Non-Game Species Encountered in the Field

[NearerTheBone]

What is the most unique/memorable non-game species you've encountered while hunting?

While on a recent black bear hunt, I was hiking slowly through a canyon under a dense canopy of Doug Fir and Lodgepole Pine when I encountered a Great Gray Owl - a first for me. I watched it for about 10 minutes as it flew from limb to limb, dropping to the forest floor occasionally after what I presume could be mice or voles. It was totally unbothered by me being there, and at one point we watched each other within 10 yards.

One thing about owls that never ceases to amaze me is how quiet their flight is. It was dead quiet in the forest that day, yet watching this large bird fly around at close range I never heard a sound. Nothing.

I only snapped one photo taken through my binos.

 

[gouch]

I always like it when I come across Martins, Fishers or Ring Tails. They're just fun to watch.

I think the goofiest looking critter I have ever seen while hunting is a Mountain Beaver.

 

[smw110136]

@Greenhorn

insert sunrise yoga chick pictures here

 

[shannerdrake]

Have a stand that overlooks a creek known for holding otters. The stand is close to a deeper hole and I don’t think I’ve ever hunted that stand without seeing an otter. They are a lot of fun to watch.

Also watched a bald eagle kill a goose once.

 

[mevertsen]

I don't have a photo, but I have only seen one....

A Rubber Boa. Pretty cool critters.

 

[reallyoldman]

My son and I were hunting elk west of Denver near timberline. We were setting on our horses giving them a breather when up the trail comes this very well built scantly clad woman jogging past us. After she went by my son turned to me and said " that was a mirage...right?"

 

[Gr8bawana]

A badger came up and looked at me while I was sitting near a waterhole when bow hunting for deer. Didn't think to take a pic because he made me a bit nervous when it got to about 10 feet.
Also once when in AZ elk hunting with my brother we watched a large hawk of some kind and a badger having a tussle over a dead rabbit.

 

[ThunderNocked]

Had a couple pretty cool encounters with Swans while hunting here in Alaska. One that stands out was a dead quite day sitting waiting for moose when they came in and landed - it was a pretty great experience hearing their wings, and feet - then them talking - and then again about 30 minutes later when they left running along the top of the water as they took off and flew away.
Another was having a Kestrel hover around a cut while my son and I were sitting and glassing. Seen Kestrel a few times and they are a pretty cook bird to watch!

 

[gouch]

I don't have a photo, but I have only seen one....

A Rubber Boa. Pretty cool critters.

 

[perma]

I was once hunting a big drainage in Iowa. Walked into my blind at 5 in the morning and heard the screech of an owl. Never saw him but caught his eyes in my headlamp. That was cool.

 

[mevertsen]

View attachment 295431

A stock photo or one you captured?

 

[gouch]

A stock photo or one you captured?

I took that picture awhile back. They are fairly common around here, but you don't see them too often because they are nocturnal. I have a friend that would catch them when he was a kid and sell them to a pet store.

 

[Chad Gus]

While elk hunting in Arizona this fall, i had 4 different humming birds try taking me out. Best i could figure, they were attracted to my orange mouth call.

 

[TheTone]

I had a pine squirrel run right up to me this fall that only had three feet. Left front was gone at the wrist

 

[TheGrayRider]

I came across a Snowy Owl similar to this photo in Western South Dakota during a mule deer hunt. Good luck sighting a white owl to some people. Happy hunting, TheGrayRider.

 

[SFC B]

Year before last I had a pine marten walk up a log I was sitting on to about 2 feet from me....he stood on his hind end and gave me a "What the F are YOU doing on MY log?" look....then slooooowly wandered off. Last year in IN, as CPO and I were pulling up to the farm at zero dark thirty on opening morning a bobcat scampered across road. We got settled in our stands and about a 1/2 hour later that dude let out a drawer soiling screech i won't forget

 

[morley.tyler]

While elk hunting in Arizona this fall, i had 4 different humming birds try taking me out. Best i could figure, they were attracted to my orange mouth call.

 

[FairWeather]

Had a barred owl fly in front of me down a trail once. It’d go a few yards, I’d catch up to it, it’d fly down a little more, etc. that was cool.

Gotten bark rained on me by the damn woodpeckers pecking at the tree I was sitting under. That was less awesome.

Two times this spring when I went out Turkey hunting, I thought I saw one and they turned out to be turkey vultures instead hahaha. Kinda neat, I thought.

 

[fishing4sanity]

One evening walking back to my truck along a game trail I had a beaver come running out of the grass that about hit me, I thought I was about to be attacked by a bear..... a rather small bear..... you had to be there to appreciate the terror of the moment. Hunting in Zimbabwe I saw lots of interesting animals that I was not hunting, the coolest for me was early one morning getting into a pack of wild dogs. Some of them were within a few yards at times. African wild dogs are not feral dogs, they are one of the most proficient hunters in Africa, here's a pic of one of them.

 

[Derek44]