Strangest Outdoors Encounter....

[Fletch]

Ok, The biggest buck you've ever seen thread got me thinking.....What's the strangest encounter you ever had while hunting???? Here's mine.....

It's was my first trip to the Mid-west deer hunting in 2000.... We were hunting with an outfitter in Mo. So the first morning the guide drives me back this field and drops me off and says to cross the fence and follow the bright eyes to the stand... So I watch as his taillights disappear into the night and I sit down in the dark with a small green light clipped to my hat and remove my boot to pull my sock up.... While tying my boot I get that feeling something is present.... So I turn my head slightly to look around and the light shines on these long furry brown legs about 6 ft away....I slowly follow them up to a body with a long neck and find myself staring at a Llama..... Damn guide failed to tell me owner of property had some exotic animals.... I gave the Llama an apple and every day after that he greeted me for his apple.....

 

[Sgt Fury]

Strangest (and scariest) was walking in the dark to my stand through a cow pasture that had cattle and horses inside. Get halfway across and get the feeling something is following me...I turn just in time to see a horse about 15 feet behind me...ears laid back and bad intent in his eyes. I unshouldered my unloaded shotgun and waved it at his face and started yelling. He backed off but every time I turned my back, he would charge again. He did this about ten times before he finally backed off and joined the other horses in the pasture. I later told the owner that I almost had to pay him the cost of the horse because a couple of times I thought I was going to have to shoot him. He wouldn’t of liked it but better than getting stomped to death. When he got a bull the next season, I stopped using the pasture. Sucks because it’s the only easy way to the stand. Haven’t hunted that stand since and it’s a real good one.

 

[xbowguy]

One encounter was while trapping. Looked over the bank to find a small Raccoon in a trap. The ground around him was hardly disturbed. When he seen me, he started Raccoon noises but not angry growling. All the while holding up the trap towards me as if to say "please get this off me", I knew it had to be someone's pet and too small to be worth anything. Soon as I got to him, he turned into a Tazmanian Devil From Hell! He ripped off my glove and threw it out in deep water....I shot that sumbitch an extra time just to even the game a little.

 

[at1010]

About 10 years ago I was taking my younger cousin to the stand. Walking out this pine ridge before first light. I had my red light on and I suddenly stop as I see eyes near his stand, he’s in tow right behind me. Well the eyes were at 8 yards or so and weren’t moving. I am now at full draw cause those ain’t deer eyes, “yote maybe” is what I’m thinking but wondering why it hasn’t run off. As my light becomes bright, big bobcat staring me down at full draw, in the dark, waiting on next move.

That sob walked off like “I own these woods motha fucka”

Was a good way to get the blood warm for the morning hunt.

 

[Nighthawk]

Several years ago I climbed into my stand an hour or so before daylight. Was settled in for no more than 10 minutes when I heard something headed my way. My eyes haven't yet adjusted from having my flashlight on so I couldn't see below me very well. Whatever this was walked the clearcut 15 yards away and made noises I had never heard. This was definitely no deer. I was too afraid to even shine my light on it. Still to this day I have no idea what the hell walked right under me. This happened in Hocking Co. so maybe a bear?

 

[Fletch]

Ok.... Having my morning coffee (should be up in a tree, but got up and the wind was howling), anyway here's another that was un-nerving.... Was up a tree along the Delaware river here in Jersey bow hunting and about a 1/2 hr before dark I here walking and here comes a bear... He stops about arms lenght from the tree... So in a stern voice I tell him to get the hell outta here... He looks up and begins to walk off slowly, then I here a twig snap and here comes another one... This one's about 400 lbs and limping slightly... He stops directly below me, so I once again in a stern voice tell him to leave... Well this SOB doesn't like that idea and walks over to my tree and puts his front feet up on the tree and starts popping his jaws... I'm like OH SHIT!!! I'm cornered.... After about a minute he gets back down on all fours and starts going away, gets about 15 yds. or so away and turns around and comes back, feet back up on the tree, popping his jaws... Once again he gets down and walks maybe 30 yds away and lays down looking up at me... I think to myself F this noise and lower my bow and work my way down the tree with the tree between me and him... I get to the bottom of the tree, untie my bow and start walking slowly out... Left tree stand attached to tree to be gotten another day... Now every day I have bears under me I think back to that day and get that cornered feeling... It's strange when walking around even in the dark I bump into them constantly and they don't bother me... And with our bear population in North Jersey I'm always running into them....Here in Jersey you can't carry concealed or carry period....BEAR SPRAY ALTHOUGH SOLD IS ALSO A NO NO.. You can have maximum a 3/4 of an ounce... Key chain size... Since that day I do have a road flare in my pack, just in case one decides to come all the way up the tree....

 

[Geezer II]

I know a guy who was mulled by big foot down on the Wayne

 

[Quantum673]

My scariest moment in the outdoors wasn't while hunting. We were in Kenya doing a final field op before heading to Mogadishu. The night before heading out we were doing a night patrol. Gunny was senior man out with us as he had been stationed in Kenya years ago as security forces. I was #2 and was wearing NVG's.

We came across a couple acre pond as we were working our patrol. As we got closer we heard some deep gutteral moans. Gunny asked me to scan the pond and see what was there. All I could see was a large mass on the other side of the pond. Gunny told me it was a hippo and we needed to get out of there as they are extremely territorial. We sent the squad back to our rally point as Gunny and I stayed to make sure the hippo stayed out. Gunny told me that if it started this way to haul ass. We had 9mm's on our hip with 3 mags a piece. That wasn't going to be enough if he came after us.

Moments after sending the squad back we heard a splash and I saw the hippo headed out way. The hippo made it across the pond in a flash. We turned and started to run. Ever try to run wearing NVG's? Doesn't work well. No depth perception. I was tripping over shit every couple steps. I am pretty sure it looked like the old horror movies. I ripped the NVG's off and did the best I could. We have no idea if the hippo ever left the water but as quick as he crossed that pond we weren't sticking around to see.

Gunny later informed me that a hippo is fast as hell for a quick sprint. He also explained that more people are killed by hippos each year than any other animal. No clue if that is true but sure as hell scared the shut out of me.

 

[Fletch]

My scariest moment in the outdoors wasn't while hunting. We were in Kenya doing a final field op before heading to Mogadishu. The night before heading out we were doing a night patrol. Gunny was senior man out with us as he had been stationed in Kenya years ago as security forces. I was #2 and was wearing NVG's.

We came across a couple acre pond as we were working our patrol. As we got closer we heard some deep gutteral moans. Gunny asked me to scan the pond and see what was there. All I could see was a large mass on the other side of the pond. Gunny told me it was a hippo and we needed to get out of there as they are extremely territorial. We sent the squad back to our rally point as Gunny and I stayed to make sure the hippo stayed out. Gunny told me that if it started this way to haul ass. We had 9mm's on our hip with 3 mags a piece. That wasn't going to be enough if he came after us.

Moments after sending the squad back we heard a splash and I saw the hippo headed out way. The hippo made it across the pond in a flash. We turned and started to run. Ever try to run wearing NVG's? Doesn't work well. No depth perception. I was tripping over shit every couple steps. I am pretty sure it looked like the old horror movies. I ripped the NVG's off and did the best I could. We have no idea if the hippo ever left the water but as quick as he crossed that pond we weren't sticking around to see.

Gunny later informed me that a hippo is fast as hell for a quick sprint. He also explained that more people are killed by hippos each year than any other animal. No clue if that is true but sure as hell scared the shut out of me.

Enough to throw your BVDs away when back at camp.....

 

[Cogz]

Using a grunt tube, on the ground, 50 yards from a black angus bull. Never again.

 

[cotty16]

This past spring while turkey hunting behind my house...

I had just put the hen decoy out and walked about 15 yards to the tree I was gonna set against. As I was setting up my stool I hear commotion behind me. I turn and look and there's a coyote about 5 yards from me and my decoy is laying by my feet. I hurried up to grab my bow, but by the time we both realize what was going on, he was out of range and up on the ridge looking around like WETF just happened.

Dang thing attacked my decoy and sent it flying toward me. He ran so hard through the decoy had ended up right by me as well. My poor decoy has teeth marks in it now.

 

[Bowkills]

I was mushrooming In spring I think late when it's leafed out. I was walking very slow taking my time looking extremely hard, deep in concentration I hear a very odd bark. I thought I was going to look up and see someone with a dog or lone dog. In an instant it turned to oh shit...I had walked up on a female coyote with young pups at about 30 yrds at most. Her back and hair was sticking straight up with teeth snarling! I saw the young pups run behind her out of sight. I backed out very quickly. I think I carried a knife the rest of that year.

 

[mrbighorns]

Me and my buddy were hunting my property and he shoots a doe and it hops the electric Fence that had texas steer on it. We called and get permission and they opened the gate. We drove my buddies truck to the area where he last saw the doe. We get out and start looking for blood. I find some and we start to trail the deer. As we are Walking I stopped, I could hear something but wasn’t sure what it was. The ground started shaking, i shine my headlamp in the direction of the noise and all i see are eyes and horns running straight at us. I turn and run to the truck and yell for my buddy to do the same. He barely made it in the truck but all the steer started circling and rocking the truck. Good thing we had a couple brews because we were stuck. After they walked off we approached the gate and when i hopped out to open the gate i could hear them running towards the gate. He floors it and i shut the gate just in time. still one of the funniest stories we talk about. Never did find the deer

 

[giles]

I'll have to come back to this when I'm not so tired and feel like typing. I've got a few good ones from Alaska. Takes a bit to get me going around here now. I'm gonna go read the thread about biggest bucks now. See if I can stay awake long enough, lol.

 

[xbowguy]

My job had me staying with a friend in Meigs County. He was just outside of Harrisonville. I had a treestand about 1/4 mile from the house. First day in that stand I was in way before daylight. (I smoked back then). Just got in stand and lit a smoke when I heard all sorts of chasing. Put cigarette in a bottle and stood up even though extremely dark still. One of the deer ran right up to my ladder and stopped. Right between my feet I could make out this HUGE RACK (had to be 170+) looking around. Two steps and I'd have shot him one handed with the crossbow. Heard a noise to the left and deer took off to the right. My buddys yellow lab had followed me and spooked the whole group! Never seen that deer again. Still pissed at that dog too!

 

[Spencie]

I’ve had many but the first that comes to mind is a turkey scouting trip. Just breaking daylight and I hear something walking towards me. I make out an average sized coon. It gets to about 5 feet and I have the bright idea that I’m going to scare it so I do a little jump and growl. Instantly, It stands straight up and lets out this deafening roar. Needless to say I turned and ran while dribbling down my leg.

 

[giles]

I don't even know where to start. I just replayed a wolf, a bear and 2 moose stories.

 

[giles]

Gonna call this one Pinned.

For those that don't know, moose are blind. You can get away with some pretty odd and aggressive calling. I use a fence plank for racking trees and walking towards moose. Sounds stupid, but it always worked. There also isn't a sundown law. So you can hunt off the moon.

So I'm in this powerline on the edge of a swamp and its getting dark. I decide to call and thrash so brush. A bull returns the gesture with a display of his own thrashing. We go back and forth for about 20 minutes and he isn't gaining any ground. I'm running out of light and he's between me and my quad. So I decide to get out in the open to give him a visual to go with the calls.

I step out of the brush and into the powerline with this board held high and swaying it back and forth above my head. This dude comes charging out into the open about 200 yards out. Easy shot with my 300 win mag. Problem is that there is one patch of trees that he's just on the other side of and I can't get a shot. Mexican standoff starts. I can see the drool fly as he slings his head back and forth. This dude was fired up! This goes on for another 20 minutes and I'm about all out of light. I can still see him him my binoculars, but can't pick him up in my scope.

I watch the ass of a moose walk off. Thinking it was him I waited a little while and headed towards my quad. I was passing that patch of trees when the ground woke up! With a rifle on my shoulder and a pistol on my hip I didn't have time to grab either. All I could do was grab antlers and hang on for life. He tried to smash me into the ground 3 times but his rack was to big, I just fit between. After the third attempt he picked my up and did a head whip. I have no idea how far I flew...but luckily I was launched towards my quad. I hit the ground and rolled right into a run for my life. Got to my quad and got the hell outa there!

I went back the next day to pick up my rifle that was 20 yards from the patch of trees. No clue when that came off my shoulder. The board I was carrying was right by the patch of trees. The was holes all over the ground from his tips. I never really called again until this year. I hate giving up my exact location now. Lol

 

[Fletch]

Damn Dave..... Talk about a close call...

 

[giles]

Damn Dave..... Talk about a close call...

I was a little shaken, lol. I don't think I've ever ran so fast in my life. All up hill and I don't remember getting tired or out of breath. Survival mode fully engaged.

I've got more, ill try and come back when I have more time. Gotta get everything ready for youth season. ✌