Most bizarre thing that's happened while hunting

[JRWhit]

That's crazy you could find that wallet.

One year deer hunting, I took a shot on a doe at about 100yds down a steady drawn hill. She was in tail with two others. To my surprise, she turn and bolted straight toward me. She got all of ten feet from me before she realized what she was running toward, and fell over DRT. Saved me all the effort of fighting that hill. I never took more than five or six steps from where I fired to start dressing her.


On another occasion hunting in the southern ridges of Colorado, I made it my mission to see as much of that country as I could. I hiked as far as my legs would take me off the trails to try and touch ground that hadn't been touched by anyone else. Off in the middle of nowhere as I felt accomplished, I look up and see a name carved into an aspen tree. That spoiled my thoughts of being in uncharted territory, but the name was familiar to me. I thought, what are the odds. Later on after that hunt, I was in conversation with that person. I told him about the name in the aspen tree in the middle of nowhere.
Turns out he was in that specific region of southern Colorado with the Cub Scouts, and on a hefty hike off trail, he carved his name into an aspen tree.
I have always been dumbfounded by the idea of finding that tree. It's over half way across the country from where we live.

 

[loose noose]

One year back around 1964, my Dad and I were hunting partridge in the upper part of Wisconsin, we had walked at least 10 miles thru the cedars looking to connect with a few partridge, but to no avail.

Upon arrival at home, my Mom met us at the door, and guess what she had, a freshly killed partridge that had crashed into the front double paned picture window at home, just shortly before we got home. Poor thing broke it's neck, and there was no spoiled meat at all.

Reckon we should have stayed home!

 

[gamestalker]

Hi Jim in Anchorage, the rim country is beautiful and has it's share of good hunting, black bear, both white tail couse deer and mule deer, good turkey hunting also. It's some pretty tough country, but nothing can really compete with that Alaska wilderness.

And yes, your more than welcome to hunt our wonderful state. It's nothing like the midwest, in that, it all spot and stalk type hunting. Lots of glassing and hiking.

I was hunting turkey in SW New Mexico one spring and had put my bird to bed the evening before. So after I had set up in the darkness of the early morning, I was sitting against a tree waiting patiently for light to come so I could begin calling my bird in. As I sat quietly I heard branches in the tree above me crunching and snapping, I thought it was just another roosted bird in the tree moving around. But then I heard this loud crashing sound, when suddenly this large black bear almost landed on top of me. It had fallen out of the tree, which I later learned isn't all that unusual for bears. It stood up and looked right at me and then casually walked away. I managed to call in my gobbler shortly after that, then went home and changed my underwear.

GS

 

[95XL883]

I mentioned earlier (post 16) that I found what appeared to be a hand dug well in a remote location. Yesterday my boy and I went back with several flashlights and plenty of string.

The big flashlight revealed that it is indeed a hand dug well. I think it is hand dug because the top five feet is a carefully laid rock lining. (There is no pipe lining.) Below that the sides appear to be troweled on concrete. The troweling was done a batch at a time so the hole, while circular, is uneven patches of concrete that oozed down as it dried.

The first 15 feet or so go straight down and then it angles slightly to the southeast. Because of the angle it is impossible to see past 20 feet or so. At about 40 feet the pull of the flashlight seemed to lessen but it was still taking line. I let out another 20 feet before I pulled it out. It came out smoothly, not catching so I am guessing is "lined" quite a ways down. The line was water soaked for that 20 feet but it smelled awful. So bad I didn't lower it again to try to find the bottom.

This is obviously a very old well. Whoever dug it had a lot of guts or desperation. I can't imagine digging in a narrow hole to that depth. With no structures near it except the old pond my guess is it was dug to fill the pond but at some point the idea was abandoned. The pond is now overgrown by hedge and small brush and has a damp bottom.

It does raise a lot of questions. Who dug it? When was it dug? How was it dug? How deep is it really? Is the water safe or can it be made safe? Was it ever used? Can we use it now?

My next step, I guess, is to pull a water sample and have it tested. I guess I will call the appropriate Kansas agency and inquire about the pond. It is old enough and small enough that I doubt it was built with a permit so I'll be surprised if they can tell me anything. Maybe the county historical society can tell me something.

Assuming the water can be made potable and the pond easily repaired, would it help the huntable wildlife to provide another water source? (There is another pond which is spring-fed and a spring about 150 yards south of the well and the dry pond.) I might use it as a water source anyway if it would allow me to have cattle or horses on the property. (Yummm! Grass fed beef.)

 

[Jcinnb]

My great friend and I were goose hunting on the Potomac river. It was early, but you could see a bit. We heard noise out in the river, but at first could not see anything. The noise got louder, and we begin to see some waves.

Eventually we saw a HUGE rack, then a head. A damn big deer was swimming across the Potomac. At least a mile wide. The buck came ashore right in our decoys and had several all tangled, but he got free and disappeared in the brush, just feet from our blind.

 

[BigBore44]

95XL883 (Sportster),
You could take a water sample if you want. But that's a fairly deep well. And it doesn't sound like the pond is capable of holding water. How long have you been aware of this ponds existence and have you ever seen it hold water? If it will hold water, an extra water source in Kansas is NEVER a bad idea. Sounds like it maybe sulfer water though if it stinks.

 

[interlock]

I was out deer hunting once and shot a buck in the chest from broadside. The bullet, or part of it, exited at right angles to the impact and hit another deer straight through the atlas joint. Both deer feel dead on the spot

 

[95XL883]

BB44,

Thanks for the input. Kansas doesn't have a record of the well or the pond. You are probably right that the pond probably won't hold water. At most, I've seen 6" of water in it. (It seems a dumb place to have a pond as it close to the high point and not in a runoff path.)

A stock tank is probably a better idea but would that be beneficial for deer and turkey?

I'm waiting to hear from a lab as to what testing will cost.

Thanks again.

 

[d2wing]

I have a long list, but I guess the craziest is while grouse hunting my Springer Spaniel starting barking and ran off into the dark woods, very unusual, then she returned being chased by a large angry Bull moose. Maybe she thought she was retrieving it. Since I couldn't clime a tree fast enough, had only birdshot and it was downwind of me I did the only thing I could. I unzipped an pissed as far and fast as I could. Bulls don't see real well but they have a good nose. He slowed up and sniffed the air, snorted and strolled back into the shadows.

 

[TRX]

Here in Arkansas, back in the 1980s, a bowhunter managed to kill himself with his own arrow. Apparently he fumbled it somehow while drawing, the broadhead sliced his wrist, and he panicked or didn't know how to control the bleeding. Still bad luck, since wounds like that aren't always fatal.

Less morbid, another hunter was injured when he fell out of a tree... with his wheelchair. His buddies had hoisted him up, chair and all, and didn't do a good job of tying everything down. The news report implied it was some friends trying to help a disabled hunter, but I always suspected "alcohol was involved."

 

[Field Tester]

BB44,

Thanks for the input. Kansas doesn't have a record of the well or the pond. You are probably right that the pond probably won't hold water. At most, I've seen 6" of water in it. (It seems a dumb place to have a pond as it close to the high point and not in a runoff path.)

A stock tank is probably a better idea but would that be beneficial for deer and turkey?

I'm waiting to hear from a lab as to what testing will cost.

Thanks again.

Lol, sorry for putting the thought back in your mind.

For everyone else, I usually read old hunting threads to learn something new or to read a good story. I didn't want to revive an old thread so I PMed 95XL883.

I'd love to see pictures if you can. Also if you know anyone with a Go Pro, you might be able to attach to a rope with a small flashlight. Just a thought.
Thanks for replying to my PM and following up with the story!

 

[HisStigness]

I was out deer hunting once and shot a buck in the chest from broadside. The bullet, or part of it, exited at right angles to the impact and hit another deer straight through the atlas joint. Both deer feel dead on the spot

You've gotta be kidding me.

 

[BigBore44]

95XL883,
If you have a place that is typically dry (Kansas), any source of water is going to be benificial. I'm assuming you're referring to a metal stock tank. But your best bet is to put it close to a creek or cover. Deer and turkey both prefer to travel "natural" pathways. Typically because they offer an element of seclusion and a percieved option of escape should they need it. So if you can offer a steady source of water along that path, it adds an element of comfort.

 

[Art Eatman]

My father told me a story of an event on a ranch near New Braunfels, Texas, back about seventy years ago.

A woman shot a buck and went to it to field dress it. She put her tag on the buck and got out her knife. Apparently only having been stunned, the buck came to, jumped up, and then ran and jumped the fence into the next ranch.

She ran after the buck and crossed the fence. A hunter on that ranch shot and killed the buck. He and a buddy got to the buck about the same time as the lady.

"Stop! That's MY buck," she said. "Lady, I just shot the damned thing; how is it yours?"

"It has my tag on it!"

They look, and sure enough, there's the tag.

So the guy says, "Well, lady, anybody can run that fast deserves a buck."

 

[ahtoxa]

I laughed hard sitting at the office. Some good stories here.

 

[trapper1]

I know this may sound far fetched to most, but I once shot my limit of doves using only one box of shells

 

[stressed]

95XL883, could be Civil War era. You may find some interesting relics/remains at the bottom. Take some pictures if you can.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

the craziest thing i ever seen? i was deer hunting and a coyote popped out. shot him rite behind the shoulder with a 125 grn nosler ballistic tip at about 200 yrds with my then new ruger no 1 06.he went down and went back to reading my book in my box blind. looked up a few min later and he was up trotting around like nuttin ever happened. watched him for awhile, ther was a blood spot on entry area and some meat hanging out on the opposite side where the bullet exited.perfect behind the shoulder shot mind yu. all this thru a 12 pwr scope. after about 10 min he turned and faced me at about 175 yrds and i stuck one in his chest dead center. that put him down.

when i walked over and looked at him the first bullet went dead center behind his shoulder mid body.a piece of lung hanging out. but he was up sniffing around like nuttin ever happened. crazy weird.

 

[interlock]

You've gotta be kidding me.

No for sure!!!