Nothing strange and I hope it stays that way. Having said that, theres always something that scares the crap out me walking in and out.
I was out rabbit hunting with a friend and my father in law on his lease. We only got one rabbit that day but as we were cleaning it we looked over to the tree line in time to see a big mountain lion watching us. needless to say my father-in-law unsnapped the 357 on his hip but the lion never bothered us just watched. A little unnerving.
This is a great thread, I'm really enjoying reading all the stories. I haven't had any strange experiences yet. I've had coyotes howling off in the distance, seen bobcats and yotes up close, but I think that by far the closest I've ever come to destroying my underpants was one morning walking into the woods and getting busted by a big doe about 5 yards from me. I didn't see her there, she obviously didn't see me either until we were right on top of eachother. She was on the other side of a bush that I was approaching. She made the loudest blowing noise I've ever heard and thundered off. I shook in my boots for about an hour after that, scared the ever-living out of me.
Several years ago, I was walking out in the dark and had a good sized bear follow and then parallel me for at least several hundred yards. He'd walk along, not more than 50 yards to one side of me and every time I stopped, he'd stop. I could just make him out every now and then. He finally stopped following me once I was within 50 yards of the truck. Pretty nerve racking, but neat.
Ya I've had that happen to me before sunrise heading into a stand. Its amazing that can produce a sound that loud and it will make you stain your britches if your not expecting it.
Got charged by a mean *** dog one night walking back to my truck. I was walking along and could hear brush moving beside me but could not make anything out... Then as I was walking I heard growling... Turned and looked and all of a sudden a big black dog came charging at me growling with teeth beared- I raised my arms with my bow in one hand and charged him at the same time. He turned around first and then we had a stare down for a bit before I charged him again. I was fully prepared to use my bow as a ball bat.
2 instances that stand out: Hunting a buddies property, got down out of my stand after being stuck in it well after dark waiting for deer to leave underneath me. After about 100yds into the 1/2 mile walk back to the truck, I heard an ambulance way off in the distance, and a LARGE pack of coyotes filled the air with howls and yips, what sounded like no more than 50yds from my stand. Kept my hand on my knife handle and added some pep in my step! 2nd instance was similar, got down after dark, only to find out that my head lamp was dead (button got turned on in my pack). As I was using my cell phone backlight for light to untie my bow at the base of the tree, I heard footsteps coming. crunch crunch crunch. then from another direction, crunch crunch. They kept getting closer until I could almost reach out and touch whatever it was (phone light shined to about 3 feet out). Hair on my neck was standing up. Assuming it was curious deer (and hoping), I gave out a loud snort wheeze. I heard the assumed deer scatter after that, but it was weird being that close to something you couldn't see out in the woods.
About 40 years ago before safety harnesses I was in a home made lock on stand it was just getting dusk and off in the distance I could hear two owls hooting back and forth. It was kind of relaxing............. Then one landed in the tree right next to me without me knowing it and hooted, I really almost fell out of my stand and crapped my pants, almost. It was soooooooo loud! If owls can smile this one did then silently glided away. Have you ever had some one walk under your treestand without them knowing you're there? I never know what to do. I had this guy sit down under my stand and eat lunch then got up and walked away and never knew I was right above him.
I have walked right under someones climber on public land once. I felt bad and acted as if I didnt see or know anyone was there. It was still the twilight of the morning and he probably thought I didnt see him, but I see everything lil tree hopper.
I have many, but here is my most recent. Last year early on Halloween morning I was sneaking into my favorite rut funnel stand. It was still an hour before daylight and I was taking my time. I get about two hundred yards from the stand and I here deer grunting, and running/chasing. I just waited them out until all was quiet, I start on my way again. As I get closer to the stand I cracked an unseen twig. Next thing I hear is footsteps running right at me, I can just make out a wide framed buck coming at me at about 10-15 yards. He doesn't seem to be letting up. So I switch on my light and do the obvious thing, I screamed like my 10 year old daughter The buck stops and reverses direction so close that it showers me with dirt and leaves. I have dealt with coyotes, bears, badgers, mad bulls, and wolves while hunting here in WI. None of those had me as rattled as that buck last year. I really thought he was going to hit me, I think it's quite impressive that a full grown 220lb man can scream like that in times of despair.
Here is a little "hear say" for ya'll. A very trust worthy man tells me last year that he and his brother went Elk hunting in the mountains of Colorado. I'm not sure where he was exactly but when he got back he told me days of humping mountains yielded nothing but he said he was charged by a black bear that stopped about ten yard short of him. He said the Bear had its front feet up on a log and was bouncing it in anger. He drew his bow and held the pin on the Bears neck. luckily after a few short moments the Bear went on its way.
I posted this story about a year ago in a bear related thread but it fits here so I'll cut and past it. In September of 2009 I was fly fishing the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Standing about 6 feet out in the stream with my back to the bank, I was changing flies and had my fly box sitting on a big rock behind me. I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye as I turned to pick up my fly box; sure enough there was a big black bear. I could have poked her with my fly rod; she was that close. She kept walking up the bank, which normally would have been a good thing except my wife, four months pregnant at the time, was about 40 yards upstream from me and the bear was heading her way. Now we’re surrounded by some pretty fast water so it’s kinda noisy and I can’t just whisper, “psssssst Hun, bear.” So I start yelling to my wife and the bear stops and looks back at me. My next thought was, “Oh boy, this is where you take it like a man.” As it turns out she had a cub out in front of her and was not interested in me or my wife at all. They rooted for some food around a big laydown for 2-3 minutes and took off. Now, you try tying on a little #16 dry fly on 7X tippet with your hands shaking uncontrollably. My fishing day was pretty much done. -D
