Anyone every have any scary encounters while in the woods or at access points?
Some of the areas I hunt I don't get the most welcoming feelings. You know, the banjos playing feeling. Some because it feels like a methhead hangout others bc the locals feel they own the place.
Driving down those dirt roads to a dead end access point at dark thirty always makes me a bit uneasy, especially as crazy as this world has gotten.
I had a buddy several years ago roll up on a guy holding people at gun point on a dirt road. He was able to back out of there quickly and call the cops. Appearantly the guy was all messed up on drugs and no one was injured.
Thankfully, I've never had any situations like that.
Anyone have any good stories?
One time I forgot toilet paper.
Scary encounters? Well there was my first marriage...
Last year we were in a drought year, and many many duck clubs stayed dry till later in the season. Mine was dry, my father's had water, and my club and cabin was a couple miles from his. So driving into my compound, with nobody there, I noticed a flicker of light down the road. So opening the gate, I honked my horn to scare anyone off.
Got to my cabin, and the door had been torn off the porch. Cabin was totally ransacked inside, and a bunch of stuff stolen. At the same time I drove in, a security camera at the next club over got the guys on camera making haste out.
Lots of people said, "I bet you wish you had caught them." My answer was "NOPE." No desire to get into a gun-fight with multiple people, or even a single person (as there is no doubt that someone robbing a duck hunting club would be armed). Even had I won the day, no doubt I would have to spend a lot of money on lawyers; and I would have to live with taking a life.
They got a lot of stuff from multiple cabins, but mine was the worst, cause I was already hunting, and had shells, clothing, etc. that other members had not yet brought out. (Nobody leaves their stuff out during the summer, but we rarely get hit during the hunting season, cause there is a lot more activity out there).
Had a run in with a few snakes, and I have gotten myself in a few stepper, higher and farther descents or accents than I should have.
Went to step into my ground blind and as is my custom I shown a light through one of the port windows to check for anything that may have entered like coon, skunk or other creatures worth cash money when skinned and I see a hunting chair, a cup holder and a shotgun laying on the ground. Kind of freaked me out and I started to look around around me to see it anybody was in the area. I did not see anything so I took out my phone and took pictures of what was in my blind and such then went in, put my gloves on flipped the gun over took pictures of the serial numbers and then sent the pictures to myself and to my GF with a message to her that if anything should happen to me she should get those pictures to the cops immediately.
About half an hour later I start hearing footsteps approaching my position and I kind of reached over and grabbed my shotgun and got in the ready position in case something went down I could return fire.
He got within 15 feet of the blind and i saw it was one of the property owners and he was going to hunt my blind that morning because he thought I was not going to be there. (Conversation that had taken place with him and another of the property owners a few days before is why he thought that) We had talked about him using one of my blinds but he had had surgery on his foot and I did not think he could make it to this one, I thought he was going to go to the one closer to the cabin.
Not turkey hunting but a couple years ago I was duck hunting a river that ran in to a man made lake. It was cold for here, like 8 degrees or something like that. I was using a kayak and had already finished hunting and was headed back to the truck, I was probably still 3/4 of a mile from the ramp when all of a sudden it was like I hit a wall. The kayak was stuck, dead center, and if I tried to paddle it just spun in circles. I tried to rocking it side to side, I tried walking to the front or back to get one end to come up and come off of whatever I was hung on, and nothing worked. I had no cell service at all and can barely swim. After being hung up for probably 15 or 20 minutes and trying everything I knew, I decided I was going to have to try to jump out and swim the best I could to the truck before hypothermia set in. I had put the gun in the case, took my waders and jacket off, and slipped my life vest on over my long Johns. As soon as I was about to jump, somehow the kayak came loose like it had never been hung, I thought for sure that I was going to die that day. I never could cope with the thought of not seeing my kids and wife again and I have never went to that spot again, and also haven't duck hunted alone again unless I could wade the water.
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I got circled by a bear once. Pitch dark at 00 dark thirty and a little pea shooter. He made himself known so I didnt think I was in danger. I did get a little unnerved when he circled me 3 times, so I put a little tree between us and whistled, lol.We parted friends and no harm no foul. It did keep me sharp though. Z
Never had a scary encounter with a person in the turkey woods. I have had momma bears make my knees shake a few times when I accidentally surprised them!! The most unique encounter with people was when I surprised a young couple having a very romantic outing!!
Yoder409 stopped by my camp Saturday.
:TooFunny: :TooFunny:
Nothing scary while turkey hunting but deer, ducks and fishing have been interesting.
Had a drunk guy pull a pistol on me while sitting in his truck when I was confronting him about trespassing. He changed his attitude when my buddy who was with me that he didn't see walked around to the passenger side with his -06 pointed at him.
Also about had my head blown off by trespassers shooting my duck decoys. We were hunting a bend in the river and we're sitting with our backs against a cut bank with our heads just below the lip. 2 guys crept in behind us and jump shot the decoys. From where they were shooting the shot was probably about 2 feet above our heads. One of the guys I was with popped up and almost shot back. Guy next to him grabbed the gun barrel and probably prevented a bad situation from getting worse.
I'd say the scariest experience I had was fishing in Florida. We were in the middle of Lake tohopekilega (sp?) when a big big storm rolled in. We'd been hearing thunder but we were young and dumb and by the time we realized it was serious it was right on us. Just before we made a mad dash to the dock we heard this humming noise almost like a mosquito but at a different pitch. We searched the boat far a few seconds and realized it was the metal tips of our fishing rods buzzing from the charge in the air. We hunkered down and made a run for it. Talking to a guy after the fact I was told it's a pure miracle the boat wasn't hit by lightning.
I've got other oh crap moments but those are just 3 that come to mind.
Quote from: Kylongspur88 on May 10, 2023, 08:59:59 PM
Nothing scary while turkey hunting but deer, ducks and fishing have been interesting.
Had a drunk guy pull a pistol on me while sitting in his truck when I was confronting him about trespassing. He changed his attitude when my buddy who was with me that he didn't see walked around to the passenger side with his -06 pointed at him.
Also about had my head blown off by trespassers shooting my duck decoys. We were hunting a bend in the river and we're sitting with our backs against a cut bank with our heads just below the lip. 2 guys crept in behind us and jump shot the decoys. From where they were shooting the shot was probably about 2 feet above our heads. One of the guys I was with popped up and almost shot back. Guy next to him grabbed the gun barrel and probably prevented a bad situation from getting worse.
I'd say the scariest experience I had was fishing in Florida. We were in the middle of Lake tohopekilega (sp?) when a big big storm rolled in. We'd been hearing thunder but we were young and dumb and by the time we realized it was serious it was right on us. Just before we made a mad dash to the dock we heard this humming noise almost like a mosquito but at a different pitch. We searched the boat far a few seconds and realized it was the metal tips of our fishing rods buzzing from the charge in the air. We hunkered down and made a run for it. Talking to a guy after the fact I was told it's a pure miracle the boat wasn't hit by lightning.
I've got other oh crap moments but those are just 3 that come to mind.
I've heard the buzzing rod tips on a couple of occasions even had my line stay in the air all the way from my pole to the slip bobber after casting not allowing the sinker to take the bait down.
My scariest was this year. Opening morning of our 3rd season. They were calling for scattered showers and possible storms early in the day then clear off. I checked the radar before leaving home and there wasn't anything showing within 60- 70 miles. I make the 15 minute drive, get in the timber(about 500yards from the truck) and get set up. I have several birds gobbling. All of a sudden it just pours rain for about 45 seconds...glad I worn the rain suit. About 10 minutes later the birds are still gobbling on the roost and I start to hear thunder off in the distance. A few minutes later I see a flash of lighting and decide I need to get back to the truck. I was sitting in a turkey chair and holding a shotgun...I was basically a lightning rod.
I get back to truck and I'm listening to the radio waiting out the storm. It's storming pretty good with quite a bit of lightning with some hitting fairly close. All of sudden there was big ball of light and a loud boom at the same time...no pause between the light and the sound. It sounded like someone shot a shotgun right beside the truck window. The truck shook and my ears rang. It didn't hit the truck, but it was REAL close.
I was a cop in a rural area in PA for 28 years, need I say more.. LOL However I did hunt Florida this year and I walked up on a coral snake that freaked me out.
Was sitting in the dark waiting for sunrise. Heard the God awful commotion coming towards me. All I could see was multiple black shadows running toward me. Gun dropped and safety came off. They were hogs that come running within 5 yards. A few behind me and a couple in front. I was scared enough that I should have shot one of the front runners, but didn't. Had to shake that one off for a few min. before sitting back for the hunt. There ya go.
About 10 years ago maybe a little longer me and buddy of mine were hunting southern Missouri in the ozarks a long ways from any civilization. We decided to try a new road we had never been down. We drive a long ways in there and figured we'd park the truck split up and try to roost some birds. He walked one way I walked the opposite. I walked up a pig trail probably 3-4 hundred yards and I turned the corner and saw a man standing there with no shirt on and camo pants. I whistled and he turned around and saw me. He takes off running away from me like a mad man. I turned around and ran back towards the truck not knowing what in the world I had stumbled up on. As soon as I make it back to the truck I hear a vehicle coming down that pig trail FAST. The guy was in an older model Ford and nearly took out our truck. My buddy come hurrying back to the truck wondering what was going on. I told him get in the truck and let's get the heck outta here. Needless to say we didn't hunt that area the next morning
I was deer hunting in the mountains of Penna some years back as a quest at my friends hunting cabin. Not knowing the area, I would walk a few steps, stop, listen and watch the area for any movement.
I came up over a rise and about 60 yards away I noticed another hunter. Not wanting to be intrusive and interfere with his or her hunt I waved at them, and they waved back, and I started to walk in another direction. I stopped and while looking around, trying to decide what I wanted to do I looked back in their direction and person now had their gun up scoping me! I yelled at them while waving my arms and they put the gun down. I started to walk away and again this person put the gun up pointed in my direction. Again I'm yelling waving my arms. This happened for a third time and I yelled over to them saying, "how would you like it if I came over there and put that gun up your butt" and started in their direction. The person took off running and I was left wondering who this person was and what was their intentions.
A little while later I ran into my buddy's father and uncle and they knew something was wrong with me by the way I looked. I relayed the story and they said, "Let's go back to the cabin and get some coffee." On the way back I was falling behind thinking about my encounter knowing this person could have pulled the trigger, dropped me and just walked away. They stopped allowing me to catch up and asked what was wrong.
I said if I go back to the cabin and think about what just happened, I might not ever hunt again. I told them to go ahead without me and I stayed out hunting.
Quote from: Turkeybutt on May 12, 2023, 03:51:31 AM
I was deer hunting in the mountains of Penna some years back as a quest at my friends hunting cabin. Not knowing the area, I would walk a few steps, stop, listen and watch the area for any movement.
I came up over a rise and about 60 yards away I noticed another hunter. Not wanting to be intrusive and interfere with his or her hunt I waved at them, and they waved back, and I started to walk in another direction. I stopped and while looking around, trying to decide what I wanted to do I looked back in their direction and person now had their gun up scoping me! I yelled at them while waving my arms and they put the gun down. I started to walk away and again this person put the gun up pointed in my direction. Again I'm yelling waving my arms. This happened for a third time and I yelled over to them saying, "how would you like it if I came over there and put that gun up your butt" and started in their direction. The person took off running and I was left wondering who this person was and what was their intentions.
A little while later I ran into my buddy's father and uncle and they knew something was wrong with me by the way I looked. I relayed the story and they said, "Let's go back to the cabin and get some coffee." On the way back I was falling behind thinking about my encounter knowing this person could have pulled the trigger, dropped me and just walked away. They stopped allowing me to catch up and asked what was wrong.
I said if I go back to the cabin and think about what just happened, I might not ever hunt again. I told them to go ahead without me and I stayed out hunting.
Not saying this was the case but I will never hunt with a person if I see them using their scope as binoculars, if they are stupid and dangerous that way what other way are they stupid and dangerous? It is one of the first things they tell you not to do in Hunters Safety Class and for very good reason.
I was hunting some public land back in 2020 way out like I had for many years but this was Covid year and everybody was out on Wednesday of opening day. I was sitting up on this ridge top against a huge dead fall. I had a hen decoy out. About a half hour after sun rise I was calling a little and I heard some idiot in the river bottom below me using a crow call to my south. To my north I hear a guy trying to use a turkey call and yelping on it. I thought I better go get that decoy before I get shot, mind you it was a single hen. I grabbed it and shoved it back behind me against that deadfall. 3 minutes later right where my decoy had been I see this idiot gun drawn creeping up the hill. I yell HEY. He drops his gun and says whoa where did that turkey go. I said what? He said there was a hen yelling up here. I said that was me, and you can't shoot hens anyway. He muttered around and said oh I know I thought a gobbler would be up here too. Man you sounded real. I said yes like a hen not a gobbler. Then he told me he didn't really turkey hunt but he was off paid for 6 weeks. I text my buddy and he said why don't you come hunt the private farm I hunt so I packed up and left. I don't use decoys on public anymore when I do hunt it.
Good stuff. Keep the stories coming. There's a really good thread like this on Rokslide. People are definitely the scariest things we can encounter. There's really just not that much to be scared of in the woods in Alabama. I agree sometimes I can feel a little anxious way back on the desolate dirt roads. I usually try to be quiet and have my flashlight ready to shine and scan all around my truck when I coming out after dark from a deer hunt. We have a huge national forest not too far from me and I've heard of people running into some pretty scary stuff in there. Like large groups of people dressed up and doing Satanic stuff.
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Turkey hunting in Idaho and I was working a group of birds maybe 100 yards out, and out of sight, for a long time with no luck. Then there is a big commotion that I thought was fighting, but also heard what sounded like alarm putts. I couldn't figure it out. Then I see glimpses of turkeys flying into the trees.
I started calling aggressively because it sounded like a few birds were headed my way doing some kind of combination fighting rattle and putts? I wasn't sure what they were doing or what was going on.
Then I see something in my peripheral vision and before I could turn, I think it's a deer because its big and tan. But I look over and 22 yards away (later measured) was a mountain lion looking at me, somewhat broadside. And as I stare at it in amazement, I realize a second head had popped up along its back. There were two of them.
For maybe 5-7 seconds we just stared at each other. I was covered up well in a young spruce tree, though clearly they could see I was something. Then, the first one got right down on its belly and started quickly crawling directly to me.
At this point, I immediately thought, "Ok, that's enough." I hop up with my gun shouldered and take a few steps to the side so they can clearly see what I am. They then took off at top speed until they were out of sight. It had crept to within 17 yards.
I'm not saying it to be smug, but because they were in front of me a fair distance and I had a weapon, I wasn't all that scared. Hyper alert? Absolutely! But when the one started crawling... yeah, I didn't like that. But honestly, I felt lucky to have had that encounter. I've had a run-in with one before while bowhunting elk that was creepier (caught him behind me). But, for this forum I thought this story more appropriate.
After the lions ran off, since I hadn't made any noise, I sat back down and just stayed quiet. About 30 minutes later, I started hearing soft tree yelps. About 45 minutes later, they began flying down and calling. A little over an hour later, I shot a really nice longbeard from that very spot.
Great story! Would have been great to witness but a little unnerving when the one stated to crawling.
Snakes and wild hogs ...