Stephanie
Your caterpillar is a Buck moth.
Glad you handled it carefully, because they are known for the spines to deliver a painful sting. But that is if mishandled or squeezed.
These are found in eastern North America in wooded areas. The caterpillars feed on oak especially Scrub oak. The later stages or instars are known to wander.
Here are photos of other larval stages and the moth - http://bugguide.net/node/view/471/bgimage
