Coolest was a bachelor group of 5 young (2.5-3.5 yo) bucks come through. I could have shot any of them. They hung and grazed for few minutes, in front, under, behind, upwind, downwind, all around me, but then went into some middle school shenanigans and started poking each other in the rears w/ their antlers and the whole group trotted off together. Here are 3 of the group from my trail cam. Besides that, we have a piebald that likes to hang out....
during an afternoon sit last year I noticed three animals approaching a clearing about 70 yards from my stand. I thought they were small deer at first until one of them jumped up on a large brush pile and into clear view. It was a mother bobcat and her two cubs. that was the first time I had ever seen bobcats in person. Another time a hawk perched on a branch about 20 yards from my stand and stared at me for quite a while, I think he thought I was potential food. I've also seen hawks kill a few squirrels while hunting. I had a chickadee land on my knocked arrow that I had laying across my lap. I saw an albino coyote walk by my stand (it was definitely a yote, I've seen my share of coyotes to know this guys was just whiter than the rest of them). I saw a truck pull up on a dirt road near my stand, two guys get out with a couple shotguns, a rifle and a pistol. They set up a row of targets and start shooting away. That ruined my hunt, but they were nice enough to let me target shoot with them for a while
One of the coolest things I have witnessed from the stand happened last Halloween morning. I had 5 young bucks chase a Doe past me, I swear the Buck that was right on her tail could have rested his head right on her backside. The bad thing about the whole deal was I got so dang excited I double punched the record button on my camera and missed all of it. lol.
The coolest thing I've had happen on stand so far, happened last season. I was sitting in my stand cursing (under my breathe) at the squirrels running around playing grab *** as usual. Saw a chipmunk down on a log about 15 yards from me. Almost as soon as I saw the chipmunk either an Osprey or Hawk swooped down right behind me and snatched up the little guy. That bird scared the crap outta me it all happened in the blink of an eye and it was cutting through the air so fast and hard it made a deep "Swoosh" sound prob only 2' behind my head on the other side of the tree. It snatched the chipmunk up and flew about 65 or so yards away up in the tree tops with the squirming little chipmunk in its talons. Was definitely a pretty cool sight to see. I'll never forget that deep "swoosh" it made cutting through the air like a fighter jet or something.
I saw a coyote faint because he was so startled by the arrow that suddenly appeared sticking in the ground a couple inches in front of his nose.
I set up a ground blind on the edge of a thicket. Went and sat there after rain let up andhad a bunch of squirrels and chipmunks out in front of me. Then all went quiet, not a squirrel or chipmunk in sight. This was wierd, this lasted for about 10 minutes then I noticed why they were gone. A group of 5 bobcats came through, there were 2 big cats and 3 small kittens. They had no idea that I was even there. I watched them all spread out and bed in a little ball. 10 minutes went by with no movement and then the squirrels came back out. Bobcats didn't move until the squirrels were close and they nabbed 2 squirrels. Absolutely nutts!
I was sitting in my stand one morning right before light and had a owl land on my hand for about 2 seconds. I scared the crap out of me I couldn't stop shaking for 5 min. When i pulled my glove off the talons left a mark on my hand. Then one other time I took my buddy out with me because he as never been. We were sitting on the ground in a bush when a small buck came out in the tall grass and then turned towards us. The buck keep getting closer and closer before i had to finally move or he was going to step on us. That was a exciting morning we still bring that morning up when I see him.
I was quail hunting with my uncle. We had been hunting for most of day and almost back to the truck. We decided to hunt a little spot on our way back. An owl flew over us and dropped a quail three feet in front of him. The quail was still warm from being freshly killed. We put it in the bag.
I got busted by a squirrel one evening and while he was sitting there chattering at me a owl came out of nowhere and that was the last I saw of him.
I once had two squirrels chasing each other. I was waiting for them to line up so only had to shoot once with the 7mm - 08. But an eagle swooped down and grabbed them both.
last year during youth weekend i watched a bobcat stalk up out of a cutover and sit underneath the tree my son was in. it sat there for about 10 minutes until 2 does come in front of the tree and my son drops the hammer on the bigger of the two does. it was funny watching my son trying to get a shooting angle on that cat.
Ive had a squirrel run across my shoulder/neck to some higher branches before it realized what it just did lol. Then went on to hiss at me until I got upset with it Some of the more awesome things to happen... letting the arrow fly on some bucks?
I wasn't in the stand but I was going in to check a camera, and I decided to carry my year old son in with me. I got to the edge of a swamp and looked out and there was 2 big coyotes walking across the beaver dam 15 yrds to my left. they were directly up wind from us. they never noticed us standing there but my little man sure noticed them, ive seen coyotes from the stand plenty but my sons face and his little finger pointing make that the best!
Seen a bird land on a small dead limb about as big around as a pencil and the limb broke and the bird fell with it for a couple feet before it realized to fly away. Had a hummingbird land on my broad head once while my bow was across my lap.
I was on the ground sitting under a tree and had a spike make a scrape 15 yards away then walked within 15 feet to make a rub. Was amazing to be that close and he had no idea.
I was sitting in my stand one evening and at eye level Ina tree about 15 feet away, I see eyes looking at me from the inside of it. Then, a raccoon sticks his head out and just stares at me. Every once in a while, his he would go back in the tree for a minute, and then come back out and watch me. This went on for about a half an hour. I had decided, and I think I actually told him a few times that one growl or snarl and I was going to nail him to the tree. Anyway, after about a half hour, three more raccoons came out and climbed up their tree, across to mine (above my head) and the across to another and down to the ground.
I had a couple of gray foxes come under my stand and play for about a half hour and even take a nap. Got them on video on my iPhone. Also had an otter do the same.
I had already the one antlered deer limit, and I wanted to take a doe for the freezer so I sat in my usual spot and a nice 8pt with a broke brow tine came in right underneath my stand about 5 feet away and just kind of lingered around for about 30 mins. Now mind you my stand was only about 12 feet off the ground. That was probably the most nervous I have ever been.
