Dumbest, Odd or Crazy thing while hunting...

[Sixby]

I'm hunting outside a tree line high up in the Siskyou mountains in S Oregon and I see a couple of really nice three point bucks. Not trophies but good size bucks and its the last of the season so I determine the direction that they are traveling and note that they are heading for the side of a 15 foot cliff with a break in the side and I figure that they will go through that little break. So I simply get beneath the cliff and wait for them . Buttttttttttt, Naturally I got to look after a while. Soooooooooo I move very slowly and get far enough away to barely see over the cliff and I see that the bucks are almost to it and walking near the edge toward the break. Then I hear this scream., Its the only way I can describe the sound and I see this golden eagle coming from the tree line in fighter plane mode with his wings set and he hits the larger buck right in the center of his back really hard. It knocks the buck off the cliff and I'm standing there dumbfounded. The buck jumps up and takes off and I don't even get a shot. Anyway I think I am really blessed in seeing something few people will ever have the opportunity to see and few would even believe. I firmly believe that eagle attacked to disable or kill the buck but did not get into the spinal cord with his talons or break the bucks neck or legs in the fall.

God bless, Steve

[centaur]

Originally posted by Sixby:
I'm hunting outside a tree line high up in the Siskyou mountains in S Oregon and I see a couple of really nice three point bucks. Not trophies but good size bucks and its the last of the season so I determine the direction that they are traveling and note that they are heading for the side of a 15 foot cliff with a break in the side and I figure that they will go through that little break. So I simply get beneath the cliff and wait for them . Buttttttttttt, Naturally I got to look after a while. Soooooooooo I move very slowly and get far enough away to barely see over the cliff and I see that the bucks are almost to it and walking near the edge toward the break. Then I hear this scream., Its the only way I can describe the sound and I see this golden eagle coming from the tree line in fighter plane mode with his wings set and he hits the larger buck right in the center of his back really hard. It knocks the buck off the cliff and I'm standing there dumbfounded. The buck jumps up and takes off and I don't even get a shot. Anyway I think I am really blessed in seeing something few people will ever have the opportunity to see and few would even believe. I firmly believe that eagle attacked to disable or kill the buck but did not get into the spinal cord with his talons or break the bucks neck or legs in the fall.

God bless, Steve

I watched a big golden eagle kill an antelope fawn doing the same thing. The dive bombing routine is really something to see.

[Bowwild]

It was October, 1978 in the Clark State Forest (S. Indiana). I watched squirrels and chipmunks going from the woods edge I was in to the adjacent standing cornfield.   A little while later a grey fox entered the same corn field, within bow range of my tree stand perch.

A few moments later I hear a commotion. First comes the chipmunk, then the squirrel... both running like....well, a fox was after them!  The fox was 3rd it of the corn and he caught the squirrel right in front of me. Picked him right off the base of a tree Mr. Squacker was trying to run up.

Not long after a 2nd fox or the same one (??) came down the same trail and simple followed the way the 1st fox had gone with his prize.

All critters were legal but it didn't even occur to me to try to shoot one. I was just watching the show.

[njloco]

I'm sitting up in a tree next to a bog, I could see about 150-200 yards in that direction even though I  am about 20 yds in,I spend all kinds of time being as quite as possible going in and up the tree, I get everything set up, I get all compfy and cozy, I'm relaxed looking around checking things out and, I hear this loud skreach ! I look in the direction of the only dead tree left in the bog just in time to see a bald eagle take off from the top, cursing me out in bird talk as he/she flies away from me. Now this was very cool as there weren't many eagles in n.j. back then, I will add that I didn't see a darn thing the rest of the day !

[Jake Scott]

When I was 14 or 15 I had been badgering my dad to death to let me hunt by myself.  Like most boys that age I was a true hunter, experienced, a master at my craft.  A true phenom (I hope you guys can detect the sarcasm).  Dad told me I could hunt alone, but if I was going to do it, I was going to do it ALL by myself.  Scouting, stand hanging, preparing, all the things that go into the hunt.  "I'll show him", says my brash teenage self.  

At that time we lived close to a very large piece of public ground, but I needed permission to cross the neighbors land for access.  Of course this was something Dad normally handled, however this time it fell to me.  I mustered all my courage and one day after school sheepishly asked Mr. Doster if I could cross his land to hunt the forest service ground.  He said "Of course you can"!!  I was impressed with myself, not knowing that he had also granted half the county the same privilege.

I scouted heavily, or what I thought was heavily.  I set my stand up in sight of a nice rub line, with a big hub scrape about 20 yards off to the North.  It was all I could do to let my honey hole cool off a couple days, planning to hunt the next Saturday morning.  In my teenage haste I managed to get into my tree a solid hour and half before daylight. A half hour before daylight I see a very faint light coming up the ridge.  Not bright enough to be a flashlight.  "What in the world is that", I thought to myself.  The light would flicker, and brighten, then fade.  Then I smelled it.  It was tobacco!!!!  Some dern yokel was stomping up my spot, and he was smoking while he was at it.  He got right up on top of me, I was half scared for my life.  I finally meekly said "excuse me, sir"...he turned inside out.  I scared the poor guy out of his skin.  He moved on, and now it was pink light.  Just after legal shooting light I heard a rustling.  Deer??  Nope, it was ANOTHER hunter.  This one I could see plainly in his blaze orange.  He was bold enough to ask me how my hunt was going and generally stomp up my spot even more.  Disgusted, I climbed down and headed for home.  

After telling dad the tale, he remained silent for a time.  He didn't gloat, but I could tell I was about to learn something.  He said "Thing about all that buck sign so close to the road, everyone see's it."  That's all he ever allowed on the subject.  I decided then and there that perhaps my apprenticeship wasn't over yet.  It still isn't, not by a long shot.

Cool thread,

Jake

[2nocks]

Last year hunting a small 30 acre property with 4 guys. I just get settled in look up the hill and a huge black animal is moving quick on the hillside. a  bear? no,one of  neighbor's, (who doesn't know what he is doing, and that's all I'll say about that) black angus cows was on the loose. I text everyone not to shoot it. I got the "thanks dad" back at me. Jeez i was just making sure...

[bofish-IL]

Years ago I decided the 1st of the season I was going to shoot the first deer that come by to get some meat. Along comes a small button buck broadside at 15 yards.

Still I don't know what happen but arrow flew real weird and went way over the deer's back.  He jumped about 3 yards closer and was looking around. As I nock  another arrow it falls off the string and bangs against the stand falling to the ground. The deer jumps closer to the stand again.
 
So I slow down and take my time and make a good shot with another arrow and the deer speeds off. He goes about 30 yards and run head first into a big walnut tree, then crumbles too the ground. I wasn't sure the shot killed him that fast or if he broke his neck.

As I rolled him over I see the base of a deer shed sticking out of the dead grass. It ended up being the best shed I have ever found. It had 5 regular points and 5 non typical stickers branching off the main points.

I guess some things are just meant to happen.

[sheepdogreno]

Wake up really early one morning I was hunting...ate a big breakfast, eggs,sausage, bacon, toast,and of course several cups of coffee. Get to stand climb up.get settled in put in my coppenhagen and BaM!!! Guts are rolling! Time to repel off this tree stand like a ninja or I may not make it...get to the bottom as I start ripping off coveralls! Well u know the rest! Lol I left more scent that I ever would that mornimg. Saw a doe later but no bucks! Better than smeared britches I guess!!!hahaha

[Wallydog]

I was muzzleloader hunting with my uncle in Indiana one year. He put me in a spot and says the deer will be there at around 4pm. Ohhkkkkk? Im ready and sure enough at 4pm here comes 4 does and they stage right in front of this field where I am. Not 20 yds away. I fire at doe number one miss!! Huh?? They run away. So I reload and a few minutes later here comes a bucket 8 point. I aim and fire and miss him from 15 yds max. He doesnt run. He just stares into the field. I reload and this time hes 20 yds. Blamm and smoke and he stands there still looking. I reload my last pre-made pill bottle load and take careful aim...you guessed it I missed him again. He finally runs off and my uncle shows up and asks where are the dead deer. I have never been that bummed out before or since.

[Taiga Recurve]

I took up a night stand next to a really big cottonwood in a washout in the Badlands of ND.
I took a seat on the ground as the light came to an end to wait for total darkness to move out.
I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and wouldn't you know it, it was a porcupine moving in to climb the tree for the night.
He was going to climb right over me as if I was a rock or a log. I had to use my bow to keep him off me, it took 3-4 nudges in order to change his mind. this whole time he was less than a foot from my leg.