Wildlife

[Brian Snyder]

I ran over this guy @ 6mi. on Saturday. Kinda hard to see, but it was a 14"-16" long rat. (the question was, what kind of animals have you run into?, wasn't it?)

 

[knobbyhead]

I was riding at hartshorne with a friend on rocky point. We came around a corner at a pretty good clip and he slammed on his brakes. I was like WTF &*(*(&^()8! why did you stop. He then point to the buck that was just sitting in the trail.

Were is the wookie in alaire? I have never seen it, just lots of turkeys

 

[ekuhn]

A few weeks back I was on returning on the blue trail at 6MR and was confronted by a skunk. I just waited till Pepe Le'Pew went on his merry way then continued onward.

 

[soundz]

some of my most memorable wildlef encounters

snapper

yoga guy

borat thong

capers the croc hunter

water snake @ nature jim's bridge

the truth is out there

cheetah

lewis morris bear

wookie vs sasquatch

true wildlife of nyc

 

[Brian Snyder]

Excuse me Sir,! your rat has exploded!

 

[Trinzushi]

Lots of bunnies and snakes..

Ran into a black cub at Kittatinny State Park..

Nothing super on the bike so far. Lots of deer. Ran into sting rays, jumping fish, and horse shoe crabs kayaking..

 

[mergs]

All in the West Milford Area: black bear, coyote, fox, timber rattlesnake, black snake, garter snake, eastern mud salamander, spotted salamander, barred owl, goldfinch and many other songbirds, pilated woodpecker, downy woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker.

keeping an eye out for: bobcat and the fleeting, mysterious NJ cougar!

 

[xc62701]

Saw a bobcat in wawayanda...check!

 

[Kirt]

All in the West Milford Area: black bear, coyote, fox, timber rattlesnake, black snake, garter snake, eastern mud salamander, spotted salamander, barred owl, goldfinch and many other songbirds, pilated woodpecker, downy woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker.

keeping an eye out for: bobcat and the fleeting, mysterious NJ cougar!

Wookie!!!

 

[Frank]

Wookie!!!

Plenty of Wookie sightings there, need to get into your neck o' the woods too.

 

[schmoilito]

I've seen a few bear in Ringwood and Wayway. But the coolest sighting was a few years ago at Wayway, when I was in the boat launch lot waiting to start an adventure race. Watched a bear swim completely across the lake. Didn't look like much, just something drifting across the lake, until it got to shore and climbed out.

Haven't seen a bobcat yet, though.

 

[BlackBean]

This just in...

Just yesterday driving home from a ride at Stephens SP with my girlfriend....leaving the dirt lot just off the Sussex-Branch rail trail heading up towards the old BASF HQ...a Lynx or Bobcat ran across the road!

I could not believe it and first and thought it was cat but that thought evaporated quickly. It was waaaaay to big. Not something you'd expect to see. It looked pretty young because it was running almost akwardly, almost like it's going to fall over it's own feet. Speaking of which, it had massive paws, and it's head was disproportionally small compared to it's body. I could clearly see long hair on the tip of it's ears. I estimate it to be about 18-20 inches at the shoulder and around 60-90 pounds. It passed about 20-30 yards in front of the car and was in clear view for about 2-3 seconds.

 

[JerseyPete]

I estimate it to be about 18-20 inches at the shoulder and around 60-90 pounds.

20-30 pounds max. A lot of what you saw is fur. Even at 30 pounds they can take down a deer by crushing the throat.
Funny you post this, as I was talking to a ranger at Waywayanda yesterday about how bobcats are big in numbers up there.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/ensp/mammal_info.htm

 

[BlackBean]

20-30 pounds max. A lot of what you saw is fur. Even at 30 pounds they can take down a deer by crushing the throat.
Funny you post this, as I was talking to a ranger at Waywayanda yesterday about how bobcats are big in numbers up there.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/ensp/mammal_info.htm

Yeah thx, I have not idea of the weight, just guessing based on how muscular it appeared. It's seemed juvenile though, almost like it's uneasy in it's own body and still growing into it. It's paws were just strikingly massive. I dunno how big these things are supposed to get anyways.

 

[BlackBean]

I've seen a few bear in Ringwood and Wayway. But the coolest sighting was a few years ago at Wayway, when I was in the boat launch lot waiting to start an adventure race. Watched a bear swim completely across the lake. Didn't look like much, just something drifting across the lake, until it got to shore and climbed out.

Haven't seen a bobcat yet, though.

Haha...just saw this now. Must seem ironic, but glad I was the guy to have seen the thing.

 

[PlayAllDay]

We do have mtn lions too. I've seen a few. Most recently on the side of the road on 515 Vernon around 2am after work- I practically stopped dead in the road just to watch it. One of the rangers at Waway has seen them a handful of times as well. If you ask him, he won't deny it.

 

[IKnow_u_Rider]

20-30 pounds max. A lot of what you saw is fur. Even at 30 pounds they can take down a deer by crushing the throat.
Funny you post this, as I was talking to a ranger at Waywayanda yesterday about how bobcats are big in numbers up there.

http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/ensp/mammal_info.htm

that is so cool, I never saw one or knew they were here in NJ!! On a night ride last winter I thought I saw one watching me but figured it was a fox - now not so sure ...

 

[RNG1]

My house backs up to the United Water protected property in Haworth so I see all kinds of stuff including Coyote. Last night I was pulling into my driveway in the evening when the sun was down but there was still a little bit of light and was on a call and shut the car and was in the car while finishing the call and right out from my trees on the edge of my property trotting across my lawn I see something dog shaped so I quickly turned on my headlights and lit up the biggest damn Coyote I had ever seen around here. It was like the size of a large German Shepard. It was about 20' from the front of my car and did not run when I turned on the lights but just kept the same trotting pace and disappeared across the other side of my property. I know they are really elusive and avoid people but this definitely is making me get batteries for my big flashlight today to use while walking my dog.

 

[rlb]

I quickly turned on my headlights and lit up the biggest damn Coyote I had ever seen around here. It was like the size of a large German Shepard

In Mahlon I had my first coyote sighting over the weekend right near the rock rill parking lot. It was pretty cool! Not quite as large as the one you're describing though. We stopped to look at each other and when I reached for my phone it took off.

 

[danxtj]

Great thread!

I once had a standoff with a young buck at chimney rock. I was riding on the trail and 2 bucks were about 20ft ahead of me and did not move. I came to a stop and the deer just looked at me. i got of my bike and clapped and one of the bucks snorted, stomped his foot and lowered his head. He did that a few more times then just stood there. I thought it was pretty cool and I didn't think the deer was going to try to lock horns with me so I just hung out for a minute. Eventually I got bored and shouted and clapped and the deer ran off.

Other animals I've seen while mountain biking:
Hawks, Vultures, Pileated woodpecker, Salamanders, Wild turkeys, Fox, Suicidal squirrels, Snakes,and Frogs. No bears, coyotes, or bobcats yet.

I saw a coyote once on a farm during the winter once. My company rents out a building on the farm on top of a hill. There was a ton of snow so I had to park the work truck on the street and walk to the building. On my way back, about 40ft away was, what i thought at the time, the biggest fox in the world. It was facing me and didnt seem to scared. I started walking towards it and it started walking away from me. Every time I stopped, it stopped and looked at me. It went on that way until I was near the truck. It pealed off to the left and went on its way stopping occasionally to look at me. Only years later did I realize it was a coyote. (slaps forehead) That's what I get for growing up in the suburbs.