Interesting animals spotted during deer hunting

[FearNoFish]

Just wondring if there are folks that see animals not seen everyday? I was sitting and Sunday morning near a creek in the North Branch area and 3 otter came by and played for almost an hour before they swam off. Also this year a lot of the giant woodpeckers, (Piliated)not sure of the spelling, cool birds to see.

[ItsaCrappieLife]

I had a Northern Saw-Whet Owl sitting about 5 feet away from me when it was still kind of dark. I started scratching my finger on my coat to imitate a mouse eating to see what it would do. It watched intently but didn't move. Then I started wondering to myself what exactly I would do if this thing actually came for my finger with it's talons. As soon as I moved my head a little bit the owl did a double-take and flew away.

[nofishfisherman]

I had a woodpecker working on the tree right next to me. I'll tell you that pounding can get real annoying when its 3 feet from your head.

[EBass]

Not hunting, but fishing on da Sippi and saw a brown weasel, maybe it was a mink, but I think it was a weasel.

[highlife4me]

About eight years ago while hunting during the muzzleloader season I saw an unusual animal for the MN deer woods. It was a llama. A farm a couple miles away raises llamas and they had one escape in October and it had been running loose for a few weeks. After the approaching the llama it got very excited and decided to follow me all the way back to the farm. It was very hungry and thirsty and had no problem getting him back into a fenced in area for the owners to pick up.

[GFNER]

Saw an Emu in SW MN about 15 yrs. ago. Another escapee. My hunting partners still give me crat about it.

[JimmyRig565]

Had three skunks walk right below my stand sunday morning! Lucky enough the tails never raised, that got the ole heart pounding alittle bit!

[motley man]

Had a fisher prowling around a pond by my stand opening morning for about 1/2 hour. Never saw one in the wild except when trapping them. Used to have a stand that had carpet hung over the front brace, 2 flying squirrels lived in it and for 4 years they kept me company darting in and out, gliding back and forth from tree to tree. They never seemed to be worried about me being there. Same stand watched a bobcat come from the big swamp 200 yards out and walk right under me.

[brassman]

I shot a doe early on opener one year and had the gut pile in my shooting lane. The next morning I had two fishers come by and eat on the piles. that was pretty neat. Otherwise pine martens and owls are common occurances.

[Jack Peterson]

Saw a fat mink..

[Scott Stein]

My 1st year deer hunting I shot a doe,had my dad help me gut it and hang it in the tree. He left and I went back to my stand,got back in and looked around had 8 wolves in front of and 2 were sniffing the deer in the tree. Little scary walking out to my stand alone the next morning! Had a porcupine in a tree 20 yards away Saturday afternoon.

[goblueM]

a few years ago my uncle and i were still hunting some does and he was going upwind to push them back aroudn to me. i had just sat down on a ridge next to a rock, and saw a wolf come into the valley. it winded my uncle, and turned and loped down the deer trail about 25 feet to my right - never smelled me since i was downwind. the coolest thing i've ever seen hunting, I didn't even care I didn't get to shoot a deer that weekend.

[newoodhntr]

Two wolves between 2:30 and 3:00 in the afternoon Saturday

[Tator2k]

[hoppe56307]

Thats a cool picture.

[NoWiser]

List for this past weekend from the stand included an otter, fisher, pine marten, mink, wolf, pileated woodpecker, black backed woodpecker, downy woodpecker, great gray owl, and the usual chickadees, mice, and squirrels. Plus plenty of deer. Good times.

[Effie07]

During my first year of hunting(12 years old) on my first post ever, had a black angus cow run within 10 yards of me. Would have made for some good eats. The farmer came and talked to us about 10 minutes after we pushed her out and was wondering if we had seen his cow. The rest of the hunting party gave me [PoorWordUsage] for not shooting. Could have been camp meet for a good 5 years or so.

[ozzie]

owl, 8 turkeys roosting in the tree right next to me, and a white mink along with the 3 does and spike buck.....

[Dave S]

About eight years ago while hunting during the muzzleloader season I saw an unusual animal for the MN deer woods. It was a llama. A farm a couple miles away raises llamas and they had one escape in October and it had been running loose for a few weeks. After the approaching the llama it got very excited and decided to follow me all the way back to the farm. It was very hungry and thirsty and had no problem getting him back into a fenced in area for the owners to pick up.

relatives of mine had a llama just outisde of town. Not sure whatever happened to it, but now they've replaced it with a donkey to roam with the sheep. Plus there's the El Paca farm a little farther out.

I did see a llama running loose just south of St. Peter on HWY 22 a few years ago.

This year we've had a couple Gray Fox as well as a Red Fox pass through our yard. Surprising with all of the coyotes in this area.

[Double D]

Had a pair of bobcats walk by and a pair of noisy trumpeter swans.

DD

[TruthWalleyes]

Just a whole bunch of noisy turkeys surrounding me for over an hour saturday morning.

Squirrel that got pist.

And stopmed at by some does 10yds away. Absolutely love when they do this.

[going4it]

Flying squirrel, fisher, bald eagle came flying down a creek and landed about 75 yards from me, squirrel 3 feet below my stand wanting to get past, and saturday night when I was a little lost and heard the wolves I kicked it in a few more gears. Wasnt going to be stuck out there with them

[Odonata]

This isn't a strange critter to see, but when a porcupine is nestled in the same tree you're in, it makes the AM interesting. Nothing like watching one come down the tree from above you and knowing it needed to crawl past the stand before getting out of the tree!

[crestliner16]

Saw a porcupine sunday

[DinnerPail]

Monday night when we where putting our stuff on the 4-wheelers my budy jumps and runs, I said what's the deal and he points at his wheeler and there was a porcupine curled up on top of the front tire. After he saw what it was we had a good laugh.