I love how these threads take on a life of their own!


Quote Originally Posted by artificer View Post
I got the be-jesus scared out of me when, after (another) sleepless night, I came upstairs to the main levels of the house, made a cuppa tea, and looked out the kitchen window- only to see a HUGE head staring back at me! Some silly deer was standing in my shrubbery, staring at me in my dressing gown- two days of stubble and a half-brewed cuppa in my hand. I nearly widdled myself... It's not the type of thing one expects to see at 0430 out the window. I'm rather proud of myself that I didn't drop my favorite mug or waken the rest of the house.

The visual image is great Scott, thanks!

I live in a "city" that is only minutes from the wooded regions of the pacific nw, with lots of greenspace within, and as such gets its share of wildlife visitors, mainly in the forms of deer (a real traffic hazard at night), raccoons, possums, skunks (earlier this year our collie got sprayed just out by the garage), coyotes, & all kinds of winged critters (just the other day a pair of bald eagles flew low past my house!). Once ina blue moon there are cougar sightings on the fringe of town, and the odd bear sighting.

In thinking about your deer, Scott, I'm reminded of one late night while on foot patrol (security guard), as I was rounding the corner of a condo I heard the sound of running feet on the foot path, only to confront (& nearly get speared) by a 6 point buck running nearly into me!

Another night I saw a "dog" crossing the small park straight at me (I was in the shadows), when I noticed his very bushy tail. I realized it was a coyote & I whistled out at him. He stopped within 40', I then lit him up with my flashlight & he slowly turned and headed back towards the woods. I think he was out hunting neighborhood cats.

Quote Originally Posted by Irish Jack O'Brian View Post
Or...that's what it sounded like. If you are familiar with the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), you will know it to be small, nocturnal, common to Texas...and incredibly noisy when frightened.

I leave to your imagination the sight of an old man running for dear life, unzipped, before the snarling giant glyptodon.

[Even my wife doesn't know the whole of this story.]
The infamous "Texas Turkey"!!!