#102410 - 02/05/12 02:41 AM
Most stressfull animal encounters?
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wapitirod
Distinguished Master
Registered: 01/19/05
Posts: 5669
Loc: Tillamook, Oregon
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I was replying to another post when I remembered an incident from 06 that I wrote a big post on back then so I thought it would be interesting to see what your most stressfull moments were. I've had two that are tied for making the hair on the back of my neck stand up even today because I was as close to death as I ever care to be again until my time is up.
First one didn't involve a handgun but it was my first year hunting, we had just moved from the city in CA to Oregon and I was about 14. I had gone deer (blacktail) hunting with my uncles and they put me on a stand which was a bench overlooking a meadow and an oak grove. I was packing what else but a Model 94 Winchester and hadn't at that point spent much time in the woods alone on stands. I sat down and immediately started hearing thrashing in the oak grove and I noticed a strong musty odor and it immediately registered that my uncles had told me you could smell a bear before you saw it. Well sure enough out comes a bear walking and I got buck or bear fever bad since this was my first shot at a big game animal. I shot and couldn't tell if I hit or not but he was hauling the mail so I threw out a follow shot that was a clean miss. I turned my back and started yelling for my uncles when I heard a growling and popping noise behind me. It was momma, I apparently had shot at the previous years cub which hadn't been kicked loose yet and she was mad. We were about three or four feet apart and she was every bit as tall as me on her back legs and with her paws in the air I about lost it. I was so petrified I pulled the trigger on the gun which was pointed at the ground. I didn't get the bear but fortunately the shot spooked her although since she didn't attack when she had the chance I think it was a bluff but at the time I was as scared as I'd ever been.
The second one was also kind of humorous. I was driving by a farm and saw what I thought was a coyote but it seemed out of place laying in the middle of the pasture so I stopped and glassed it. I couldn't believe it when I realized it was mature cat. I immediately went and received permission from the landowner to shoot it. The only problem is I guess the range at 200yds and all I had was my 6" iron sighted 475 and with it being in the middle of a hay field in the spring there was no cover. I told the guy I was going to try and get as close as I could and see what I could do with the revolver but he offered me the use of one of his rifles. When it comes to cats I'll use the best weapon I can get my hands on so I agreed but I'd probably been better off making a hale mary shot with the 475. The gun was an old Remington 760 in 06 which was fine excepet the ammo was green and the magazine so rusted I had to beat it into the gun. I had serious doubts but the round chambered. I took a sitting rest on the barbwire fence and t post. The scope was a 50 yr old bushnell I believe and it was one of those you have to look through just right or you can't see a thing. I finally got the cat in my sights and shot. I saw dirt fly behind the cat but couldn't tell if I shot through or over the cat which was still laying down. It ran toward the river which has a steep deep embankment covered in blackberries and alders. I decided to parralel the bank looking for sign going in to the black berries. As I passed one trail in particular the hair on my neck stood up and I immediately saw movement to my left and behind me. I swung the 475 across my body and fired but I shot wide since I didn't have time to turn and face the cat which had planned on landing on my back. The cat dissapeared and being only 3 feet from the muzzle I'm sure it was deaf for a while.
So what kind of run ins have you guys had?
_________________________
I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.- John Wayne http://www.dixiefirearms.net
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#102414 - 02/05/12 03:13 AM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: wapitirod]
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s4s4u
Distinguished Expert
Registered: 01/18/04
Posts: 4378
Loc: Northern MN
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No cats here, yet. Have had many encounters with big gov't dogs tho. Once had a blondie camped out within 10 yards of a treestand that I walked within 5 yards of on my way to the tree prior to dawn. It layed in the grass the whole time I sat in the tree, and I never saw a hair of it. I doubt I ever would have known it was there but I had an urge that could not be ignored and while looking for a spot to expend the previous nights dinner I saw the grasses part and dang near s!*t my drawers. A few seconds later it sat on a ditch dump and gave me a look like....it was my lucky day....and leapt off, the biggest Timber I have ever seen.
Have had many other encounters, but not quite like that one. That dog had me if it had wanted me.
_________________________
Rod, too.
Short cuts often lead to long recoveries.
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#102417 - 02/05/12 06:29 AM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: wapitirod]
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Dan B.
Shooting Master
Registered: 01/18/04
Posts: 3869
Loc: SWPA
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So what kind of run ins have you guys had?
My wife.....4AM......first deer sesason we were married.....getting ready to go hunting and turned on a light in the bedroom while she was sound asleep. The light woke her.....she's not a morning person......it was not a pretty sight. Still wet myself a little each time I think of that terrifying day.
_________________________
Exodus 20:5-11
Matthew 5:18
Revelation 22:14
ISPBS--Expert Level
Please don't use e-mail, contact me w/ PM.
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#102448 - 02/05/12 01:45 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: Dan B.]
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rlb
enthusiast
Registered: 02/22/09
Posts: 374
Loc: Challis,Idaho
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Oh those cats don't want to hurt you, they just want to part your hair for you.
I was within easy reach of a lion that was in a tree once. The good thing was that there was also a dog in the tree with him. Made for some great pictures though.
Had a coyote come in really close once. 6 steps to where he fell.
Nothing stressful yet though.
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#102451 - 02/05/12 04:00 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: Dan B.]
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cottonstalk
old hand
Registered: 04/16/08
Posts: 1051
Loc: North Carolina
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So what kind of run ins have you guys had? My wife.....4AM......first deer sesason we were married.....getting ready to go hunting and turned on a light in the bedroom while she was sound asleep. The light woke her.....she's not a morning person......it was not a pretty sight. Still wet myself a little each time I think of that terrifying day.
Not that's some funny stuff right there,I almost hurt myself.
_________________________
"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live"
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#102452 - 02/05/12 04:07 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: cottonstalk]
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cottonstalk
old hand
Registered: 04/16/08
Posts: 1051
Loc: North Carolina
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Had a few run ins with blackies over the years,and found for me it's not the stressful encounters but afterwards that usually bothers me.It usually causes a sick pukee feeling.We got cats even though wildlife refuses to acknowledge it but not in enough numbers they cause problems yet.Rod you know that cat just wanted to play!Maybe even use you for a scratching post.
_________________________
"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live"
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#102458 - 02/05/12 04:37 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: cottonstalk]
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SBHunter81
member
Registered: 12/26/11
Posts: 162
Loc: Pa
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Man you guys are gonna make me think twice while walking into stand in the pitch dark!
Mine was about 7 years ago. I was walking into a stand in southcentral PA where I had spotted a really nice buck a few days earlier. I try to make as little commotion as possible so I wear a headlamp and pretty much keep it pointed right at the ground in front of me. I heard something and looked to the left only to see a set of eyes about 40 yards from me. Within seconds the telltale challenge bark gave it away as a coyote.
It was my first encounter with a song dog...I had only a bow and a shot was out of the question in the thick brush. I figured I would continue on my way to the stand thinking the yote would move on. Instead he followed me paralleling me the entire way to my tree stand, barking the entire time. As I began to set up my stand he went silent...having my back to that direction just left an awful, eerie feeling. I quickly got in and climbed up. Once I sat down the yote continued to bark until first light, exiting just before I had an opportunity to shoot.
_________________________
The God who gave us such a beautiful land, wonderful game, and the sport of hunting is worth knowing.
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#102461 - 02/05/12 04:52 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: cottonstalk]
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wyote
enthusiast
Registered: 03/09/05
Posts: 338
Loc: NW Wyoming
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I had a couple of run in's with grizzlys.
I was sitting on a bear bait when a grizzly came in. I was up and tree and decided I'd to try to run him off before he got to the bait. I was carrying a 15 inch encore in 30-06. I shot in the air and hollered at him. That bear bristled up and started looking for me. He looked like a bristled up cat when a dog was coming at him. That really nerved me up. I shot and hollered again, and he still was looking for me. He finally wandered up into the timber behind the bait. It was about 45 min before dark so I decided to call it a day. As I was getting out of the tree I could see him moving around in the timber. I hollered at him several times and started for the truck hollering at the bear telling how bad a guy I was and that I'd blow him away if he came after me. The truck was a bit over a quarter of a mile, what spooky walk. That is the only grizzly I've seen that I believe would have taken me if I was on the ground with him.
Another grizzly on a bait that scared me was my son and I we on the ground watching a bait. All the sudden I look of the the left and there's a BIG grizzly walking to the bait. He was only about 75 yards away and angling toward the bait. When he was about 50 yards I said "grizzly lefts get out of here". My son bailed off over the bank we were up on and I walked a few steps to pick up on contender. The bear caught my movement and stared at me. I had my Ruger 44 in my hand and hollered at him to let him know what I was. He just stood there, so I shot in the air. He never moved so I shot again. He finally just walked to the bait like he didn't have a care in the world. Then I baled off over the edge. My son was scared (he was about 15) He said he heard my yell and then shoot. He didn't know whether to come back up bank to help or just head for the truck. The scary part about that one was if he would have come up the bank right behind up he would have been about 5 yards from us.........scary thought
I'm going to my son for the game but I tell about a moose run in when I get back
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#102469 - 02/05/12 05:51 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: wyote]
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wheeler45
enthusiast
Registered: 06/30/08
Posts: 250
Loc: Indiana
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In 1976 I was 18 and deer hunting in Michigan with some relatives. One morning I became sleepy and fell asleep sitting at the base of a tree. Something awakened me. A doe was nosing my cheek. I do not know which of us jumped the highest.
_________________________
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil. 4:13
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#102474 - 02/05/12 08:30 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: wheeler45]
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dogsbreath
newbie
Registered: 07/11/10
Posts: 48
Loc: N. Ga.
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I pulled into the chicken house area that I park to hunt the guys hill above said houses. This land back up right against the national forest of Amiclola falls. That is the feeder trail to the southern start of the Appliachin trail. Anyway, My friend has a nice little farm with some donkey, sheep, llama and a few horses. I pull in and a 'dog' barks on the far side of the vally. On my side 5-6 yotes reply. I then walked into those woods knowing they knew the land better, saw better, heard better, and smelled (me) better. It was still full dark. I had a big ol' single shot and a .44mag, but I was sure glad I had that high cap 9 on my hip. After I got settled, I heard them kinda flow thru the woods around me as they retreated into the forest. Kinda scary, kinda fun.
Dogsbreath
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