered by humans at all. I could almost hear the adult saying, "Don't mind us, just passing through. Taking the family out for a stroll!" They did not hang around and were gone as quickly as they appeared. It was actually pretty comical and before anyone said anything, we all just looked at each other and laughed!
03/22/2013 11:38AM
Just remembered another one.
While not rare wildlife, I got some pretty cool video of a turtle (painted I think) digging a hole to lay eggs in, not 3 feet from the back of our firegrate (this was on Polly).
She must have gone well into the night because she was still digging when we went to bed. Couldn't even tell she was there the next morning.
While not rare wildlife, I got some pretty cool video of a turtle (painted I think) digging a hole to lay eggs in, not 3 feet from the back of our firegrate (this was on Polly).
She must have gone well into the night because she was still digging when we went to bed. Couldn't even tell she was there the next morning.
"I'm not superstitious. I'm a little stitious" - Michael Scott
03/22/2013 11:39AM
i was paddling solo against the wind on pike lake, hugging the shoreline to take advantage of the bit of relief it offered from the wind. the shoreline is steep here. i noticed movement in the woods, i stopped paddling for a moment to get a better look, suddenly a beaver jumps from the woods, he must have been about five feet above the lake, he does this belly flop dive and misses my canoe by a couple of feet. a flying beaver is a sight not to be forgotten.
03/22/2013 12:10PM
quote bottomtothetap: "Thought of another odd one:
Camped on Spoon Lake, near Bonnie and Knife, Mommy and the little martins casually walked through our camp within about five feet of us humans. An adult and two or three young passed through between us and our fire as we were just sitting around yakking. Though they may have smelled it in our pack, we did not have any food out so I'm not sure if that's what drew them in. The adult looked right at us and they did not seem to be hurried or bothered by humans at all. I could almost hear the adult saying, "Don't mind us, just passing through. Taking the family out for a stroll!" They did not hang around and were gone as quickly as they appeared. It was actually pretty comical and before anyone said anything, we all just looked at each other and laughed! "
Now, THAT is really neat! We've seen Pine Martens twice in the BWCAW and the one time it sounded like a cross between a grizzly and a wolverine; it sounded like it was going to eat us up.
"Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." Mark Twain
03/22/2013 01:23PM
After landing the canoe at our site on South Arm Knife. My daughter walked up the hill to edge of high grass and came face to face(10 feet) with the tufts and whiskers of a lynx, probably looking for grass-grazing snowshoe hares. Had a fisher walk all over behind our camp in Crooked(we saw it while fishing from canoe). All the abundant red squirrels previously there disappeared after that.
"Did you bring the coffee?" "No. I thought you were."
03/22/2013 03:49PM
At Lake 2 we found a beaver lodge built under some boulders at the water's edge. We could actually see the platform inside with two beavers just hanging out in it, not more than two feet from our faces. We also saw a wolf not 50' from the ep, just standing there in the middle of the day checking us out. Last summer on Knife two mink ran full bore towards my dad and brother who were sitting by the fire grate. Their fearlessness made me shout out a warning but they were just checking us out as well.
No bears yet, nor Mr. Lynx. And if a cougar shows up well then, I'm ok with that. :)
No bears yet, nor Mr. Lynx. And if a cougar shows up well then, I'm ok with that. :)
03/22/2013 05:21PM
I have seen otters on a few occasions. Fun to watch them play. Moose, beaver, mink, and eagles. Although not rare; always a treat! I saw an Orca whale once, but not in the BWCA.
"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit."
03/22/2013 06:06PM
Witnessed a fight between a loon and an eagle on Seagull Lake. Was coming up to a bay area and stopped paddling just at the entry and could hear squawking galore. Not sure who got the top hand (wing) as the loon dove and the eagle started swimming to shore. Had my camera near but the video was of poor quality but really doesn't matter, I know I witnessed something truly awesome.
03/23/2013 10:55AM
I asked the park naturalist at Kathio State Park about 5 years ago whether there were any wolves sighted in the park(10,000 acres). He said not yet, but they would probably be there soon. Also told us that that area of MN is a small area where white and red-breasted nuthatches share territory and indeed, there were both at the park bird feeder just outside the window.
"Did you bring the coffee?" "No. I thought you were."
03/23/2013 11:46AM
Last year my brother and I were fishing in two separate canoes along shore, sight fishing bass between Thursday & Friday bay. Our canoes were just touching the shore and enjoying the shade of some overhanging branches. Well we must have ruined the opportunity for fish that one particular eagle was waiting for. It turns he was sitting on a perch about six feet above us of which we were totally oblivious to. All of a sudden we heard this -whoomp, whoomp, whoomp- and could feel a burst of breeze coming down on our shoulders in time with the -whoomp, whoomp, whoomp- It had been the eagle's wings flapping for take off just above us and we got to see him fly away just over our heads.
That was pretty cool.
That was pretty cool.
03/24/2013 11:59AM
Not is the BWCA but a once in a lifetime...
I was on Obabika west of Tamagami in Ontario two years ago and heard an awful "screaming" noise across the bay. Went to investigate and it had stopped. I was about 15'from shore for about twenty minutes and could hear hear a soft, low purring sort of noise. Finally I spotted a Lynx in the very top of a tree just off shore.
Coolest thing I have ever seen until... I noticed that the Lynx paid no attention to me what so ever and seemed pissed off. This is when I saw the Cougar at the base of the tree!!!
Damn - BIG KITTY! Watched for a while when the cougar shot up the tree and attacked the Lynx, this was the noise I was hearing . I started to shoot video with my camera, the point in the video when my camera goes down is when the cougar shot down the tree and I started to back paddle. I was defienetly close enough for her to jump into my boat. When she got down she gave me ""stink eye" for a minute and then slowly walked into the woods (twoard the general direction of my tent) the Lynx stayed put and I slowy paddled away. I would say that the Lynx "won"this battle as it was still alive at the end of the day. THis was the most awe inspiring and powerful things I have ever seen and will never forget.
I have some pics of the lynx but no good shots of the cougar. the video shows the tree top shaking violently and the sound is awesome.
Fished the next bay over just shaking over what I had witnessed and peered into the woods at what I thought may be the fleeing cougar - nope... It was a Wolf. Lynx, Cougar, Wolf all in about an hour. Have never seen ANY of these species prior to this. Nor since.
I reported the sighting to the Ontario wildlife folks and they told me the estimated population of Cougar in
ontario was around 800. And I got to see one!!
Needless to say, sleeping that night did not come easy. I slept with a Pot and my Hatchet thinking about a big dog and two huge kittys roaming the woods. And to think, I was worried about bears and moose (neither of which I saw on this trip).
All these pics are on my work computer and will try to post this week.
I was on Obabika west of Tamagami in Ontario two years ago and heard an awful "screaming" noise across the bay. Went to investigate and it had stopped. I was about 15'from shore for about twenty minutes and could hear hear a soft, low purring sort of noise. Finally I spotted a Lynx in the very top of a tree just off shore.
Coolest thing I have ever seen until... I noticed that the Lynx paid no attention to me what so ever and seemed pissed off. This is when I saw the Cougar at the base of the tree!!!
Damn - BIG KITTY! Watched for a while when the cougar shot up the tree and attacked the Lynx, this was the noise I was hearing . I started to shoot video with my camera, the point in the video when my camera goes down is when the cougar shot down the tree and I started to back paddle. I was defienetly close enough for her to jump into my boat. When she got down she gave me ""stink eye" for a minute and then slowly walked into the woods (twoard the general direction of my tent) the Lynx stayed put and I slowy paddled away. I would say that the Lynx "won"this battle as it was still alive at the end of the day. THis was the most awe inspiring and powerful things I have ever seen and will never forget.
I have some pics of the lynx but no good shots of the cougar. the video shows the tree top shaking violently and the sound is awesome.
Fished the next bay over just shaking over what I had witnessed and peered into the woods at what I thought may be the fleeing cougar - nope... It was a Wolf. Lynx, Cougar, Wolf all in about an hour. Have never seen ANY of these species prior to this. Nor since.
I reported the sighting to the Ontario wildlife folks and they told me the estimated population of Cougar in
ontario was around 800. And I got to see one!!
Needless to say, sleeping that night did not come easy. I slept with a Pot and my Hatchet thinking about a big dog and two huge kittys roaming the woods. And to think, I was worried about bears and moose (neither of which I saw on this trip).
All these pics are on my work computer and will try to post this week.
03/25/2013 09:46AM
http://youtu.be/bTjqOhFC24A
Video of Lynx Vs. Cougar on Obabika Lake Ontario.
Video Sucks but the audio is cool. So this is what I heard that drew me into this bay... freaky noise.
End of video when camera is down you can hear limbs breaking. This is when Cougar came crashing down tree and I was too close for comfort. Back paddling ensued.
03/25/2013 11:06AM
quote jwartman59: "i was paddling solo against the wind on pike lake, hugging the shoreline to take advantage of the bit of relief it offered from the wind. the shoreline is steep here. i noticed movement in the woods, i stopped paddling for a moment to get a better look, suddenly a beaver jumps from the woods, he must have been about five feet above the lake, he does this belly flop dive and misses my canoe by a couple of feet. a flying beaver is a sight not to be forgotten."
Had that happen on Pocket Creek in 2010. Bernice almost instinctively jumped in after it (one of her first trips) but caught herself. Your right, you'll never forget that sight.
Nctry
03/25/2013 03:32PM
quote bussmonkey: "
http://youtu.be/bTjqOhFC24A
Video of Lynx Vs. Cougar on Obabika Lake Ontario.
Video Sucks but the audio is cool. So this is what I heard that drew me into this bay... freaky noise.
End of video when camera is down you can hear limbs breaking. This is when Cougar came crashing down tree and I was too close for comfort. Back paddling ensued.
"
That is a serious fight for one's life. Intense.
03/25/2013 03:32PM
quote bussmonkey: "
http://youtu.be/bTjqOhFC24A
Video of Lynx Vs. Cougar on Obabika Lake Ontario.
Video Sucks but the audio is cool. So this is what I heard that drew me into this bay... freaky noise.
End of video when camera is down you can hear limbs breaking. This is when Cougar came crashing down tree and I was too close for comfort. Back paddling ensued.
"
That is a serious fight for one's life. Intense.
03/29/2013 11:22AM
Several years ago, my brother and I were canoeing across a bay on LLC toward a cow moose we saw standing on the shoreline. She watched us coming, but for some reason didn't walk off into the woods. As we got closer (about 50 feet) we noticed a wobbly calf walk out from behind a large boulder on the shore. I sank my paddle into the water a found we were only in about 2 and a half or 3 feet of water. Not a good depth to be at if the cow got mad. She snorted and ran off into the woods only to come back within a minute. We then decided we should maybe get out of there so as not to further stress out the cow....and possibly for our own good. It was pretty cool.
serenity now
03/30/2013 10:09PM
Saw a Loon sitting on its nest and a Seagull sitting on its nest not 4 feet apart on a rock in the middle of Suzanette Lake. One was facing east and one facing west. Each seemed to be trying to ignore the other's presence.
Wilderness both captivates your soul and sets it free :)
04/11/2013 07:53PM
Not in the BWCA, but I saw two fishers chasing each other in the woods at my folks' place south of Cloquet some years back, and last summer while fly fishing a small stream near Marquette, MI I saw a wolf cross about 50 feet upstream of me. That was neat.
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