what is the closest.....

[doug77]

When I lived in Minnesota a LONG LONG time ago the farmers never got their corn out till late, so we would walk the corn cross ways and look up & down the corn rows and when we would see a deer we would just step back 2 or 3 rows and you could sneak up them if you were careful. I've shot a handful of deer laying down in the corn no more the 6-9 feet away.

Now that I look back those were the good ole days.

doug77

[briarsdad]

I killed a 6 point buck about 6 years ago at 12 yards. I had a treestand that looked over a small food plot close to the fence between my neighbors property and mine. I had watched several deer cross at a dry creek under the fence 30 yards or so to the west from my treestand and head south through my property. There was a big oak tree 12 yards from that crossing and I decided I would set up under that oak and try to shoot a deer as soon as one crossed. The first set there the six point came chasing does right across the fence on the neighbor so I gave him a grunt and he stopped about 40 yards away. I bleated one time with the can call and he came like he was on a string right to the fence crossing. As soon as he ducked under the fence I started to draw my Black Widow recrurve and when he stood back up I let the arrow go and watched it pass right through him. He only went 40 yards and went down. That was the first and only deer I have ever killed from the ground with tradtional gear.

[PaddyMac]

About 10 feet coyote. I was set up on the ground between two trails in very thick stuff on the Nehalem River in Oregon and heard something coming down the trail I wasn't expecting anything traveling on and it was a mangey coyote. I let him walk on by and then he came back. Must have had a bad nose. I nailed him. It was a perfect shot but he freaked out so bad flopping around and so close to me I've been squeamish about shooting coyotes with a bow ever since.

And now over to the thread about close misses...

[Emmons]

One evening I stayed in the treestand until dar, as I was wait for my buddy to come up the hill from his stand.  I seen his light above me and made my way down the tree.  The buddy continued working his way to the top of the hill and I was packing up my treestand.  I had it all together and layed it on the group three feet from me and I was gather up my bow rope.  All of a sudden I hear my buddy yell "Holy ****" then I hear crashing coming down the hil at me.  I did not know what to do and stood there frozen.  As the buck came crashing by me he got tangled up in my tree stand.  In his flopping around he actually kick the side of my leg knocking me to the ground.  He got up and took off, leaving me there breathless.

[Yellow Dog]

Five feet in a corn field while I was stalking a group of does in an adjacent bean field. As I was closing in, I had a little buck walk right up on me while I was crouched down plotting my next move on the deer in the field. He was so close I had to lean back as I drew on him so I wouldn't poke him with my broadhead. The old heart was going into overdrive for sure   :eek:

[Guru]

Killed a buck on the ground at 3yds.!

 I remember I could see his eyelashes as his eyes grew bigger when he realized something was amiss....I drew and shot quicker than I ever have at a deer...hit him on the shoulder...he crashed for 15yds. and cartwheeled into a blowdown!

Awesome experience!!!

[Walt Francis]

My first black bear was shot shot at 2 yards.  I was set to ambush a 170 class mule deer as he was coming in and had reached the 50 yard mark (was waiting for under 20) when the bear came busting down the hill behind me.  I was kneeling and when I turned around he stopped  at two yards facing me.  I drew and shot in one motion as he turned and ran.  It was a long tracking job, but that is another story on its self.  

I had a good late season ground blind/ambush spot before the local elk population was decimated by the wolves and killed three cow elk between 3 & 4 yards from it: Thanks Lenny

[Hot Hap]

I shot a small buck at 18", I had to lean backwards to draw my bow. It was on a hedgerow and I was on my way to some woods when I saw him coming down the hedge. I backed into some brush and ran a snuffer through him. He made it about 15 yards.
Hap

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

I didn't shoot, but once I was setting/leaning on a partially fallen tree.. Pretty much straddling it with my bow resting on the ground on one end with an arrow on the shelf.

A young buck came out and down the trail, I had to pivot the bow as he walked by so as to not poke him with the arrow.

Ten minutes later I had a doe come from behind on a cross trail and almost ended up pivoting the bow the other way to let her go by.  And she came from down wind.. (never have figured that out.)

[team fudd]

didnt shoot him but had a buck walk over my legs that were across the trail he was on.  Could have poked him in the ribs when he stepped over my feet.  I have a dandy picture of a bear at about two feet I took this spring when hunting in alberta. I will send it to mudd and maybe he will post it for me. People say drugs get you high.  Drugs?  I dont need no stinking drugs!  You want to talk about a rush? I had a red tailed hawk fly down a cut and when he landed on the branch my shoulder was resting on  he hit me with his wing as he was closing them.  You cant get that high from drugs!

[centaur]

Had a big black bear respond to an elk bugle and shot him at 7 yards, and he fell within 15 yards. That was exciting.
 Coyote at about 5 feet; that was one very surprised coyote.
I got to touch a doe on her butt a couple of years ago. She turned inside out trying to leave.

[Bill Carlsen]

Grunted in a young  buck. Was sitting in a clump of hemlock. He came in and had to go around another big hemlock. He chose the path closest to me...3 yards. He never saw me. He was my one and only longbow kill...67# Shadow Eclipse and a Hunters Head on a chundoo shaft. He left no blood trail but only went about 40 yards.

[bohuntr]

Love this thread! As you can see from my signature line I am a big fan of close shots. I have shot quite a few deer under 8yards. My closest spot and stalk ended up with my shooting a forkhorn mulie at 3yards as he was getting out of his bed. I see several guys refer to close encounters not invloving shooting. Back in 2006 I was walking back to the truck after shooting the bull in my Avatar when I spotted another 6 point bull coming doen the other side of a barbed wire fence towards me. I backed into some brush and sat back to see what developed. Not sure what got into me but when he was directly across the fence I jumped out and yelled loudly at him. His reaction was pricelesss. That bull turned inside out and took off at full throtle running over several trees during the process of his escape. Probably a dumb thing to do but sure was funny at the time!

[Mudd]

A couple of photos for team fudd.

 
 

God bless,Mudd

[tuscarawasbowman]

Didn't shoot him but I had a buck that would have ran right into me if I hadn't moved when he was a foot away. He didn't see me behind the oak I was leaning against.

[doug77]

I also get a coyote huning on the ground last year 3-4 yds. away.

doug77

[Shakes.602]

"There I was, the Sun Behind Me, the Beast was in its Lair. I was within 10 Yards of his Home, when all of a Sudden...... I was Face to Face with the  BEAST!!!!  I was so Surprised I missed his head by mear Inches and the Beast went right back into his lair!! Heart Pounding, Knees Like Jell-O, I Vowed right Then & There to Remove this Dangerous 13 Striped Ground Squirrel if it was The  LAST  thing I Ever Do!!" Guess Ya Had To Be There......
   

[Stone Knife]

I shot a buck from a popup blind inside of 20 feet, I saw the hair cut when he was hit.

[team fudd]

thanks for posting those photos for me mudd.  The one bear is at two feet and the other one is at apprx six feet.  I did not shoot either bear but what a rush!

[silvertip73]

Awesome stories!!