What’s your spookiest hunting experience?

[Flatbow]

Quite a few year back I was bow hunting one of my usual spots for Elk and called in a 4x5 bull and took about a 12 yard shot just slightly quartering towards me so I held tight to the shoulder with my Recurve bow. The arrow just barely nicked the leg bone but was enough to angle the hit off enough to only hit one lung and liver. Not knowing this at time of the shot I took up the track and caught up to him laying in some relatively open timber for North Idaho watching his back trail.
Bad angle for a shot so I sat down on A log to wait him out. Two to three hours later he really struggled to get to his feet and take a leak then he turned to walk to some thicker trees to bed back down in and gave the angle I needed for a shot. Shot was deflected and missed, the bull slowly walked away in really rough shape. I made a high arc up the ridge in plans to get ahead of him and ambush.he never showed.
I went back to last place of blood close to were I had last seen him. Found whare he cut down off the main trail and cut back under were we where. (Critters are crafty). I was just about to step up and over a hump in the trail caused buy a big clump of vine maple when the Bull stood up from a dip in the trail just 5yrds in front of me facing away but looking back over his shoulder at me. I took a step up on a rock to try to get a better angle for a shot and the Bull spun towards me in an instant with a loud snort and head down full charge!. I dropped my recurve and arrow and was trying to run backwards up the ridge through thick Huckleberry brush. I tripped and fell on my but about the same time that I drew my 357 revolver off of my pack hip belt.
Sitting on my butt about two yards or so off the trail with my revolver aimed right between that Elks eyes that stopped on the trail just off my feet. I could hear him weezing air out of the hole that my arrow put in the side of his chest and blowing snot and blood out of his nose close enough to cover my legs from my knees down! To this day I still have know idea why I didn't pull the trigger but that Elk and I just stayed just like that for at least 4-5 minutes. (Seemed liked 20). He finnally slowed his breathing bobbed his head a couple times then turned and walked back to were he was bedded when I bumped him. He stood there for another 10 minutes or so weezing and swaying then finnally fellover dead.
I was still laying on my back in the huckleberry brush and I remember thinking "did that really just happen". I sat up and sure enough my lower legs were covered in snot and blood!

 

[Turkeytider]

Quite a few year back I was bow hunting one of my usual spots for Elk and called in a 4x5 bull and took about a 12 yard shot just slightly quartering towards me so I held tight to the shoulder with my Recurve bow. The arrow just barely nicked the leg bone but was enough to angle the hit off enough to only hit one lung and liver. Not knowing this at time of the shot I took up the track and caught up to him laying in some relatively open timber for North Idaho watching his back trail.
Bad angle for a shot so I sat down on A log to wait him out. Two to three hours later he really struggled to get to his feet and take a leak then he turned to walk to some thicker trees to bed back down in and gave the angle I needed for a shot. Shot was deflected and missed, the bull slowly walked away in really rough shape. I made a high arc up the ridge in plans to get ahead of him and ambush.he never showed.
I went back to last place of blood close to were I had last seen him. Found whare he cut down off the main trail and cut back under were we where. (Critters are crafty). I was just about to step up and over a hump in the trail caused buy a big clump of vine maple when the Bull stood up from a dip in the trail just 5yrds in front of me facing away but looking back over his shoulder at me. I took a step up on a rock to try to get a better angle for a shot and the Bull spun towards me in an instant with a loud snort and head down full charge!. I dropped my recurve and arrow and was trying to run backwards up the ridge through thick Huckleberry brush. I tripped and fell on my but about the same time that I drew my 357 revolver off of my pack hip belt.
Sitting on my butt about two yards or so off the trail with my revolver aimed right between that Elks eyes that stopped on the trail just off my feet. I could hear him weezing air out of the hole that my arrow put in the side of his chest and blowing snot and blood out of his nose close enough to cover my legs from my knees down! To this day I still have know idea why I didn't pull the trigger but that Elk and I just stayed just like that for at least 4-5 minutes. (Seemed liked 20). He finnally slowed his breathing bobbed his head a couple times then turned and walked back to were he was bedded when I bumped him. He stood there for another 10 minutes or so weezing and swaying then finnally fellover dead.
I was still laying on my back in the huckleberry brush and I remember thinking "did that really just happen". I sat up and sure enough my lower legs were covered in snot and blood!

An excellent account of why I never took up bow hunting. I want an animal to be DRT if at all possible. But to each his own.

 

[Flatbow]

An excellent account of why I never took up bow hunting. I want an animal to be DRT if at all possible. But to each his own.

Man you don't know what you are missing!
An up close and personal encounter with most any animal especially a bugling Bull Elk that you used calling or just good old woodsmanship to get within bow range of,especially trade bow range is quite a rush and accomplishment.
The events of this hunt do not fall on the weapon of choice but rather on myself for not getting the projectile into both lungs and or heart. This could happen with any weapon and I have seen where it has happened with firearms as well and more often than with bow. Especially on Moose and other generally more aggressive animals.
That being said, I do also enjoy hunting with firearms, the reason why I lurk on this forum. Been learning tons for my reloading.
However, you are correct, each to his own.

 

[Grizzly60]

Quite a few year back I was bow hunting one of my usual spots for Elk and called in a 4x5 bull and took about a 12 yard shot just slightly quartering towards me so I held tight to the shoulder with my Recurve bow. The arrow just barely nicked the leg bone but was enough to angle the hit off enough to only hit one lung and liver. Not knowing this at time of the shot I took up the track and caught up to him laying in some relatively open timber for North Idaho watching his back trail.
Bad angle for a shot so I sat down on A log to wait him out. Two to three hours later he really struggled to get to his feet and take a leak then he turned to walk to some thicker trees to bed back down in and gave the angle I needed for a shot. Shot was deflected and missed, the bull slowly walked away in really rough shape. I made a high arc up the ridge in plans to get ahead of him and ambush.he never showed.
I went back to last place of blood close to were I had last seen him. Found whare he cut down off the main trail and cut back under were we where. (Critters are crafty). I was just about to step up and over a hump in the trail caused buy a big clump of vine maple when the Bull stood up from a dip in the trail just 5yrds in front of me facing away but looking back over his shoulder at me. I took a step up on a rock to try to get a better angle for a shot and the Bull spun towards me in an instant with a loud snort and head down full charge!. I dropped my recurve and arrow and was trying to run backwards up the ridge through thick Huckleberry brush. I tripped and fell on my but about the same time that I drew my 357 revolver off of my pack hip belt.
Sitting on my butt about two yards or so off the trail with my revolver aimed right between that Elks eyes that stopped on the trail just off my feet. I could hear him weezing air out of the hole that my arrow put in the side of his chest and blowing snot and blood out of his nose close enough to cover my legs from my knees down! To this day I still have know idea why I didn't pull the trigger but that Elk and I just stayed just like that for at least 4-5 minutes. (Seemed liked 20). He finnally slowed his breathing bobbed his head a couple times then turned and walked back to were he was bedded when I bumped him. He stood there for another 10 minutes or so weezing and swaying then finnally fellover dead.
I was still laying on my back in the huckleberry brush and I remember thinking "did that really just happen". I sat up and sure enough my lower legs were covered in snot and blood!

Picture of the snotty bloody leg or it didn't happen.
Interesting story. He probably stopped because he didn't see you as a threat anymore laying on your back. If you would of shot and run across the warden, would of had a hard time convincing him you shot in self defense.

 

[Turkeytider]

Man you don't know what you are missing!
An up close and personal encounter with most any animal especially a bugling Bull Elk that you used calling or just good old woodsmanship to get within bow range of,especially trade bow range is quite a rush and accomplishment.
The events of this hunt do not fall on the weapon of choice but rather on myself for not getting the projectile into both lungs and or heart. This could happen with any weapon and I have seen where it has happened with firearms as well and more often than with bow. Especially on Moose and other generally more aggressive animals.
That being said, I do also enjoy hunting with firearms, the reason why I lurk on this forum. Been learning tons for my reloading.
However, you are correct, each to his own.

I`m in no way condemning bow hunting, but respectfully question the notion of equivalency between bow hunting and gun hunting when it comes to cripples. Certainly, not every animal shot with a firearm is DRT but I would submit that the tracking skills required for bow hunting, as a rule, would far outstrip those required for gun hunting. I`ll admit as well that as I`ve aged I`ve found the thought of crippling and causing undue or prolonged suffering more and more distasteful. I`ll also admit that I`ve never hunted big animals before, even in my younger years, just never had either the funds or frankly the desire. I do agree on the whole thing about the thrill of calling in an animal for a close encounter....I`ll just limit mine to a wily Spring gobbler! Good hunting!

 

[memtb]

That big a snapper would have had to have been a couple hundred years old. Even the 'average" size ones are nasty. They have quite a bite. Imagining one that big is the stuff of nightmares!

Back in the '70's my ex and I were visiting her relatives neat Laurel, Ms. On Sunday morning the girls ( 3 sisters and mother) would always go to a little store at Lake Bogue Homa.

They saw a bit of a crowd gathered around the back of a pickup truck. Curious, they went to see what was happening. They had a Snapping Turtle, they'd caught on a Trot Line. Ex wife said that it barely fit between the wheel wells of the truck. That's a pretty big "snapper"! memtb

 

[memtb]

An excellent account of why I never took up bow hunting. I want an animal to be DRT if at all possible. But to each his own.

Often, the animal doesn't know it's dying. A friend of mine shot a small feeding Whitetail doe from a tree stand. An easy shot….the deer jumped upon his release, he saw the arrow stick in the ground below the deer.
Thinking he'd missed, but not believing that he could've missed such an easy shot. The deer started feeding again and as he was slowly trying to string another arrow…..the doe "tipped-over"! DRT…..it just took a few moments! memtb

 

[Turkeytider]

Often, the animal doesn't know it's dying. A friend of mine shot a small feeding Whitetail doe from a tree stand. An easy shot….the deer jumped upon his release, he saw the arrow stick in the ground below the deer.
Thinking he'd missed, but not believing that he could've missed such an easy shot. The deer started feeding again and as he was slowly trying to string another arrow…..the doe "tipped-over"! DRT…..it just took a few moments! memtb

" Often, the animal doesn`t know it`s dying." OK, you.......could be right. I`m personally not necessarily convicted in that belief, but I don`t believe that there`s anyway to know that for sure. I can see where your example might lead one to that conclusion, however.

 

[memtb]

" Often, the animal doesn`t know it`s dying." OK, you.......could be right. I`m personally not necessarily convicted in that belief, but I don`t believe that there`s anyway to know that for sure. I can see where your example might lead one to that conclusion, however.

Certainly not every time…..but sometimes a killing shot that does hit and damage/break bones, may not create enough pain to cause shock/discomfort. memtb

 

[jamie eaton]

Robot .

 

[340Wby-4-everything]

Man you don't know what you are missing!
An up close and personal encounter with most any animal especially a bugling Bull Elk that you used calling or just good old woodsmanship to get within bow range of,especially trade bow range is quite a rush and accomplishment.
The events of this hunt do not fall on the weapon of choice but rather on myself for not getting the projectile into both lungs and or heart. This could happen with any weapon and I have seen where it has happened with firearms as well and more often than with bow. Especially on Moose and other generally more aggressive animals.
That being said, I do also enjoy hunting with firearms, the reason why I lurk on this forum. Been learning tons for my reloading.
However, you are correct, each to his own.

Certainly not every time…..but sometimes a killing shot that does hit and damage/break bones, may not create enough pain to cause shock/discomfort. memtb

I love this quote on your signature " You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel If we extrapolate that to hunting in general, it would pretty much imply to never use a bow. How would one that hunts with both reconcile that? I have and can shoot a bow, but do not hunt with one - "my personal to each their own choice". I don't want to be shot with either or any weapon, but anyone that says a bow is just as lethal as any rifle, is just lying to themselves. Or doesn't know how to shoot a rifle Or, may be one of those people that thinks and says a 6.5needmore can do anything a 300 win mag can do.

 

[26Reload]

Not really a 'reality comparison'....
I've taken many elk and deer with a bow....more elk with a rifle....but a 'lethal shot is a lethal shot' be it a rifle or a bow...
I've seen a huge bodied elk fall to an arrow within seconds...and watch a big elk fall to a 22-250...I've also watched elk walk away after being shot behind the shoulder with rifles only to lose them in tracking.....I've wounded one bull with an arrow...buried from straight on at 20yds...and recovered another from same shot at 6'....it traveled 300yds to fall over in a log pile off the side of a landing(upside down between logs)....
The knowledge for oneself of being well prepared to shoot a bow or rifle at a maximum self imposed distance is where 'we as hunters and outdoorsman & women' are the conservationists of today hunting.....if we all started flinging arrows and throwing bullets at critters that may be wounded and not be recovered..we are no longer conservationists....

 

[Flatbow]

Not really a 'reality comparison'....
I've taken many elk and deer with a bow....more elk with a rifle....but a 'lethal shot is a lethal shot' be it a rifle or a bow...
I've seen a huge bodied elk fall to an arrow within seconds...and watch a big elk fall to a 22-250...I've also watched elk walk away after being shot behind the shoulder with rifles only to lose them in tracking.....I've wounded one bull with an arrow...buried from straight on at 20yds...and recovered another from same shot at 6'....it traveled 300yds to fall over in a log pile off the side of a landing(upside down between logs)....
The knowledge for oneself of being well prepared to shoot a bow or rifle at a maximum self imposed distance is where 'we as hunters and outdoorsman & women' are the conservationists of today hunting.....if we all started flinging arrows and throwing bullets at critters that may be wounded and not be recovered..we are no longer conservationists....

Well said,
That one that died in the log pile sure tried to get even with you didn't he!

 

[26Reload]

Was hunting by myself..had to take it apart where it was....took the pieces up to the landing and layed them out on logs...thankfully I had enough daylight to get that accomplished...got really dark hiking back to the car..within 100yds of the car I fell into an elk wallow that was inside the timber.......great smell..yall ought to try a ****ymud bath.....drove around the mountains to the road that went to the landing.....someone had put a locked gate on it......luckily I knew an old guy that had a 'universal key to their lock.....got all the meat out the next morning..........