Scariest moment in the woods?
01-08-2007, 07:05 PM
#91
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 398
RE: Scariest moment in the woods?
My scariest moment was just this past deer season.
I hunt on public land in Iowa, which can be a scary experience in and of itself. On opening day of the 2nd gun season, I saw 8 other hunters and no deer. 4 of the hunters came within 20 yards of me and 3 of which didn't see me until they were less than 20 yds away. This scares me since I was wearing all blaze orange in the woods sitting directly in front of a down tree.
The next morning, I parked my car and started walking to my spot about 5:45AM (an hour and a half before sunrise). It was less than a quarter moon with heavy cloud cover so much so that I had to use my maglight most of the way out to my stand which is something I usually try not to use at all when the moon is sufficient to walk by since I know the mile to my spot pretty damn well.
I got to my spot, settled in, re-descented, and put some cover scent on the trees around me. At this point, it is so dark in the woods I can barely see my gun across my lap and not much else. When I extend my arm, I can't see my orange shooter gloves at the end of my hand. It's about 20 degrees out and very little wind if any.
I hear something walking in the leaves near me. I assume it's another hunter, or a squirrel since it's making a lot of noise, but I sit as still as I can as it moves closer to me. I get the sixth sense feeling where the hair on my neck and arms is standing straight up knowing that I am not alone and whatever else is out there is very close to me.
The sound splits into two separate entities, 1 sounds about 10 yards straight ahead of me, and 1 is about half that distance to my right. I can hear them both rustling about in the leaves and occassionally pausing as if they know they aren't alone. The smaller (I'm guessing because it was quieter) one is the closer one, and it gets to where I can vaguely make out a silhouette about 10 feet from me and I'm pretty sure it's a doe, but all I can see is it is about 25-30 inches high at the shoulder and looking at me. I shift a bit to try to get a better look and it startles and moves about 5 feet back.
The bigger one moves closer to me as if trying to see what startled the smaller one. It's still nearly pitch black out, but I can see the outline of it about 15 feet from me walking straight at me and it's at least 3 feet tall at the shoulders. At this point, I have nearly filled my boxers and I am getting really freaked out. I move my shotgun to a position where I can fire it quickly should whatever the hell this is decide to attack. It hears me move and stops cold. There is about a 20 second silence that seemed like years. I can feel the sweat running down my face and I am really wishing I could afford a stronger gun than the 20 guage I got for my 13th birthday.
The larger one lets out a snort and begins pawing the ground slowly moving a little bit closer and a little bit closer. I shift the gun up to my shoulder preparing to have to use it for defense for the first time in my life. The big one spooks and they take off running.
I spent the remaining 45 minutes until daylight re-living what happend and working on convincing myself that it was a buckand a doe and not a coyote or whatever the hell else roams the woods of rural Iowa.
About 2 hours after sunrise, the woods is still quiet, so I slowly get up and move towards where whatever it was was scraping the ground. Thankfully I found rather large deer prints in the middle of the scraped area. About 40 minutes later, a large 8pter came within about 100 yards of me and kept looking in my direction. I can only assume it was the same guy, but I never had a decent shot at him within reasonable 20 ga distance.
The following Saturday, I bagged a good sized doe, so the season had a positive end result, even if it wasn't a repeat of the 13pter from 2005.
I hunt on public land in Iowa, which can be a scary experience in and of itself. On opening day of the 2nd gun season, I saw 8 other hunters and no deer. 4 of the hunters came within 20 yards of me and 3 of which didn't see me until they were less than 20 yds away. This scares me since I was wearing all blaze orange in the woods sitting directly in front of a down tree.
The next morning, I parked my car and started walking to my spot about 5:45AM (an hour and a half before sunrise). It was less than a quarter moon with heavy cloud cover so much so that I had to use my maglight most of the way out to my stand which is something I usually try not to use at all when the moon is sufficient to walk by since I know the mile to my spot pretty damn well.
I got to my spot, settled in, re-descented, and put some cover scent on the trees around me. At this point, it is so dark in the woods I can barely see my gun across my lap and not much else. When I extend my arm, I can't see my orange shooter gloves at the end of my hand. It's about 20 degrees out and very little wind if any.
I hear something walking in the leaves near me. I assume it's another hunter, or a squirrel since it's making a lot of noise, but I sit as still as I can as it moves closer to me. I get the sixth sense feeling where the hair on my neck and arms is standing straight up knowing that I am not alone and whatever else is out there is very close to me.
The sound splits into two separate entities, 1 sounds about 10 yards straight ahead of me, and 1 is about half that distance to my right. I can hear them both rustling about in the leaves and occassionally pausing as if they know they aren't alone. The smaller (I'm guessing because it was quieter) one is the closer one, and it gets to where I can vaguely make out a silhouette about 10 feet from me and I'm pretty sure it's a doe, but all I can see is it is about 25-30 inches high at the shoulder and looking at me. I shift a bit to try to get a better look and it startles and moves about 5 feet back.
The bigger one moves closer to me as if trying to see what startled the smaller one. It's still nearly pitch black out, but I can see the outline of it about 15 feet from me walking straight at me and it's at least 3 feet tall at the shoulders. At this point, I have nearly filled my boxers and I am getting really freaked out. I move my shotgun to a position where I can fire it quickly should whatever the hell this is decide to attack. It hears me move and stops cold. There is about a 20 second silence that seemed like years. I can feel the sweat running down my face and I am really wishing I could afford a stronger gun than the 20 guage I got for my 13th birthday.
The larger one lets out a snort and begins pawing the ground slowly moving a little bit closer and a little bit closer. I shift the gun up to my shoulder preparing to have to use it for defense for the first time in my life. The big one spooks and they take off running.
I spent the remaining 45 minutes until daylight re-living what happend and working on convincing myself that it was a buckand a doe and not a coyote or whatever the hell else roams the woods of rural Iowa.
About 2 hours after sunrise, the woods is still quiet, so I slowly get up and move towards where whatever it was was scraping the ground. Thankfully I found rather large deer prints in the middle of the scraped area. About 40 minutes later, a large 8pter came within about 100 yards of me and kept looking in my direction. I can only assume it was the same guy, but I never had a decent shot at him within reasonable 20 ga distance.
The following Saturday, I bagged a good sized doe, so the season had a positive end result, even if it wasn't a repeat of the 13pter from 2005.
01-08-2007, 09:02 PM
#92
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location:
Posts: 217
RE: Scariest moment in the woods?
ORIGINAL: Baleful Scout
I know what you felt. I have also heard of this story many times. Even heard of people running clean through three strands of bob wire because of it.
I have heard rumors that certain "creatures" can communicate with their mind.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS.
After YEARS of research andobservation I "may" be inclined to think that an animal may release a "scent" that our instints pick up.
We may not pick this "scent" up with our nose but with the "back of our mind".
This is more of a defense mechanism for the "creature""if" it is so.
Iknow of a place called "Witches Hollow".
Everything is green at this little hollow regardless of the time of year.
The same family owns a few thousand acres around it.
Noone goes there at night.
They say there is some kind of "Spirit" there and is said to be invisible and destructive.
I dont believe this but I dont go there at night.
ORIGINAL: bowman15
Okay, I wasn't going to post this, but seeing what everyone else posted.....
Take it for what it's worth.
About 4-5 years ago, a buddy of mine and I were walking into the woods on a state-park I've been hunting for years. It was about an hour before light. We got to a spot where we split;he went west and I turned south. I went about 40-50 yards and was just overcome with a feeling of dread. Almost terror. My knees got weak and I had a hard time standing.For the first time ever, I understood themeaning of the phrase "Paralyzed with fear".I never saw or heard anything, just that something was there and that Iwouldn't have a chance against it if it cameat me.I squatted down off to the side of the trail, pulled out my hunting knife and held my bow out in front of me. I sat like that till it started to get lighter out. All of a sudden, everythingjust feltnormal, like someone pulled a blanket off me. It was gone. I strained my eyes and ears for movement or sound the whole time, but never heard or saw anything.
Later on in the parking lot, I told my buddy. We're good friends and I thought he'd get a laugh. I was half way through my story and he interupts and says "I had the exact same experience".He said the exact same thing I just wrote. He walked about the same distance from me before he got the same feeling. He said he nocked an arrow and just stood there for about as long as I (about 30-40 minutes).
I was 35 and he was 37. We're both about 200-210 pounds, 6' tall and in very good shape. We can both take pretty good care of ourselves, and we both sat about 100 yards away from each other totally terrified of something we never saw, heard or smelled, only felt. I've never had an experience like that ever again and I still hunt the same immediate area and walk the same trails at the same times.
I live in n.e. Illinois and I was in an area of about 1200 acres of woods.
Okay, I wasn't going to post this, but seeing what everyone else posted.....
Take it for what it's worth.
About 4-5 years ago, a buddy of mine and I were walking into the woods on a state-park I've been hunting for years. It was about an hour before light. We got to a spot where we split;he went west and I turned south. I went about 40-50 yards and was just overcome with a feeling of dread. Almost terror. My knees got weak and I had a hard time standing.For the first time ever, I understood themeaning of the phrase "Paralyzed with fear".I never saw or heard anything, just that something was there and that Iwouldn't have a chance against it if it cameat me.I squatted down off to the side of the trail, pulled out my hunting knife and held my bow out in front of me. I sat like that till it started to get lighter out. All of a sudden, everythingjust feltnormal, like someone pulled a blanket off me. It was gone. I strained my eyes and ears for movement or sound the whole time, but never heard or saw anything.
Later on in the parking lot, I told my buddy. We're good friends and I thought he'd get a laugh. I was half way through my story and he interupts and says "I had the exact same experience".He said the exact same thing I just wrote. He walked about the same distance from me before he got the same feeling. He said he nocked an arrow and just stood there for about as long as I (about 30-40 minutes).
I was 35 and he was 37. We're both about 200-210 pounds, 6' tall and in very good shape. We can both take pretty good care of ourselves, and we both sat about 100 yards away from each other totally terrified of something we never saw, heard or smelled, only felt. I've never had an experience like that ever again and I still hunt the same immediate area and walk the same trails at the same times.
I live in n.e. Illinois and I was in an area of about 1200 acres of woods.
I have heard rumors that certain "creatures" can communicate with their mind.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS.
After YEARS of research andobservation I "may" be inclined to think that an animal may release a "scent" that our instints pick up.
We may not pick this "scent" up with our nose but with the "back of our mind".
This is more of a defense mechanism for the "creature""if" it is so.
Iknow of a place called "Witches Hollow".
Everything is green at this little hollow regardless of the time of year.
The same family owns a few thousand acres around it.
Noone goes there at night.
They say there is some kind of "Spirit" there and is said to be invisible and destructive.
I dont believe this but I dont go there at night.
When the beaver looked at him he got a cold feeling and his knees gave out from under him. I do not go there any more.
01-09-2007, 04:21 AM
#93
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 1,061
RE: Scariest moment in the woods?
When you see a beaver walking on 2 legs it doesnt mean its posessed.(doesnt mean its not) It could be,that hes got his front feet into beaver traps.If the trapper doesnt put them deep enough to get a back foot catch,hellget a front foot,those big traps,and fine bones will mash in a hurry.I see tho and three leged beaver from time to time.Ive never seen one walk upright,mine are usually dead when i find em.
01-09-2007, 06:00 PM
#94
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 173
RE: Scariest moment in the woods?
my uncle and me went out with some of his buddies and we are all hunting on about 150acrs
well my uncle set my up in a blind about 100-300y away from his (i never saw his stand just my blind and everyone elses set-ups, his was in a spot we dont usualy go to )well one of his friends was set up over a small hill a couple fields away and saw a deer standing on the hill and started shootin he shot a couple of times and my uncle is in his stand and keeps hearing this wizzing noise and relizes it slugs granted these are small fields
but he found out at lunch that his friend was an idoit lol.
i could hear the slugs from where i was they were hitting trees and makin racket it was not a very sucsesfull day
but fun nonetheless.
well my uncle set my up in a blind about 100-300y away from his (i never saw his stand just my blind and everyone elses set-ups, his was in a spot we dont usualy go to )well one of his friends was set up over a small hill a couple fields away and saw a deer standing on the hill and started shootin he shot a couple of times and my uncle is in his stand and keeps hearing this wizzing noise and relizes it slugs granted these are small fields
but he found out at lunch that his friend was an idoit lol.
i could hear the slugs from where i was they were hitting trees and makin racket it was not a very sucsesfull day
but fun nonetheless.
01-09-2007, 06:13 PM
#95
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 173
RE: Scariest moment in the woods?
i was out 4weeling with my bro he was on the back of the atv and i was driving,
well we were going down this hill and there is a pond at the bottom and right next to it there is a ditch.
wewere going pretty slow cuz the hill is steep and we didnt wanna end up in the pond, but there was a branch
laying in the middle of the path we were following and we hit it i didnt move much but my brother fell forward
and buped me and then my finger hit the gas and the atv sped forward and we barly missed the pond but hit the ditch dead on.
we were riding on the hill on the other side of the ditch (not my choice this is all 4weeler from now on)
well we hit a small tree and it made the atv flip us off and it rolled and it all ended with the atv laying on its side an falling on me so it fell and i caught it and held it up until my bro came and held it so i could get out
we were covered with mud not my idea of fun belive me.
well we were going down this hill and there is a pond at the bottom and right next to it there is a ditch.
wewere going pretty slow cuz the hill is steep and we didnt wanna end up in the pond, but there was a branch
laying in the middle of the path we were following and we hit it i didnt move much but my brother fell forward
and buped me and then my finger hit the gas and the atv sped forward and we barly missed the pond but hit the ditch dead on.
we were riding on the hill on the other side of the ditch (not my choice this is all 4weeler from now on)
well we hit a small tree and it made the atv flip us off and it rolled and it all ended with the atv laying on its side an falling on me so it fell and i caught it and held it up until my bro came and held it so i could get out
we were covered with mud not my idea of fun belive me.
01-10-2007, 10:36 AM
#96
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 289
RE: Scariest moment in the woods?
we have a place like "witches hollow" in iowa near where I hunt. There is a beaver dam there and there is always green grass and shrubs around it. Even after it snows it dries off quicker and looks out of place. There is a beaver there who is as big as a german shephard that walks upright. My brother swears he has seen it.
It may have a higher concentration of minerals and also cave fed springs.
I dont know about the bipedal Beaver but entirely probable.
