How scared have you been?

[Broken Arrow]

Seeing these post on slobbering bulls in rut got me to thinking. Any good stories of times when you questioned your sanity? I have had two situations where i really questioned what the heck was going to happen to my safely. Both happened on the West side in stuff so thick, (vine maple jungles) where i thought this may be the end of me. Under 10 yards, covered in elk urine, elk screaming so loud it hurt my ears, all i could see was bits and pieces of the animal, one broke off a tree about 4 inches in diameter and stomped on it....never in my life have I heard such crazy sounds come from an animal. I ended up shooting one of the bulls. Both situations had me shaking with adrenalin so bad i could hardly stand....looking back however, it was awesome, and got me hooked for ever. What's you stories?

[jrebel]

Those are the times that make elk hunting so special.      It is a feeling that nothing in the world could replicate.  Not gonna lie, just reading your post make the hair on my neck stand up.  Can't wait for this years elk hunt.

[Button Nubbs]

I've never had an animal turn me to a bowl of hello like bulls do. I guess that's why I don't really put much effort into any other species.

[Sneekee23]

I have had several 10 yard encounters, but only one that I can honestly say I have been scared.  Opening day about 10 years ago after being out in the rain all day I dropped my father off at camp and told him I would be back in an hour and that I was only going to locate for the next day.  The first ridge I hiked out and began my calling sequence, in less than 10 minutes I had a bull crashing in.  This is when I learned that kneeling in the Pacific Northwest really doesn't present the best shots but it does hide you well.  Needless to say he came in screaming and urinating all over himself. When he was at 3 feet to my left he began spraying me in the face with urine.  I can say this was a great learning experience as well as one of the scariest.

[Russ McDonald]

This will only be my thrid season of elk hunting since I moved here so no good stories there.  I will tell you about when I shot my very first white tail buck when I was 12 years old. 30 yards away shot him broad side and he came a running straight at me and my brother.  All I could think of was keeping him in the scope and pulling the trigger with my .308.  By the third shot he was within 2 feet of me and my brother.  I could have reached out a grabbed his antlers.  He turned and rolled down a little rock pile but not after my brother shot it in the arse with his .410.  He wasn't old enough to hunt big game yet.  The deer was it is death throughs kicking on its back.  I try to shoot it in the head and missed.  I am shaking like a leaf trying to reload but then realized the buck was dead but my brother grabs a big rock and chucks it at its head.  Of course it shatters of the longest tine on one side.  It was a perfect 10 pointer.  So once we figure out that it is dead. My brother takes off because we are hunting on our uncles 100 acres, to get help.  So here is the scared part.  I am sitting on the deer gun loaded watching for wolves.  This was in the early to mid 80's in northern MN.  Wolves everywhere.  Needless to say I was jumping at every little sound until the tractor and trailer showed up 15 minutes later.  To me it felt like 4 hours. 

[Russ McDonald]

This will only be my thrid season of elk hunting since I moved here so no good stories there.  I will tell you about when I shot my very first white tail buck when I was 12 years old. 30 yards away shot him broad side and he came a running straight at me and my brother.  All I could think of was keeping him in the scope and pulling the trigger with my .308.  By the third shot he was within 2 feet of me and my brother.  I could have reached out a grabbed his antlers.  He turned and rolled down a little rock pile but not after my brother shot it in the arse with his .410.  He wasn't old enough to hunt big game yet.  The deer was it is death throughs kicking on its back.  I try to shoot it in the head and missed.  I am shaking like a leaf trying to reload but then realized the buck was dead but my brother grabs a big rock and chucks it at its head.  Of course it shatters of the longest tine on one side.  It was a perfect 10 pointer.  So once we figure out that it is dead. My brother takes off because we are hunting on our uncles 100 acres, to get help.  So here is the scared part.  I am sitting on the deer gun loaded watching for wolves.  This was in the early to mid 80's in northern MN.  Wolves everywhere.  Needless to say I was jumping at every little sound until the tractor and trailer showed up 15 minutes later.  To me it felt like 4 hours.

There is much more to this story that I have left out but we would all have to have a beer and I would tell you the rest.

[Tony]

One morning I found an area that looked pretty promising for the evening so me and a buddy checked it out that night. When we arrived my buddy sat in one spot and about 40' or so to his right is where I was looking off a different direction. My buddy calls me on the radio and says can you see that bull coming up this trail but I couldn't until he got to the top of the hill where we were. Once the bull got to the top of the trail he stood within about 2-3' of my buddy and after about 3-4 minutes he must of caught wind and turned and ran straight at me. I didn't move thinking he would see me or turn or something but nope not the case. I had to jump to my left when the bull was at about 4-5' and the bull spun around me then stared me down for a minute or so before he walked off. although it scared me while it happened it is probably one of the coolest things that has happened while elk hunting. I wish I would of had a bull tag that day.

[norsepeak]

Never really been scared of an elk, but have been mildly concerned....   This was two years ago, and really up close and personal.  3 feet! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XurEihAmag&list=UUurVHoLv6F0P1zro8yw6dbg&index=15

[Jonathan_S]

There have been a lot of times that I’ve had that scared feeling without knowing why, usually chocked it up to cougars or bobcats watching.   There have been a few times where I KNEW why I was scared such as having a black bear bluff charge me or pheasants and grouse exploding from underfoot. Another time, I sprinted down a dry creek bottom so I could easily jump up the uphill side, I came face-to-face with a black bear about six feet from me, growling and snapping.

Here is my most recent example of sheer-terror.  This was in March 2013.  I went for a hike up a canyon late in the day.  I went in four miles and had a lightweight pack on and a Walther P-22 (.22) for concealed carry.  I only went in four miles because the trails were too icy any farther up.  Anyway, the sun set around the time I turned around and it darkened quickly in the canyon.  Because of how slippery the icy trails were, I was jogging downhill because walking I kept slipping.  I broke into a loping run as I came around a sharp corner of the trail…

…two moose calves on my left and a cow on my right, I’m about five yards away!  Instinctively I stopped running but the treacherous ice caused me to fall straight onto my back.  Then I keep sliding until I’m right in between them and looking straight up at a towering cow moose who’s having a fit and snorting.  I saw my life flash when she reared up and came crashing down on the ice pack and roaring in the near darkness.  The two calves trampled past me, barely missing me and hiding behind their mother who did not back down an inch. 

I scrambled away and hid behind a tree with the .22 drawn and watched them gradually leave.  If ever I have been truly terrified, that was it.

[h20hunter]

Hey Bull.....


Awesome

[jrebel]

Reading Russ's post makes me think of a time recently that scared me...well I was scared my father-in-law was going to get trampled.

I had drawn a cow elk muzzy tag and was hunting with my father in law.  He obviously could only shoot a spike so we did most of hunting together.  Figured when we got in to the elk if there was a spike he could take it, otherwise I would shoot a cow.  Well second to the last day we sit on an old stand of mine and just wait.  My father in law is sitting about 50 yards away watching another trail.  Well as afternoon came upon us we hear an elk....or should I say, I hear an elk. I look to my right and out in front of us (but halfway in between) is this huge cow elk.  She is 20-30 yards away slightly guarding to me and away from him.  I look at my father in law and I think he may be sleeping.  I raise my muzzle loader and fire.  Pretty sure the father in law pooped his pants.  I hammered the elk in the front shoulder and it hit the ground. It got up spun around and ran right at my father in law......   I am trying to reload as fast as I can.... 

Well the elk only has 20-30 yards till it is on my father in law and there is no way I am reloading that fast.  I yell at my father in law and he gets behind a small tree that is not going to protect him.....   Well the elk dropped dead before it got to him, but it was close.  Needless to say we got a good chuckle out it after it was all done. 

[coachcw]

Elk not scary but cool ! I have had one real scary griz encounter where he ended up with the elk and I had no side arm 

[724wd]

Hey Bull.....


Awesome

 

[724wd]

my dad and i were bear hunting several years ago behind his house around mid- september or so.  I'd found an elk shed earlier in the day and he was packing it around when we heard an elk bugle.  he squealed back with cupped hands and the bull responded!    they talked back and forth for a minute or two and my dad raked a rose bush with the shed.  then we realized there was two bulls about 75 yards away!    and then we heard the crash of antlers and saw the dust flying   as we worked our way down the hill, the bulls were fighting their way up.  they would clash, push with their bellies nearly scraping the ground, then separate for a second before going at it again.  they trampled over 8' high rose bushes, small pines... anything in their way!  One bull had super heavy antlers with long, heavy tines.  he was really narrow, but beautiful!  he had stabbed the other bull, a really wide, but more spindly and short tined bull, and had blood on three of the tines on his left side.  the old man and i were watching with favorable wind from behind a 5' tall rose bush as the went after it over and over, getting closer by the second.  when they got to 10' and separated for a second, dad waved his arm to prevent us from being run over    .  both bulls had wide eyes and were panting with the exertion, but with the wind in our faces, they didn't really know what to make of us.  each one spooked about 20 yards back down the hill and then reengaged, fighting and screaming at each other!    it was the most extreme thing i'd seen in the wild. 

during elk season, a friend of ours shot the narrow, heavy bull.  scored 360-something.  he was holding out for a 380+, but 'settled' for this guy, so i did get to hold his antlers.  though our buddy may have shot him, the old man and I had a WAY better encounter with that bull!   

[Elkohol]

Not elk hunting but I remembered this video after watching yours Norsepeak. I would have craped myself if I was this guy.

Way too Close to a Grizzly