What’s your spookiest hunting experience?

[sp6x6]

This was in my youth.Launched my 79; ski nantique.Then motored out a bit and saw friend fishing, he had about a 20# Mac and got to bs 'n.When I said what's that gurgle sound your boats making,Not mine he said! I lifted cover and water was up to bottom of my engine, T plug fits under center and threaded.I just made it back.After that I kept plug at front right next to ignition

 

[victor3ranger]

Lol! They often liked to chase me when I was fighting alligators. They always seemed to be in a bad mood!!

Yep, I never met one that wasn't a n a bad mood.
We would go out at night to gig frogs and some nights my light would hit the water and you could see several mouth open coming right for me, those nights we would just pack up and go home because nights like that they would do the same no matter where we went

 

[gareyg]

Ok I got another one to share. Public land deer hunting, Davy Crockett National Forest, near Kilgore, Texas 20+ years ago. I always go in very early and take my climber stand way up high, usually in the crown of a pine tree near white oaks, and don't come down until after dark. I generally don't trust public land hunters much, and this day would reinforce my caution. It's early afternoon, cool late fall. I drove about 4 miles down a faint old logging road, and hiked in the last mile or so off the road. I've been up in this tree since around 530am. A sweet spot, great view of a white oak stand in the bottom downstream from me, acorns dropping. My profile picture was another spot about a mile from there. No deer so far, but I'm confident they'll wander in at dusk. Then out in front of me a long way off I hear two people (hunters sort of) walking and talking. Loud. Then ferocious splashing coming toward me. A small doe thrashing right down the middle of the creek from their direction. Exits still following the creek as it runs off to my left. It takes a long time for the two hunters to arrive, at least a mile away when I first heard them. I could make out what they were saying for some time. One in the lead, the other questioning their direction. Both fairly lost. They come into the open, street clothes and rifles. No clue I'm here, and I'm doing an impression of a large pine cone. Heavily camo'd climber and sort of a full gillie bugsuit. I'm careful not to set up silhouetted against the sky, as deer have spotted me even up high previously. They tromp along underneath and then behind me, lots of noise, my hunt probably done. After a while, I hear #2 yell "I told you this was the wrong way!" and something about my vehicle they must have reached. So back they come. They finally reach my spot again, the leader tromping now, and #2 giving him the business. I'm starting to feel sorry for them. The leader reaches the creek below me, maybe 12 feet wide. Trips on the edge of the bank and KERSPLASH! Goes completely out of sight. I'm chewing on my glove desperately trying not to bust up laughing and draw their attention. He comes up sputtering and floundering, #2 in tow, and away they go out in front of me. I could hear their progress for a long time. It was already starting to cool off, and that's the last I heard of them that night. There were miles of dense kudzu jungle brush in their direction. For all I know they're still out there.

 

[Outdrmn]

This was in my youth.Launched my 79; ski nantique.Then motored out a bit and saw friend fishing, he had about a 20# Mac and got to bs 'n.When I said what's that gurgle sound your boats making,Not mine he said! I lifted cover and water was up to bottom of my engine, T plug fits under center and threaded.I just made it back.After that I kept plug at front right next to ignition

Wish I could say " I only did that once"

 

[M77Fan]

Ok I got another one to share. Public land deer hunting, Davy Crockett National Forest, near Kilgore, Texas 20+ years ago. I always go in very early and take my climber stand way up high, usually in the crown of a pine tree near white oaks, and don't come down until after dark. I generally don't trust public land hunters much, and this day would reinforce my caution. It's early afternoon, cool late fall. I drove about 4 miles down a faint old logging road, and hiked in the last mile or so off the road. I've been up in this tree since around 530am. A sweet spot, great view of a white oak stand in the bottom downstream from me, acorns dropping. My profile picture was another spot about a mile from there. No deer so far, but I'm confident they'll wander in at dusk. Then out in front of me a long way off I hear two people (hunters sort of) walking and talking. Loud. Then ferocious splashing coming toward me. A small doe thrashing right down the middle of the creek from their direction. Exits still following the creek as it runs off to my left. It takes a long time for the two hunters to arrive, at least a mile away when I first heard them. I could make out what they were saying for some time. One in the lead, the other questioning their direction. Both fairly lost. They come into the open, street clothes and rifles. No clue I'm here, and I'm doing an impression of a large pine cone. Heavily camo'd climber and sort of a full gillie bugsuit. I'm careful not to set up silhouetted against the sky, as deer have spotted me even up high previously. They tromp along underneath and then behind me, lots of noise, my hunt probably done. After a while, I hear #2 yell "I told you this was the wrong way!" and something about my vehicle they must have reached. So back they come. They finally reach my spot again, the leader tromping now, and #2 giving him the business. I'm starting to feel sorry for them. The leader reaches the creek below me, maybe 12 feet wide. Trips on the edge of the bank and KERSPLASH! Goes completely out of sight. I'm chewing on my glove desperately trying not to bust up laughing and draw their attention. He comes up sputtering and floundering, #2 in tow, and away they go out in front of me. I could hear their progress for a long time. It was already starting to cool off, and that's the last I heard of them that night. There were miles of dense kudzu jungle brush in their direction. For all I know they're still out there.

Now and then you do find someone who is lost back there. I remember elk hunting in CO once when I popped out on a 2-track road to find a guy standing in the middle of it. I was loaded under a backpack of meat, with both halves of the rib cage strapped to the outside. The first thing he asked me was "Do you know where my truck is?" Hmm, well, I did know where he had probably had to park, so I sent him that way. He couldn't describe where he had parked, but at least the road we were on was the road out of there. Oddly, despite all the visible meat on my pack, he never even mentioned that.

 

[340Wby-4-everything]

Now and then you do find someone who is lost back there. I remember elk hunting in CO once when I popped out on a 2-track road to find a guy standing in the middle of it. I was loaded under a backpack of meat, with both halves of the rib cage strapped to the outside. The first thing he asked me was "Do you know where my truck is?" Hmm, well, I did know where he had probably had to park, so I sent him that way. He couldn't describe where he had parked, but at least the road we were on was the road out of there. Oddly, despite all the visible meat on my pack, he never even mentioned that.

Probably yet another californicator that does not belong in CO or the woods anywhere. There should be a common sense portion on the hunter safety tests. This guy would clearly not have passed.

 

[M77Fan]

Probably yet another californicator that does not belong in CO or the woods anywhere. There should be a common sense portion on the hunter safety tests. This guy would clearly not have passed.

340Wby, he probably would have flunked the ethics portion if he had been in one of my classes. One other thing he did tell me was that he had seen some elk, and that as they ran he took a potshot at a cow, but didn't think he had hit one. He hadn't followed up as near as I could tell, so on my way back in for another load of meat, I took some time to find the tracks and follow them up a ways looking for blood. He must have been a bad shot. I found nothing, and went back to packing meat.

 

[Prairie Sasquatch]

I wrote about this many pages ago, but when I was around 15 i lost a cow elk in a snowstorm and found her 3-4 days later, mostly eaten by coyotes. After a brief conversation over her body, my dad and I started leaving and all hell broke loose. 10-12 coyotes in a full circle around us, pitching a god-awful fit that we disturbed their meal time. In the moment I was scared shitless. My dad said "let's go after them!" And I held up my muzzleloader, then pointed to his, and said "2 shots dad! A dozen dogs!" And so we went on our way, unharmed but spooked. The coyotes kept up for several minutes after we left. Cool now, scary as hell in the moment. I have always carried a handgun since that day, just for the ammo capacity.

Two falls ago I got a leftover any doe tag good for any legal season. Went out with my bow and hunted for several hours then headed back towards the truck and dropped into a draw to get to another glassing spot. I was just walking along and had a mule deer doe run right toward me in the draw and stop at 25 yards and look back. I thought it was strange but didn't question my good fortune long.

I nocked an arrow quick and put it right through her heart. She ran about 30 yards and died. I then realized why she was looking back. As soon as she hit the ground there was a pair of coyotes on her. I chased them off and they stood and barked at me at about 60 yards while I broke her down and put her in my pack. I didn't make it 50 yards before they were on the guts and spine. I wouldn't say I was scared but I didn't want to be breaking that deer down in my headlamp. I've never seen coyotes acting so aggressive. They never seem to do something like that when I'm carrying a rifle.

 

[hunter0528]

340Wby, he probably would have flunked the ethics portion if he had been in one of my classes. One other thing he did tell me was that he had seen some elk, and that as they ran he took a potshot at a cow, but didn't think he had hit one. He hadn't followed up as near as I could tell, so on my way back in for another load of meat, I took some time to find the tracks and follow them up a ways looking for blood. He must have been a bad shot. I found nothing, and went back to packing meat.

A couple years ago I was up in Maine and a stand. 10 or so Doe and young ones, but no bucks. Left the stand at night figured I'd meet the guide down the road and save him a trip. Heard 2 large packs of coyotes in front of me and to the side. Since all I had was my rifle (4 Shots) and left my pistol back a camp I gracefully retreated back to the stand and waited for the guide to show up, Not a fun evening.

 

[Mcranch]

A couple years ago I was up in Maine and a stand. 10 or so Doe and young ones, but no bucks. Left the stand at night figured I'd meet the guide down the road and save him a trip. Heard 2 large packs of coyotes in front of me and to the side. Since all I had was my rifle (4 Shots) and left my pistol back a camp I gracefully retreated back to the stand and waited for the guide to show up, Not a fun evening.

Gracefully? You ran back?

 

[Triple BB]

I was on a guided elk hunt in the Thorofare a number of years ago. We were walking back to the horses when we popped out into a meadow. There was a brown lump about 80 yards away. I said what's that. About that time, a big ol' boar stood up on his hind legs. My guide pushed me away and said get ready to shoot. The bear covered that distance faster than I could've imagined. My guide started unloading his Glock. At about 15', the bear turned and ran to some trees. My guide said get your rifle on him while he changed his clip. It then wandered into the timber growling and roaring. I said, did you hit it, he looked at me and said, you saw what I saw. We waited there for about 30 minutes and then made a big loop to get back to the horses. I've had a number of grizzly experiences. That was the only time I'd ever been charged…

 

[Two Six Oh-Letergo]

I just spent the last half hour reading though a bunch of the posts on this thread…just want to say thank you all for the nightmare fuel.

 

[Rosebud]

You guys are very lucky not to be counted on Davy Jones roster!

So often trying to beat the weather can be disastrous. Have been keeping an eye on weather-related deaths and/or rescues in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a place you might think is pretty mild, but the area around Mount Washington has notorious weather and a lot of deaths. There are so many things to be learned when studying what went wrong, always a series of missteps, in those disasters. It is of interest to me because on a winter trip to climb the Presidential Range one year while I was in college, I might have become a statistic myself. Luck and some prior avalanche training in Ski Patrol probably made the difference for us. That was back before all today's precise forecasting. We were supposed to have some light snow, not 12 hours of sleet in February. Trying to beat severe weather is often a recipe for disaster. Luck and skill may save you, but it also may not.


Untrained people are often pretty easy to approach, it seems. I am a good enough still-hunter to get within short range of game, so I can be stealthy. But without trying to, I often walk up on other hunters who have no Idea I am around until I cough or clear my throat or make some human sound. It is not because I am not in orange, because I wear a lot, but they are either inattentive generally, or they are only concentrating ahead of them and not looking around. A lot of the time I just back off and take another path, so they never know I was even there. It does give me the heebie-jeebies to get too close to an armed person I am going to surprise.

Many years ago I was still hunting on a army installation during archery season. More scouting than hunting, but I slipped onto a dude in a tree stand. I'm ten yards behind him and about to turn around a slip out when he stood up, unzipped and started to water the forest. That's when he discovered my presence. His shocked look, and said Dam# you're sneaky!

 

[Rick Richard]

I was on a guided elk hunt in the Thorofare a number of years ago. We were walking back to the horses when we popped out into a meadow. There was a brown lump about 80 yards away. I said what's that. About that time, a big ol' boar stood up on his hind legs. My guide pushed me away and said get ready to shoot. The bear covered that distance faster than I could've imagined. My guide started unloading his Glock. At about 15', the bear turned and ran to some trees. My guide said get your rifle on him while he changed his clip. It then wandered into the timber growling and roaring. I said, did you hit it, he looked at me and said, you saw what I saw. We waited there for about 30 minutes and then made a big loop to get back to the horses. I've had a number of grizzly experiences. That was the only time I'd ever been charged…

That typically is a daily experience in the Thorofare. Every trip and it has been quite a few there has always been Griz encounters.