Like any healthy forest, we share the land with any number of species of wildlife. Over the years we've tracked, spotted, heard [and, yes, hunted] a wide variety of creatures including brown bear, black bear, bobcat, wolf, deer, raccoon, squirrels [including flying], bats, voles, mice, golden & bald eagle, wild turkey, hawk, grouse, quail, turtles, crawfish, black racers, garters and tree frogs.

The prize? We've found prints, scat, scratches and hair consistent with a large cat -- a really, really large cat -- in the upper reaches.

Again, in the interest of full disclosure, we also have to mention the varmint factor. There are some coyote running around [although they seem scarce these days... that cat?] and rattlesnakes [although we believe we've taken care of the breeding pair near the dome].

All in all, the woods are never completely quiet... and you tend to keep your eyes open on a hike, because you never know exactly what you're going to run into.