#102561 - 02/06/12 08:31 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: Bearbait in NM]
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nytracker
newbie
Registered: 12/10/11
Posts: 26
Loc: upstate ny
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A few years ago I was Bow hunting after work.Getting off late there was no way I could get to my stand in time . I decided to still hunt an old logging rd.500 yds in coming over a knoll I heard a loud snap of a branch in the bottom .Still being 75 yds off I hustled as fast as I could to close the distance to the bottom.At 50 yds there came aloud crack and rustle of brush so I froze.Kneeling I knocked an arrow ande attached my release . I was confused as to what would make so much noise.. after a few seconds I got my answer as a large black bear stepped into the logging road . Looking down the hill first and then turning up the hill as he stepped fully into the roadway facing me head on.... no shot. The bear and I had a staring contest that lasted a week , or so it seemed to .I thought to myself ... be the woods ... blend in ... hold your breath... dont blink ... dear god thats a big bear...after a few hours the bear started walking to me ... shuffling a few feet then stare a few feet more then stare..At 30 yds I could see the wetness of his nose and a white blaze on his chest wind was blowing in my face I could smell him now .... peeking through one eye I was thinking he would turn and I would draw the bow for a shot ...He obviously didnt get the memo .. he started coming again.... at 20 yards i could hear him sniffing the wind and him licking his nose .... oh dear god he is a giant of a bear.... still no shot .... oh dear god wtf am i doing here with a bow and no gun . An eternity goes by and I open an eye hoping maybe he had vanished... he didnt... nope ... now he is standing on his hind legs whoofing at me ... I panicked through my hands in the air over my head bow in hand yelling , YAA BEAR GET OUT OF HERE.. YAAA GO GET!!!He spun and ran off into the brush...Too wich I turned back up the road and hustled double time back up the hill.Stopping to catch my breath and check my shorts...I had this funny feeling I was Being watched.Started sneaking my way back out and I heard the brush russling off to my left about 50yds ... hit a thin spot and the damn bear was standing on his hind legs still trying to figure out what I was ..The bear was stalking me. Now just short of full panic I start backing up the road trying to keep an eye on the bear and not fall .... Now its getting to dark to see ... walk listen walk listen. All but sprint to my truck fishing for the keys in my pocket unlocking the auto locks turning the headlights on...whew i made it ball a sweat little panic yet. Trying to catch my breath and get out og my hunting clothes i drop the tail gate of my truck only to hear a low menacing growl behind me ... hair on my neck stood up bitter taste in my mouth I spin around and there is a guy walking his dog up the dirt road...Oh my god ..... i had to laugh guy thought i had lost my mind ... till i told him the whole story ... then he laughed his ass off
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#102572 - 02/06/12 08:50 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: nytracker]
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Whitworth
Distinguished Expert
Registered: 01/15/09
Posts: 4430
Loc: Virginia
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Great story!
_________________________
 Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
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#102574 - 02/06/12 09:10 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: Bearbait in NM]
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wapitirod
Distinguished Master
Registered: 01/19/05
Posts: 5670
Loc: Tillamook, Oregon
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Whit,
See how you are. I was trying to be humorous, and you interject that ;^) Given the time period, that would have been the leather "bomber" style helmet? We like to call the current version the Elmer Fudd hat. Maybe a leather one, with a leather "lettermans" school jacket, from a team with the cougar as a mascot ;^) Maybe the outdoor gear makers have totally missed a market segment here.
Rod, I understand that moutain bikes make a great shield. Perhaps strap one on your back? For me, I agree, it is pretty much not your call. I hate house cats by and large, but go easy on them, for good Cat Karma. That, and I typically choose not to wear my beaver Fudd/bomber hat while hunting. With my luck, I would have a lion biting down on my neck, and a owl or hawk trying to remove my scalp. Thank God we do not have wolfs around here. It's hard enough to hunt, much less be hunted.
Craig
Just wait, I've seen the wolf expansion predictions and NM is in the range. We are getting hit from two sides, the wolf packs didn't exist here up until a couple years ago and now they range half way down the the state going N to S and two thirds across going E to W. That is just from the rapidly expanding Yellowstone packs and now we are expecting animals from the Canadian packs which are moving through WA to start meeting up with those. We have a law here that says you can't use lethal force to stop a wolf attack on livestock and you can't use lethal force to protect yourself until the wolf has physically touched you in an attack. In other words if your being charged by a wolf you can't shoot until he bites you, yeah right I don't think I'll play that game. It's kind of like the old saying "better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6".
One of the other stories reminded me of something I actually found humerous at the time as I had lost my fear of black bears although I have an extreme amount of respect for them.
I was hunting a large boar that had been getting into garbage and such around a friends house up in the woods. I would walk up the same washed out logging road every day and watch a drainage where I figured out the bear was staying. One day I only had about an hour to hunt so I booked it up the road not being very quiet and watched until I had to leave about a half hour before dark. When I started back down there were paw prints in the soft dirt on top of my boot tracks. He had followed me all the way from my buddies place about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile up the mountain and bailed off about a hundred yard or less from where I stopped to watch. he was shielded by a bend in the road. I never did get him but one day I came close, the wind was blowing probably 20mph or so down the draw and between the noise and my scent going away from him I jumped him as I came around the same bend he had used to shield himself. I couldn't get a shot as I was hunting with my recurve but to this day he is the biggest bear I've seen myself in the wild. The landowners had guessed him around 500-600lbs and I'd guess they were right. I know of several bears that large that have been taken within that general part of the unit. It may sound funny but after hunting him for two months and there being repeats of the account of his tracks on mine I didn't mind not getting him. He had to be old and very smart and I almost felt like we were playing a game of tag. He was obviously just following out of curiousity as he never showed himself to be aggressive to me or any of the local landowners. He just liked raiding there garbage and did hear of a bear in the area getting into a kitchen but I'm not sure it was him or not but it wouldn't surprise me.
_________________________
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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#102604 - 02/07/12 09:56 AM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: wapitirod]
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TomC
member
Registered: 01/18/04
Posts: 156
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I was bowhunting in Zimbabwe in '95 and had just killed a kudu. We loaded it on the truck and were headed back to the skinning shed driving along a 2 track along the river. Really thick brush. We rounded a corner and there were 2 bull elephant standing in the middle of the road. The PH slammed the brakes on and immediately started backing up at a fast pace. One of the bulls threw his head back and came after us. One one side of us was probably a 50' drop to the river full of crocs and hippos and in front of us gaining ground was the bull. All I could do was watch the elephant get closer and closer to the truck. Finally, after what seemed forever, probably 50 yards or so, the elephant decided he had enough fun with us and stopped. We took the long way back to camp. Later that day, the PH took me to the area where they keep the safari trucks. One of them had a 4" hole straight through the passenger side door. A couple weeks before, the same bull caught the truck and put his tusk completely through the door. Luckily, nobody else was in the truck that time. I heard that a gun hunter killed the bull later in the season.
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#102634 - 02/07/12 08:27 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: TomC]
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Bearbait in NM
enthusiast
Registered: 11/16/10
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico
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Rod,
I suspect the wolves are indeed making their way to NM. Just heard another wild hogs in NM report the other night. I wish the hogs would just make it already ;^) And I hope if the wolves do (besides the trainwreck of the Mexican Grey that is still going), the states have full control from the Feds.
Tom, you ought to see what an American Bison can do to a ranch truck, or someone who knows what they are doing scrambling to the underside of said truck. So, did you tip your PH for the good work getting your critters, or for his good work keeping you alive ;^)
Craig
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Northern born and Southern bred
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#102635 - 02/07/12 08:38 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: Bearbait in NM]
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TomC
member
Registered: 01/18/04
Posts: 156
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Craig, I bet a bison could do alot of damage to anything it wanted to. :>) Oh yes, the PH was definately well paid for his efforts. That was one of the best hunts I have ever been on and he definately earned every cent.
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#102640 - 02/07/12 10:14 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: TomC]
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SBHunter81
member
Registered: 12/26/11
Posts: 162
Loc: Pa
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These are great stories guys, thanks for the entertainment :-)
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The God who gave us such a beautiful land, wonderful game, and the sport of hunting is worth knowing.
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#102668 - 02/08/12 01:06 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: SBHunter81]
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Bearbait in NM
enthusiast
Registered: 11/16/10
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico
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Tom,
I suspected as much. Pretty fine line, enough excitement to make for a great time at the campfire afterwards, but not so much that you do not make the campfire. I have never been out of this country on a any kind of hunt, and will not likely, but I have learned one thing that I would take with me. When someone with experience in the task at hand gives me directions, I follow them ;^)
Bison will lull you. They look docile, spend most of their time standing around, looking tame. Then when the switch gets thrown to the on position, their speed and power are truely amazing.
Craig
_________________________
Northern born and Southern bred
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#102670 - 02/08/12 01:44 PM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: Bearbait in NM]
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Whitworth
Distinguished Expert
Registered: 01/15/09
Posts: 4430
Loc: Virginia
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I don't trust any bovines. A bison is equipped to do untold damage.
_________________________
Semper Fidelis "Building Carpal Tunnel one round at a time"
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#102780 - 02/10/12 10:22 AM
Re: Most stressfull animal encounters?
[Re: Whitworth]
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junebug
addict
Registered: 10/26/09
Posts: 471
Loc: Bardstown ,Ky
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An encounter with a herd bull on the farm can turn bad quickly.
I was trying to catch a calf to treat for pinkeye' when the bull decided to take a hand in the procedings. HE WON!!!!!!!!!
They are all wild animals and an encounter can turn ugly and deadly very quickly.He was bottle fed and hand raised. Thank God
he did not have horns.
There are a couple of pictures on bragging board but I do not know how to get them to here.
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junebug
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