We've had a black bear (good sized one at that) come right into camp and go after the ice cooler containing the caught & cleaned fish. It had been one of those off and on rainy day episodes for the week we were there and had stretched a plastic tarp over the popup and C/G picnic table to increase the awning area so we could still cook and eat outside using the table.
It had been raining off and on, and getting towards evening although still daylight, we had cooked supper and just finished washing dishes and having a cup of tea sitting there under the tarp, when all at once this big bear just strolls up from the creek that runs behind the campsite. At first we were stunned - then yelled at the bear, who turned around and just strolled off the about the same speed as coming into the site ... and in no big rush!
Here's a pic of the site (getting on towards evening so not much light) with my fishing buddy standing right at the spot where the bear suddenly appeared ~
[img width=640 height=480]http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h226/dww0825/Picture034.jpg[/img]
Once, before DH and I had children and were still tenting, we had a skunk approach us while we were sitting at the campfire enjoying a couple of beverages; it seemed to be making for the bag of trash we intended to walk to the dumpster at the end of the night. After checking us out, it thankfully left without incident.
At Assateague National Seashore, I was once awakened by a pony bumping my bunk as it tried to graze; I was camping alone with DS's (DH had to come down a day later due to mandatory and much-needed overtime) I was terrified until I sat up in bed and caught sight of the horse outside the window.
Aside from that, we've been VERY lucky and have only had the feathered visitors that we try to attract, either by our hummingbird feeder, dripping water, or improvised birthbaths.
We've had a lot of wildlife (both wanted and unwanted) visit our camp over the years.
We were camping in a PA state park last weekend and I had gone out to the contact station to check something with the park staff. While I was there, a woman drove in and asked if there were raccoons, possums, squirrels, etc., in the campground. The reply, of course, was "Yes, we're in the woods." The woman then started complaining that an animal had taken a half pack of hot dogs out of a bag at their camp. The ranger told her that all food should be kept in coolers or otherwise secured, but the woman just kept complaining. As she drove off, the ranger hollered "Thanks for feeding our wildlife!" The complaining camper responded with a salute ... 😉
Just a few sites away from us a large Barred Owl spent most of the weekend keeping watch from a tree at the entrance to a site. Very nice to see and we got some good pics.
John
Over many years of tent camping there's been a long list of wildlife: deer, raccoons, black bear, brown bear, and squirrels. One of the most memorable was waking up to snorting sounds while tent camping in Jasper National Park, CA. I opened the tent door and found I was in the middle of a herd of Elk! I just sat there as quiet as I could until they wandered off - about 20 minutes. Was winter camping outside Anchorage AK when I lived there, on a Ski Patrol training trip, and found tracks of a wolverine. It had come up to the entrance of the snow cave several of us were sleeping in! Sure glad it decided not to come in...
This was just last week at Beavers Bend SP:
[img width=640 height=413]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_0597.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_0579.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_0658.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=415]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_0815.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_0912.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_0960.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_0985.jpg[/img]
[img width=427 height=640]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_1000.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_1031.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=423]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_1062.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_1069.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_3205.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_3383.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_3396.jpg[/img]
[img width=640 height=426]http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_3635.jpg[/img]
Now a link for the whole album:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w223/beerlifter/Beavers%20Bend%20State%20Park%20Sept%202011/IMG_3635.jpg
Bet you can't guess what was just above our camp at Raccoon Creek SP this summer?
[img width=640 height=480]http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/268892_2164593765320_1560927655_2293145_5517394_n.jpg[/img]
Getting ready to raid camp sites...
[img width=640 height=480]http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/264419_2164593525314_1560927655_2293144_5626897_n.jpg[/img]
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