Show your Bugs and Critters

[Manixguy@1994]

It’s not an expensive book to buy , my guess they publish all the states. Dan

[Manixguy@1994]

This is Rocky Number 1 ( have 4 more Rocky’s ) . He is on his personal feeder , it’s a consulting fee he charges me with Most Noble issues . MG2

[JSumm]

This is Rocky Number 1 ( have 4 more Rocky’s ) . He is on his personal feeder , it’s a consulting fee he charges me with Most Noble issues . MG2

They are wheelers and dealers so be careful.

[RevMike]

[Manixguy@1994]

Great picture Mike . Deer in my backyard are two sets of twins from oldest doe and daughter . By size you can tell when the does where impregnated, one set in November and other probably last rut in January. After this last snow backyard looks like a freeway . Thank you for sharing ! Dan

[JSumm]

Holy moly! How did you get that close?

[RevMike]

Holy moly! How did you get that close?

Easy. A fawn's early defense is to lie perfectly still and trust their camo, lack of scent, ability to slow heart rate/respiration. They barely even blink. Despite not looking like it they are very tough to spot bedded down. When one is young enough it would even allow you to touch it. I actually almost stepped on this one before I saw it.

I am something of a wildlife photographer but not in the traditional sense of long lenses and cover. While this fawn surprised me I usually do just walk this close to other animals for photos. Things like foxes, elk, seals, moose, alligators, snakes, moose, ect. It's always a somewhat bad plan but I just act natural and at ease then just walk right up.

I'll try to post a bit more to this topic soon.

[Manixguy@1994]

I’ve only encountered seeing a fawn like this once and it is a surreal moment in nature . Fawns are extremely vulnerable at this age until they get there legs , Momma was probably not too far away feeding . Getting that close to a Moose calf could be a fatal problem getting that close . Best advice never get between them , it’s an instinctive reaction because of predators.

[Manixguy@1994]

sorry picture is poor , taken through a sliding door. I was visiting friends in their kitchen, their home is just behind my property below our hillside . This fox showed up about 5 minutes after I got there . Fox come in our yard to hunt mice around our sheds in back . They sometimes come in pairs during mating season but usually solo .

[JSumm]

sorry picture is poor , taken through a sliding door. I was visiting friends in their kitchen, their home is just behind my property below our hillside . This fox showed up about 5 minutes after I got there . Fox come in our yard to hunt mice around our sheds in back . They sometimes come in pairs during mating season but usually solo .

That is really Cool MG2! I have seen a handful, but have never been able to capture them on camera. Seems like they are always on the move.

[DSH007]

I happen upon deer all the time on my walks in the woods.. usually any pictures I manage to take of them are flashes of a white tail through some blurry trees.. like this..


But this little lady didn't seem to mind hanging around to pose for the camera..

[DSH007]

I left my house one morning and this guy was hanging out on top of the woodpile.. almost didn't notice him, until I couldn't miss him!

This was 6-7 years ago, I wish had a better camera at the time!

[Manixguy@1994]

I left my house one morning and this guy was hanging out on top of the woodpile.. almost didn't notice him, until I couldn't miss him!

This was 6-7 years ago, I wish had a better camera at the time!

Funny how they sit so still and you can miss them . Dan

[Manixguy@1994]

Backyard party a few weeks ago . Dan

[Manixguy@1994]

Pic taken after deer season going through where I will be hunting this year . Nice rack mass , should be a 10 or 12 point this year . I will be lucky to see him seems to move through area at night .

[BLUETYPEII]

Here’s some animals I’ve seen through the years out in the Sonoran Desert.

Gila monster
These are very rare and protected. This Gila monster is the only one I’ve ever seen in 44 years of living in the desert. It was about a foot and a half long.
(interesting note, this is one of only two or thee poisonous lizards in the world.)

I got way too close for comfort to this diamondback rattlesnake. It was probably about 4 foot long and it did not rattle until after quite some effort to get it off of the trail.

This little Desert Tortoise was probably just shy of a foot nose to tail and was just sitting there on the edge of the trail watching everyone go by. EDIT: These are protected as well and unfortunately people steal them from the desert and either lose interest and give them away or they die because they’re not properly taken care of. It’s very sad. Please don’t take animals from their home in nature. Especially protected ones.

Tarantula
Another trail crosser, after a nice rain.
It was probably about 5” across.

Sorry for the poor image quality.

[RevMike]

I’ve only encountered seeing a fawn like this once and it is a surreal moment in nature . Fawns are extremely vulnerable at this age until they get there legs , Momma was probably not too far away feeding . Getting that close to a Moose calf could be a fatal problem getting that close . Best advice never get between them , it’s an instinctive reaction because of predators.

I've actually never run into a moose calf but I do occasionally hang out with moose and sometimes about that close.

[Manixguy@1994]

Here’s some animals I’ve seen through the years out in the Sonoran Desert.

E14F15EF-4AD3-4A15-A434-635CA514970B.jpeg

Gila monster
These are very rare and protected. This Gila monster is the only one I’ve ever seen in 44 years of living in the desert. It was about a foot and a half long.
(interesting note, this is one of only two or thee poisonous lizards in the world.)

C574D6A7-9742-452F-9DD1-0150FF8B73C7.jpeg
I got way too close for comfort to this diamondback rattlesnake. It was probably about 4 foot long and it did not rattle until after quite some effort to get it off of the trail.

2349F36A-C799-411F-ABC2-6BC0B37DD1E8.jpeg

This little Desert Tortoise was probably just shy of a foot nose to tail and was just sitting there on the edge of the trail watching everyone go by. EDIT: These are protected as well and unfortunately people steal them from the desert and either lose interest and give them away or they die because they’re not properly taken care of. It’s very sad. Please don’t take animals from their home in nature. Especially protected ones.

D0A91496-1822-4A79-BA49-6D3137F91268.jpeg

Tarantula
Another trail crosser, after a nice rain.
It was probably about 5” across.

Sorry for the poor image quality.

Great pics ! We don’t have any Diamondbacks but do have Timber rattlesnakes in southern Illinois . When settlers moved into central Illinois they wiped out the species . I like eating Rattlesnake, filets wrapped in bacon is tasty . A buddies girlfriend would call when she would come back from Colorado and put me in charge of beer ! I totally agree wild animals should be left in their habitat never works making them a pet . Thanks for sharing not sure how well I will sleep after seeing the Gila Monster ! 0002

[Manixguy@1994]

I’ve only encountered seeing a fawn like this once and it is a surreal moment in nature . Fawns are extremely vulnerable at this age until they get there legs , Momma was probably not too far away feeding . Getting that close to a Moose calf could be a fatal problem getting that close . Best advice never get between them , it’s an instinctive reaction because of predators.

I've actually never run into a moose calf but I do occasionally hang out with moose and sometimes about that close.

Nice young Bull Mike . First time I saw Moose in Alaska hunting was a young bull . We were hunting south of Cantwell which is South of Mt. Denali in the foothills. He wasn’t legal in size but was fun to watch move through the brush . They really are a graceful animal for their size . Dan

[RevMike]

They really are a graceful animal for their size.

I can see graceful. I'd even go so far as to call them shockingly stealthy for their size. I've never been able to reconcile how something so large can move so silently and hide so well. This is one of the few animals I've ever gone out of my way to look for. I've tracked some for days with never a glimpse. They truly are a magnificent creature.