Kyle Wright
Active member
What's the spookiest experience you've had while hunting? Bonus points for stories that include phenomenon that can't be explained!
Spookiest Experience while Hunting
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My first whitetail hunt was in Knob Noster, MO. The last morning of the hunt I decided to ground hunt. The spot was located right across the street from Whiteman AFB, home of the B-2. That morning, out of nowhere, the woods went completely silent. I thought it was already quiet but I had no idea how quiet it could really get. About 3-5mins later, a B-2 came right over head. It was seemingly moving so slow it was like it was floating over my head. Then it landed and a few minutes later everything went back to moving in the woods. It freaked me out how quiet it got before that plane was overhead.
Sean Molina
Well-known member
I had similar experience but these two pilots did it on purpose to scare me and my buddy.
We were in Riggins, Idaho for spring bear. We hit our camp midday for some food and a nap. We were on the top of a hill.
These two pilots snuck up on us. I don't get how these things work. But they were on top of us in a second. They went nose up and jumped it.
The sound shook me. I screamed like a bitch. I jumped. My trailmix covered the ground. I couldn't hear myself. It was embarrassing.
They got me good. I know they saw us and made it a mission to get us.
Al "Shifty" Schultz
Well-known member
I was archery hunting alone in a high Montana mountain park for elk about 5 miles from my truck. The little oblong meadow was about 120 yards across and I put myself out in the middle of it and built a ground blind out of local vegetation where I sat cow calling and chirping throughout the afternoon. Towards evening I heard a branch snap and some rustling in the brush on the edge of the little meadow. I slowly raised my range finder binos and scanned. A moment later, a big boar grizzly poked it's head out and was staring my direction as I had been cow calling.
I ranged him and he was 60 yards away. I quit chirping but the bear came out of the brush and started trotting towards me. It wasn't charging but simply heading towards where it last heard the "elk".
I stood up and began waving my arms and shouting at the bear but the bear didn't even break stride. Looking back on it I understand now that I was wearing full camo and was behind the brush screen that I had built, and I had cow in heat urine everywhere as a cover scent...
I had nowhere to go, no trees to climb.. nothing but a stick and a string and my single action Ruger Vaquero in 45 long colt. I always carry the Vaquero because I'm pretty accurate with it when I have time, and I can actually fan fire it pretty quick and hit a paper plate consistently out to about 7 yards.
I had resolved in my mind when the bear was 30 yards away I would fire a round just over his head so that the sharp bark of the pistol would hit his ears full on. Then if he didn't stop I planned to fire the next one as accurately as I could into his face and then play whatever cards I had after that...
At 30 yards the bear was still coming so I cranked off the shot. The blonde grizzly stopped and stood on its hind legs popping it's jaws at me. I recocked and took careful aim and watched. All the while still shouting at the bear.
He dropped down on all fours and swapped ends running right back exactly the way he had come.
I sat down in my little blind again and reloaded my pistol after about 5 minutes, the hair on the back of neck started bristling and I listened real hard. I had an uneasy feeling that I was being stalked or watched.
Then I heard it! Behind me a part of the brush line was only about 15 yards to my rear right and I could actually hear the bear snuffling trying to wind me from down wind!
I couldn't see him in the brush with my naked eye but when I looked through the binoculars I could see him in the shadows of the brush. I turned and began shouting again and cocked my pistol. This time I was really spooked because he had circled around and purposely came behind me.
Nothing happened and after awhile I couldn't see or hear the bear anymore, but now it was getting dark and the bear was somewhere in the country between me and my truck. I started hiking out with my head on a swivel and the pistol in hand. When I got back to the truck and started driving out the blonde bear crossed the road about 25 yards on front of my truck in the headlights.
I can't help but think that he was shadowing me or I was coincidentally following him out off the mountain that evening.
I ranged him and he was 60 yards away. I quit chirping but the bear came out of the brush and started trotting towards me. It wasn't charging but simply heading towards where it last heard the "elk".
I stood up and began waving my arms and shouting at the bear but the bear didn't even break stride. Looking back on it I understand now that I was wearing full camo and was behind the brush screen that I had built, and I had cow in heat urine everywhere as a cover scent...
I had nowhere to go, no trees to climb.. nothing but a stick and a string and my single action Ruger Vaquero in 45 long colt. I always carry the Vaquero because I'm pretty accurate with it when I have time, and I can actually fan fire it pretty quick and hit a paper plate consistently out to about 7 yards.
I had resolved in my mind when the bear was 30 yards away I would fire a round just over his head so that the sharp bark of the pistol would hit his ears full on. Then if he didn't stop I planned to fire the next one as accurately as I could into his face and then play whatever cards I had after that...
At 30 yards the bear was still coming so I cranked off the shot. The blonde grizzly stopped and stood on its hind legs popping it's jaws at me. I recocked and took careful aim and watched. All the while still shouting at the bear.
He dropped down on all fours and swapped ends running right back exactly the way he had come.
I sat down in my little blind again and reloaded my pistol after about 5 minutes, the hair on the back of neck started bristling and I listened real hard. I had an uneasy feeling that I was being stalked or watched.
Then I heard it! Behind me a part of the brush line was only about 15 yards to my rear right and I could actually hear the bear snuffling trying to wind me from down wind!
I couldn't see him in the brush with my naked eye but when I looked through the binoculars I could see him in the shadows of the brush. I turned and began shouting again and cocked my pistol. This time I was really spooked because he had circled around and purposely came behind me.
Nothing happened and after awhile I couldn't see or hear the bear anymore, but now it was getting dark and the bear was somewhere in the country between me and my truck. I started hiking out with my head on a swivel and the pistol in hand. When I got back to the truck and started driving out the blonde bear crossed the road about 25 yards on front of my truck in the headlights.
I can't help but think that he was shadowing me or I was coincidentally following him out off the mountain that evening.
Rjohnson.307
Well-known member
Not necessarily spooky for me, but I was mentally prepared for a battle of life and death.
Bowhunting elk in a wilderness area of Wyoming near my house. I was still hunting through a small patch of timber early in the morning with a fresh skiff of snow on the ground. I was stopped in a spot for about 10 minutes listening and watching intently for signs of elk when I heard some rocks shuffle below me. What I thought would have been an elk was a large boar grizzly at 40yds following my trail sticking his nose in each one of my tracks in the snow. As he approached my position I pulled my Glock 9mm out and hit record on my phone as I knew he'd be in my lap in mere seconds. He passed a tree in full view at about 9yds from me and lucky for me he hit my wind cone and decided I wasn't lunch worthy. I imagine if had seen me standing there he may have charged, lucky for me I didn't find out.
I no longer carry a 9mm when in Grizz country, I bought a Glock 10mm the next day
Edit: I forgot to add, I back tracked him. He hit my trail 170yds back and tracked me the entire time.
See recorded video link
Screen shot from vid
Bowhunting elk in a wilderness area of Wyoming near my house. I was still hunting through a small patch of timber early in the morning with a fresh skiff of snow on the ground. I was stopped in a spot for about 10 minutes listening and watching intently for signs of elk when I heard some rocks shuffle below me. What I thought would have been an elk was a large boar grizzly at 40yds following my trail sticking his nose in each one of my tracks in the snow. As he approached my position I pulled my Glock 9mm out and hit record on my phone as I knew he'd be in my lap in mere seconds. He passed a tree in full view at about 9yds from me and lucky for me he hit my wind cone and decided I wasn't lunch worthy. I imagine if had seen me standing there he may have charged, lucky for me I didn't find out.
I no longer carry a 9mm when in Grizz country, I bought a Glock 10mm the next day
Edit: I forgot to add, I back tracked him. He hit my trail 170yds back and tracked me the entire time.
See recorded video link
Screen shot from vid
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Al "Shifty" Schultz
Well-known member
Kyle Wright
Active member
Incredible photo. Especially considering the circumstance!
Chiro1989
Active member
Was in the stand and heard a subtle sound, we see horned owls pretty regular and they are essentially silent, I was peeking up in the trees and an there was a huge concussion blast, a couple F-15’s (I think) out of the Duluth Airbase were at tree top level running a training flight and I bout crapped myself and fell out of a tree stand from the sonic boom, they pretty much flew right over me
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Chip Hunnicutt
Member
Kamchatka, Russia hunting brown bears two years ago. We came through woods and 7’ tall brush that cleared a bit by a river. Took some steps, smelled something rank, then there it was: a dead cub, flies all over. Guide figured it was a fight over fishing. Okey doke. We go maybe 20 yards along the game path upriver and find a fish. Guide says that’s probably what caused the fight. I’m considering this. Looking at the deep cold river, looking at the surrounding 7’ tall brush just five yards behind, thinking there’s nowhere to go if something busts outta there. I turn to the guide and point out “there’s no fucking flies on that fish. It’s fresh.” He turned a little pale. We got the fuck outta there.
Attachments
RWS
Active member
About ten years ago, I was packing up for my annual weeklong whitetail hunt with my father-in-law hunt. My youngest son, who was 8 at the time, was asking me a ton of questions about what it’s like. How do we set up the tent? Where do we go to the bathroom? Where do we keep the food? Do you ever see bears? He asked me when do I leave camp in the morning and when I get back?
When I was telling him that I left camp 1 1/2 before first light to hike to my natural ground blind he asked if I was ever scared to run into a bear. This is northeastern PA. Only black bear. Not the scary kind I’m reading about
in the west. I said, “No, I’m not afraid of black bears but I am afraid of crossing paths with a skunk in the dark.”
Two days later, I leave camp to hike out to my spot. I get to my spot and it’s still dark. I get comfortable as there is another 45 minutes to first light. When the sun starts to heat up the sky I see something off in the distance scurrying around. Fluffy white tail. A lot of white on the body. Still too dark to see it clearly. But I’m watching it slowly working its way in my direction. I’m up high on this hill just below the ridge looking down. With about ten minutes to first light, I realize this fluffy white thing is a skunk. It has very little black in its coat and it’s coming straight towards me. When it got within ten yards of me, it was obvious it had no idea I was there, I stood up from behind my ground blind and waved my arms and said get out of here. That bastard stood up on his toes, put his tail in the air and started to hop where I spooked him. He didn’t turn. He just stood there hopping. I grabbed my shit, backed out of the blind and still hunted the rest of the week.
It was the first and only time I saw a skunk in those woods.
When I was telling him that I left camp 1 1/2 before first light to hike to my natural ground blind he asked if I was ever scared to run into a bear. This is northeastern PA. Only black bear. Not the scary kind I’m reading about
in the west. I said, “No, I’m not afraid of black bears but I am afraid of crossing paths with a skunk in the dark.”Two days later, I leave camp to hike out to my spot. I get to my spot and it’s still dark. I get comfortable as there is another 45 minutes to first light. When the sun starts to heat up the sky I see something off in the distance scurrying around. Fluffy white tail. A lot of white on the body. Still too dark to see it clearly. But I’m watching it slowly working its way in my direction. I’m up high on this hill just below the ridge looking down. With about ten minutes to first light, I realize this fluffy white thing is a skunk. It has very little black in its coat and it’s coming straight towards me. When it got within ten yards of me, it was obvious it had no idea I was there, I stood up from behind my ground blind and waved my arms and said get out of here. That bastard stood up on his toes, put his tail in the air and started to hop where I spooked him. He didn’t turn. He just stood there hopping. I grabbed my shit, backed out of the blind and still hunted the rest of the week.
It was the first and only time I saw a skunk in those woods.
YETI
Well-known member
Archery season in Big Bear. My first year hunting. Before dawn I head out a trail to where I'm planning on still hunting. I hunt for a few hours and don't see anything so I decided to head back to my truck to drive to a different area. About 200 yards into my return trip and I see a BIG mountain lion print with the cat headed in the direction I'm coming from. I noted it and kept going. About 20 steps later I see another track, only this one is in my boot track from hiking out! I start looking as I'm heading out and it becomes VERY clear the cat was following me on my outbound trip. No idea what happened to him or why he didn't make a play on me.
In California it is illegal to carry a firearm when you are archery hunting. I'm not saying I immediately started ignoring that statute but I'm not saying I didn't either.
In California it is illegal to carry a firearm when you are archery hunting. I'm not saying I immediately started ignoring that statute but I'm not saying I didn't either.
hbabin
Member
A few years ago I was blind hunting deer in South Tx and a herd of cattle came up to the blind staring in at me. Well that was it, couldn’t get out because there was a skunk under the blind which I’d been spraying with bug spray to chase him off. Then all 20 cows turned and faced the brush 50 yds to my right. A cougar walked out! He messed around spooking the cows and then disappeared as the sun went down. Although I had a rifle it was a spooky walk out to 4wheeler and ride back to camphouse.
csmcclain
Member
Not hunting, but on the way home from a fishing trip at 1:00 AM, I was driving down a country highway in Northeast Mississippi. I saw a figure with a pale white face and frizzy blonde hair staring at me dressed in all white and barefoot on the side of the road. There were no houses around and no parked cars.
Not sure if it was a prank or a homeless person, but I was not stopping. I hit the gas and flew by her.
Not sure if it was a prank or a homeless person, but I was not stopping. I hit the gas and flew by her.
Milo'sSyndicate
Well-known member
Spring of '93 I had partied my way out of an English major, and a party girl and I were driving to Alaska to work the fishing boats. Stopped in Helena MT to visit her Aunt there, I went just outside of town for a day hike.
Came to this wide open area with an island of trees in the middle, I was downwind, figured I'd just slow walk/stalk across to it and see what I kick up. Got to the island of trees and see their loggers kinda bulldoze left over brush and limbs into long piles, this one was about 5-6' tall and followed along the tree line. OK, walk it.....
Still walk/stalking along the downwind side of this pile, Thank God, and I catch movement on other side of the pile from corner of my eye, freeze. Get to my tippy toes to peer over the pile to see this mondo bear probably spread out 9-10' long laying on it's back, under a cedar swatting at flies.
Got down to as low as I could and quietly GTF wayyyyyy outta there....and found a different parking lot than I had parked in, to find this cowboyish dude standing at the split rail fence with his woman. I wandered over in my shorts and hiking boots and said, "Dude, there's a huge AF bear out there in that island of trees." He laughed, and said "Yup.", patting the mondo hog leg revolver he had on. Nope, you don't find that shit in a College class room, and you might end up shitting your drawers?!
Came to this wide open area with an island of trees in the middle, I was downwind, figured I'd just slow walk/stalk across to it and see what I kick up. Got to the island of trees and see their loggers kinda bulldoze left over brush and limbs into long piles, this one was about 5-6' tall and followed along the tree line. OK, walk it.....
Still walk/stalking along the downwind side of this pile, Thank God, and I catch movement on other side of the pile from corner of my eye, freeze. Get to my tippy toes to peer over the pile to see this mondo bear probably spread out 9-10' long laying on it's back, under a cedar swatting at flies.
Got down to as low as I could and quietly GTF wayyyyyy outta there....and found a different parking lot than I had parked in, to find this cowboyish dude standing at the split rail fence with his woman. I wandered over in my shorts and hiking boots and said, "Dude, there's a huge AF bear out there in that island of trees." He laughed, and said "Yup.", patting the mondo hog leg revolver he had on. Nope, you don't find that shit in a College class room, and you might end up shitting your drawers?!
YETI
Well-known member
This reminds me of a conversation my dad had with a guide up in Alaska. The guide had a large pistol on a chest rig. Dad asked him what it was. Guide says it's a 44 Magnum. Dad notices that the front sight has been filed off. "Why is the sight filed off?" my dad asked. The guide looks my dad square in the eye and says, "So it won't hurt so much when the bear shoves it up my ass."
