Close Encounters

[huntingwolf]

I hunt public land here in Maryland which sees a lot of hunting pressure,and tonight I had a four pointer comming straight for me he came into about 10 yards and broused around me for about ten minutes. he then turned and slowly went into history leaving me with a fine memory but no chance at a shot. I was seated on the ground wearing ASAT leaf suit he looked right through me as if I was not even there.How many out there are wearing ASAT and tell us your close encounters.  

[Keefer]

William,
   I don't wear ASAT but had some close ones while huntiing the ground...Got a weird six pointer 2 years ago at 5 yards with my Autumn Storm longbow...Before I shot him I just let a doe and a wide spike with a heavy body walk the same 5 yard trail in front of me...Very exciteing moments when they are that close...Keefer's <")))><

[Blackhawk]

Recently, I had to sit in my tree stand only a couple feet off the ground because I had forgotten my harness.  Two does walked straight to my tree and one sniffed my boot before moving on.  

Close encounters without shots can be almost as exciting as any encounter.

[JamesV]

This will never happen again. I was walking in with my stand on my back, bow in my hand with quiver attached. It was just getting good light and I saw movement to my left. This nice 8 point was starring at me 15 yrds away. I froze,knowing he was about to bolt into the nearby thicket but instead after about 30 seconds he just dropped his head and started to feed away. I was able to knock an arrow and get a fast shot, of course it was high but hit his spine and put him on the ground..............James

[njloco]

I just started to wear ASAT 3D camo, this evening I had one of three bucks catch me moving, I froze, and he stopped paying attention to me and just went about his business. All too small for me to shoot, the biggest being a small 6 pt.

[Curtis Haden]

It's been many years ago, but one day when I first started hunting with a longbow, I had backed into a blow-down tree top to take a short break from my meanderings, when a whole herd of deer came up behind me, and then around my tree.  They were feeding all around me, and like the proverbial fool, I was standing there with my butt planted firmly on the tree trunk, lower limb tip resting on the ground, and all my broadheads still sitting comfortably in my hip quiver.  I could only watch as 10 or 12 of the pesky critters munched acorns a scant few yards away.

It wasn't long before a curious young doe decided to check out the camo-clad knot-head.  She moved to within about five feet, head-bobbing, stomping, and false starting.  She soon had the attention of all the other deer, but they were content to let her stay on point while they hunkered down and got ready to sprint.

The dance lasted a solid two or three minutes.  I was hardly breathing at first, still doggedly praying for the miracle that would allow me to nock an arrow undetected -- but then I gradually loosened up as I accepted that the day was for watching and not shooting.  My trembling turned suddenly into loud and raucous laughter when that silly girl cocked her head at me like a confused mutt.  I still feel lucky that I didn't get kicked when my doe swapped ends and did three backflips whilst leaving me in the dust.

To this day, it is my favorite hunting memory.  No ASAT back then... just good old mil-spec, woodland green and brown.

[Cottonwood]

Last Sunday, was the closer of archery only season here in Montana.  I wear ASAT, and have only the leafy head cover that I use with my other ASAT camo.  I was standing between my blind, and a pine tree, and there she was grazing at just 30 yards away.  She looked up dead at me, but went right back to grazing.  I really did not want to let one of my CX Heritage 150's fly because she was just to small for what I was looking for.

But I was surprized at how she reacted when she looked at me... just like I wasn't there at all.

[wapitimike1]

Close encounters just leave me bitter!!