Wildlife at the Fort

[Wade 13]

I was thinking about doing a podcast about the wildlife at Fort Wilderness? Where (and when) are some of the best places to spot wildlife that you have noticed? 

[Travisma 1,317]

You can usually find deer, Turkey and gators around the main canal behind 1500. Lots of deer at dusk along the path between the fort and the lodge.

[WrigleysWagon 32]

We have seen deer & turkey several times behind the meadow trading post. Close to the tennis courts. 

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Also along the path leading to the lodge.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

You could check out the bat house for any activity, I haven't checked in awhile not sure if TCD or anyone else has or not. We used to see the turkeys a lot in the 500 loop but I think they just wander. 

[Andrew Roberts 17]

I saw a Bird flying around the pool today if that helps

[keith_h 420]

We would frequently see turkeys and various wading birds along the canal between the 1300 loop and Meadows sports field in the morning around sunrise. Wandering around the loop late at night we have come across armadillos several times.

[Andrew Roberts 17]

Take a flashlight to the canals at night and look for the red eyes I always can find a few

[Wade 13]

9 hours ago, Cortezcapt (Derek) said:

You could check out the bat house for any activity, I haven't checked in awhile not sure if TCD or anyone else has or not. We used to see the turkeys a lot in the 500 loop but I think they just wander. 

Bat house? Where is that located?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

2 hours ago, Wade said:

Bat house? Where is that located?

This link is a good place to start. 

TCD

[Wade 13]

2 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

This link is a good place to start. 

TCD

Haha.... Good stuff. 

[Andrew Roberts 17]

I have seen bats lately at the fort near the bus stop lights   not sure where they live but could be from the bat house

[BigTom 76]

There are several small bat houses around the Fort, one I noticed for sure is in 2100 loop behind the last site next to canal. Have noticed other, but can't remember just where. There is not much danger from them if you don't handle them and they consume a lot of bugs every night. I have started to install them around my property. It might take 3-5 years before the bats move in, but when they do the bugs will decrease.

[Beckers 1,136]

I wanted to get a bat house for here but once I started reading about how picky they are I said forget it. I’d love to decrease the bugs here. 

[ftwildernessguy 778]

I have a dog who loves to go for walks at 4 am.  Vacation makes no difference to him.  On our trip in October, on one walk around the 500 loop, we saw armadillo, turkeys, raccoons.  I usually seen 10 or more deer at a time on the trail to the lodge when I take my early morning bike ride.  Sometimes they are a hazard, since they are not really afraid of humans, they will stand on the trail itself and I have to weave my bike in and out of the group.  I have also seen bald eagles out by Bay Lake.  I have heard owls many times, but they are somewhat elusive and I have only seen them a couple times, but if you are patient and follow the hoots, you can find them high in the trees.

A couple of years ago I was on a morning walk with my dog.  He is a 75 lb golden doodle.  A golf cart came by with a mom, dad and young boy about 3.  The parents must have told the kid they were going to see wildlife, because as soon as he saw my dog, he pointed at him and said "look, Dad, wildlife!"

[Travisma 1,317]

2 hours ago, ftwildernessguy said:

I have a dog who loves to go for walks at 4 am.  Vacation makes no difference to him.  On our trip in October, on one walk around the 500 loop, we saw armadillo, turkeys, raccoons.  I usually seen 10 or more deer at a time on the trail to the lodge when I take my early morning bike ride.  Sometimes they are a hazard, since they are not really afraid of humans, they will stand on the trail itself and I have to weave my bike in and out of the group.  I have also seen bald eagles out by Bay Lake.  I have heard owls many times, but they are somewhat elusive and I have only seen them a couple times, but if you are patient and follow the hoots, you can find them high in the trees.

A couple of years ago I was on a morning walk with my dog.  He is a 75 lb golden doodle.  A golf cart came by with a mom, dad and young boy about 3.  The parents must have told the kid they were going to see wildlife, because as soon as he saw my dog, he pointed at him and said "look, Dad, wildlife!"

Are you sure he wasn't pointing at you after a long night of festivities in the 3000 loop?

[DaveInTN 3,247]

2 hours ago, ftwildernessguy said:

A couple of years ago I was on a morning walk with my dog.  He is a 75 lb golden doodle.  A golf cart came by with a mom, dad and young boy about 3.  The parents must have told the kid they were going to see wildlife, because as soon as he saw my dog, he pointed at him and said "look, Dad, wildlife!"

I had the exact same thought as Mark....are you sure the kid wasn't pointing at you? 

You made that too easy Jim.  

[ftwildernessguy 778]

Now that you mention it, I was just wearing my Mickey loincloth.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

1 minute ago, ftwildernessguy said:

Now that you mention it, I was just wearing my Mickey loincloth.

Where is the Picard facepalm smiley when you need it :)

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

The turkeys wander everywhere. I miss the peacocks I've got a picture of several at the Fort many years ago. They were beautiful.

I rode my scooter on the path between WL and FW one time about dusk. The deer were everywhere!! One actually jumped right out in front of me. Thought I was going to hit it.

[keith_h 420]

6 hours ago, mouseketab.....Carol said:

Where is the Picard facepalm smiley when you need it :)

I know. that was one image I could have done without.

[Wade 13]

14 hours ago, ftwildernessguy said:

I have a dog who loves to go for walks at 4 am.  Vacation makes no difference to him.  On our trip in October, on one walk around the 500 loop, we saw armadillo, turkeys, raccoons.  I usually seen 10 or more deer at a time on the trail to the lodge when I take my early morning bike ride.  Sometimes they are a hazard, since they are not really afraid of humans, they will stand on the trail itself and I have to weave my bike in and out of the group.  I have also seen bald eagles out by Bay Lake.  I have heard owls many times, but they are somewhat elusive and I have only seen them a couple times, but if you are patient and follow the hoots, you can find them high in the trees.

A couple of years ago I was on a morning walk with my dog.  He is a 75 lb golden doodle.  A golf cart came by with a mom, dad and young boy about 3.  The parents must have told the kid they were going to see wildlife, because as soon as he saw my dog, he pointed at him and said "look, Dad, wildlife!"

Yeah I'm usually doing the 4 am walk with the dogs myself when we camp. Although we don't bring them to the Fort because we spend so much time in the parks. I still get up and run and that's when I see the most wildlife. One time I went running on the trails before daylight and as soon as I heard a deer crashing through the woods I turned around. Not sure who was more spooked me or him.

[Wade 13]

11 hours ago, mouseketab.....Carol said:

The turkeys wander everywhere. I miss the peacocks I've got a picture of several at the Fort many years ago. They were beautiful.

I rode my scooter on the path between WL and FW one time about dusk. The deer were everywhere!! One actually jumped right out in front of me. Thought I was going to hit it.

What exactly happened to the peacocks? I heard on another podcast they were an annoyance to the campers and were relocated not sure if that's accurate though.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

23 minutes ago, Wade said:

What exactly happened to the peacocks? I heard on another podcast they were an annoyance to the campers and were relocated not sure if that's accurate though.

That's basically true. They were loud and aggresive, which is what the squirrels are becoming now, but they are a lot harder to relocate.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

The squirrels also steal bananas (probably any food you might have around) right out of your bag sitting on your RV steps. 

 

I'm not sure about the peacocks at the Fort but we used or still might have some at the flea market here, they were pretty but would chase you down and we're very aggressive. There's a neighborhood out on longboat key that started with 2 in the 50s and in 2016 had 50+ out wild and breeding. They started to trap them a few years ago and try to relocate them because they were becoming such a nuisance.