Most surprising thing I have ever seen in the woods!!!

[HUNT,FISH,DIE]

My wife and I have a cottage in Arenac Co., near the Rifle river. I have seen some pretty "cool" things up there, as far as nature goes; the Northern lights, meteoer showers, bucks chasing doe, eagles mating in mid air, I even saw a bobcat attack one of my turkey decoys 2 years ago, while I was hunting near the cottage. That was awesome, and pretty funny after seeing the bobcats reaction! But, last weekend we went up. Saturday night, I had the spotlight on in the back of the house because I'll toss some corn out back in the woods,(feeding not banned yet there) and we see a lot of different wildlife, from early evening, on. Well, at about 11:30 pm we had a couple of nice size rabbits come in. We watched 'em for about 10 minutes while they munched away on the shelled corn and not really concerned about the light being on. When they all of a sudden "rocketed" to our left. 2 seconds later, three coyotes were in full stride right at them!! WOW I was so pumped!! They disappeared quickly and never saw them again. I'm guessing that there might have been more intercepting the rabbits.??. It took me until 3:00am to shut the light of and go to bed!
This tops my list of memorable things I've seen up north! Any body else have an unforgetable sighting or experience similar??


-HUNT,FISH,DIE

[The Nailer]

Great story, that must have been soooo cool!!!

While not nearly as exciting, one of the coolest things I ever saw was a few years ago in the U.P. I was sitting in a ground blind deer hunting watching a clearing about 100yds away. Two bobcats came out of the swamp a big male and a female. I watched them thru the binocs for almost thirty minutes before they headed back into the swamp. They were pretty neat to watch and that was the first and last time I have seen a bobcat in the woods.

[Worm Dunker]

I live right in the city of Lansing and when we moved into this new house I was in the back yard cleaning up leaves and brush and just as I stood up a starling buzzed over my head and just as I was thinking how weird that was a adult red hawk flew over me and killed the starling right in front of me. I yelled at the wife and kids to look and the hawk just hissed at me not five feet from me. There is a little wet land at the back of my yard and I have seen opposums,skunks,racoons and had a four point buck breed a doe there. And even had a coyotee at the fence watching my female setter when she was in heat. Who says you have to live in the country to see wild animals.

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[Recurve]

When I was 15, I was out squirrel hunting after school one fine, sunny, fall day. I heard some rustling in the underbrush and out poked a big red fox, not 30 feet from where I was sitting. He stood there sniffing the wind and looked right at me! Unconcerned, he just walked right by me to the edge of the woods. He then trotted across a mown wheat field to the next woodlot.

In the fall of '99, I was sitting on my stand when I heard a commotion in the woods coming towards me. I looked over my shoulder to see 10 panicked does and fawns running towards me. I was surprised to see a big grey coyote chasing right behind. He probably ran about 35lbs. Beautiful coat! This might not be that unusual up north but this was in Oakland Co. The herd split up with half running in front of my stand and then freezing, and the rest continuing on with the coyote in hot pursuit. If one of the deer had made a misstep, that coyote might have brought one down because he was right there on their tails.

This last fall I was walking back into my stand for an afternoon hunt. It was a bright sunny afternoon. I was walking slowly, carefully scanning the area for a bedded buck, thinking I might see some antlers sticking out above the weeds.

As I neared the end of a fence row, I was surprised to see what appeared to be a bald headed man, naked, doing pushups! Closer inspection revealed someone underneath him. At first I thought it was another man!!!!, then I realized it was a woman with a short haircut!

Not sure what to do, I backed away slowly. I still had to get to my stand and not wanting to detour too far, I walked back across the same field, about 45 yards away from where they had their blanket spread out. I made sure they saw me, as I walked slowly by, full camo, bow in hand and stopping to scan the area with my binoculars. ;) Needless to say, they didn't waste any time gathering up their stuff! Apparently, this guy didn't know it was hunting season!

[This message has been edited by Recurve (edited 02-02-2001).]

[michiduck]

hunt, fish, die,

I had a simmilar experience to yours my fisrt year of deer hunting (6 years ago) while I was in my blind seeing absolutely nothing; the blur of a rabbit on a full run crossed the trail, then a couple seconds later followed a coyote at a steady trot with his nose to the ground.

But the event that has to rank in the top of things I have seen has to be....
Up North around the 4th of July a few years back I was sitting around the fire in the middle of the day watching a momma mallard and her babies swimming near shore on the lake when all of a sudden there was a big splash and one less duckling. A big pike had found him a good lunch!!!

[This message has been edited by michiduck (edited 02-02-2001).]

[StrutnSpur]

Recurve, Do you think that might of been a SPIKE buck?...LOL

[Russ Garland]

On a fly-in fishing trip to canada I saw a eagle dive down and get a northen pike. On the same trip a bear tried getting into our cabin one night.

[Jumpshootin']

I've seen quite a few neat things while afield. Such as:
-a great horned owl take a fox squirrel off
of a tree limb.
-a sparrow hawk take a red winged black bird
off of a cattail stalk.
-a shrew chasing a mouse through the leaves.
-a buck mounting a doe.
-had a muskrat come into my duck blind.
-an osprey diving for a fish.
-a mink catching crayfish in a creek.
-coyotes 'mousing' on a froze-over cattail
marsh.
The wierdest thing was the 'albino spikehorn buck' that I saw on a very foggy morning one bow season about twenty years ago. He got within range and I raised the bow for a shot. He then looked right at me and went "baa-baa". It was a darn white goat!
I could go on and on. This is why I spend my time afield rather than golfing or bowling and such.

------------------
Take a Kid Hunting!

[bulletslinger]

I once had a bird land on my sight pin of my bow and started pecking at it.And walking along a two track I had a owl fly down and grab a mouse about 2ft from my foot. http://www.geocities.com/wildlifegifs/fox6.gif

[This message has been edited by bulletslinger (edited 02-02-2001).]

[Dangler]

Recurve, so that was you? Sorry for disturbing your hunt, I'll find another place to take my date next time. At least I left a mock scrape for you.

I've seen:
a hawk take a gray squirrel off a tree;
a white squirrel trying to hide on the side a of a tree;
a flying squirrel swoop around (rare in daylight)
5 grouse in full strut in a 20 foot square area;
3 rabbits come out of a 10-foot brushpile at the same time, with 4 beagles go'in insane;
a button buck tryin' to mount his mama late in the season;
a bedded coyote launch himself at mach 2 as my arrow passed over his back from 10 yards after a 1-hour stalk in the rain (that one hurt);
a grouse nest with 13 eggs after I flushed her while mushroom hunting;

We've all had some great experiences while out in the woods. As I get older, I cherish these moments, as much for the failures as the successes. My biggest thrills now are watching hunters take their first deer.

Man, it's a great sport, eh?

[Fred Bear]

Belive it or not! Last summer I was going scouting and I kicked up a bobcat. Now I know they are not seen in Jackson county but I swear not more than 10 yards from me was a bobcat running full tilt. I saw him in perfect veiw, so I know what it was no doubt about it.

[Torvo]

Originally posted by Recurve:
When I was 15, I was out squirrel hunting after school one fine, sunny, fall day. I heard some rustling in the underbrush and out poked a big red fox, not 30 feet from where I was sitting. He stood there sniffing the wind and looked right at me! Unconcerned, he just walked right by me to the edge of the woods. He then trotted across a mown wheat field to the next woodlot.

In the fall of '99, I was sitting on my stand when I heard a commotion in the woods coming towards me. I looked over my shoulder to see 10 panicked does and fawns running towards me. I was surprised to see a big grey coyote chasing right behind. He probably ran about 35lbs. Beautiful coat! This might not be that unusual up north but this was in Oakland Co. The herd split up with half running in front of my stand and then freezing, and the rest continuing on with the coyote in hot pursuit. If one of the deer had made a misstep, that coyote might have brought one down because he was right there on their tails.

This last fall I was walking back into my stand for an afternoon hunt. It was a bright sunny afternoon. I was walking slowly, carefully scanning the area for a bedded buck, thinking I might see some antlers sticking out above the weeds.

As I neared the end of a fence row, I was surprised to see what appeared to be a bald headed man, naked, doing pushups! Closer inspection revealed someone underneath him. At first I thought it was another man!!!!, then I realized it was a woman with a short haircut!

Not sure what to do, I backed away slowly. I still had to get to my stand and not wanting to detour too far, I walked back across the same field, about 45 yards away from where they had their blanket spread out. I made sure they saw me, as I walked slowly by, full camo, bow in hand and stopping to scan the area with my binoculars. ;) Needless to say, they didn't waste any time gathering up their stuff! Apparently, this guy didn't know it was hunting season!

[This message has been edited by Recurve (edited 02-02-2001).]

You just never know what will happen during the RUT. :)

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JUST CAN'T HUNT ENOUGH

Torvo

[boehr]

Isn't it great to be a sportperson, spending time out in nature, woods or the city, and being able to notice these things because of your love to observe the not so obvious to a person who doesn't participate. It's part of an example of what people that don't get out and spend time in the outdoors are missing!

[stevebrandle]

The first year that the DNR opened Nayanquing Point Game Area for waterfowl hunting, there wasn't a drawing for fields and hunters could go where they pleased. The new area didn't attract much interest in the beginning with most of the hunters going to Fish Point and Shiawassee.

I was working nights back then, around 1976, and could hunt in the morning on weekdays. I went there by myself one morning and set-up the decoys in a field that I'd seen birds using the day before. There wasn't a soul around in any of the fields and the weather was clear blue skies and warm for Oct. Not exactly perfect conditions, but I wanted to go and check it out.

The sun rose and was almost blinding me as I looked out over Saginaw Bay to the east. Some mallards started working the field, and I had some shooting minutes after legal time. In the first hour of shooting time the mallards just kept coming and coming into my decoys and in no time I had a limit. I even took a double to finish the hunt.

I unloaded my shotgun and set it in the boat. Pouring myself a cup of coffee from the untouched thermos; I lit a smoke and was taking a break before picking up and leaving.

The sun was full up by then in a cloudless sky with just the hint of a breeze. Ducks were landing in my decoys and when I looked out over the Bay, I could see strings upon strings of rafted ducks and geese getting up off the water, where they had spent the night, and heading to shore straight at me.

The flocks reached the field and many of them circled and landed. Others just flew low over the field quacking and honking greetings as they passed over. This went on continuously for almost an hour and I just stood in awe watching the show. When I finally moved out of the cover to pick up the decoys, about 100 ducks flushed up from the small pool.

My "secret" spot didn't remain that way for long though, and soon the fields were being hunted more and the birds avoided them during the day time. But, for almost a week I had paradise all to myself.

[song_dog_slammer]

I was hunting on public land in the northern thumb area. I had constructed a crude ground blind and settled in for an evening hunt. After a short time a doe appeared with a single fawn, the doe headed to the bait but hte fawn was more interested in me. He approached the blind and gave a soft bleat then proceeded to stick his nose through the clutterd pine boughs. I was literally face top face with my quarry. OF course Idid not shoot the little guy or his mother but the experience was just as sweet. I could actually see the hairs around his nose move when he breathed.

I have also had a coyote eat carrotts out of my bait pile, I did shoot him of course.

[arrowlaucher]

Well back a few years ago[1994] I had just setteled down in my treestand overlooking my carrot and sugerbeet pile, when to my left i see a dark animal circleing the woods and heading my way.To my surprise it was a black bear,This being the first week of bow deer season it was quite a superise.The bear just plopped its self down on that pile and started munching on those carrots,20 minutes later he had enough.The scary part is he started towards my tree,knowing that bears can climb trees i decied to yell at him [didnt work] so now im a little worried,well I thought now what Mister Brave go in the woods with bow and arrow man!! well i thought try again, This time i stood up in my stand waved my arms and yelled again! Well that got his attenion.He stood up on his hind legs a sniffed the air a bit,then just walked away. I would have to say stories like that and the others iv read here are the reasons we love the great outdoors for!

[woodencanoe]

Seen a blue fox one afternoon out bowhunting. Pretty little thing, started taking the video camera after that, never seen it again thou.

[buffalo]

While hunting Bear in the UP I walked up on a hawk that had just caught a red squirrel.I just stood there and watched it devour the squirrel piece by piece. The hawk never knew I was there. Its great to be outside in the wild.

[watercop19]

Some of the coolest things i have come across in the woods are: great horned owls landing above my treestand, 3 coyotes circling a wounded doe, and the coolest thing ever sighted in the great outdoors is a bar in the middle of the woods in while backpacking at Tiquamion(sp?) Falls! Deerless knows all about that!

[watercop19]

Some of the coolest things i have come across in the woods are: great horned owls landing above my treestand, 3 coyotes circling a wounded doe, and the coolest thing ever sighted in the great outdoors is a bar in the middle of the woods in while backpacking at Tiquamion(sp?) Falls! Deerless knows all about that!

[deerless]

Yes, The bar that Watercop and myself found in the woods while backpacking was very interesting. But it's a long story.

Deerless

[Kevin]

About 3 years ago I was fly fishing out in Idaho on the Teton river with my brother-in-law. He had pointed out some moose at a distance on the drive in. He had warned me that moose can be sort of dangerous because they will charge if they feel threatened. Thus warned, I was later working my way along the Teton, with chest-high elephant grass keeping my progress to a pretty slow pace. I was creeping along looking for a good vantage point to cast some hoppers to some big cutt-throat and cuttbow trout that I could see in the clear water. It was about an eight-foot drop-off from the heavy grass down into the river. I was so intent on watching the trout and trying not to make a racket, and trying not to fuss with the sweat in my eyes and insects in my ears, that I was completely oblivious the activity in the grassy field behind me, bordered by a quickly sloping hill.
I was on one knee and I lifted my hat and sunglasses to wipe the sweat out of my eyes when I glanced up ... and froze.
Not sixteen yards from me was a huge bull moose, and he was already looking at me.
Now I don't consider myself faint of heart, but at that moment I could not seem to suck any air into my lungs. I looked around but there was no place to back away and retreat gracefully. I was on a tiny peninsula formed by a crook in the river, and the moose was between me and any path out.
Add to that, I would have had a lousy 40yd dash time in the elephant grass.
Well I was looking at the moose and the moose was looking at me. Then the moose tilted his huge head -just a little, and it suddenly occurred to me just how hot I was and just how inviting that cool brisk water would be right now.
So holding my rod and reel over my head I took a couple steps and jumped into the river. The current was pretty good and it quickly grabbed me and carried me down stream. As I was floating away I twisted around in the water and could see the moose ambling away as if he was bored by the whole encounter. I doubt his heart was racing like mine. ;)
I got skunked on the trout that day - only caught a few whitefish, but I will not soon forget the trip.

------------------
Amos
Peace through strength, strength through peace.

[DodgeDad]

One day during late spring about 5 years ago my two sons and I went down to a lake near my parents to while away some time. There is a small penninsula that juts out into the lake at one end that is covered with grass about 1' high. It's the kind of shore line that jiggles if you jump up and down on it. Anyways, as I was the first one to head out onto this penninsula I noticed something moving amongst the grass everytime I took a step. Well, turns out it was Garter/sp? snakes and we must have been right in the middle of there breeding grounds. My youngest, and lover of things that slither was in hog heaven. He ran back to the truck and grabbed a 5 gallon bucket and was picking up all the snakes he could. The bucket was so full they finally woudn't even stay in it. Now, I'm definatly no snake lover, but it was quite a spectacle to see him hauling around a bucket of snakes that only took about 15 minutes to fill.


We returned about a week later and they were gone. My youngest did manage to find one that he was carrying around with him, but that was all we found. As I mentioned we were going to leave I was trying to coax him to let the snake go. My oldest boy took this as an opportunity to enforce what I was saying and before I knew it he had grabbed his younger brothers arm and managed to flip it up and cause his brother to loose his grip on the snake. The snake went flying through the air and landed about 15 foot off shorre in the water. The snake began to make a dive when all of a sudden out of nowhere this 8" small mouth streaked out and fiercly attacked this 18" snake. Being too much of a mouthful the fish didn't take long before relizing he was tangling with something too big and was gone as fast as he had shown up. The snake made a beeline for shore no worse for wear.

[This message has been edited by DodgeDad (edited 02-05-2001).]

[DodgeDad]

Last year about this time my wife and I were headed into town for a Dr's appointment at about 8:00 a.m.. Driving along, my wife was watching for deer as usual when all of a sudden she says "There's an albino deer". I'm like, yeah sure, probably a dog or something, so I drive down to where I can turn around and come back figuring whatever it was will be gone. So I coast up to where she said it and sure enough, standing on top of a hill is this albino deer looking right straight at us. Pink eyes and all white just standing there with a couple of normal deer. It's like "WOW" this is a once in a lifetime thing some people will never get to see.

Later in the week I stop by a friends house who lives near where we saw it and ask if he knew anything about it and he tells me actually there were two, one of which was a piebald (partially white). He had seen them running together during rifle season but figures the neighbor knocked off the piebald during firearm season. It was just simply amazing to see that all white deer, knowing it was wild. I'don't know if it's still around as I haven't asked my friend, but I sure hope it is.

[This message has been edited by DodgeDad (edited 02-05-2001).]

[bigmac]

While hunting Hillsdale county a few years back I had a spike and forkhorn start sparring a little, then a 7point comes in...then a 9-10 point and some smaller bucks. I never got a shot(bow) but I did get some pictures, it was unreal!!

[HUNT,FISH,DIE]

Great posts guys and gals! This stuff is exactly what I was aiming for. Thanks for some excellent visualizations!!!

[Citori]

About fourteen some years ago my Father, Brother, And I were squirril hunting in a small wood lot, not much more than twenty acres. I was with my Dad and we decided that we had enough and was time to go. As we looked for my Brother he yelled out "I got a deer!" Both my Dad and I were shocked to hear this.... It wasn't deer season. As we followed his voice we came to a clearing in the woods. I looked up and saw my Brother standing by a tree. All of a sudden a small four point deer with orange tape wrapped around his antlers saw my Father and I and made a bee line right for us. All I could think was its charging me. It came about three feet from me and just stopped and looked. My Brother then pulled some leaves off a tree and feed them to the buck. After awhile it must have got bored with us and took off. His antlers were messed up on one side, we figured it might have been hit by a car and someone nursed it back to health.

[This message has been edited by Citori (edited 02-05-2001).]

[DaYoop]

I've had a couple strange encounters myself.

A few years back bow hunting near Mio, had a grouse perch on my arrow--no joke!! This year had a bearded hen turkey come in, got her on video for proof :) Early on in my deer hunting career--before I was legal to hunt, I was sitting with my dad and I remember seeing a deer walking towards us from one side directly towards us and just kept coming closer and closer. Then as she passed in front of us, she was so close all I could see above the front of the blind were the tips of her ears, then after she passed could see her again walking away from us on the other side of the blind--now that was a rush that probably instilled the hunting desire for life!!

[fishandhunt]

Some of the interesting things I have seen while out and about in the great outdoors

very large 400 lb. + black bear sneaking up on the gut pile I was creating
grouse go by, then a bobcat, then a bobcat come back with a grouse in his jaws
pedigree falcon take a mallard out of the air
bald eagle take a fish out of a lake
loon with 4 babies on her back
red fox sneak my goose spread
red squirrel drop an ear of corn on my head (bought a wrist rocket after that one)
red fox bite the fletchings on my arrow after I missed him for the third time
huge bull frog eating a smaller frog

Hopefully many more to come.

Mike

[DodgeDad]

About four years ago during firearm deer season I knew there was a flock of turkeys hanging out nearby but never expected to see them. To the East of my blind the property had been clear cut about a year earlier and I was watching for any deer sneaking along the edges trying to find a crossing area. There is a long ridge that runs right through the clearcut area with a gully between where I was and the top of the ridge. I could hear the turkeys come off their roost earlier, noisy things when in a flock. <- Is that the right name for a group of turkeys?. About two hours after I heard them leave thier roost 32 turkeys start filing out of the woods along this ridge nearly single file. I watched them for nearly two hours going down this ridge and back. Pretty comical when someone would shoot off in the distance at a deer. They would all freeze in their tracks and crane their necks in unison trying to see where it came from. Kind of like a choreographed turkey dance.

[DodgeDad]

CLOSE ENCOUNTER - Many moons ago while hunting a pipeline in Manistee county with a couple of buddies from work I chose a vantage point that allowed me to see a lot of area where the piplines split. Just off the edge, I sat on a small brush pile. I could see two deer running towards me after someone had spooked them with a gun shot. They stopped immediatly in front of me, pondering which way to go, I'm sure. As someone off in the distance fired again they both turned and bolted directly towards me at a full out run. I had to literally lean to one side to avoid being knocked out of their way as they bounded over the brush pile. It would have been a hard one to live down being knocked out or beat up by a deer had I not moved. :)

[This message has been edited by DodgeDad (edited 02-06-2001).]

[fish4fun]

A number of years ago I was bow hunting with my brother-in-law on private property near Gladwin, MI. For 3 mornings in a row we saw a small group of deer running full blast 1st. thing in the morning. On the 4th. day I again saw deer running all out going north from me, about 10 minutes later here they come running south right back at me. I was standing on a limb in a birch tree over a good scrape. There were 5 deer 2 does ran just to the left and 2 does ran just to the right of my tree and a 4 point buck ran straight as a string right under the limb I'm standing on. At the last second out of impluse I shot at him, my arrow penetrated his skull exactly between the horns. It sounded like I hit a barn door, he just folded immediatly and slid to a heap just a few feet from my tree. As I stood there trying to comprehend what just took place 2 VERY LARGE dogs came into view.Obviously these dogs had been chasing deer the last few mornings. They begin to circle around looking at the deer laying on the ground with an arrow sticking out of it's head I was able to knock another arrow and take a shot at 1 of the dogs. My arrow believe it or not went thru the lower jaw of 1 of them. He begin to howl and try to remove the arrow laying on his back pushing with his paws. He did get the arrow out and they took off very fast. I doubt if he chased many deer after that. I did get the buck mounted with the arrow in his head. It has made for a intersting conversation subject at my house. Also my dad caught an 8lb. Lake trout in Canada that had a 2 lb. whitefish still in it's throat.

[HUNT,FISH,DIE]

Great story fish4fun! Welcome to the forums

[Steve]

I wouldn't say it was a surprising thing to see, but my most memorable experience in the woods was seeing two bucks locks antlers and fight about 40 yards from my stand.

[DILLIGAF]

This bow season (11/5/00), I had a owl land in a tree about 20 yards from my stand. For 5 - 10 minutes the owl hooted and screached (the owl was pretty good size). After 10 minutes of screaching, another owl started to answer about 500 yards away. They "talked" for about 5 minutes and then the owl that was 500 yards away flew across a lake and marsh straight for the owl by my stand. When the flying owl got 10 yards from the first owl, the first owl flew from the tree and slammed into the flying owl. They tussled in mid air and fell to the ground. After they hit the ground one owl chased the other out of site.

Pretty cool.

[deerless]

Once, while fly-fishing, I heard a ruckus coming over the high riverbank. I expected deer, but it turned out to be a group of turkeys. Two of the young ones decided it would be a good idea to explore the steep riverbank. Unfortunately they lost their footing and slid right into the river. For those of you who were wondering, Turkeys can swim.

Deerless

[Recurve]

Originally posted by fish4fun:
At the last second out of impluse I shot at him, my arrow penetrated his skull exactly between the horns. It sounded like I hit a barn door, he just folded immediatly and slid to a heap just a few feet from my tree.
I have two comments regarding your story. My first would be that last second shots out of impulse usually result in a less than perfect outcome. I also hit a deer in the head with an arrow after it jumped the string. The mistake I made was that it was looking at me when I shot. The broadhead penetrated the brain but the deer ran off. I managed to track it and make a final stalk for a broadside double lunger.

Originally posted by fish4fun:As I stood there trying to comprehend what just took place 2 VERY LARGE dogs came into view.Obviously these dogs had been chasing deer the last few mornings. They begin to circle around looking at the deer laying on the ground with an arrow sticking out of it's head I was able to knock another arrow and take a shot at 1 of the dogs. My arrow believe it or not went thru the lower jaw of 1 of them. He begin to howl and try to remove the arrow laying on his back pushing with his paws. He did get the arrow out and they took off very fast. I doubt if he chased many deer after that.
My second comment: I believe that shooting a dog, even if on private property and especially if the property doesn't belong to you, would be illegal even if the dog is running deer. I think only a CO can do that. You can check with Boehr, our resident CO. A wounded dog gives hunters a negative image. My opinion.

[HUNT,FISH,DIE]

You know Fish4fun, Recurve is exactly right about his second comment: "A wounded dog gives hunters a negative image." You must hit the dogs vitals and kill it, because you were in fear of your life by these two "very large" dogs, Right?!?!?
Once they start chasing deer, likely they always will. Now, I believe it is different if you know who the dogs belong to. Then I say call animal control immediatey on them, explaining what you saw, but it still will take time before they can begin to fine them or take action. But, if they look wild or stray, hit the vitals!!

[farmlegend]

Here's a weird observation I made that I may not have believed if I hadn't seen it.

While bowhunting in Hillsdale County, I saw a bachelor group of six bucks traveling together at 9:45AM. The group contained one 150 class 4.5 year old (age on this guy was verified when he was taken the following year by a neighbor) one 2.5 year old, and four 1.5 year olds. There were no does or fawns in the group.

The bucks hung out near my stand for over thirty minutes before slowly ambling away in the same manner as they came, as a group. Other than a brief, playful spar between two of the 1.5's there appeared to be absolutely no tension between these bucks, as they moved about in a slow, relaxed manner and browsed.

What's so odd about this story? It occurred on November 11, 1998. Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.

[fish4fun]

Easy does it guys!! With regards to my post this took place 19 years ago. There have many new lessons learned and alot more patience acquired since then. At this stage of life I am sure that I would not shoot at either. I only was relating what I thought was a very suprising story that took place while hunting.

[Liv4Huntin']

- A Chickadee land on my hat -- and sit there for nearly a full minute. (Warming his toes???)
- Three small owls land in 'my tree' while bowhunting and stay for at least five minutes while I slowly moved to watch them.
- While bowhunting from a tree stand in a swamp, watching a squirrel crawl across the thin ice... only to fall through! The surprised look on his face, I will never forget... (he swam to a stick and crawled out.)
- Three adults and four pup coyotes investigate 'my area' (the pups were within 10 yards of me - making eye contact) while elk hunting in Utah.
- A Mulie doe actually step into my ground blind ( I could have touched her with my rifle) to check me out while elk hunting in Utah.
- Nearly getting 'run over' by a cow moose and her calf (one went on each side of me as I ducked behind a tree!) - too close for my taste!-- (p.s. they're ugly up close!)
- The shock on the face of the chipmunk that just launched himself a foot into the air after jumping on my camo covered leg ---when he felt the warm 'log' that 'wasn't really a log'.
- But, the most surprising to date, has to be the adult mountain lion that sauntered by underneath my stand on a rocky outcropping while hunting Mule deer. It was truly a heart-stopping moment in time. What a beautiful site.

~ m ~

[This message has been edited by Liv4Huntin' (edited 02-13-2001).]