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OT: Rarest Animal You've Seen in the Wild in PA?

Bald 🦅 by north park red 🦊, pilleated woodpeckers, coyotes all in woods behind house and had to trap 8 flying squirrels out of my attic.
 
I grew up in DuBois Clearfield county and spent about half my second decade in the woods there and surrounding counties, still get there a lot. I never saw a rattler until this past summer I saw 3 in one day near Emporium (Cameron County I think). 2 were sunning on the side of a dirt forest road near a stream where a lot of timbering was going on on top of the mountain. There was a bad drought at the time and they came down for water. Then later that day driving home through a rainstorm a real big rattler was crossing the paved road and the car in front of me and I drove right over it without hitting it and I believe the car behind me also missed it.

Every summer there's a rattlesnake roundup in Sinnemahoning (Cameron County) and people catch snakes and bring them in to be measured. Then they're released back where they were caught.
There is a bigger snake hunt up in Cross Fork, Potter county. Went up there 30 some years ago. There were 86 people living there and over 3,000 people in town for the festivities.
 
yeah but when you know nothing about it, driving through podunk PA and all of a sudden you see that. like, "whoaaa," what in the world is THAT. fun little history story if anyone doesn't know, look it up. this was probably 15-ish years ago but we played golf there. it was like $10 or something ridiculous...in the summer.

i know they redid it. are they actually making $$?
Used to play the Springs often in the 90s. You could play for 10 dollars after 4PM. Omni undertook a complete multimillion dollar renovation of the hotel and golf course around 15to 20 years ago. Now it costs around a hundred and a half to play the course and over 200 bucks a night for a room. The course is absolutely gorgeous and once in a while you can play it on a deal for 60 or 70 bucks.
 
A long time ago, I played golf at the Country Club of Emporium. Signs everywhere warning you to beware the rattlers. Late 70's
Played Emporium many times. Never saw a sign. Probably too drunk.
 
Wild Turkey count...
I’ve seen many Turkey and deer. Saw bear and a peacock. Once going up a side road next to Hicks Run in Elk County I saw a huge bird gliding down above the creek. Looked like a condor but was probably a Heron or something. Actually saw a blue heron on the golf course in Bedford County this summer. Also many Elk over the years. Once about 15 years ago a big ole mama bear came strolling between my house and the neighbors, crossed the road and sauntered up a road and into the woods. That was a bit shocking.
 
Used to play the Springs often in the 90s. You could play for 10 dollars after 4PM. Omni undertook a complete multimillion dollar renovation of the hotel and golf course around 15to 20 years ago. Now it costs around a hundred and a half to play the course and over 200 bucks a night for a room. The course is absolutely gorgeous and once in a while you can play it on a deal for 60 or 70 bucks.

paying $200/night in bedford seems pretty wild to me. i have no clue who they get to pay it. good on 'em, though.
 
paying $200/night in bedford seems pretty wild to me. i have no clue who they get to pay it. good on 'em, though.
its actually more than 200.00 and like I've said they get people from all over the eastern half of the United States to travel there
 
paying $200/night in bedford seems pretty wild to me. i have no clue who they get to pay it. good on 'em, though.
When they first reopened they were selling out rooms at upwards of 250 bucks. I was astonished but it is a very exclusive place. They did an incredible job and that Hotel has a really great history.
 
When they first reopened they were selling out rooms at upwards of 250 bucks. I was astonished but it is a very exclusive place. They did an incredible job and that Hotel has a really great history.
Being from Bedford and practically growing up at that place (family farm is about 10 miles south) I have seen that place at its best and its worst. Used to do cannonballs off the balcony in the indoor pool. One of my classmates dad was the general manager many many moons ago
 
Being from Bedford and practically growing up at that place (family farm is about 10 miles south) I have seen that place at its best and its worst. Used to do cannonballs off the balcony in the indoor pool. One of my classmates dad was the general manager many many moons ago
I remember playing the old course when they were just talking about reopening it. I looked at that immense broken down hotel and remember saying "no effing way". Then it actually happened.
 
I remember playing the old course when they were just talking about reopening it. I looked at that immense broken down hotel and remember saying "no effing way". Then it actually happened.
If you go over to play golf DM, my dad is a starter there and might be able to pull a few strings for you
 
its actually more than 200.00 and like I've said they get people from all over the eastern half of the United States to travel there
Rooms aren't great, but the restaurant is terrific.
 

Not PA, but my town hit CNN with this one. As recent as 1997, the NZ sea lions were extinct from mainland NZ.

This one liked the public pool.


Now the yellow eye penguin population is getting decimated by something. I love those penguins.
 
One of the coolest things I got to do in NC was assist Sea Turtle hatchings on their trip from the nest to the ocean after they hatched.

I was on vacation at Ocean Isle, and we befriended a couple who were residents, and volunteers to help with overseeing the turtle nests.

The evening that the turtles hatched, they weren't able to get enough of the trained volunteers to the site on time, so we were asked to help.

The job was to hold a special lantern in front of the turtles and escort them to the water. They can easily get off course when they see lights from houses, and head away from the ocean.

The hard part is that the entire nest comes to life at about the same time, and only a few at a time will follow one light to the ocean. So, without touching them, it can be a challenge to get them all going in the right direction.

Most seem to go on instinct, but the few who don't made me think of "herding cats".
 
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