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Well, up in Northern New Jersey, we just had our first unannounced visit of the year, from a very large black bear and her cub out in our backyard yesterday. Scares me that my kids may be outside playing during a visit. Anyway, looking in Clayton, and hopefully moving in the near future, what may I expect to see traveling through my neighborhood or backyard? What kind of wild visitors do North Carolina residents have near their homes?
Well, I live in N Raleigh not Clayton but I can tell you that we have seen deer, rabbits, hawks, copperheads (2), black snakes, mice and red fox in our yard. No bears though Our friends in Lewisburg had a bear on their property for several days so they are around.
I'm not in Clayton, but in North Raleigh I see deer, opossum, raccoons (at night), plus the normal critters: birds, squirrels, chipmunks, frogs, bats and so on. No bear, though .
I live in Apex, and so far the largest critter I've seen in my yard is a rabbit. He's been living in there since last year - and I think he has a death wish since I have three large dogs!
I try to keep an eye out for him when I let my dogs out - give him a good head start to get under the juniper before the dogs see him.
Well, up in Northern New Jersey, we just had our first unannounced visit of the year, from a very large black bear and her cub out in our backyard yesterday. Scares me that my kids may be outside playing during a visit. Anyway, looking in Clayton, and hopefully moving in the near future, what may I expect to see traveling through my neighborhood or backyard? What kind of wild visitors do North Carolina residents have near their homes?
When I was a teenager living in the Poconos, I heard a noise on the front steps of my house. So I went and opened up the door, and there was a blackbear standing in front of me face to face. Our faces were about 2 feet apart, and was separated by only a screen. We stared at each other for about 20 seconds (he was apparently as shocked as I was), and then the bear slowly turned around and walked away.
It was a surreal experience staring into the eyes of a black bear.
There's bears in north carolina too, and more than you'd expect in the forests near the coast (croatan). They will occasionally move inland.
Also coyotes, fox and bobcat in the area. Numerous but rarely seen.
However, I'd worry more about your kids getting into the fire ant piles that seem to have begun popping up rather than a large mammal other than your neighbors dogs.
There's bears in north carolina too, and more than you'd expect in the forests near the coast (croatan). They will occasionally move inland.
Also coyotes, fox and bobcat in the area. Numerous but rarely seen.
However, I'd worry more about your kids getting into the fire ant piles that seem to have begun popping up rather than a large mammal other than your neighbors dogs.
What are fire ants?
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Anyway, looking in Clayton, and hopefully moving in the near future, what may I expect to see traveling through my neighborhood or backyard? What kind of wild visitors do North Carolina residents have near their homes? 
Our friends in Lewisburg had a bear on their property for several days so they are around.
What is the Clayton gator? Does he have 4 legs???
