Back in the November 2006 issue of the Kingston Community News, we invited readers to tell us about their wild wildlife encounters.

Barbara Kenner of Hansville and John Klemesrud of Indianola contributed these great stories.

If you have your own that you’d like to share, send them to Editor Rebecca Pirtle at editorial@kingstoncommunitynews.com or to KCN, P.O. Box 1504, Kingston, WA 98346. Please include contact information so we can get in touch with you.

I touched a bear!!

By Barbara Kenner

One early October evening, I was picking huckleberries in my backyard in Shorewoods near Hansville. As I was concentrating on my job, a large “dog” came right beside me with his nose in the bushes ready to enjoy berries for dinner.

I looked down, but didn’t recognize him as one of our local dogs. So I said, “Where did you come from?” and pet his black, furry back.

Immediately, I knew his black “stand-up” hair wasn’t on a dog, but on a young bear! At my words and touch he crashed into the brush and was gone.

I must have scared him more than he scared me as I haven’t seen him since.

Ruffled feathers

By John Klemesrud

While on my mountain bike exploring a seldom used trail in the middle of the area that is now the North Kitsap Heritage Park, a mile or two north of the White Horse golf course, I spotted a large bird on the ground.

It walked off to the right as I approached although it let me get fairly close. I paused for a minute and took a picture. It seemed timid; I thought it might be some kind of fowl.

After realizing I was on a dead-end trail, I came back through that same area to find the bird standing right in the middle of the path. I stopped 10 feet away, then moved in closer about five feet and took another picture with my camera-phone. I moved closer until my front tire was only one foot from the bird which was standing its ground.

I looked at it for a while and took another picture. I thought, “Why do hunters need guns? I could just reach out and pick up the bird.” I looked at its beautiful feathers, thinking “Its body kind of looks like a chicken, but it also looks like a hawk. Maybe it’s a Chicken Hawk,” I half joked to myself.

After awhile I decided to move on. I thought my initial movements would have the bird walking off, but its rear feathers ruffled up a bit. I backed off a little and waited. I tried again; same result.

Then it attacked, its beak hitting my front tire. I backed off and it charged! Twice, I quickly turned my front wheel to use my spokes as a barrier when it lunged. It ended up off to the right a bit. I took the opportunity to walk forward down the trail. The bird followed. I was about 20 feet ahead when it took to flight! As it zoomed right at me, I quickly turned my bike and ducked behind. I felt it touch my helmet before it went behind a log and under a few small branches.

I glanced back as I biked off. It let me go; I was in the clear.

After a little research at home, I could see that it looked somewhat like certain kinds of Chicken Hawks. However, because of its head shape, the black band near the end of its tail, and how it walked on ground a lot, I think that I encountered a feisty Ruffed Grouse.