The most incredible bout of animals was hiking one time back in Colorado where I saw a whole family of wild turkeys at the bottom of a gulch, 5 black bears half way up and a majestic 7 point bull elk at the top.

The thing that was odd is that all three were within 30 minutes and they seemed to not even know I was there. Think something was seriously in my favor that day.

The freakiest wild animal encounter happened to a buddy of mine a few months later in the same area where he was sitting watching the landscape and looked over to see a Bobcat staring right at him ready to pounce.

I think I can say I have seen most animals in North America except for the elusive mountain lion and the majestic wolf. Had a badger stand up on it's back two legs and hiss and then try to attack me and the horse I was on! Ballsy little bastard!

I was on the AT near the Fontana Dam in Tennessee one night and ran across a herd of rednecks in full rutt. Anybody watch deliverance??

"Anybody watch deliverance??" I did and it has some climbing moments when Jon Voight climbs the cliff in order to rid his party of the degenerate foe.

Wolverine spotted 90 miles north of Detroit:
Wolverine not enrolled at the U of Michigan.

Coyote hunters spotted a wolverine near Ubly, about 90 miles north of Detroit. Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Arnie Karr saw the forest predator Tuesday and snapped pictures of the animal as it ran out of the woods and across a field.

Back in NY-- whitetail deer, way too many porcupines, mink, black bear, bobcats

Here in Colorado-- mule deer, elk, brown bear, coyotes, red foxes, bald ealges, red tail hawks, all manner of squirrel-sized critters, marmots, pikas,

but the coolest ever was on Assateague Island, Maryland, where a herd of wild horses roam freely on the beach, and through the campsites.

About 5 years ago I was doing a 10-mile loop day hike by myself just outside of Banff where I came across a Grizzly Bear at close range (30 yards or so) about 7 miles into the loop. The trail traversed a steep slope and he (or she) was standing just above it, presumably eating berries or foraging (this was early September.)

The bear took notice of me and just kind of stood there staring while I waved my arms and chatted with him. I thought I would back around the corner out of view to see if he would move along. After waiting a few minutes out of sight, I continued forward again only to discover he had moved onto the trail and didn't seem anxious to let me by. So, I reversed course, walked calmly out of his sight, then hauled serious ass over the 7 miles I had just hiked back to the car.

I saw a yuppie once... tried to hit the bastard with a rock, but missed it.

A herd of Sierra bighorn near Taboose Pass, a golden eagle that was the size of a german shepard with wings on Devils Crag and a huge white rabbit near the summit of Mt Perkins in winter (no drugs, honest!).

On 17 October I saw a <a href=//www.herp.it/indexjs.htm?SpeciesPages/ViperLatas.htm>Lataste's Viper</a> <i>(Vipera latasti</i>) while ascending Zapatero, Avila, Spain. I had not seen one since many years ago, they are venemous but not mortal in adults. I heard its snort, it crossed in 3 meters in front of me and hid below a rock

After 18 years of exploring the Sierra, this summer I saw a black footed ferret in the Hoover Wilderness Area. This is the most endangered mammal in North America. It was a very unexpected surprise.

I also saw a leprechaun once, but it was after eating some wild mushrooms.

The most impressive encounter I had in the mountains were two capricorns fighting with each other on the Saentis massiv Lifting their frontfeet from the ground and crashing their honrns against each other again and again. They were so involved into it, that they didn't realize me come close to 20 metres towards them.
The most impressive encounter overall I had with animals were wild dolphins swimming around me off the coast in Kaikoura, New Zealand.

To add somewhat to the list - bobcats prowling the preserves in the hills above the SF Peninsula. California newts -

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/narcam/idguide/ttorosa.htm

lots of them running around during the wet season near the coast. Tarantulas scooting around during the fall -

http://www.mdia.org/tarantula.htm

Scorpions in the Ventana Wilderness and Death Valley (unlikely to be a serious danger for a healthy adult, but probably could administer a nice sting).

Banana slugs, in redwood forests near the coast -

http://www.naturepark.com/bslug.htm

(For some amusement, look up the meaning of the banana slug's scientific name in latin and google 'apophallation')

Banana slugs - those are cool looking creatures. I bet they'd be delicious if you dipped them in chocolate (if you were hungry enough).

I saw my first moose and my first whale...all in one trip to the Cape Breton Highlands....My first bear was this summer in VA...

I saw my first bear this year, too! It was galloping full speed across Tuolumne Meadows at about 3:00 in the afternoon. Very impressive!

The weirdest animal I ever saw was a javelina. I was driving in New Mexico at night and first an elk jumped out at me, then a few miles down the road a javelina scuttled across. I didn't even know what it was! The locals filled me in. I thought I was entering Area 51 or something....

okay, I totally had to google javelina....but how adoreable is it!?! too cute...