not very strange but..
while deer hunting in a WMA about 20 years ago...
I was walking along the edge of a swamp....turned around
and there was a Florida panther about 30 yards behind me walking the other way!
found a racoon sitting in my treestand...and would not leave....till i started up the ladder
He took off up the tree...and was stuck up there 10 feet away there till dark...
A few times while stalking in the swamp, I'd look down and find a water mocasin sitting right next to my boot....
all curled up with the mouth wide open...ready to strike...luckily most did not...except one...I was a little faster...
hes a lot shorter...
while turkey hunting...I walk right up to a gators nest full of baby gators....with no sign of momma....
Some of logging roads get washed out during storms....and its a good idea to walk them before
going through with the truck.....got about half way though the washout....and heard a splash in the canal...
Dang 6' gator swum right up to me....he took off when i stepped towards him...
Almost had my hat taken off buy a red shouldered hawk while calling for turkeys....
he was just a couple feet away...when he found out i was not a hen...
another time while turkey hunting a bald eagle swooped down to try and snag my decoy....
had to scare him off....
While fishing one late afternoon a soakin wet bald eagle landed on shore....just could not fly anymore...
kept me company for the rest of the day...