Wildlife Seen on the Golf Course.

[Johneli]

I know some of you live in exotic places. Semi tropical, tropical, S. African Plains, and many other locals.

What is the most exoctic/scary/interesting/unusual wildlife you've seen while playing golf?

For me, it's alligators, snakes and lizards. As I recounted not too long ago I was scared senseless when, what I thought was half a tire laying in a canal turned out to be an eight foot gator! Other times I've nearly stepped on water mocassins. Golf in Florida can start to look like an issue of National Geographic.

[Diane]

We have deer, coyote (believe it or not) and wild turkeys.

[Shelby]

Coyotes and foxes are at a lot of the courses here. One course in Denver is loaded with foxes. I've seen them playing in the sand traps and they don't even move when you walk by.

[Fourputt]

Deer, elk, prairie dogs (not a good thing), Canada geese (also not great), coyotes (eat prairie dogs and geese... good thing ). Plus tons of smaller critters, mice, voles, gophers, squirrels, birds...

We also have white pelicans, great blue herons, night herons, cormorants, all kinds of ducks... lots of water birds that couldn't live in this climate if it weren't for the mini-ecosystems created by the golf courses. Environmentalists who rant about the "destructiveness" of golf courses are woefully ignorant.

[tour_insider]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Environmentalists who rant about the "destructiveness" of golf courses are woefully ignorant.

Seriously! Where else do you know that when someone damages a patch of grass, he fixes it?

[Diane]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Environmentalists who rant about the "destructiveness" of golf courses are woefully ignorant.

4-Putt Why do you do this? Pesticides and insecticides are what they're ranting about.

[Johneli]

Originally Posted by Diane

We have deer, coyote (believe it or not) and wild turkeys.

Coyote in Ct? Whoda thunk it?

[Darth Fader]

We have deer,geese,fox's,kestrels,badgers,rabbits,hares,ph easant and moles (wee pains in the ****)

[Pistol]

Since out course has a large lake and is surrounded by a vast forrest we have an abundance of wildlife. Off the top of my head we have: geese (yuck), seagulls (double yuck), blue herons, white herons, anhinga, black birds, squires, turkeys, coyotes, fox, deer, red tail hawks, and in the winter we have some bald eagles that feed in the lake. We also have two cats that have taken up residence in the cart barn. They are quite a pair and have been welcomed by everyone at the course.


At another course I played (the Air Force Academy) at Colorodo Springs the deer and turkeys were so domesticated we had to shoo them off the tee boxes.

[GolfSavage]

Originally Posted by Johneli

Coyote in Ct? Whoda thunk it?

Coyotes are very adaptive and prolific, and have made their way into every state except Hawaii. Too far to swim, I reckon! When they were hunted heavily in the southwest, they started producing larger litters and packs would move north and east.

Besides coyotes, on Florida courses I've encountered red fox, bald eagles, ospreys, sandhill whoopers, alligators, iguanas, parrots, whitetail deer, wild turkeys, bobwhite quail, feral hogs, squirrels (gray, fox, and cat), geese, ducks, numerous species of wading birds, snakes, armadillos, possums and raccoons.

When living in South Africa, we saw baboons, wart hogs, elephants, giraffes, impala, kudu, crocodiles, hippos, vervet monkeys (little ball thieves!), leopards, sable antelope, waterbucks, and too many bird species to remember.

[Johneli]

Originally Posted by GolfSavage

Besides coyotes, on Florida courses I've encountered red fox, bald eagles, ospreys, sandhill whoopers, alligators, iguanas, parrots, whitetail deer, wild turkeys, bobwhite quail, feral hogs, squirrels (gray, fox, and cat), geese, ducks, numerous species of wading birds, snakes, armadillos, possums and raccoons.
.

I've seen most of those in my backyard except for wild hogs which are a little futher west.

[GolfSavage]

Originally Posted by Johneli

I've seen most of those in my backyard except for wild hogs which are a little futher west.

The hogs have gotten pretty bad south of here in Charlotte county and down around Naples. They've been rooting up yards and courses, and there are several trappers who keep busy trying to catch them and keep them out of the developments.

[mr_bogey]

Originally Posted by Pistol

Since out course has a large lake and is surrounded by a vast forrest we have an abundance of wildlife. Off the top of my head we have: geese (yuck), seagulls (double yuck), blue herons, white herons, anhinga, black birds, squires, turkeys, coyotes, fox, deer, red tail hawks, and in the winter we have some bald eagles that feed in the lake. We also have two cats that have taken up residence in the cart barn. They are quite a pair and have been welcomed by everyone at the course.


At another course I played (the Air Force Academy) at Colorodo Springs the deer and turkeys were so domesticated we had to shoo them off the tee boxes.

I can add to Pistol's list...

I have seen armadillos, raccoons, opossums, beavers, muskrats, huge snapping turtles, rattlesnakes, copperheads, moccasins, spreading adders (not sure what you really call them but they flatten their neck like a cobra and hiss something awful if you get too close - nonpoisonous tho'), kingfishers. A few weeks back we saw a solid black fox squirrel - it was really beautiful and I have tried to observe him again, but it is looking like it was a one-time sighting.

[essurfer]

I see a lot iof eagles and deer. Seen a few foxes too

[pgonza2723]

Coyote, deer, duck, snakes, armadillos among others....

[RoyalWulff]

I can add elk to the list while playing in Breckenridge here in Colorado. I also saw some bear sign but no bears yet.

[Paka]

A number of alligators on courses down here. Sandhill cranes, ducks, rabbits, turtles and such are also pretty common. Think I saw a peacock once. A hawk at my home course in Temple Terrace that loved to chase balls. Coyote at the Furnace Creek course in Death Valley. Deer at various courses.

[J.D.]

Originally Posted by Darth Fader

We have deer,geese,fox's,kestrels,badgers,rabbits,hares,ph easant and moles (wee pains in the ****)

whats a kestrel?

ETA: Never mind, I googled...

[ringin]

My course has lots of coyote, redtail hawks and last year there was a 6+ foot snake in the middle of a fairway. I was playing by myself and boy did it startle me. I took an PW and gently eased him over into the brush. Pretty sure it was a gopher snake of some variety. We also have lots of mallard ducks that enjoy the ponds & lakes, plus mud hens (I hate those gross birds) and turtles. My course is a wildlife refuge on any given day.

[C-Tech]

We have most all the above mentions fauna except for the iguanas and gopher snakes. The ducks and geese breed and raise young on our courses. The hawks keep the population down. At my old course, we had bald eagles and they were always awe inspiring.

[JungleJ]

Hampton Court Palace GC has royal deer roaming freely around the course (its on a royal estate). They are totally uninterested in golf and fortunately tend to stay off the fairways, although if your ball lands on their crossing paths you get some interesting lies.

Chipstead GC, has, unbelievably for the UK, parakeets living in the trees along the 4th hole.

[jwaldrop]

We have the coyotes (saw a big one on the course the other day), alligators, skunks, bobcats (watched one catch a rabbit on #7 a few years ago), possums, raccoons, snakes, etc.

I came face to face with an 8 foot crocodile on a course near Cancun last year. That was an adrenalin rush!