Vail Report

[Dmanmastertracker]

 We slept in and decided it was a nice day for a drive, headed down to Vail to fill the wife's tag. Lot's of deerless country with this weather, 26 bucks taken for approximately 1,000 hunter's this weekend. Towards the end of the day I had a close encounter with a thunderchicken. I flushed him once, then circled around to get a better angle for a shot. I lost sight of him but thought I could tell which tree he was in, about 5' off the ground. I grabbed a fir limb to move it out of the way only to realize I had grabbed the thunderchicken by the foot
 I nearly toppled over backwards and soiled myself in the process. Was a great day, still a ton of bucks out there for the late one...

[wrangler]

now thats funny right there! i cussed out more than a few this weekend while hikin in and out of my spot for elk. prolly the same damn one just messin with me. @#$!$!#@$ grouse.

[bankwalker]

nothing gets the blood going more then a grouse taking off 5ft away. i could only imagine the terror of grabbing one by the leg lol.

couple years back i was up hunting deer in teanum and there was a fresh dusting of snow that night. as i headed out for the morning hunt there was about 6 or 7 grouse bedded right next to a tent (they had a lantern on so the heat must of attracted the grouse) well these guys where *censored*s the night before being loud and shooting their handguns and all that fun camping jazz. i noticed no boot tracks around the camp and figured they were still in bed. so i grabbed a handfull of pebbles and tossed them towards the tent. it sure woke those gruse up fast and the sound of them taking off scared the livin shiat out of those guys (who were up) and they came flying out of that tent quick cursing to high hell lol 

i dont know anyone who doesnt jump when a grouse flushes within 10yds to them.

[bow4elk]

That's a great story!  One for the books.

About 10 years ago I had a big friggin' gobbler come up under me one morning and nearly sent me into orbit.  I had been calling since dawn and after an hour of soft clucks, purrs, and yelps I figured I better get on in to work.  I stood up slowly to look and listen just in case.  Nothing.  Took one step and all hell broke loose 5 feet in front of my in the salal.  This bombastic butterball launched into high gear trying to fly up and out of that salal while I was peeling myself off the underside of a doug fir limb!  This longbeard somehow managed to slip in silently and must have hunkered down when I slowly stood up.  I could whacked him like a pinata he was so close.  I felt like a complete moron