Post by: DrakeKill on December 01, 2014, 04:17:18 PM
In hindsight I'm pretty sure I just physc'd myself out; but outside of the feeding stations that was the closest I've had an elk on me before. My current rationale is that I got rattled because the elk are so much larger than the deer and I was literally butt on ground in the ferns; reality though is she probably would have been very careful not to step on me and probably just given me a quick sniff and moved on (and into perfect double lung position :bash:).
What close encounters have you guys had and how did they end? Has anyone had a bad close encounter?
Post by: JBar on December 01, 2014, 04:24:37 PM
Post by: boneaddict on December 01, 2014, 04:32:07 PM
Post by: Eli346 on December 01, 2014, 04:40:07 PM
Post by: lokidog on December 01, 2014, 06:34:16 PM
Post by: kentrek on December 01, 2014, 06:44:15 PM
Two days later had a different bull get to 4 yards and bugle rite in my face :yike:
Close encounters are the only way to go
Post by: LeviD1 on December 03, 2014, 12:52:24 AM
Post by: JJB11B on December 03, 2014, 01:02:47 AM
From my tracks to his I had a bull @ 3 steps this September. ..he swung his head towards me an began to take one more step....that was all I could takeBet that put some goose bumps on you and made your ears ring!
Two days later had a different bull get to 4 yards and bugle rite in my face :yike:
Close encounters are the only way to go
Post by: RadSav on December 03, 2014, 03:44:09 AM
I've had a number of animals peak in the window of blinds I've been hunting out of. More than one bear climbing the same tree I was in. Moose charged close enough I felt the breath on the back of my neck. And I walked up on a nanny Catalina goat giving birth. Stood three feet away as a midwife helped pull the kid out...fascinating to see one goat help another give birth.
Only real scary thing was a pig trying to climb into the back of my Explorer as I held the pistol to his head. His jaws were popping and he was not too happy I was trying to get his fat bacon loaded girl friend loaded up. If the land owner hadn't told me a second pig was going to cost me 1K I would have certainly pulled the trigger. Always makes me laugh when I realize my fear of losing $1,000 was greater than my fear of being mauled by a 500# boar. :chuckle:
Post by: Gobble on December 03, 2014, 06:05:11 AM
Had a calf elk brush me and nearly knock me over while bowhunting in Taneum, I could have stuck an arrow in it by hand, pretty cool
Post by: bur04024 on December 03, 2014, 11:02:53 AM
Post by: RadSav on December 03, 2014, 11:46:00 AM
None of my close encounters were large mature species in a calm feeding environment. So even though it does happen, getting that close to older wiser animals includes a lot of luck. Probably the most influential thing in my case is just spending a lot of time in the woods. There were five years I probably spent 300 days a year in the woods. You are bound to find a few dumb ones if you spend enough time in the woods.
Practice, practice, practice is more important than gimmicks too, IMO. When I first started bowhunting I had one heck of a time getting inside 30 yards of animals. A family friend suggested I practice sneaking up on the family dog. Tie your own dog to a tree or stake a chain in a small opening in the brush. I'm not sure there is anything on earth better at spotting you than a dog looking for it's owner. I'd bet it was months before I was able to get 30 yards from my dog without him seeing me. But over time and with lots of practice I was able to get the drop on him and scare the BG's out of him maybe 1 out of 15-20 times. You do that and big game will seem like a piece of cake.
Post by: LeviD1 on December 03, 2014, 12:06:13 PM
Although I dont practice sneeking. When I deer hunt I usually just get to my spot and sit and wait. Elk hunting obviously we hike and try and get in on animals. Even though I dont use any face coverings you should. I know animals have seen my bright face in the sunlight and ruined opportunities for me. Just have a buddy go full camo and sit with a patch of trees behind him then go no gloves and face camo and see how much easier it is to see him. Next yeah I am buying face camo.
Post by: RadSav on December 03, 2014, 12:36:55 PM
Larry D. Jones face camo is the stuff!! Easy to apply, lasts a long time without drying up, easy to remove, but stays in place well. I'm a big fan of Dead Downwind but their face camo is probably the worst I've used! Let your face get scruffy and the camo holds much better too ;)
Post by: kentrek on December 03, 2014, 12:46:07 PM
You are bound to find a few dumb ones if you spend enough time in the woods
I found a sick/blind/high/Orr dumb whitetail in idaho once...started off seeking up on it to see how close I could get...made a few mistakes and noticed it never noticed me...I ended up walk up to it an touching it..gave it a few scratches behind the ear an went on my way...it never once looked at me an was shivering pretty bad
Felt bad for it really
So many lost photo opportunities :bash:
Post by: lokidog on December 03, 2014, 12:52:49 PM
I flew over a duck hunting area during season years ago. Those hunters with face masks and camo paint seemed to just disappear in the grass while the white faces almost seemed to come up off the ground and scream, "Here I am!" Really changed my attitude toward face camo.
Larry D. Jones face camo is the stuff!! Easy to apply, lasts a long time without drying up, easy to remove, but stays in place well. I'm a big fan of Dead Downwind but their face camo is probably the worst I've used! Let your face get scruffy and the camo holds much better too ;)
I like using a netting face mask rather than paint because it helps keep the bugs out of my ears. I never, ever, ever, can figure out how these guys with no masks/paint or gloves get near ducks or other animals.
Weathergirl snuck up on a doe out here once in the middle of the road. The deer was so focused on something it payed her no attention. It wasn't until she was less than three feet away from the doe that she had second thoughts about getting that close, then backed away. :chuckle:
Post by: RadSav on December 03, 2014, 01:06:06 PM
I found a sick/blind/high/Orr dumb whitetail in idaho once...started off seeking up on it to see how close I could get...made a few mistakes and noticed it never noticed me...I ended up walk up to it an touching it..gave it a few scratches behind the ear an went on my way...it never once looked at me an was shivering pretty bad
Felt bad for it really
So many lost photo opportunities :bash:
Reminds me of the "Not so Angry Spike" clip from Angry Spike Productions.
Unfortunately those sick and/or old animals will likely have a slow horrifying death at the hands of some predator. Mother nature can be a cruel beach some times! In the past 35 years I have sacrificed about a half dozen tags on animals where I felt it more humane to use my tag on a less than goal animal than to let nature take it's course. Probably another half dozen I would have liked to, but no season was open or I did not have the appropriate tag in my pocket.
Just this past weekend I had a cow elk that was horribly effected by hoof rot. She was on her feet, but holy smokes was she hurting badly :'( If it hadn't been for it being past legal shooting light I could have easily just walked up to her and put her down. I saw the coyotes that were following before I saw her. They were just waiting and bird dogging her. What a terrible way to go! We tried to find her the next day, but were unable to. I'm thinking with the snow that night the dogs probably took her down after she entered the thick brush.
Post by: pianoman9701 on December 03, 2014, 01:09:06 PM
Post by: kentrek on December 03, 2014, 01:22:27 PM
Back to the topic another very spooky experience was walking up to a cougar I shot....it was sliding down a pretty steep hill, went to grab it...still alive..that was a pretty scary moment on a critter I'd rather not be next to while it's alive :yike:
Post by: RadSav on December 03, 2014, 01:43:15 PM
Back to the topic another very spooky experience was walking up to a cougar I shot....it was sliding down a pretty steep hill, went to grab it...still alive..that was a pretty scary moment on a critter I'd rather not be next to while it's alive :yike:
:yike: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Cats make me nervous! I get ripped to shreds by a house cat at 10 pounds. Can't imagine getting pounced on by a cat 10 to 15 times that size!
Post by: kentrek on December 03, 2014, 01:50:09 PM
:chuckle:
Post by: RadSav on December 03, 2014, 03:46:59 PM
http://youtu.be/o-oVhu2fu20 (http://youtu.be/o-oVhu2fu20)
Nasty ball of fur there. Would have been real funny if the Pinocchio PJ's were Hello Kitty PJ's :chuckle:
Post by: _TONY_ on December 03, 2014, 07:46:05 PM
Post by: xXLojackXx on December 03, 2014, 07:59:08 PM
Post by: biggfish on December 04, 2014, 03:10:06 AM
Post by: Elkrunner on December 04, 2014, 05:31:08 AM
Post by: JJB11B on December 04, 2014, 06:30:07 PM
Post by: pd on December 04, 2014, 07:53:24 PM
No special clothing (hunter orange, very bright), no scent control. Just be still, don't make any noise and don't move.
Post by: Bullkllr on December 04, 2014, 08:58:57 PM
I had seen a herd of at least 50 animals from a distance. Followed their sign down into a deep dark timbered draw. It was afternoon, so I backed out and let them rest. Went back toward evening to see if I could get on them. Took a newly-built road that went down the draw. Near the end of the road I saw elk coming toward me in the timber. I knew pretty quickly it was the herd from earlier.
They came pretty fast, but were calm/feeding. There was a line of stumps pushed to the side of the road, so I hunkered down next to one near the opening I figured they'd walk out of. Wind was mild and perfect. They got closer and I started seeing elk. Soon they were coming out of the opening 10-15 yards away- as well as right next to the stump I was crouched against, one after another at a range of 1-2 feet.
Most were feeding in the new grass along the road, milling all around me. Many were close enough to touch. A few looked right at me and even stopped and looked concerned, but went right back to milling/feeding. I could see individual grass blades getting ripped out of the ground. It crossed my mind (I was basically surrounded at close range) that if they spooked I could actually be trampled.
At least half the herd passed right next to me. They milled around as I remained frozen next to the stump for many minutes, waiting for a bull to appear. None did. I could hear more elk on the edge of the timber behind my stump, so when I had an opening I stood and drew- figuring a bull would be standing there- nope. The herd spooked and trotted off down the road...the ground shook pretty good IIRC.
Post by: bur04024 on December 04, 2014, 10:08:36 PM
Post by: JJB11B on December 05, 2014, 02:15:07 AM
Post by: gaddy on December 05, 2014, 03:30:19 PM
Post by: RadSav on December 05, 2014, 03:52:21 PM
That's me taking a pic of the deer behind me while gathering binos and range finder
I'm becoming more and more a fan of blinds as I get older. Some fun close encounters! This guy didn't react until the camera went off. I took the picture at about 3 feet through the window screen.
Post by: Gentrys on December 06, 2014, 06:31:57 PM
Post by: Vinomaker on December 07, 2014, 08:43:29 AM
This happened to my friend while fishing the Snake River this year....