# Spooks and freaky stuff in the woods



## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

Ok, I know all you guys are are big tough hunters, but lets here some personal experiences from the woods. Who's afraid of the dark?.......I AM!!! Who walks as fast as they can to their treestand in the morning? .........I DO!! Don't be bashful.:darkbeer:


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## TributeRocks (Jun 13, 2006)

im not whats there to be afraid of


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## arrowslinger200 (Aug 13, 2005)

The only thing that spooks me in the dark woods is rutting bucks when I;m carrying doe in heat in my pack! They are very unpredictable.lol


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## DeerCampCook (Aug 14, 2006)

I like the dark. I do some of my best work in the dark.


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

anybody see or hear something unexplainable?


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## MO Hunt (Sep 1, 2004)

Well, I cant lie. I was never worried walking to my stand until one year, had 2 bad scares. First I got about 50 yards from my stand when a bobcat let out a scream from hell about 75yrds away. I got over that about the time a friend of mine parked in a diff. spot and I didn't know he was there. He let me get to the top of the tree before he scared the  right out of me. At the time I was pissed. But over time I have some to see the humer in it. Still I relised how easy it is to walk up on something not so fun in the woods. Guess I am a sissy, but I can live with that.:wink:


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## stewart76 (Jan 13, 2005)

man you have either a gun or a bow...... shoot em.... laughing, all jokes aside... i wont lie i get a little nervous at times, i wouldnt say scared but a little nervous, one time i was walking back after dark and was by myself and had to walk about a mile... heard all kinds of weird things in them woods, but you better believe if im bowhunting i have a pistol, and gun hunting my gun is always on the ready


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## stewart76 (Jan 13, 2005)

MO Hunt said:


> Well, I cant lie. I was never worried walking to my stand until one year, had 2 bad scares. First I got about 50 yards from my stand when a bobcat let out a scream from hell about 75yrds away. I got over that about the time a friend of mine parked in a diff. spot and I didn't know he was there. He let me get to the top of the tree before he scared the  right out of me. At the time I was pissed. But over time I have some to see the humer in it. Still I relised how easy it is to walk up on something not so fun in the woods. Guess I am a sissy, but I can live with that.:wink:


no lie them bobcats will scare the dookie out of ya!


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## ArraFlinger (Apr 17, 2006)

When your walken out of the timber in the dark and you start hearen coyotes yappen and it sounds like thier right behide you....that makes the hair stand up on the neck!..


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## Buck N Rut (Dec 8, 2005)

Haha... a guy I work with runs to his stand because he thinks he's gonna be attacked. By what exactly I'm not sure. He told me a story about how he was charged by a small doe and at the last second she veered off because he stood up from his ground blind and yelled!!! I think someday I'll go sit by his stand and wait for him to come running through the woods so I can videotape it.


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## 24-7 hunter (Aug 29, 2006)

I am! sometimes, not sure why. only in the woods. i like fields in the dark.


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## qkdraw (Sep 25, 2003)

Had a pack of yotes run up close to me one evening walking home. They were howling and yip'in until they got about thirty yards from me. I was on the edge of a grass field and they were coming out of the woods. That was a bit spooky! As soon as they either smelt me or heard my heart pounding they took off. That night was a super bright night and I was walking without my flashlight. 
I am glad I didn' take my LUCKY rabbit that night!:wink:


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## MO Hunt (Sep 1, 2004)

Buck N Rut said:


> Haha... a guy I work with runs to his stand because he thinks he's gonna be attacked. By what exactly I'm not sure. He told me a story about how he was charged by a small doe and at the last second she veered off because he stood up from his ground blind and yelled!!! I think someday I'll go sit by his stand and wait for him to come running through the woods so I can videotape it.


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## TEXAS 10PT (Apr 6, 2005)

Nothing used to bother me until I started hunting in West Texas. Walked back to my truck one night and as I was driving out I saw a three foot rattlesnake crossing the road. I said to myself "your walking around here with rubber boots" The next week I was wearing snake boots sprayed down with scent killer. So my biggest fear is walking up on one of those fellas.


TEXAS


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## misplaced texan (Aug 17, 2006)

unloaded 3 shots of a 30-06 semi auto into the air in the crisp clean morning air when I was a teenager because those darn quail musta been sleepin until I got IN THE MIDDLE of 'em...luckily I had peed before I left camp or i'd have had a mess to clean up too.


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

I would definately be spooked walking around rattlers, or any kind of snake for that matter!! Here in Minnesota, we don't have the snake problem, it's the documented sightings of Sasquatch...and his brother Suckybutt, he's from the arctic, but somehow ended up in Mcgregor Minnesota.


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## bubba101st (Feb 14, 2006)

I don't get scared in the woods. I always make sure that I have someone that I know I can outrun with me. You know, my son, wife friends etc. THe scary stuff will eat the first one it catches.


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## the-ghost (Sep 11, 2004)

nah the dark doesnt bother me at all. though one time i was walking to my stand and i stepped over a big log onto a turkey buzzard that was sleeping on the otherside. we both freaked out, the bird flew into a tree and knocked itself out and i came close to screaming like a little girl. sounded more like a full grown woman. i had to chuckle at myself after that, and i'm glad i was alone hehe.


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## Marc Barger (Jan 31, 2005)

A friend of mine is deathly afraid of the dark when walking in or out from a hunt. He had to walk about a half mile into one piece of land we were hunting. Most of the way on a terrace right next to a corn field but it was early afternoon so no biggie. So anyway he comes walking back along this corn field after his hunt when all of a sudden some unearthly screech comes out of the corn and the corn itself just erupts with stalks breakin' and something moving fast right at him. He said he just about died right there and was running as fast as he'd ever run in his life. First thing he did when he got back to his truck was to call me to tell me what happened. Unfortunately, I was unavailable at the time as I was out in the corn field with a double raspy diaphram and elk tube scaring the bejesus out of him!! HA! We still laugh about that one and yes...pay backs are a biatch!!


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

These are hilarious, keep em coming!!


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## pointystick (Aug 31, 2004)

I never used to be nervous until last year. I am still fine, just had an incident. While walking to my stand in the dark a squirrel must have been jumping from tree to tree and bounced off my shoulder. I almost dumped in my pants. I let out a scream like a little girl.


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## xsmasherj (Oct 12, 2005)

My worst scare in the woods came while I was in the stand..Pitch Black I crawl in and await the the sunrise about 20 minutes go by and I start hearing the weirdest noise coming from above me...I thought to myself,maybe its just me...a couple minutes later there it comes again...well that went on for awhile By the time the sun was coming up I was so nervous,I couldnt stand it anymore. Then all of a sudden WHOOSSHH WOOSHH WOOOOSH 30 turkeys where roosted above me in the same tree...I almost beat them to the ground and I would have if I wasnt in my safety belt.Needless to say that was the end of my hunt....cause you cant hunt with a load in your drawers.


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## Midlife Crisis (Mar 24, 2004)

Yeah, I have problems with the dark. In my first year of hunting, when I was young and stupid (3 yrs ago) I climbed without a lineman's belt or other restraining device (really dumb, I know). When I got to my stand and was getting set to put my restraining strap around the tree a bat landed on the tree 6" from my face! I HATE BATS!!!! Fortunately I remembered where I was and did not fall. I shooed it away - to the back side of the tree, and then pulled up my bow and used an arrow to whack the back of the tree to get rid of the thing. I strapped myself in, but my nerves were pretty shot.

I now climb with a Summit Climbing System (or homemade version) so I am attached to the tree from the time I leave the ground to the time I return - safely! I now use a headlamp walking into the stand. There's creepy stuff out there - you just can't see it.:wink:


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## 2 Ultras (Jul 7, 2005)

I don't have a cool story to tell, but one thing I'm afeerd of when walking in, is pizzing off a skunk. Man, I don't ever want to get splashed by skunkzilla.


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## Snood Slapper (Jul 27, 2004)




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## MO Hunt (Sep 1, 2004)

Marc Barger said:


> A friend of mine is deathly afraid of the dark when walking in or out from a hunt. He had to walk about a half mile into one piece of land we were hunting. Most of the way on a terrace right next to a corn field but it was early afternoon so no biggie. So anyway he comes walking back along this corn field after his hunt when all of a sudden some unearthly screech comes out of the corn and the corn itself just erupts with stalks breakin' and something moving fast right at him. He said he just about died right there and was running as fast as he'd ever run in his life. First thing he did when he got back to his truck was to call me to tell me what happened. Unfortunately, I was unavailable at the time as I was out in the corn field with a double raspy diaphram and elk tube scaring the bejesus out of him!! HA! We still laugh about that one and yes...pay backs are a biatch!!


 Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## souwest_ghillie (Dec 10, 2005)

*Not a bit*

Can't say that I am. Pretty comfortable actually. Heard everything there is to hear; bobcats, fighting *****, screaming fishers and chattering marten. The most interesting and eerie are porcupines, believe it or not.


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

I've actually had my fair share of run-ins with porcupines. Weird worthless critters.


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## Bluzman (Jun 19, 2006)

the-ghost said:


> i came close to screaming like a little girl. sounded more like a full grown woman.


Now that is funny.......


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## Live4Rut (Jul 14, 2004)

Snood Slapper said:


>



That picture is exactly what I came upon last year in one of my favorite hunting locations. It included a small barrel full of incense, a fresh deer head with turkey feathers inlodged in the nose, a voodoo doll hanging from a stick, fire pit, various carvings and wooden structures, candles, blankets, and some vile substances in bottle scattered around the site. After that I chose not to hunt in that location anymore.


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## Huntin'Honey24 (May 6, 2006)

OK yall are making me nervous with these stories--haha. I do not like to walk alone in the dark. Especially through the woods, and the quickest way for me to go is through my backyard and into the woods. Its not that bad of a walk and the woods are pretty open, but I have seen coyote poop. What do you do about coyotes? I would probably buy a mountain lion call if it meant that would scare them away--lol

So I, unless I am hunting with someone will not go on opening morning! I am not scared about the afternoon walk or when it gets dark!


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## jimposten (May 17, 2006)

*Is something following me?????*

I am man enough to admit IT. I am a 26 year old man, and when I am leaving the woods by myself after dark, I am awful relieved when I step out of the woods into a wide open field. 

Its the fear of the unknown.

I dont think there is some monster out there. but something about it that spooks me. Over the years I have learned my hunting spots pretty well, but this year i have a new lease of land that I am not yet familiar with. It has about four of these rundown homemade old hunting blinds on it, man those things look creepy at night. when I am walking by those things after sitting in the near pitch black for a while... you mind starts to play tricks on you... and you swear you see something looking at you from deep inside the blind. 

To hell with that man, I always keep an arrow knocked untill I get to my truck, and I still double check the back seat:embara:


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## YellowHawkk (Jan 26, 2004)

I'm usually not really afraid of the dark...Owls kinda creep me out and raise chillbumbs on my spine....and sometimes when coyotes start howling around me while I'm walking out I get a little scared I guess....Of course, then you start hearing all kinds of noises around you for the rest of the walk!


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## Misfire (Jun 12, 2004)

A post from last year, but it's worth revisiting...

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=247174&highlight=rat


.


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## vpier (Jul 30, 2004)

Not afraid to walk in the dark in the mountains but a buddy of mine is afraid of being pounced on by a cougar. He swears up and down that a lion was following him right before daylight a few years ago.


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## BIGBUCKSONLY (Dec 15, 2004)

Okay I am 26 and pretty athletic.. I am very SCARED! No animal is gna get ya, but when I am gna hunt the same stand in the morning I leave everything in the tree stand, cause at night fall as soon as my foot hits the ground I need as little stuff to be able to hold the average human speed of sprinting back to camp were the booze and the slugs are......:cocktail:


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## BIGBUCKSONLY (Dec 15, 2004)

REMEMBER PEOPLE.... YOU CAN'T KILL WHAT'S ALREADY DEAD!!!!!!!!


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## Dchiefransom (Jan 16, 2006)

Sometimes I feel a little spooked coming down out of the hills at night. There are black bears and mountain lions. At times, the dirt road I'm on has high banks right next to the road. The bear in the area is pretty good size, and comes into the campgrounds. I found fresh droppings on the hill I was hunting.
The worst thing that could happen up there would be running into El Chupacabra.


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## bwilson301 (Aug 28, 2006)

misplaced texan said:


> unloaded 3 shots of a 30-06 semi auto into the air in the crisp clean morning air when I was a teenager because those darn quail musta been sleepin until I got IN THE MIDDLE of 'em...luckily I had peed before I left camp or i'd have had a mess to clean up too.


:jaw: :scared:


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## Viper69 (Feb 4, 2003)

I wouldnt say that I am scared but sometimes a little uneasy. I think its good for you. It keeps you on your toes. This may sound a little strange but I dont mind the dark woods in the morning at all but sometimes at night when I'm getting down I get that uneasy feeling. Why at night and not in the morning who knows. And also when you get up in that tree in the morning you feel invincable 20 feet up in that tree! I too have had a bobcat let out a cry nearby and it almost knocks you out of the tree! We have alot of bear in out area that can keep you alert as well.


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

Viper69 said:


> I wouldnt say that I am scared but sometimes a little uneasy. I think its good for you. It keeps you on your toes. This may sound a little strange but I dont mind the dark woods in the morning at all but sometimes at night when I'm getting down I get that uneasy feeling. Why at night and not in the morning who knows. And also when you get up in that tree in the morning you feel invincable 20 feet up in that tree! I too have had a bobcat let out a cry nearby and it almost knocks you out of the tree! We have alot of bear in out area that can keep you alert as well.


I am exactly opposite of you. I tend to get boogered more in the morning than in the evening.


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## thrtypntbck (Feb 23, 2006)

My first bowhunting walk resulted in me not being able to find my stand. So I get set up on the ground and sit until about 9:00. After walking out and standing on the road, out walks an Emu from the corn I had walked past 3.5 hours earlier. Apparently it had escaped from a farm about 2 miles away. I told my hunting partners that if I had walked into that thing in the dark, it would have been the end of my bowhunting career.


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## ruffme (Aug 4, 2005)

Ruffed Grouse still scare the crap out of me in broad daylight!

Here's my story and to this day I have no idea what it was.
Walking out in the morning pitch black. My stand is about a 1/2 mile down a two lane dirt track built up right through the middle of a big swamp. But before you get to the swamp is a hill with planted pines in rows, they are thick.
I'm walking down the trail in the pines and I hear this shreeekkkkk! It sounds like nails on the chalkboard...next I feel something run into my boot at my ankle and start gnawing on it. I jump and kick and its gone in about a second. I never saw it have no idea what it was...the only thing I ever reasoned was a weasel or mink?


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## huntin_addict (Jan 25, 2006)

The only thing that bothers me is when a pack of 'yotes cuts loose close by. One 'yote won't mess with you, but to a pack, you can now be put on the menu.........they still don't make me run though, and definitely no girl screams.:wink:


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## macweas (May 24, 2004)

*Scared!*

My hunting partner is scared to death of the dark.One morning about an hour before dark i droped him off at his stand.He had to walk about 100 yard to get to it .He asked me to wait until i heard him start up the tree before I left him. So i sat on the 4 wheeler and watch his flash light go threw the woods.About half way to his stand i heard the most god awful girly scream.I didn't know what the hell was going on, all i saw was a flashlight going everywhere and limbs braking.When he final got back to the 4 wheeler he was as white as a ghost.As he was standing there trying to catch his breath someones **** dog ran up and started licking his boot.I was in tears!


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## 69_gator (Jul 30, 2006)

I have had a couple of pucker incidents while hunting. I have run into armadillos, flying squirrels, and a bears. Armadillos seem to wait to move until you are getting ready to step on them while Flying squirrels make the trees come to life in the dark and bears will make you climb a tree the fast you ever climbed before let alone thinking about get out of your tree stand after you see one just before dark. Poison’s snakes worry me the most though.


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## punchflung (Jul 24, 2003)

*Boogeymen and such...*

I used to hunt next to prison ground and when I was 15 I caught 3 escaped convicts. I was squirrel hunting and I saw this tree moving, I stood up to look over the hump and the tree was moving because the inmates were shaking it as they walked by. Anyway, a 20 gauge shotgun in the hands of a very nervous teenager kind of makes everyone a little jumpy. I was on the news and recieved a reward from the prison. My nickname at school was "Bounty Hunter". Funny but true.
I have also found a meth lab while deer hunting in Northern MO. Drug dealers make me nervous day or night. We called the sheriff on that one and never went back. Shame too, that was an awesome place to hunt.
One more and I'll move on. Last year I took my seven-year old son on his first youth deer hunt. We went in the day before and set up a ground blind, shooting bench, and took a deer hauler in. All the way there and back it was, "come on, hurry up" and "keep up, please". My son was lolly-gagging around and it was making me mad. Well the next morning, in the pitch black, with no moon, he was glued to my side. I could have run full out and he would have been right in my pocket. 
Funny how the dark affects a person... nature isn't the thing that spooks me as much as the wierdos and wackos...

Hunt hard...


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## Livin4November (Nov 2, 2005)

*The Bright Eye Tack Blinked At Me!!!*

I'm not afraid to admit it, I hate walking through the woods in the dark. What keeps me going is knowing I need to be at my stand before the buck gets there! Aside from the occasional grouse flush or turkey spook, the woods aren't all that bad though!

I've had several experiences that would justify why I get nervous in the woods. Years ago (I was in my mid-teens) I was walking to a favorite stand of mine in the morning. It was about an hour before any light at all and I was trying to be as stealthy as possible as I was hunting near where deer were busy feeding. I wasn't using any light at all and was following a trail I had taken many mornings and evenings before. The moon was all but full as I remember, and I could see shapes pretty well (trees, terrain, etc...). As I was about halfway into my 10 minute walk to the stand I I was coming around a large Poplar tree when suddenly 'something' just stood up at just 10 yards that had been laying right in the trail!!! I literally lost my breath and froze as the creature just casually walked off to my left and over the ridge and out of sight! I'm 99% sure it was a bedded deer that I caught off guard. For some reason though, it never spooked bad and ran off. It just walked off. That was really spooky. I got to that stand REAL fast after that!

Only a year or two later I was hunting the same farm and was on my way to my stand for a morning hunt on a high ridge above a creek bottom. I made my way up a powerline that ran to the top of the mountain. I cut into the woods off the poweline when I got to my ridge. Once inside the treeline my Mini-Maglite flashlight beam caught the glimmer of an old Bright Eye reflective tack just below the ridgeline to my right. I thought that was odd because I never had placed a tack in that direction before and I was the only one hunting the area for the last few years. I brushed it off as trespassers or just a really old tack. Then it blinked. YIKES! Then two "bright eyes" appeared and I realized whatever it was was now looking at me. I continued on and figured it was deer. When I got to my tree a minute or two later I placed a scent wick about 15 yards in front of the stand and walked back to the tree. As I was doing so my flashlight caught the pair of eyes now on the trail I had taken to the stand (the creature had covered about 50 yards to get to my trail up the mountain). I hurriedly climbed into my tree. I sat motionless in the dark and could hear the crunching steps in the leaves of whatever it was approaching my stand. At this point I wasn't sure what the creature was as I figured no deer would do such a thing. In the moonlight I could just make out the dark blob of the animal as it literally came to the base of the tree I was in and then actually, step for step, followed the path I took right to my recently placed scent wick. I watched as the animal reared up on its back legs just slightly enough to touch the wick with its nose. At that moment it spun around on its rears, dropped to all fours and ran about 20 yards off in the direction it had come. I couldn't see it anymore in the dark after that but I heard it walk off. I never have figured out what it was. Either a brave deer, or a curious bear. I'll never know. Freaks me out a little every time I'm putting out scent wicks or my flashlight catches the eyes of something in the woods looking at me!!!


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## Livin4November (Nov 2, 2005)

*Forgot....*

One more thing....

Brown County, Illinois - 2003

I was guiding for an outfitter (Hunting Unlimited, INC.) and had a client that needed me to move a stand for a morning hunt. Skipping dinner I trudged off into the night darkness to do the deed before the mornings hunt. I came down an old logging road to where it met a creek. As I approached the slow moving water something exploded and water went everywhere!!!
Beaver tail-slap. They will do that when they're freightened to warn other beavers.

That will make you [email protected] your pants!


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## Marc Barger (Jan 31, 2005)

After one evenings hunt I was walking back along side the woods in an open cattle grazed field. Wind was swirling. You could still see well enough to see where you were going without a flashlight. I come walking around a point where the woods sticks out a little into the field and up out of this hole rears this huge snake! I mean it looked just like a cobra rearing up about ready to strike! After I about jumped out of my skin I realized it was just a corn leaf swirling up in the wind! HA! But it was the scariest, meanest corn leaf I've ever seen.

Another time I was walking out from an evenings hunt. Saw something move up in front of me. Had the pen light pointed down at the ground and when I shined it up front to see what it was here was this mutant, giant skunk running right at me! I mean it was growlin' and running right to me! So I yelled at it, it didn't miss a step, yelled again and told it to get the f out of here, and it finally stopped. About 8 feet from me! Never sprayed. Just looked at me and turned the other way and left. 

Another time a friend of mine and I were hunting west of West Yellowstone for elk. We stopped in to town to get some supplies and the lady that helped us asked where we were hunting. Told her and she said, "OH you mean 'Grizzlie Alley'!" Next morning, totally pitch black, walking up a narrow path, thick brush on each side, and I can guarantee you that every little snap of a twig in the dark around me about gave me a freaking heart attack. Hand was on the trigger of the Bear Guard! Course if one would want ya in the dark you'd never be able to react quick enough to not get chewed on. Fun times. Especially when you see all these signs around telling you that there's a high concentration of griz in the area! HA! Maybe that's why we never saw any other hunters. Weinies. ha


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## stringdropper (Dec 21, 2003)

> That picture is exactly what I came upon last year in one of my favorite hunting locations. It included a small barrel full of incense, a fresh deer head with turkey feathers inlodged in the nose, a voodoo doll hanging from a stick, fire pit, various carvings and wooden structures, candles, blankets, and some vile substances in bottle scattered around the site. After that I chose not to hunt in that location anymore.


I would have turned and ran, not walked, but ran the other way. I hated that movie. I too, am not completely afraid of the dark but when it's just you out there and the critters, your mind does play tricks on you. I just remind myself that I have a weapon, nut up, and walk on.


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## bsnelling1 (Jul 16, 2006)

Hey, A little scare is good for you, it gets the blood pumping, kinda like going through a good spook house.


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## Rocket21 (Jan 21, 2003)

*Kinda Creepy*

Last season I shot a doe and went to look for her after dark. Upon finding her I began to get my knife and tags ready as I heard something walking toward me in the tall grass. I quickly grabbed my flashlight which was already on and illuminating the deer. As I swung the light in a panicked state, I noticed two small eyes about 30 yards away. As I focused on what those eyes belonged to it turned out to be a young 4 point buck. It was early November and my doe may have had a hint of estrus on her which was drawing him in. The spooky thing was, he did not care about me at all, just wanted to inch closer to the doe! I got to the point of flat out yelling at him and whistling which didnt help much. SO I went back to field dressing the doe and then I would hear him sneaking in! He finally lost interest and walked off but I have never seen a wild deer not have one ounce of fear of a human like that.


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## jackdale1970 (Apr 29, 2006)

*scared of the dark???*

I am not exactly "scared" to be in the woods in the dark, but I do get an uneasy-nervous feeling sometimes. On more than one occasion, I have been nearly trampled by spooked deer. Another time, I had a scared raccoon come down my tree at the same time I was going up...they have rather bad breath, and scream nearly as loud as I do! I now have one of those blue-light flashlights and use it all the way to and from the truck. Saved me from an encounter with a skunk last season, and do not seem to spook deer at all.


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## nyturkeyduster (Aug 5, 2006)

Ruffed Grouse scare me the most I'd say when they flush 

Here's a story from about 2 years ago. I was out in one of my back fields scouting deer and was on the ground in full camo tucked in some grass on my knees. I had 4 does all around me about ready to bolt because they spotted me. It was geeting darlk fast I I could barely make out the silouettes of the deer anymore. I heard footsteps off to the side of me and figured it was another deer headed into the field. I turned and saw nothing of what should have been there. Then I look at the ground and the grass is moving like something is going through it. It's coming fast and right at me. I stand and all the deer bolt, the figure in the grass is still coming at me. Its gets about 4 feet away and leaps from the grass right at me. It's a raccoon, and it tried to kill me. I kicked it as it was mid air and let out the biggest Nancy scream you guys will ever hear. I never ran home so fast in all my life.


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## Jeff K in IL (Nov 4, 2005)

Wow you guys are cracking me up... 

I actually am not afraid, just more or less nervous. The hair tends to stand up on my back when I here that howl or yip of coyote. I truely hate when the chatter amongst themselves and it sounds like they are stalking you, I quicken my pace to my treestand and climb like no other.

The one time I about crapped my pants, was when a Hawk swooped past me about 1.5'-2' away. Then he did it again dive bombing me, I was throwing my arms everywhere in the pitch black. I just about let some go in my pants!


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## brokenblade (Nov 5, 2005)

I used to be scared of the dark woods until last year when i started going out at 2 a.m. to call coyotes. That gets you over it quick. My only real fear is falling out of my stand even though it wouldn't be that big of a deal, it still scares me.


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## macweas (May 24, 2004)

*Freaky*

I use to hunt some property that had an old cemetary on it.I would walk threw it to get to my stand.Those foggy mornings really sucked!Call me a chick sh!* ,but i always had a fear that something was hiding on the other side of those tombstones!


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## Team Hoyt PA (Oct 25, 2003)

The only time i ever got spooked while hunting was when i took a buddy hunting. It was his first time in the area but i knew it like the back of my hand. I set him up and told him that when he gets done hunting that i would meet him in a specific spot not more than 50 yards from where i had dropped him off. Easy right? Apparently i didn't talk loud enough. After the hunt i got down and walked to where he was supposed to be.....and he wasn't. I figured he might not be out yet and hung out for a minute or two then proceeded to walk to his spot. He wasn't there.  I thought he was lost so i shouted his name a few times....no answer. Screamed his name....no answer. I figured the worst and jogged to the truck to drop off my gear and go back. I opened the truck door and there he was smoking a cigerette. His first words were....did ya see anything 
I had never been so scared in my life. I've had encounters with big sow blackies and cubs and been lost in the dark a time or two, even some mishaps with treestands...but they didn't compare to that night!!!


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## zmax hunter (Aug 21, 2006)

*These are great*

OK, so most of you know last year was my first year to bow hunt the list is as follows.
1. I got into a blind I built a few years back( wood walls and floor with a tin roof) before daylight for some early scouting. As the sun warmed up around 9am I noticed the very large nest of wasps 2 FEET ABOVE MY HEAD. 
2. Walking out from hunting in the dark I heard a noise to my right, I immediatly turned on my flashlight and scanned the area, 3 skunks about 20 feet away, Yes, I ran.
3. Watching a dry creek bed while sitting on a bucket I heard a growl from behind me, I slowly turned to see a bobcat sitting there staring at me GROWLING. I started to raise my bow in defense and he ran away. Thank God
4. I to have felt that I was surrounded by coyotes, in the early morning they seemed to be beside me, in front, no now they are behind me Their howling seemed awefully close, I was nocked and ready, even unsheathed my skinning knife ready for battle.


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

You can call me one!! There ain't a buck big enough in this world that I would walk through a freakin cemetary to get to! Forget it.


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## Switchback29A1 (Aug 17, 2005)

I got a little worried hunting public land that i wasnt furmilar with, I stayed a little too long and it got pitch black, then a big thunder storm rolled in. 14 years old and all alone, dad let me drive and nobody had a clue where I went in. In my head i kept seeing all the orange coats and police cars like the set up when someones missing...lol u was worried that night.


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## NM_HighPlains (Nov 25, 2005)

Livin4November said:


> In the moonlight I could just make out the dark blob of the animal as it literally came to the base of the tree I was in and then actually, step for step, followed the path I took right to my recently placed scent wick. I watched as the animal reared up on its back legs just slightly enough to touch the wick with its nose. At that moment it spun around on its rears, dropped to all fours and ran about 20 yards off in the direction it had come.


Bigfoot. No question about it.


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

IshootDoes said:


> You can call me one!! There ain't a buck big enough in this world that I would walk through a freakin cemetary to get to! Forget it.


You started this, what kind of tales do you have?


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

I agree, definately big foot.


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## macweas (May 24, 2004)

IshootDoes said:


> You can call me one!! There ain't a buck big enough in this world that I would walk through a freakin cemetary to get to! Forget it.


Hey ,the cemetary was a killer spot.Tons of clover almost like a food plot.Just scary as he11 .


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

macweas said:


> Hey ,the cemetary was a killer spot.Tons of clover almost like a food plot.Just scary as he11 .


Every P&Y buck in the USA could be on the other side of it, and I wouldnt go through it to get to them.:crazy:


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## CssBowShooter (Feb 20, 2006)

Dchiefransom said:


> Sometimes I feel a little spooked coming down out of the hills at night. There are black bears and mountain lions. At times, the dirt road I'm on has high banks right next to the road. The bear in the area is pretty good size, and comes into the campgrounds. I found fresh droppings on the hill I was hunting.
> The worst thing that could happen up there would be running into El Chupacabra.



Dude that looks like a Burger King Dog.......Flame brioled!!!!! 

Ok My experiance is, One day about 3 years ago before they open Bear up for us during Bow season. I was sitting in my treestand which a couple day earlier I had seen a monster of a buck (4 points) no actually a nice 8 but anyway I was sitting there kinda in a little trance (you know the one where you seem asleep but can hear and see what around you) and all of a sudden I hear a crashing sound coming down the creek and Boy I just knew it was Mr. Wallhanger so I got up and ready grabbed my Bow and waited.....it kept coming.....Dude, you talking about shaking I was so nervous, Had Buck fever and had not even seen it yet. And Out walks a Black Bear I'm guessing every bit of 400#'s and Im not allowed to shoot it well he keeps walking toward me and get about 7 yards from the tree I was in.(I kept telling myself if he even looks at this tree like he wants to come up it I was gonna make this bear look like a 400 pound porkepine, thats how many arrows I was gonna put in it!) so he finally left and at a little after dark I climbed down as usual and started walking out. I think that night I heard every sound in the woods and kept shining my flashlight around. Hair standing up on my neck and arms and anywhere that had hair! so I kept walking and walked right up on a Possom, and that thing showed its teeth and hissed or growled at me and I bet I made that mile walk back to the truck in 2 minutes......Between the bear and the possom I almost had a heartattack! Literily all in one evening! 

thats my encounter with creatures at night!


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## Ib4Hoyt (Jan 19, 2004)

We used to go fox hunting in a cemetary, we would sit up against a tombstone and call......i wonder if anybody ever heard us and got scared..


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

Hooked said:


> You started this, what kind of tales do you have?


Ok, I have a couple, I've been laughing too much to post. I used to hunt in this field adjacent to our land that had an old abandoned house in the middle of the field. It was the creepiest house you ever saw, kinda like Physcho in the movies. Anyways I used to sit by an old bale of wire about 150 yards from the house, Right at primetime I saw somebody or something pull the curtains back from the upstairs bedroom and stare at me. I swear on my kids man. I ran so fast that my camo pants came undone and fell down which in turn had me face plant on a gravel road. Of course neither my brother or dad believe me, but I swear there are spooks around my land.


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## 12Cedars (Aug 4, 2004)

I am from Pa. and I got lost hunting in Alabama one time. Man that freaked me out. What even freaked me out more was the drunk dude who picked me up. He turned out to be all right. He drove around with me until I found the rest of the guys I was hunting with. Man some of them small hills look the same down there. LOL..


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## Keith Thompson (Jul 17, 2005)

I was in my late teens and me and a buddy were on a month long camping trip up in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. This was back in the early 80's. We were way back in the woods one night and I was laying there in my cotton sleeping bag dreaming about freezin to death. All of a sudden I heard a blood curdling scream and I sat straight up and in the moonlight I could see my poor partner in very obvious distress. A large critter had crawled inside his sleeping bag and he was now in a fight for his life. By the size of it it could have been a lynx or coyote- maybe even a mountain lion? Whatever it was it was sure to be feasting on his legs. He tried to eject himself from the bag but was unsuccessful. I watched him flailing away at the large lump around his legs. He would roll downhill a while and then stop and began beating at his legs again. I had a 22 sitting beside me and could easily have put one of them out of their misery but held my shot. Finally in one last heroic effort, my buddy reached down into his bag and grabbed the furry beast with both hands, (he had obviously lost his legs by now and now was risking an arm) He grabbed it, pulled it out and threw it as far as he could. 

When it landed, there in the moonlight stood a small fuzzy dog. It had crawled in his bag probably looking for some warmth. It was so cold that he tried to call it back. But the dog wanted nothing more to do with the fellow that had just beat it up..It wandered off into the dark woods. I went back to sleep and resumed my dreams about freezing to death.


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## macweas (May 24, 2004)

Hooked said:


> Every P&Y buck in the USA could be on the other side of it, and I wouldnt go through it to get to them.:crazy:


I tell you whats freaky.My hunting partner /ATer mh2214 would sit in that damn cemetary a hour before day light just to roost a bird.The first time I went with him I was scared Sh*!less!


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## Ashland Viper (Feb 27, 2004)

Not afraid of the dark, I think its kind of thrilling actually. one year I was bear hunting and had seen a real nice one 2 nights in a row. It would have dressed out around 400 lbs or so. One night it came in about 20 yds from my bait but would not come into the bait. It walked past my entrace trail and back towards where I walked in. I figured out later it really was scent checking my trail to see how fresh it was. It was storming that night and at close of shooting hrs it was real dark and overcast and I was under heavy spruce and balsams. I started walking out past where the bear went. I guess my scent was blowing towards him, because all of a sudden I hear something real big running towards me. I froze and turned my flashilight off. I could hear its feet hitting the ground and it getting closer. When it passed by me on a dead run likley 10 yds in front of me I could hear its deep breathing from running hard. you could just tell it was a very large animal. It had to have been the same bear, but it seriously sounded like a train going by me. It was freaky, becaue you could tell it was a big animal, which you could NOT see, and I did not want to turn my light on and have it pinpoint me, if it did not already know where I was, which it likely did and because there was nothing I could do about it anyway. 

When I was younger and was working for the DNR one time, I had to check wood duck boxes by climbing the tree and opening a small side door on the box. I was to clean out any old squirrel nests, etc. Well one time, when I opened the door on a box, which was about 12 feet off the ground, and about 1 foot in front of my face, about a half dozen mice jumped out, jumped onto me ran down my body and back onto the tree at my feet. All I could think about was not letting go of the tree. That was weird.


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

I have a friend who refuses to hunt the property next to his. Said him and his brother were **** Hunting on it one night and saw lights floating around an old cabin that has long since been beat down by time and the weather. Scott said he walked up to the pond and out of the corner of his eye saw the reflection of a women standing next to him. Said the dogs got boogered and started growling next to the barb wire fence and a small swoosh of wind just blew past them. I have tried to get them to go over with me and they flat out refuse to go over there at night. And these boys **** hunt all over these hills at night.


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

Keith Thompson said:


> I was in my late teens and me and a buddy were on a month long camping trip up in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. This was back in the early 80's. We were way back in the woods one night and I was laying there in my cotton sleeping bag dreaming about freezin to death. All of a sudden I heard a blood curdling scream and I sat straight up and in the moonlight I could see my poor partner in very obvious distress. A large critter had crawled inside his sleeping bag and he was now in a fight for his life. By the size of it it could have been a lynx or coyote- maybe even a mountain lion? Whatever it was it was sure to be feasting on his legs. He tried to eject himself from the bag but was unsuccessful. I watched him flailing away at the large lump around his legs. He would roll downhill a while and then stop and began beating at his legs again. I had a 22 sitting beside me and could easily have put one of them out of their misery but held my shot. Finally in one last heroic effort, my buddy reached down into his bag and grabbed the furry beast with both hands, (he had obviously lost his legs by now and now was risking an arm) He grabbed it, pulled it out and threw it as far as he could.
> 
> When it landed, there in the moonlight stood a small fuzzy dog. It had crawled in his bag probably looking for some warmth. It was so cold that he tried to call it back. But the dog wanted nothing more to do with the fellow that had just beat it up..It wandered off into the dark woods. I went back to sleep and resumed my dreams about freezing to death.


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## bigrackHack (Jun 11, 2004)

A few years ago I was walking along a field edge to my stand. It was a full moon so I wasn't using my flashlight. I jumped an animal on the edge of the weeds and it stopped a few feet away and turned to look at me. In the moonlight, I could make out a Bobcat.......literally less than 3 feet away. I thought "aww crap, this is gonna be bad" and was visualizing stitches, but he turned and walked down a trail so I went on my way too. Another time I was rifle hunting and found a tree to sit under one pre-dawn morning. I sat back and stretched my legs out. Not long after, a coyote trotted across my feet. No danger, but it was kind of unnerving. But, my one darkness fear is stepping on a Rattlesnake.


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

macweas said:


> I tell you whats freaky.My hunting partner /ATer mh2214 would sit in that damn cemetary a hour before day light just to roost a bird.The first time I went with him I was scared Sh*!less!


I have a cemetery about 15 miles from my house that I guarantee you guys couldnt make it an hour in. I wont even go there in the daytime anymore, it is overgrown and I can tell you personally you will hear people talking to you. It is Freaky


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## macweas (May 24, 2004)

*No JOKE!*

Couple years back I went to a deer camp with a friend.One of the guys there told me he was so scared of the dark that he walked to his stand with his gun off safety. NOW THATS SCARY!


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## hunt'nforsanity (Aug 23, 2006)

Yotes are nothing up here... We got them too, but we have something a little bigger that runs in packs...

Once about 25 years back, I was hunting with a buddy and his group up around Grand Rapids MN. His family had been hunting this land for about 20 years. We were still in high school. This land was about 2 miles back, on foot, through some pretty thick woods on trails that they had kept blazed and clear over the years.

When we get back about 1.5 miles, we all split up to go to our own stands. As he is nearing his stand, he starts seeing blood! Lots of very wet blood! It's everywhere and is still steaming in some places. Turns out it's a wolf kill, and it's only 20 yards from his stand. Now he has 90 minutes until it's light enough to shoot, and he's out there staying put in his stand not wanting to screw up everyone else's opening day hunt! On top of this, his stand for the weekend was a ground stand on top of a stump. I would have freaked! Needless to say, he didn't have any trouble staying awake the rest of that morning!

No one napped the next morning either after seeing the site...


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

macweas said:


> Couple years back I went to a deer camp with a friend.One of the guys there told me he was so scared of the dark that he walked to his stand with his gun off safety. NOW THATS SCARY!


Thats the reason I do not go into the woods during rifle season.


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## macweas (May 24, 2004)

Hooked said:


> I have a cemetery about 15 miles from my house that I guarantee you guys couldnt make it an hour in. I wont even go there in the daytime anymore, it is overgrown and I can tell you personally you will hear people talking to you. It is Freaky


Hey Hooked, I tell ya what really sucks is stepping into a partly sunken grave.I dont know why there like that but its pretty freaky.I guess years of settling.It doesnt seem to bother MH2214 ,I think he likes that crap!


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

macweas said:


> Hey Hooked, I tell ya what really sucks is stepping into a partly sunken grave.I dont know why there like that but its pretty freaky.I guess years of settling.It doesnt seem to bother MH2214 ,I think he likes that crap!


I love going through them in the daytime. But you wont catch me in one after dark. NoWay NoHow.


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## acsksbs (Apr 19, 2006)

a couple years ago while walking to my stand in the morning i had a turkey come crashing outta the tree and landed about 10 feet in front of me. nothing like walking in the dark all of a sudden hearing a bunch of cracking and crashing around and this fat black thing flopping all around coming down at you hitting the ground then talking off into the brush. scared the crap outta me.


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## BEARBOWHUNTER (Apr 26, 2006)

I used to be afraid until I went duck hunting with some friends one year. We had to cross this creek that was about waist deep and these Beavers started to slap the water with there tails. That was a little scary but I dealt with that by running to the shore line. So were sitting there and its about 5:30 1/4 till 6:00 and all of a sudden I hear this snarling and growling and howling running behind me. I jumped out of my seat ran into the water back in with the Beavers while my friends just sat there and laughed out loud. Here we backed up to a fence that had 30 or so wolfs in it and it was there feeding time and they were coming down off of the mountain to feed. Some friends they are they new it and never told me about it. After that day I figured myself dead so nothing bothers me anymore. 

2 years later I was in my tree stand and I heard something coming down the tree I was in. I looked up and a raccoon took a swipe at me and knocked my beanie off of my head. I took the butt of my gun and knocked him off of the tree. Needless to say he did not come back up. But he did show up later to see if I was sill there and when he saw that I was he just kept on moving.


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## Stanley (Jan 18, 2005)

*You’d be afraid too*

I was a big tough Bowhunter afraid of nothing until I had an extraterrestrial encounter. This is what I saw.


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## macweas (May 24, 2004)

Off to steal the night light from my daughter.Awesome thread and good luck sleeping tonight.


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## PeakandPrairie (Sep 4, 2006)

That is great man. haha

I am quite nervous walking into the woods. Up here in Alberta I have to worry about Grizz in some places, ginormous black bears, cougars... want me to continue?? lol

I am on edge when walking in all the time. Especially after walking into a bear bait and pushing a blacky out. Sucks when all you hear is crashing... all you can do is hope it aint coming towards you at that point.


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## stillhunter34 (Dec 29, 2005)

I used to not be afraid until I got the crap scared out of me this summer. I was fishing on the river in the dark by myself. I wasn't on the sand bar I was sitting amongst some weeds and small saplings right on the bank. I had my lantern turned down real low. All of the sudden probably 80 yards or so down the river I hear a few splashes and what sounded like snarling. I thought it was just probably some coyotes and they wouldn't come near me, so I thought nothing of it. About five or ten minutes later right on the other side of this small tree I was sitting by I heard that snarling and growling. I shot out of my chair and started yelling at whatever the heck it was. I didn't have a flashlight, or a gun, all I had was a lantern and a knife. So pulled out my knife and waited for whatever was on the other side of that tree. After about 30 seconds I thought I'm getting outta here. I packed up all my stuff in about ten seconds, and got to my truck as fast as I could. I still don't know what the heck it was, but that encounter will make me a little more weary when I am in the woods after dark.


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

:bolt:


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## Rmucken1 (Oct 29, 2005)

AT'ers. ive read everyone of these posts and it was a complete enjoyment. ive felt those same feeilings in the morning, but i just try to control them. i hunt out in the middle of know where, most of the times by myself. i hike about a 1/2 mile to my stand through rattlesnake and hog country down around savannah ga. i can tell you when you hear those owls start cackling around you, or you hear other noises, it sends shivers up your back. especially when you know theres no one around for miles. seasons 3 days away and i cant wait.


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## Dchiefransom (Jan 16, 2006)

Stanley said:


> I was a big tough Bowhunter afraid of nothing until I had an extraterrestrial encounter. This is what I saw.


Were you "probed"?


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## booger (Mar 19, 2006)

this has to be the best thread ever, I herby nominate it.

This will be my first year hunting - so you guys are scaring the hell out of me. The scaredest (if thats a word) I have been is when I was camping in Duluth MN for a softball tourney. I tried to strategically set up my tent so that it would be cool (100 degrees in July) when I went to sleep. One evening I go over to my tent, which is about 150 yards away from everyone else's tents. I hear rustling in the woods so I stop look into the woods and at first I don't see anything and think its probably just a squirrel or racoon. Well I then hear some more and see black fur about 2-3 feet off the ground about 50 feet from my tent, at which point I decide this has to be a black bear. That got my heart going and my feet too. I didn't get a great look, because hey I was scared, but another guy came running into camp saying he saw a bear too. I actually spent the night in the tent without moving it. But that had to be a pretty brave bear, coming around our camp site. 

On a different note my dad has does come up to his window while it is pitch black and he is trying to sleep, and snort in the window. He says it scares the crap out of him everytime. Great hunting spot huh? :teeth:


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## chrispearsoc (Jul 26, 2006)

I always stay in my stand until I really can't see well enough to shoot. Somehow the walk out is always a bit spooky. I usually look behind me about 4 times on the half mile walk out (haven't seen any monsters yet). I think about the worst thing you could run into is a couple of bear cubs wrestling on the trail in front of you. WHERES MAMA????????????????

I try to convince myself I'm a grown man and carry a .45 to calm my ridiculous fears.


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## bowhuntin_kid (Jul 12, 2004)

*Almost killed by a moose!*

One time I was out setting snares, crouched in a patch of willows on the edge of a large stand of huge spruce trees. So I'm laying down in long grass beside this trail setting the last snare I had, and when I stood up something behind me let out this unbelieveably loud God awful bark/grunt/snort thing and I was so scared my knees buckled and I dropped back down to the ground. I spun around and I was staring right into the face of a huge cow moose. I was actually kind of relieved to see a moose and not a big bear or something. BUT when I started yelling at her I thought she'd run away...NOPE. She lowered her head and started stamping on the ground with both her front feet. I was getting nervous again, and so I slowly started side stepping my way towards my quad, which had my 30-30 laying on it. The only problem was the quad was about 30 yards away and the moose was no more than 15. So I tried my best not to take my eyes of the moose, and I noticed she kept getting more sketchy. Man I was so scared that it was about minus 5 or 6 degrees, but I was still sweating like Michael Jackson at the childrens choice awards. All I kept thinking was "Of all the cool ways to die, I'm gonna get trampled by a friggen moose  ." So this stand off actually lasted quite a while before I noticed her calf was about 20 yards behind her, and I thought thats why she was being such an ass. So I'm about 20 yards from the quad and I decide to suddenly take off, and I bolted to the quad faster than I have ever moved before in my life. I Air Jordaned it from about 10 yards out and made a diving leap at my rifle. I then pulled some sort of Rambo roll on the ground on the other side of my quad and actually managed to cock the rifle while sailing through the air. I landed laying facing away from the moose, and when I turned completely expected to get a face-full of moose feet. However she hadn't moved, but still looked like she was ready to charge me. But with my 30-30 in my hands I was a little more at ease, and I settled the sights right between her eyes, and then started yelling at her again, but she didn't budge! One brave moose! So I sent a 30-30 lead about 2 feet over her head, and if that doesn't make you run I don't know what will. She high tailed it out accross the river. Once she left I just hopped on the quad and went back to camp. Then I had to throw my underwear out because they were just... beyond repair... and to this day my dad is the only person I have ever told this story to because I know 99% of the people who hear it are gonna call me a liar. But it happened, cummon who could make that up?


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## RebelYell (Aug 31, 2006)

*HeHeHe*

I'm scared to death everytime I go to my stand in the dark. I got one word for you. SNAKES. We are infested with them here. There's nothing that will wake you up quicker than the hiss of a cottonmouth or the rattle of the big boy before daylight.

And don't forget about the boogyman. Thats one bad SOB.


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## mn5503 (Feb 21, 2006)

Blackbears, Timberwolves (gray wolves), occasional cougar and I'm not scared to walk the dark woods. Been doing it since we were kids. My ex-girlfiend use to make me walk her to her stand in the morning because, no BS here, she was afraid of CLOWNS. Clowns in the woods? You could only imagine my reaction. Only had one, up close and personal, ground level, run in with a predator. Coyote just after sunrise. Came at me and wouldn't stop. .300 mag in hand has a way of eliminating any fear:wink: Stopped him or her (couldn't tell from what was left) about three feet from me. Yotes will never get a free pass again from me, ever, ever, ever, ever! I suppose I'll get eaten by wolves this year after writing this


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## steerwrestler (Oct 20, 2004)

macweas said:


> I use to hunt some property that had an old cemetary on it.I would walk threw it to get to my stand.Those foggy mornings really sucked!Call me a chick sh!* ,but i always had a fear that something was hiding on the other side of those tombstones!





THER AIN'T NO WAY


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## SHANE(WA) (Jul 19, 2006)

Not scared but nervous at times, walked up on a moose in the pitch black,last year I layed my bow down with my pack and walked over to check the trail camera, I heard some twigs break but nothing big, walked over to grab my bow and pack and my pack begins to move it was a porcupine not my pack scared the living s%^& out of me.I have walked up on many skunks in the dark and have heard a few cougars in the dark.


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## Tufelhundin (Aug 2, 2005)

SHANE(WA) said:


> Not scared but nervous at times, walked up on a moose in the pitch black,last year I layed my bow down with my pack and walked over to check the trail camera, I heard some twigs break but nothing big, walked over to grab my bow and pack and my pack begins to move it was a porcupine not my pack scared the living s%^& out of me.I have walked up on many skunks in the dark and have heard a few cougars in the dark.



I was making my way to hunt a spot on Mica one morning........thats the first time I ever walked up on a bunch of Elk.......sound like a stampede going down the side of the mountain, rocks were flying, trees were braking and the whole time I was thinking....what in the world have I done???


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## DaveHaze (Oct 28, 2002)

I'm not real afraid of the dark but apparently my brother in law is. I took him hunting with me on the old deer lease which has a fair number of coyotes in it. The first evening we were in the back of my truck on a foam mattress and sleeping bags fixing to go to sleep when the coyotes started their yippin and yapping and they were obviously onto something and making a heck of a racket when my brother in law says "you think we should raise the tailgate Dave?" and I said "naw,they won't bother us". Well we fell asleep and later that night I woke up and thought I heard something walking about, you know how it is when it's so still and quiet at night in the woods that you can hear real good or at least you imagine you hear real good. I raised up and looked about trying to see what was making the crunch crunch sound in the dry leaves about the campsite and that's when your groggy just woke up mind starts playing out weird scenarios like maybe there's some whacko trying to sneek into your camp and steal your doe in heat scent or worse! Well anyway I don't see anything and the sound of the leaves crunching stops so I sit there and look at my brother in law who is soundly asleep in his sleeping bag so for some strange unbeknownst reason I yell and scream for all I'm worth waking up my brother in law who immediately curls up in the fetal position in his sleeping bag and begins to scream and holler like a little girl. Of course I stop my hollering and break out laughing my head off till my brother in law comes to his senses and peeks out of his sleeping bag to see if there are any coyotes in the back of the truck with us! We both had a good laugh.


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## stl81969 (Aug 6, 2006)

i once hung a stand for a buddy along a trail that i was using to get in and out of the woods when we got to the intersection i pointed him in the right direction. i had just a couple hundred more yards to go when i heard him start to climb maybe the third or fourth step all the turkeys in the tree started flappin flying to the next tree. it scared the crap out of him, and screaming i thought i was surrounded by woman. i laughed for about 20 mins after that he just couldnt get it together. i still make jokes to this day


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## NerdHick (Aug 20, 2006)

One simple little tiny thing!

Snakes


**insert full body shiver**


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## BigD_N_Cherokee (Sep 5, 2004)

My buddy and I were walking about a 1/4 mi into our treestands early in the morning. We had walked about 150 yds from the pickup, just a sliver of the moon to light our path. We are whispering back and forth trying to walk as quietly as possible when no further than 4 steps away from us (on my side) something tears up out of the brush with a huge blow, tromping and breaking limbs as big as our arms. We both about dropped our bows. I was trying to get on the other side of him and he was trying to leave. I suppose we looked like a couple of school girls clinging together at a freshman dance. Once everything calmed down we thought it was pretty funny. (So much for sneaking into our stands that morning.) We were surprised a doe could make such a ruckus!

D


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

DaveHaze that has to be one of the cruelest things so far.:darkbeer:


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## DaveHaze (Oct 28, 2002)

Hooked said:


> DaveHaze that has to be one of the cruelest things so far.:darkbeer:


I agree but what can I say? We both still have a good laugh about it after all these years.


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## alabama67 (Sep 27, 2005)

On the way to my stand one morning, I stopped to sit on an old log to let things settle down. A skunk walks up to me and ducks into his hole about 5 feet away. I didn't soil my skivies, but my heart fell into my stomach.


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## Matatazela (Mar 1, 2005)

Anti-poaching patrol, new moon, on the Mocambique / South Africa border in Ndumu Game Reserve... soft rustling sounds... get night vision goggles, switch on, only to discover that we are in the middle of a herd of buffalo. End of patrol, start of retreat. That was worse than ghosts!!!!!


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## booTytRappEr (Aug 25, 2006)

where I used to hunt there's an old overgrown farm house back in the woods with it's very own tiny cemetery plot. I'm talking about just a few stones sticking out of the ground. There's a huge black walnut tree nearby that helps keep the cemetery from getting too overgrown so it's still in plain sight. Anyway, my buddy Steve and I hunted this area for a few years and this year Steve had placed his stand back behind this old house so he had to walk by it and the cemetery every time. After the first couple of evenings he started mentioning how spooky the house and gravestones were getting each time he walked by. 

So what does a best friend do? I found an old mannequin that was missing an eye and had scratches on it's face, I dressed it up in an old dirty wedding type dress with long black hair and placed it inside the house in front of the nearest window after he had walked to his treestand so he would pass it on his way out and still have a ways to go until he came out of the woods.

Holy crap...he came flying out of those woods screaming like a little girl. He's still pissed at me to this day for pulling that prank! 
So, While I'm not afraid of the dark, Steve now gets the jitters from it!:embara: 
But man 'o man I never had so much fun on a hunt!!!


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## souwest_ghillie (Dec 10, 2005)

booTytRappEr said:


> where I used to hunt there's an old overgrown farm house back in the woods with it's very own tiny cemetery plot. I'm talking about just a few stones sticking out of the ground. There's a huge black walnut tree nearby that helps keep the cemetery from getting too overgrown so it's still in plain sight. Anyway, my buddy Steve and I hunted this area for a few years and this year Steve had placed his stand back behind this old house so he had to walk by it and the cemetery every time. After the first couple of evenings he started mentioning how spooky the house and gravestones were getting each time he walked by.
> 
> So what does a best friend do? I found an old mannequin that was missing an eye and had scratches on it's face, I dressed it up in an old dirty wedding type dress with long black hair and placed it inside the house in front of the nearest window after he had walked to his treestand so he would pass it on his way out and still have a ways to go until he came out of the woods.
> 
> ...



*OMG!*


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## booTytRappEr (Aug 25, 2006)

can you imagine? Seeing that in low light not knowing if it's real or not! I mean what are you gonna do? Go inside and *gasp* touch it!!!


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## jer7440 (Sep 27, 2005)

I get a little uneasy walking in and out in the dark, especially in unfamiliar territory. One morning I had just settled into my stand and it was so dark I couldn't hardly see my hand infront of my face. I'm already a little on edge, new stand, new property, pitch black, anyway I start hearing this weird flapping sound. Next thing I know there is a bat tangled up in the brim of my boonie hat. I almost fell out of my stand.


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## gljones (Mar 1, 2006)

I'm not scared of the dark while I walk in the timber. But one year I about had a heart attack while walking to my stand and out of know where an owl cam flying out of a tree and missing me by about 2 feet. Thought I had to go back to the truck to change my jeans. Took me about 15 min. to get my composure back and continue on to my stand.:scared: :eek3:


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## SmoothismyLX (Apr 3, 2005)

*scary stuffs*

I personally saw an indian walked pass my treestand right before dawn.
He just looked at me and keep on going.
by the way this is in Lebanon county blue mountain PA.


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## Long Boy (Aug 26, 2003)

All these stories is why I carry a pistol with me if I have a bow in my hands. A few years ago I bought a Loc On that had a chain that had a black rubber coating on it. Now here in Louisiana water moccasins are bad. I drove my 4wheeler to a slough to hang my new stand. Its Mid August hot as hell too prime snake country im in. I get the stand on my back and out the corner of my eye I see this black snake right behind me. I jump to the side it comes after me. I run a few steps looking over my shoulder and its right on my tail. I jump on the back of my bike and thats when I noticed it was the chain from the stand.ukey: Man I was soo glad that nobody had a video camera on me.


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## zm1 (Jan 28, 2005)

*Cemetary and a Cabin*

My dad built a cabin on some land he bought and you have to drive through a cemetary in order to get to the cabin. The road is only gravel up to our gate, then it turns to dirt. Someone put solar powered lights around one of the grave stones, that attracts a lot of attention. I don't have any spooky stories about the cemetary, they really don't bother me, or at least this one don't. I've walked up and down that road most of my hunting career, so I guess it really doesn't bother me much. But there are a lot of people that are bothered by it, especially that solar powered light!

I use to work construction and we were digging one day in a field with a backhoe and we actually dug up a grave stone. It was very old looking, but we couldn't make out the date on it. We could only read the first name, and I don't remember what it was, but I do remember that it was a girl's name. We dug a little deeper, so we could finish the job, but we never found any bones.


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## mamachay (Nov 30, 2004)

*scared the p out of me*

If you have never heard it, I reccomend the sound of a screech owl just before sun up in your tree. Happened to me 2 years ago, almost jumped off my climber, pee'ed down my leg a little,then regained my composure. Sounds funny to actually type this, but not funny when it happened. I had never heard that sound before, and hope I never do again. Sun came up, there sits an owl about the size of a condor! (okay, maybe I was a little unnerved!). Got no shot that day, probably couldn't have made one anyway.....


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## savedbygrace (Nov 16, 2005)

Several years ago when I was in high school, I went turkey hunting one moring before school. Got there way before daylight, so I proped up against a big oak and waited for the sun to come up. About 10 minutes after standing there a screech owl (or thats what we call them) let out an ear piercing scream that scared me so bad that I literally could not move. The owl was about 8 feet above me in the tree I was leaning on.....I went back home for a change of shorts....:wink:


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## savedbygrace (Nov 16, 2005)

mamachay said:


> If you have never heard it, I reccomend the sound of a screech owl just before sun up in your tree. Happened to me 2 years ago, almost jumped off my climber, pee'ed down my leg a little,then regained my composure. Sounds funny to actually type this, but not funny when it happened. I had never heard that sound before, and hope I never do again. Sun came up, there sits an owl about the size of a condor! (okay, maybe I was a little unnerved!). Got no shot that day, probably couldn't have made one anyway.....





  My post is almost just like yours. i didnt read yours until I was finished with mine. Yea those screech owls are something else...


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## mamachay (Nov 30, 2004)

*won't forget*

Won't forget that sound anytime soon will you?


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## skynight (Nov 5, 2003)

I use an abandoned house as a blind occasionally. It has a classic haunted house look to it, but the mule deer bed right in front of it sometimes. Last season I set up in it opening day, a solid hour before dawn. Soon, I hear something moving around in the next room. Claws (fingernails?) scratching wood floors. Things being bumped into. It's coming closer. Yep. Coming into my room now. Crap. Click on the headlamp, even though the last thing I want is to shine a light. Catch sight of a large tail swishing past the door. WTH was THAT? Grab a better flashlight, sneak up on the biggest porcupine I've ever seen. We come to a mutual your room/my room agreement and I continue the hunt.
My hunting partner and I spent about 30 minutes in the dark avoiding a large, loud "bear" on an elk hunt. Turned out to be a large, loud, black cow.
I spend a lot of time in the woods in the dark. Most of my actually dangerous encounters have been in the daytime though. Rattlesnakes, cougars, bears, bovine bulls (they don't seem to like blinds showing up around their waterholes.)


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## DocB (Jun 27, 2006)

While camping two years ago we had just settled into the tents when a pack of coyotes came into camp. We had left some Elk steaks sitting out on the cooler to thaw and some other food on the table. I could hear those suckers growling and fighting for those steaks just feet from my tent. Not one of the four of us did a darn thing about it. I personally just curled up in the middle of the tent and prayed that they wouldn't come after me next.


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## bigdog02 (Jul 11, 2006)

I get nervous from time to time when I am walking out at night. The mornings to not bother me at all. In the evenings if I let myself think about it, I will quicken my pace and really get the blood flowing without even realizing.Was walking to a tree I had marked a week earlier to be a good spot for my climber. Well it is well before first light and I walk down the wrong logging road.
Obviously I can't find my tree, so I find a suitable one and take off my climber.
It is a cool morning, misty fog and heavy cloud cover so it is pretty dark. I had walked to my "stand" without my light on to try to avoid spooking anything.
I turn on my headlamp to start setting up the climber and while I am tightening a hand screw, I hear shuffling somewhere to my left, so of course I look. There are no less than 6 sets of eyes, several about deer height, several scurrying on the ground, and 1 about midway between those 2. Of course this made me mildly nervous, just seeing all those eyes on me.
I continue putting together my climber and hear some shuffling and scurrying to my right and of course look. 4 more sets of eyes checking me out. At this point in time I am convinced I had wandered into Jurassic park or something and was quite anxious to get up that tree.

When light came enough to see, I caught a glimpse of what (or part of) had had me spooked - I had walked right into the middle of a group of bedded deer but they never spooked. I had cut the bedding area directly in half. The un-deer sized eyes I chalked up to possums or ***** (or small flesh eating dinosaurs).


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## flinginairos (Jan 3, 2006)

Me and a buddy of mine were going bowhunting one morning it was probable 1/2 hr before light, so we pull the quad of the side of trail and i nose the front end up to a blown over tree. so we get off get our gear ready when something lets out the most horriffic blood curdling scream! I thought my heart stopped and i almost fell over backwards! so i flip on my light real fast and shine it on the downed tree and there sits a huge horned owl! I thought for sure i was a dead man until i saw that owl! that was scary!


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## danimal7802 (Nov 29, 2004)

> I used to not be afraid until I got the crap scared out of me this summer. I was fishing on the river in the dark by myself. I wasn't on the sand bar I was sitting amongst some weeds and small saplings right on the bank. I had my lantern turned down real low. All of the sudden probably 80 yards or so down the river I hear a few splashes and what sounded like snarling. I thought it was just probably some coyotes and they wouldn't come near me, so I thought nothing of it. About five or ten minutes later right on the other side of this small tree I was sitting by I heard that snarling and growling. I shot out of my chair and started yelling at whatever the heck it was. I didn't have a flashlight, or a gun, all I had was a lantern and a knife. So pulled out my knife and waited for whatever was on the other side of that tree. After about 30 seconds I thought I'm getting outta here. I packed up all my stuff in about ten seconds, and got to my truck as fast as I could. I still don't know what the heck it was, but that encounter will make me a little more weary when I am in the woods after dark.


lol.....that was just me....lol:darkbeer:


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## deer_hunt'n (Mar 10, 2005)

booTytRappEr said:


> where I used to hunt there's an old overgrown farm house back in the woods with it's very own tiny cemetery plot. I'm talking about just a few stones sticking out of the ground. There's a huge black walnut tree nearby that helps keep the cemetery from getting too overgrown so it's still in plain sight. Anyway, my buddy Steve and I hunted this area for a few years and this year Steve had placed his stand back behind this old house so he had to walk by it and the cemetery every time. After the first couple of evenings he started mentioning how spooky the house and gravestones were getting each time he walked by.
> 
> So what does a best friend do? I found an old mannequin that was missing an eye and had scratches on it's face, I dressed it up in an old dirty wedding type dress with long black hair and placed it inside the house in front of the nearest window after he had walked to his treestand so he would pass it on his way out and still have a ways to go until he came out of the woods.
> 
> ...


:rofl: :rofl: :thumbs_up 

That is GREAT!!


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## headzilla97 (Nov 29, 2004)

I did battle with a red squiril one morning in my stand. Right before dark Im sitting there getting hit with little twigs and bark so I look up and Im staring at this red at about 3 feet I dont know who was more scared him or I. So i grabbed me a muzzy arrow to protect my self and he charges me. So I have 3 options fall be eaten by the meanest red squiril in the land or fight. So doing what any brave man would do I chose to fight the critter. I was swing that arrow like hank arron trying to get that little devil, he finally smartened up and relocated to the next tree over but he barked at me all morning.

I love when your half asleep in a tree and you get dive bombed by red tailed hawks that happens alot to me. 

one time I was followed in by a yote he was howling a yipping but he made the fatal mistake of going by me when the sun came up 20 yard broadside shot i nailed him to a dead log I felt good about that foe all the times that I have been scared because they were howling all around me


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## Chupacabra (Jul 10, 2006)

*owls*

This is a fantastic thread! I often get a little spooked going in when it's dark, but usually not coming out. I've got a few owl stories, but the one in keeping with this thread was about four years ago. Standing in my hang-on about twenty feet up, hour and a half before daylight, my mind was kind of wandering. All of a sudden, something big brushes past the tip of my nose and I feel the wind from it's movement. I jumped in the air, but kept one foot on the stand and the rest of my weight on the harness. Once I got my white knuckles pried off the tree and caught my breath. I tried to look around in the dark to see what the heck just happened. No clue. I was starting to kind of freak out cause I didn't know what had just happened. Had I nodded off into that kind of pre-dream state for a second? Had something fallen out of the tree? It was wierd. There had been no noise. All of a sudden I see this huge owl drift by about 10 yards in front of me. Now it made sense. The woods were dead quiet and it made no noise - kinda eerie how they can do that.


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## Creekhawg (Oct 7, 2005)

The worst thing that could happen up there would be running into El Chupacabra

Hey, I've got one of those mounted over my fireplace!:wink: Just kiddin', I have reservations about coming back in the dark sometimes as well. Was stalked by a wolf coming in one night many years ago and still remember it VERY well!


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## pabuck (Feb 8, 2006)

I never really got too nervous until last year when I was watch the evening news and there was a story that scared the crap out of me. A guy arrived at his hunting spot early one morning, parked his truck, got his bow and headed for his treestand. About 100yards from the truck, a guy leaped from the bushes and struck the hunter in the head with a pipe and then fled the scene. 

think about it fellas....all it takes is for some other hunter to see you hunting in an area that he wants to hunt....all he has to do is get dropped off early on a saturday morning and wait in the dark until you walk past him....you never even know he is waiting for ya....This is why I carry a high end flashlight with me :wink:


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## PennsWoods (Jul 27, 2005)

Buckmaster7117 said:


> That picture is exactly what I came upon last year in one of my favorite hunting locations. It included a small barrel full of incense, a fresh deer head with turkey feathers inlodged in the nose, a voodoo doll hanging from a stick, fire pit, various carvings and wooden structures, candles, blankets, and some vile substances in bottle scattered around the site. After that I chose not to hunt in that location anymore.


Where at in PA I sure hope on the other side!!!:sad:


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## King (Dec 8, 2002)

My family and I took a vacation out West about 5 or 6 years ago. Travelled everywhere from North Dakota down to Texas. Anyways, we were camping at Elk Horn Ranch in Montana for a few days doing some fly fishing. My younger brother and I went out fly fishing early the one morning. The creek was about 8 yards wide at the point where we were fishing with 6' high brush on the other side. It was about 0730 when we heard something crashing through the brush coming straight at us. We were about 15 yards apart. It was the typical cartoon thing where we both looked at each other at the same time, looked back at the brush. I was expecting a bear or something along those lines due to the loud sound of whatever the h*ll was coming through the brush. All of a sudden, a huge bull moose comes crashing through the thicket running straight at me. I dropped my fly pole and ran off to my right. My brother ATTEMPTED to run to his left but he tripped over a rock and fell smack on his face. Luckily, the bull ran straight through the water, missing me by about 5 feet and continued on his rampage into the timber behind us. In that split second I was imagining me running into the water and being chased by that big bull downstream... But after a minute of composing myself, I realized it was a watery substance that was going down my leg. Ever been face to face with a mad bull moose? It's not fun!  

One more story. My buddy and I were scouting on his father's property in Chester County, Pennsylvania about 8 years ago. First time I ever hunted there but wouldn't be the last. Anyways, we turned a corner of a small wood lot that opened up into a field. On the trail we were walking on, there were about 3 doe and a nice 10 point buck standing there. They had no idea we were within 50 yards of them. All of a sudden, a small doe looks up and starts trotting towards us. Mind you, I'm 5'8" 150 and my buddy is 6'1" 190. The doe continues to trot towards us and is only about 20 yards away now. My buddy jumps behind me and starts screaming like a little girl at the top of his lungs. I never new his voice could get that high until that particular moment in time... The doe continues trotting towards us and gets about 15 yards away when she finally stops due to his Nancy screams. She turns around and heads back to the other deer who eventually walk casually back into the wood lot. He's never lived that one down since.


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## Retch (Jan 6, 2006)

Great thread!

I was 8 or 9 years old and squirrel hunting with Dad. We were coming out of the woods after dark and I remember feeling like a pretty big boy carrying the single shot twenty gauge. All of sudden there's a god-awful ruckus and a roar just a few feet off the trail in some brush. I literally froze...I thought I was a dead man. Dad takes another step and realizes I've stopped. "Growl" he whispers and continues to walk. I had to will my body to take a step and then another. I GLUED myself to Dad's leg expecting a lion to hit me from behind...longest walk of my life getting back to the truck. He kept looking at me funny but never said another word. Later that night when I was telling Mom about the whole thing, Dad figured out what happened. What he whispered wasn't "growl" it was "grouse." He laughed for a long time about that. I think about that hunt just about every time I'm coming out of the woods...I can't stop smiling. These are the reasons we hunt... the memories, the experiences, the fellowship.


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## Buksknr53 (Mar 30, 2006)

I could write a book on all the scary experiences that I have had in the woods, but this one stands out in my mind the most. 
A co-worker gave me permission to hunt on 900 acres of family land. I was excited because she showed me pictures of a nice 10 pt and a 12 pt buck that her son had taken that season. I couldn't wait for my day off! When I got there, I found that the land was thick pines and oaks. I followed a trail that seemed to dissapear after a short while. I found a good spot and sat for a while. All was quiet when I heard a slow screeching sound, then a huge dead tree fell near by. That was a spooky sound. A while later two hawks making an awful racket during a mid air battle scared me. I got up and walked some more and saw an old abandoned farm house. I decided to check it out. As I walked across an old barn door on the ground, it broke and I almost fell into the well that it was covering. That was it! Time to get out of there. Thats when I realized that I was lost. After walking around for hours and getting cut up by thorns and briers, I came to my senses and started to use my ears. I heard traffic on a nearby road. I found the road and an old country store and told the owner that I was lost. I also told him whose property I started out on and he knew the family and told me that they lived about 5 miles down the road. He was nice enough to give me a ride back to where I started. 
After surviving that day that was cast forth from the bowels of hell, I have never again hunted on unfamiliar land by myself.


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## RangerAngler (Jul 15, 2006)

The scariest thing that happened to me in the woods was having an owl dive bomb me a couple of times. Not really scary more startling than anything. No offense guys, but some of you might as well bring your blanky with you in the woods. :boxing:


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## pabuck (Feb 8, 2006)

PennsWoods said:


> Where at in PA I sure hope on the other side!!!:sad:


I can't exactly remember, but i live in the pittsburgh area, so it was definitely in s. western PA...


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## savedbygrace (Nov 16, 2005)

mamachay said:


> Won't forget that sound anytime soon will you?


Never, and my run in was about 15 years ago and I still get an ery feeling when I go into the woods.....


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## LEADWORKS (Apr 6, 2006)

yup, walking in the woods by myself at night scares the crap outta me, that's why I prefer to still-hunt during the day.

Three words... Blair Witch Project


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## LEADWORKS (Apr 6, 2006)

oh yeah... and Deliverence


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## Bowtech Joe (Aug 24, 2004)

pabuck said:


> I can't exactly remember, but i live in the pittsburgh area, so it was definitely in s. western PA...


WHEW!! I hunt North Central and SE.

I saw that moive a week before rifle season and those woods looked very similar to the woods i hunt.


I worked on bridge inspection for several years and saw some pretty freaky stuff. I dont know why people have to throw dead stuff and trash over the sides of bridges. One of the worst times i was trudging through a stream and got my feet tangled in some tree limbs underwater. As i struggled my feet loose, the "limbs" turned over and i saw a rib cage.  Man I high stepped it out of that water and onto the bank. Upon further investigation we determined it to be a rib cage from a deer, probably tossed over the bridge by poachers after it was butchered.


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## shocktower (Jun 30, 2004)

I like the dark and it does not scare me as much as the animals who hunt at night ,just a week ago while hunting for Elk/Deer ,I was all cammoed out and very conealed so much that chipmonks where running over my feet ,then all the sudden it get`s reall quiet and th e squirrel and Chipmonks are gone and I hear the breaking noise of a stick like someone is there but I see nothing ,well I move a little ,to see if it`sa dinner guest and I see nothing so it gets dark and I walk back to the rig ,well I`am nearly at my rig when my son calls me on the radio     ,I nearly pissed my self ,BTW I would walk about 10-15 feet and do the turn around to see if I`am being followed .I`am sure it was a big Kitty cause the like that area ...............


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## maxx (Aug 23, 2006)

im not scared of the dark,but it can be spooky......my favorite stand is in a swamp at the bottom of a long and norrow 18 acre corn field....walkin thru standing corn can make you analyze every little noise!now countless number of quail have raised my blood presure,and yea those darn owls.....but the worst noise that you will hear in an open field,let alone a standing one, is a black panther screaming....sounds like a dying women and you WILL have to get those hemos to remove your drawers talk about pucker effect!

now for a funny that happened last year.....that great stand at the swamp was the location and i was slipping thru that corn field.got to the end and entered the woods,and walked to my tree,tied bow and gear to the string and started the journy up to the top.as i peaked to the top of the platform i see/hear something.well needless to say none of us like that feeling!so i switched on my headlight and all saw was a toothy grin it was a BIG ole possum....i was like *&^%!what im i going to do....i had nothing,everything was tied at the bottom of the tree..so i got the bright idea to "spit some beechnut in that dudes eye" ohhhhhh never do that!that pretty much peed him off,he started growling and snaping and im 20 feet up and as far i know i dont bounce....but i can unclimb a ladder pretty darn fast.....but no possum was take my stand without a fight,and im gonna fight now i have a weapon! i put an arrow in my teeth and back up i when,just a bit more careful this time.got back up there and hes still grinnin and hissin.....i started poking the hound out of him with that broad head and finally got him out on a limb right beside the stand and run off to another tree and i got up in the stand and thought all was well.nope at daylight he come back up the limb toward me.....well heres the fight agian.this time he going down,literally!i had to climb up on the back of the stand(i wasnt going to attempted to lose an arrow on a possum) and started stomping the limb and finally he couldnt hold on any longer, and he crashed to ground and left me alone....after that possums are tied at first with squirrells with my most hated woodland creatures. 

maxx


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## owen (Jan 11, 2005)

*owen*

October, 1962. It was my first bow season and I was 9 years old. My father believed in baptism by fire. He took me out into the big woods and sat me down on a stump and went on to his own stand. Said he'd be back a couple hours after sunrise. He also said don't leave the stump or you'll be lost for sure.
Do you know how many different noises a great horned owl can make? A deer mouse sounds like a moose in the dry leaves. I swear dad left me at least two hours before sunrise. I was scared sh#*less til it got light. When he got back I was sitting on the stump with an empty quiver. I'd shot all my arrows at squirrels, but as instructed, I didn't even leave the stump to pick up my arrows.
Anyway, not much has scared me since. I could tell a dozen stories about very close encounters with bears, rattlers and even rutting moose, but I know when I'm out there I'm the baddest s.o.b. in the forest.
I've got 3 different buddies that are deathly afraid of the dark. I could tell some hilarious stories about some of the nasty things we've done to them. Time doesn't permit, but some of the punch lines are: "I'm not scared, I know I can outrun you and that's all that I need to worry about", or "it was just a little bear", or "that DEAD six foot diamond back that you left in the garbage bag on the kitchen table just rolled itself off on to the floor.
Man, memories. That's what it's all bout.


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## BIGBUCKSONLY (Dec 15, 2004)

Ok, I know right now alot of you great white hunters won't belive this one but it's true!......trust me! I'm 55 years old, love to hunt deer and have done it for about 44 years. I was at the local watering hole one night when I witnessed this guy, in a full length trench coat, a scarf and an old duck hunting hat standing near the pay-phone (outside). He was talking to someone on the or at the phone but never had the receiver in his hand. I thought I was seeing things, so I walked outside to see what was going on. I heard him say to whomever, "your my wife, that's my house and i'm going to kill you both"! He looked at me as I walked out the door and immediatally started walking away. I thought "oh my God, what a nut)and went inside (as it was very cold) to finnish my beer. I started back to the trailer (which is about a mile back in the woods on a deadend road). As I turned the curvre, about a quarter mile from my safe and warm trailer, a figure of a man passed through my headlights. I thought it was my neighbor across the road but it wasn't, it was "him". Think about this, I'm 3 miles from the bar, a mile back in the woods and I come across "him"! He looked right at me as I passed him very cautiously and all he did was Stare at me.......I have to admit, I was a bit nervous. I pulled into my trailer, knowing he was very near and started wondering, what is he doing here, where is he going and what has he got in mind? It was about 11:30 at night, cold, dark and believe me, there are only 2 hunting shacks within miles. I almost ran into the trailer, locked the door, loaded my 357 and had a drink in the dark, staring at the door. It wasn't 2 minutes and I heard someone or something going into my coolers outside. I didn't say or do a thing, but the next morning most of my food was gone! Luckily, I got my buck at 8:20 opening morning and cleaned up the trailer and went home. I will never forget that opening weekend in Northern Minnesota.

This is true story guys, ask BIGBUCKSONLY......I'm his Dad


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## fixerupper (Jan 29, 2004)

Good Lord..... great stories all.

Ive been startled several times in the dark by turkeys, running deer, owls, yotes etc. But what REALLY scares the heck out of me is when Im walking along thinking about the hunt, or work or something else when the hair goes up up on the back of my neck for no reason at all. It's only happened to me 3 or 4 times in 25 years of hunting and fishing, but it's quite unnerving when it happens. You go from calm and relaxed to scared poopless in about 1.2 seconds. One time I was walking in to set up for turkeys I actually turned around and set up on a spot in the other direction it rattled me so bad.


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## MO/ARK (Jun 16, 2004)

This is just too funny not to tell.

Last year, my brother kept telling me about this awesome new spot he found. Showed me a picture of a 185 class buck his buddy killed back there. I was all about it. Everytime I brought it up he just brushed it off with some excuse about being to far to walk (abut 1.5-2 miles). Finally I told him we were going back there. We took our climbers and the deer cart and headed down the railroad tracks. It was easy walking all the way, untill the last 1/4 mile. A railroad tressel about 200 feet above the river, 1/4 mile long, and no where to go if a train came, but there was enough time to get off if need be. No big deal I started off across looking down between the ties at the 30 degree water 200 feet below thinking "that would suck". About halfway across I asked my brother a question, no response. I stopped, turned around, and almost fell in the river laughing so hard. My brother was tip-toeing across the ties, dancing like a ballerina. Now if you have never seen a 250 pound grown man dance across a railroad bridge... it is well worth it. He was so locked up in what he was doing he didnt even realize I had fell down laughing. Now I know why he didnt want to go back to this hotspot. I told him next year I was going to video it and sell it to the highest bidder. Too funny!

I was tracked to my stand one morning by a bobcat. I thought I heard footsteps and they would stop everytime I stopped. I "hurried" into my stand and sat there waiting for sasquatch to carry me off, when I saw the bobcat walk right up to the tree, sniff around, turn around and walk away.

Matt


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## Whaack (Apr 2, 2006)

Yes, I get spooked.


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## Sagittarius62 (Feb 6, 2004)

We are a visually oriented species. Unfortunately we aren't gifted with very good night vision. For millennia our forefathers feared the dark, and for good reason. We still possess that fear deep in or psyches. That being said, other than that first morning hunt each season I don't have much trouble. That first pre-dawn trip into the woods each year get's my heart going. I have come to look forward the rush of it nowadays. One area I hunt has a few old abandoned camps that always give me a little pause when I pass them by. Something about those empty windows staring out at the darkened woods gets under my skin.


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## Kevin Cox (Oct 3, 2005)

Snakes are my biggest fear hunting in the early season in Ga. Copperheads and rattlesnakes are everywhere it seems . I hate walking to my stand before light and after dark! But my most scared outing took place 2 years ago in Pike County, Il. I had put out a tarsal gland off a fresh buck near my stand and also dominant buck urine. When I got down at dark a buck was grunting and thrashing tree's in the bottom below me. He was downwind of my tarsal gland and he was ticked! I ran across that beanfield to my truck like an olympic sprinter! As I ran faster the closer he seemed to be getting. When I got to the truck my hunting partner was more scared than I was. He jumped in the truck and started the engine before I did!


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## OverMyHead (Dec 8, 2005)

My biggest fear is stepping on a skunk on the way in.

My biggest scare was when I was looking for a blood trail in a field of tall grass, with just a little flashlight with dying batteries...it was pitch black dark...then I hear the most seductive grunting you ever heard coming from the edge of the field only 30 yards away..only to look down and see the doe in estrus scent pads I had mistakenly left attached to my boots on the way in...

Then I thought about the cartoon with the big buck putting it to the hunter, with the buck saying "Here is your deer sausage you m*****f*****".

I felt kind of small right then for awhile.


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## cityhunter346 (Jun 26, 2006)

I get weirded out when I climb up the tree in the pitch black - then I turn off my headlamp. I'm sitting there, 25 ft. up and can't see a thing.......


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## Ridley (Dec 28, 2005)

I usually don't get too scared. Most of the time I find it pretty cool to hear the different things in the woods. Never been scared of a pack of yotes. I don't think they are very aggressive, lol

Anyways, the most scared I've been was walking along the road one morning going to turkey hunt. It was pitch black new moon type of night and couldn't see nothing when I hear this crazy loud snort that sounds about three feet away. I turn on my decrepid 3 candlepower headlamp, thats about worthless when all I see are eyes about 7 feet off the ground and about 18" apart.......Holy **** it's a sasquatch I'm thinking. So I real slowly reach back to my pack and grab a real light and flip it on.........low and behold I walked into the middle of a bunch of draft horses that escaped, lmao. After laughing my bum off, I proceeded on by and slapped the nearest one on the ass to send em home, as I knew where they came from. Pretty scary shiz for about 10 seconds, lol. 

The one thing I am a little leary of is being on the water at night. Two years ago i was down in the gulf fishing off a long ass per at night. I was the only one out there, as I was trying to catch a shark on some cut bait. The pier was real dim, and I would say I was a good 100 yards out at the very end of the pier, when all I hear sounds like the wings of satan himself coming behind me, so close I could feel the wind from them. I froze, then turned real slowly.....a dang pelican was backpedling and landed 3 feet behind me, lmao. Took awhile for the old heartrate to go back down, lol. 

Had a squirrel launch itself onto my head lest year right before light, pretty funny. 

You guys out west and in bear country really have something to be worried about....I would be spooked alot more there as well. Nothing to be afraid of in Ohio, except other derilict hunters, lol


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## Snood Slapper (Jul 27, 2004)

I still have nightmares that I'll shine my light and catch this lookin' back at me...


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## N.H. Bowstalker (Dec 27, 2005)

After meeting my inlaws NUTHIN scares me anymore!!!! I am not afraid of the dark as I walk about 1-2 miles out in the thick N.H. woods with tight rolling hills. Easy to get lost if you dont have a GPA or compass, both are better. I have to walk by an old 1700's cemetary in one place but common sense tells you it aint the dead that will hurt you. I only had 2 experiences that really spooked me, one was almost being run over by a running moose that I couldn't see but felt the ground thumping as it passed by me at 15 feet in the pitch black. Had a flashlight but it was in my backpack and it happened real fast.

Second was some guy we encountered who was weird as all heck. He didn't respond to my partner when he said hello as the guy walked past at 10 feet and then he went into the woods 1 hour after sunset in a direction where there is no road for miles and there is only 1 way out and he had no vehicle, there was snow and his foot prints were easy to see and we had the only tire tracks coming in and going out the 4 mile remote logging road. The next evening the guy was hiding in some bush's next to a boulder across a small pond and as I walked past on the opposite side he would throw rocks in the water hiding. I found out by circling around the pond and sneaking in and saw him with my binoculars hiding. I now carry a sidearm when I hunt there, legal in my state as long as you have either a gun hunting license or CCW permit and I have both.

My favorite is my brother inlaw who whistles 30 minutes before dark to get my attention as he always sits about 50 to 100 yds away. I was over the side of a hill about 75 yards away and its still plent light left. He starts his low whistle, I dont respond. Well the whistle gets louder and louder until I here him hollering then screaming frantically, I was busting a gut laughing so hard it hurt, the road is only 300 yards away!!!!! I usually hunt a mile or so deep but he refuses to go in that far so when I take him I basically am a babysitter. I will say this though, I have been places that for no reason at all felt dark and eerie even though there was plenty of light and sunshine. My philosophy is, fear in the woods can hurt or kill you and is more likely than any predator.


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## n8varcher (Sep 1, 2006)

*Viper69*

You're more adjusted to the fact that in the morning you know that light is coming & that in the early evening, you know you will have a whole night ahead of you...


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## swackhamer (May 24, 2005)

I cant say Ive ever been scared in the woods at night ect.
But the Big city that is a differant story  :wink: 
I get nervous when I can nolonger smell cows


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## badluk (Feb 13, 2005)

Dick Cheney:deadhorse


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## Hoyt Hunter (Jan 24, 2006)

One day me and a buch of buds was hanging out on the back porch and we herad a bobcat. Well being about 25 strong we all decide to see if we could find it this was about 3 years ago this was right on the river and there was a small road beside it. We had about 10 flashlights. My bunch shined the light in the bushes and we saw eyes so we scattered nothing followed use and all of us returned. 

Dont ask me why we decieded to find it guess we were just stuiped at the time


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## spoco57 (Aug 31, 2005)

Early in the dark morning I climb up in my stand in a big white pine. I'm already keyed up because its dark out. All of a sudden twigs and branches are raining down on me while several B-52 turkeys explode out of the tree just above my head, leaving me with severe shortness of breath, heart palpitations and thank goodness I hadn't eaten much the day before.

My greatest fear when it's really dark out is that that big black stump will turn out to be a deer or bear or something that will kill me when I blow myself completely inside out via the rear sphincter.


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## ruffme (Aug 4, 2005)

> Second was some guy we encountered who was weird as all heck. He didn't respond to my partner when he said hello as the guy walked past at 10 feet and then he went into the woods 1 hour after sunset in a direction where there is no road for miles and there is only 1 way out and he had no vehicle, there was snow and his foot prints were easy to see and we had the only tire tracks coming in and going out the 4 mile remote logging road. The next evening the guy was hiding in some bush's next to a boulder across a small pond and as I walked past on the opposite side he would throw rocks in the water hiding. I found out by circling around the pond and sneaking in and saw him with my binoculars hiding. I now carry a sidearm when I hunt there, legal in my state as long as you have either a gun hunting license or CCW permit and I have both.


Now that's creepy
Sooo did you ever find out what this guy was about?
....my wife is scared to death just going up to farm...no one around for miles and I tell her...its safer here than the cities!


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## macweas (May 24, 2004)

*No dark but scary*

A friends father was turkey hunting public land.He had his decoy out and was doing some calling.He heard something coming in and BAM a young boy shot his decoy.He jumped to his feet and started yelling an the boy ran off.


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

*Keep The Posts Coming*

I sure am glad I'm not the only one who gets spooked out there! I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life!:behindsof


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## firemedic5586 (Jan 5, 2006)

I grew up on a farm, so come sun down dark ment you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I aint a skeered of the dark! Remember the farm for later in the post. 

Driving in to go deer hunting early one AM, no outside light besides my headlights. It dawned on me something about the halo of my head lights on my Suburban wasn't right. Thats when I noticed this huge wing span, it seamed like it was as wide as my burban. One of our local Great Horned owls {Size: Length 46-63.5cm (18-25") Wingspan 91-152cm (36-60") Weight 900-1800g (32-63.5 oz)} decided to use me to bird dog the road for him. It flew even with the front of my truck for a good long ways before pulling off. Or it could have been the Jeepers Creepers Guy.

Kicked a turkey down out of his roost on one dark AM. Holly smokes do those things make alot of noise, especialy right over your head. That was a 1st time hunting turkeys for myself and my dad. Was darned funny watching it bounce off the limbs. Was a bummer cuz that was the bird we were trying to set up on and get. 

Now back to the days on the farm. We used to have a big furry barn cat that without any warning loved to jump onto your shoulders, it didn't matter time of day at all to the cat. All of a sudden he was there and at times it caught us by suprise. Then it would just wrap itself around your neck purring. Was a darned nice scarf come those really cold N MN winter days when your out doing chores. For a few years my folks had a friend that ran a home for "troubled" inner city youths, they would come up and "work" on the farm for a week or so at a time during the summer. One of those touchy feely things. For most of these kids this was the 1st time out of the well lit city. Anyway, one dark moonless night with a few stars out so you can almost see your way. One you lad who was DEATHLY afraid of the dark could not hold it anymore decides that he HAS to go to the outhouse. (mom didn't want people walking throught the house) Well about half way there while doing the green apple quick step said you lad encounterd previuosly mentioned cat. His screams that echoed between the barns and the sheds put the mating call of a YETI to shame. He awoke everyone on the farm with his screams of shear terror. After that he needed an escort at night where ever he went. I believe, some place, some where, there is a man sleeping right now with every light on in his place. Oh, they threw his pants away, and he needed a good shower. Sorry that this story didn't have anything to do with hunting however I still laugh when ever I think of it.


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## remauto1100 (Aug 20, 2006)

OK since I have laughed at quite a few of you, you can laugh at me now.
Firstly I am not scared of the woods/dark...because when I am in the woods, I am the most dangerous thing out there (I gotta gun).

Now for reality.
Last year bowseason Illinois- I had just nailed a doe about 30 mins before sunrise. I got down maybe 10 mins before complete darkness and found her about 60yds away from impact. I dragged her to a dry creek bed by my stand and dressed her out. Then I took my bow and stand up to my truck and offloaded then grabbed some rope. Went back to the doe with fresh batteries in the flashlight. Tied her up to start up the hill and THEN the coyotes start yappin across the street in some other woods. Then minutes later coyotes yappin all around me! Of all the times to leave pistol at home! I immediately thought of ways to assault coyotes with a Maglight! Im running up the hill and get out of the woods into a harvested cornfield. The whole time it sounded like the coyotes were right behind me! That makes the hair stand up on the back of yer neck!

Daylight is also not a good time to mess with hawks!
Im in my treestand with maybe a hour of sunlight left. I watch a hawk land in a tree about 20 yds away. He is about 20 ft higher up than me. I decided even though my infinite wisdom usually takes over that it would be a good idea to make "hawk" noises and random bird whistles to this flying razor clawed bird! Evidentally hawks arent real good at picking out real woods from realtree hardwoods camo! How do I know this you ask, well this hawk decided he needed to investigate this "other" bird near him that was making all the noise. The hawk flew down right toward me. I then realized that the hawk was headed straight for me to land! After a second of reality (I wasted a half a second of reality messing my drawers!) I threw my hands out and started waving him off. Luckily he knew proper airport procedures and went to land on a different runway! 
Moral to that story-- Don't mess with the big dayum birds! They don't know who Bill Jordan is! :tongue:


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## Glock17 (Dec 23, 2004)

Great thread, although a few of you guys need to put on a dress..... (you know who you are)

Generally I dont get spooked in the dark, although when living in Alaska (born and raised there) I occasionally got a little jittery when walking creek beds in the morning darkness where I knew 700 pound brownies or griz frequented. I did jump a cougar in Los Padres National Forest in California while walking in the dark the first morning of solo pig hunting, now that was exciting, I set a speed record getting my .357 out of its holster. 

Here in PA I have never been really shook, some cool stuff has happened in the dark actually, like a pack of yotes following me while I drug a doe off Broad Mountian in Carbon county and once at my ususal whitetail stand I had a great horned owl miss me by about 3 feet while swooping to nail something in the tree behind me, hearing grouse drumming, watching a black bear walk by at 10 yards while turkey hunting, etc. 

All this stuff is just the perks of bowhunting. 

Oh, and the whole "Blair Witch" thing, come on, most of us would have just wacked that chik......


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## ajones (Aug 21, 2006)

I know that turkeys have a really bad habit of roosting in baby pines.....something i have 100 acres worth of. I was coming out at dark one evening and one decided it was going to wake up i was just walking along it was all quiet then sounded like the world was coming to an end. I got myself to calm down a little and started off again....about 50 yards later another one decides to wake up.... since then ive taken up the art of turkey huntin too....still doesnt get my goat quite like the whack of an arrow hittin a deer though.


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## Daniel Boone (May 31, 2002)

*Funny thing that happen to me*

Coming out one evening after dark. No moon and Im talking dark. Batterys went down on my flashlight.

I couldnt find my four wheeler.  Guys on my lease still give me fits over that. Walked about a mile and half back to truck.

I love sitting in the tree before dark. The things one hears.


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## GBSorenson (Aug 26, 2006)

I never used to give it a second thought until the time I got sprayed in the face by a skunk while hunting pheasents. Now it seems like every clump of grass or stump looks like a skunk ready to nail me! I really hate those @#!&! things now!


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## Nito (Aug 17, 2005)

I live out in the outback and we have no streetlights etc. and late autum before the snow comes it´s pitchblack outside nighttime, and we are haveing alot of bear around were i live and i was walking the dogs before going to bed and when we got away from the lights from the house i suddenly heard alot of noise from something chargeing through the wood and loud brawls only 50 feet away, and i thought i was being charged by a bear (livley imagination..) and ran like hell towards the lights from my house and called my dogs with me.
the old dog came with me, but the 6 months youngster stod were i left her and was ready to firght what ever was soming, but i ran...
It was no bear, it was two moosebulls that were debateing who was the king of the forrest, i know who was not the king, LOL


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## KSlivin (Nov 28, 2005)

fixerupper said:


> Good Lord..... great stories all.
> 
> Ive been startled several times in the dark by turkeys, running deer, owls, yotes etc. But what REALLY scares the heck out of me is when Im walking along thinking about the hunt, or work or something else when the hair goes up up on the back of my neck for no reason at all. It's only happened to me 3 or 4 times in 25 years of hunting and fishing, but it's quite unnerving when it happens. You go from calm and relaxed to scared poopless in about 1.2 seconds. One time I was walking in to set up for turkeys I actually turned around and set up on a spot in the other direction it rattled me so bad.



I had the same thing happen to me once. I was walking to my stand along a tree line through a plowed field about an hour before day light. I didn't hear anything or see anything but all of a sudden something didn't feel right. I stopped and looked around a bit but didn't see anything. Continued on to my stand and hunted for a couple of hours. On my way out I took the same route I came in on. A little past where I had stopped, I found a mountain lion track on top of one of my boot tracks. Scared the pee out of me.


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## bucktail (Aug 29, 2006)

This has got to be about the funniest thread I have ever read!!  

I too get nervous while in the woods in the dark, but more out of fear of getting lost. Even worse now since, what my buddy and I refer to as "*The Incident". *

About 5 years ago early in the bow season we got the opportunity to hunt 100's of acres of prvately owned heavily wooded swamp land in the middle of nowhere in Northern MI. It hadn't been hunted for years. It was late notice but we decided to give it a try. We hung stands around noon on the arrival of our first day with very little scouting. Most areas were ankle deep in water and so heavily wooded that you couldn't walk in a straight line to get where you wanted to go. The area we found to hunt was about 3/4 mile in and the entry path was marked by a couple old LP tanks someone had previously hung in the tree's which led to an old wood ground blind. Walk in the wrong direction and it's a 3-5 mile walk to hit any road.
Last light and my partner shoots the biggest swamp doe I had ever seen! It's getting dark and cold. We have a good blood trail so we decide to track a short distance in totally unfamiliar territory. "We won't be gone long" so we decide to leave all our gear at the base of the tree and set out with two flashlights and some ribbon "just a short distance to take a look". The plan was to find the deer, field dress it and hang it in a tree until the AM. Well, 1 step turned into 2 which turned into 3 steps following the bloodtrail. I say "I better put some marking ribbon in the trees as we go so we don't get lost". Well, after a couple of zig-zag tracking paths we find the deer, field dress it, hang it from a tree and drape my coat over it to keep the critters off of it. unfortunately, now we couldn't find my last ribbon marker in the tree. We walked about 50 yds to where it should've been, but couldn't find it. Well let's go back to the deer.....YIKES, can't find it neither! LOST, with all our gear at the other end of the ribbon trail we can't find! Ahhhhhh, but wait, I had a back-up plan. I slid my GPS into my pocket before we left and marked the old ground blind. It's darker than crap now and getting cold. Turn on GPS and the canopy is so thick I can't get a signal - finally "orientation"! Yea We're Saved!! Wrongo......I start following the GPS "Go To" compass for about 100 feet and then it flips and does about a 180! Yikes! We follow it again and it blips in another direction and looses orientation  Now, good and lost we decide it's time to follow the old trusty compass in the direction of the nearest road and cut our losses. Well, lets just say that rechargable flashlights are great until they go dead! After about 10 minutes of flashlight use reading the compass we no longer had any light in the pitch dark and couldn't see the compass needle. As we sat on the downed timber standing in ankle deep water we resolved to the fact that we were going to spend the night in the woods. But wait! My buddy remembers he has a flare, two matches and a papertowel in his little pack that he has with him. We formulate the plan.......light the flare, use it for seeing light and run as fast thru the woods as possible in the direction that we need to go. I never though a 230 lb man carrying a flare in the dark could out-run me, but he did. I had to grab onto the back of his belt strap to keep up! Boy, time flies when you are having fun or relying on a flare for light. Flare burned out, we're still lost, still darker than crap, can't read the compass, 2 matches left. Sitting there pondering our demise hoping 2 matches and a paper towel will be enough to light a fire in the middle of a swamp....... miracle happens..:hail: ....the sky clears and I can see the "Big Dipper" and know which way North is.

After 4 hours lost in the woods we finally come walking back into camp, cold, hungry and tired! It's then when I hear my Buddy let out with an "Oh Sh**!" The vehicle and camper keys are still in his pack laying in the woods at the base of the tree! Well, back in we went, but this time a little smarter.

I'll tell ya! With the fear of being lost in the woods overnight still fresh in my mind I still get uneasy to this day anytime I'm in the woods at night and get a moment of disorientation.


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## N.H. Bowstalker (Dec 27, 2005)

Redruff; nope never figured this guy out, he was dressed in camo and had his face camo'd but didn't have a bow or long gun, he could have easily had a sidearm. My wife freeks when I tell her I am going there, but I have only gone alone once. My partner and I split up but are usually no further than a 1/2 mile apart and we carry cell phones. I have had some weird things happen but that one is the only one that scares me enough to have the hair of my neck standup. 

I have had an idiot sitting on a tailgate of a P/U with a semi 308 pointed at me for the count of 5 seconds in the wide open and I was in orange head to foot. He said I sounded like a deer and he had a scope and I was 80 yards awy. I came around a bend on the logging road only to see a rifle pointed right at me! I mentally counted seconds, when I got to 5 seconds I raised my rifle on him. The jerk had the nerve to question why I did it. I told him quote: You had your scoped rifle on me for 5 seconds in the wide open and I am in full orange, I figured if you are that stupid and careless you may shoot at me and I figured if you did and missed I was going to blow you off your f-ing tailgate because you probably wouldn't stop at one shot. I also told him it is illegal to sit on a tailgate with a loaded rifle.

Had a guy shooting across the road from the cab of his truck at a deer in a field as I drove by!!! Worse still his son was kneeling across the road also shooting and he was right in the line of fire of his idiot father shooting from inside the truck as I passed by and a lady with her baby. I turned around got his plate and called both the local PD and F&G. I met with the F&G officer and we found the casings from the son on the side of the road and went to the guys house and I identified them and F&G found the empty casings in the cab of the truck. Immediate loss of weapons and license and a court date. The deer was 70 yards away broadside standing and they missed with 10 shots from their semi auto's 5 shots from each of them. Both me and the F&G officer checked the snow following the bucks tracks for 500 yards and no blood. The guy said they were a little excited when they saw the buck and may not have used the best judgement, DUH!!!!!!


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## Josh Michaelis (Sep 16, 2004)

Not that its freaky, but I did get the crap scared out of me one time while bowhunting from the ground.

You guys have watched squirrels bound from log to log on the forest floor, they can jump several feet. I was watching one doing this one day right at me for about 30 yards, I figured it had its eye on the dead oak behind me. I watched it calm as a cucumber till its last 4 foot bound attached it to my leafy wear suit. You want to hear scream....I screamed like a sissy girl. The squirrel was a little freaked out when its tree started screaming too. It was a bad deal for both of us.


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## bucktail (Aug 29, 2006)

One more reason to be afraid of the dark:

Another hunting buddy of mine hates sitting in the woods in the dark now and I can't say as I blame him. 

One AM about 6 years ago, late October during bow season he is sitting in his tree stand wearing one of those fury "Foo-man-choo" style cammo hunting hats. It's dark and he's taking his pre-light nap when WHAM! He feels an incredible force of pressure sqeezing his head together. As he tells it, it is pitch dark and his head feels like it's going to explode. He said at the time he thought he had actually fallen out of the tree while napping, hit his head and was in the process of dying. Then his head began to shake back-and-forth and he figured out that something had ahold of it and wasn't letting go. He heard wings flapping and upward pressure as ...... you guessed it ....... the owl tried to fly off with him thinking he and his hat was a critter  He said it seemed like he battled the bird for eternity until he got him to release his hold  Once the bird flew off he relized his face was wet. Didn't take long for him to figure out it was blood. Yep, talon marks that needed over 30 stitches to close up. He still bears the scar today.

We can laugh at it now but he won't wear that hat anymore! 

I still piss my pants laughing at the site of him walking back from the stand, face bloodied from an owl attack and a load of crap in his shorts!!


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## AJ008 (Nov 20, 2002)

Buckmaster7117 said:


> That picture is exactly what I came upon last year in one of my favorite hunting locations. It included a small barrel full of incense, a fresh deer head with turkey feathers inlodged in the nose, a voodoo doll hanging from a stick, fire pit, various carvings and wooden structures, candles, blankets, and some vile substances in bottle scattered around the site. After that I chose not to hunt in that location anymore.


Ah heck give me some holy water an an uzi:tongue: 
That stuff scares the hell out of me!


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## savedbygrace (Nov 16, 2005)

maxx said:


> im not scared of the dark,but it can be spooky......my favorite stand is in a swamp at the bottom of a long and norrow 18 acre corn field....walkin thru standing corn can make you analyze every little noise!now countless number of quail have raised my blood presure,and yea those darn owls.....but the worst noise that you will hear in an open field,let alone a standing one, is a black panther screaming....sounds like a dying women and you WILL have to get those hemos to remove your drawers talk about pucker effect!
> 
> now for a funny that happened last year.....that great stand at the swamp was the location and i was slipping thru that corn field.got to the end and entered the woods,and walked to my tree,tied bow and gear to the string and started the journy up to the top.as i peaked to the top of the platform i see/hear something.well needless to say none of us like that feeling!so i switched on my headlight and all saw was a toothy grin it was a BIG ole possum....i was like *&^%!what im i going to do....i had nothing,everything was tied at the bottom of the tree..so i got the bright idea to "spit some beechnut in that dudes eye" ohhhhhh never do that!that pretty much peed him off,he started growling and snaping and im 20 feet up and as far i know i dont bounce....but i can unclimb a ladder pretty darn fast.....but no possum was take my stand without a fight,and im gonna fight now i have a weapon! i put an arrow in my teeth and back up i when,just a bit more careful this time.got back up there and hes still grinnin and hissin.....i started poking the hound out of him with that broad head and finally got him out on a limb right beside the stand and run off to another tree and i got up in the stand and thought all was well.nope at daylight he come back up the limb toward me.....well heres the fight agian.this time he going down,literally!i had to climb up on the back of the stand(i wasnt going to attempted to lose an arrow on a possum) and started stomping the limb and finally he couldnt hold on any longer, and he crashed to ground and left me alone....after that possums are tied at first with squirrells with my most hated woodland creatures.
> 
> maxx


  Man that is SO funny espically the "spit some beechnut in that dudes eye" part.....PRICELESS!


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## algdog (Jun 13, 2005)

*my most terrified moment*

camo from head to toe, I sat in the morning darkness up against a two hundred year old oak. in front of me a large expanse of heavy timber that necked down at this one spot, past where I sat. longbow across my legs I waited for the deer to filter past my ambush.. 
one hour into daylight I see my fear. coming over a slight rise and heading straight for me. It's a two hundred and fifty pound woman. with earphones on doing some kind of excersize walk. moving her arms first left and then right , above her head then to the ground. all the time bobing her large head back and forth. much to my fear she is gaining fast. on a sure collision course . she continues on closer and closer untill peering out from benieth my brim. she raise one of her monster legs to walk and step over my own legs!
very close call. and for sure one scary moment.


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## PSUBowhunter (Jul 10, 2006)

About three years ago me and a buddy of mine were filming a hunt. It was about 20 minutes before sunrise and we are just sitting in the treestands BSing, when i fell something smack me right in the forehead. So I automatically figured it was my buddy messing around, so I turn around and punch him back. He swore it wasnt him but said he saw something hit me. Well right at sunrise, we are still just sitting there, when all of the sudden I see something about two feet from my face flying right at me, and again, it smacks me right in the forehead. But this times it hits my head so hard it knocks it self out and lands on my treestand. It was a bat, and after we got to looking around, we saw that it had a hole right behind my head in the tree we were in. We figured it must have thought the brim of my had and contours of my face were its hole. 

Another time, on the first day of the PA rifle season, I was sitting with my older brother. Around 7:30 we hear a fourwheeler coming our way. The guy gets about 80 yards away and turns off the fourwheeler and takes off running full speed through the woods. All of the sudden he pulls a 9mm out of his pocket and just starts unloading it while running full speed. After he burns that clip, he throughs in another. Then he just stops, walks back to his fourwheeler and drives off. Needless to say, the police and game commision both got involved. Ends up he had just gotten out of jail, so he wasnt aloud to own firearms. When the police showed up, he tried covering himself in leaves, but that didnt work to well when you are wearing a blaze orange hunting outfit.


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## Moose mustard (Aug 24, 2006)

it doesnt bother me too much in pre dawn...because I know its gonna get light real soon.. Getting out of the stand at dusk when in a fairly new unfamiliar area...ya...it can be stressful.


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## Postone (Jan 16, 2006)

*I here you 10PT*



TEXAS 10PT said:


> Nothing used to bother me until I started hunting in West Texas. Walked back to my truck one night and as I was driving out I saw a three foot rattlesnake crossing the road. I said to myself "your walking around here with rubber boots" The next week I was wearing snake boots sprayed down with scent killer. So my biggest fear is walking up on one of those fellas.
> 
> 
> TEXAS


I just bought some Rubber Snake boots from Cabela's for that exact reason...

I don't think ScentBlocker can cover up the mess I might make in my pants if I steppes on one of those 6ft RattleSnakes at 5:30 in the morning!!!


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## crumbe (Mar 28, 2006)

I get kind of spooked sometimes walking to my stand in the dark or out, but usually it doesnt bother me.

Last year I hunted with a friend on a farm he had. We were doing some scouting before opening day and watching a big hay field. Well from where we were I could see that there was a old cemetary in the middle of the field. And where I needed to get the next morning I had to walk right by the cemetary. Well that would not have bothered me too bad...but he starts telling me about how one cool Nov. morning he was walking in to his stand and kept hearing a little girl laughing and calling out Momma. He was probably trying to scare the (*^& out of me...and guess what...it worked...needless to say I didnt hunt that stand the next morning. Things like that just freak me out.


Here is another real scary moment in my life and I am thankful to be here telling this story.

About 10 years ago I was hunting on private property on opening morning. Well it was about 10 am and I had enough so I was walking down a logging trail on my way out and I came upon about 4 does and a buck in the path. There was a bend right where they were standing so I didnt want to shoot because the guy I was hunting with was somewhere on the other side of it, plus you cant shoot a rifle in that county unless you are 10 ft off the ground.. So I was sitting on the ground looking at the deer through my scope and watching the deer, when the guy I was hunting with come around the corner...thank god I didnt shoot. Now keep in mind...I am sitting in the middle of a logging trail...with blaze orange on. Well this guy comes around the corner and sees the deer...and I really thought he saw me...guess he didnt because he commences to unload his gun...so I hear bullets whizzing over my head...and I start to try and dig a hole laying as close to the ground as I can...I am layed sprawled out face down arms in front...with my rifle out in front of me. Next thing I know somehthing hits me in the arm...and that is all I can take...I jump up and dive into the bushes about ten feet away...bullets still whizzzin by....Im screaming and yelling at the top of my lungs. Well when all the shooting stops I get up collect myself a little bit make sure Im not bleeding...for all I know at this point what hit me in the are was a bullet. Everything seems fine...no holes in my anyway and thats when I figure out what hit me....one of his bullets hit my gun in the fore stock and probably stopped it from killing me it was a piece of the gun that hit me in the arm. Well needless to say I wasnt hunting with that guy anymore.


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## 3L_Archer (Oct 20, 2005)

I'm usually too busy dragging a deer out of the woods, so I don't really have the time to get scared. :darkbeer: 

3L


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## Hoyt Havoc (Jul 27, 2006)

Opening day of gun season a few years ago I got settled in on the old tree stump I sit on every year. It was still very dark and I hear what I thought was a deer come walking towards me maybe 40 yards away. Then it started, I don't know what you'd call a black bear sound, bawling/growling. I was a bit concerned and when it got about 50 feet away I stood to my feet and faced towards it. I made some noise with my feet so it would know I'm there. It walked slowly away. Later after it got light I noticed a pile of bear doo about 3' in front of me so I hope I didn't bother his morning doo-ty.

Another time while deer hunting the snow piled 3" up on everything. Every twig in the woods had 3" so visability was 25-30 feet in any direction and it was very quiet. I knew my cousin would be coming my way and on the same trail as me. There was a 10' pine off to the side of the trail so I went ahead about 10 steps and back tracked. I jumped over to the tree to hide my tracks. When my cousin walked past I stepped out right behind him without him knowing. When he got to the end of my tracks he stopped and as he started toturn around and I asked him "which way did he go george." He about dumped his pants.


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## Grower (Feb 21, 2005)

Nope not afraid, the boogie man checks under his bed for me. Seriously I agree with Ridley nothing to be afraid of in Ohio but skunks and dumba-- hunters. Once when checking traps at night I steped in a covey of quail better than a stress test. Heading to NM Wensday mabey have some stories after that. Lions, Rattlers and Bear OOmy.


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## 3CRA (Nov 15, 2005)

I, too, get the hibby jibbys sometimes. 
The worst was may have been my walking through a spider web in pitch black. Felt like I was covered head to toe, mostly my face. That thing could have stopped a Mack truck. I was pitching a fit and fighting something that wasn't there. Although I probably didn't need to see the spider that made the stupid thing.


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## Ib4Hoyt (Jan 19, 2004)

Hibby Jibbys , can't believe it took this long for somebody to use them words...

Do i here a Bejebbers out there???


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## MooseXing (Jul 22, 2006)

I'v seen the Big foot!








no just kidding saw some wolf tracks and heard them howling kinda spooky when you by your self.


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## NM_HighPlains (Nov 25, 2005)

3CRA said:


> The worst was may have been my walking through a spider web in pitch black. Felt like I was covered head to toe, mostly my face.


I was thinking what a bunch of sissies you guys are- owls, coyotes, bobcats....sheesh- then I got to this post. I hate spiders. Let me repeat that, I hate spiders. As a wildlife biologist, I dealt with owls, coyotes, bobcats, hawks, bears, elk, etc. routinely and they don't bother me in the least. But spiders? (little girl scream ->) AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! 

The WORST, the absolute WORST experience I've ever in my life had in the outdoors- it gives me shivers right now just to think of it- was in Hell's Canyon, ID. We were pre-running the place in preparation for a survey later in the year and my job was to walk the beach. There were tall mule's ears stalks all over the beach and as the boat dropped me off, I realized that every one of these stalks was occupied by spiders. Large spiders. Multiple Large Spiders Per Stalk. With webs in between the stalks. There was no way to get thru them. Up off the beach, in the vegetation, there were just more of them. Down closer to the water, they were in the boulders. I've never seen so many spiders in my life. You'd touch the web and a spider would run out to see what it had caught. And I had to walk thru them because the boat had dropped me off and gone on upstream. 

At least it was daylight. If had been night, I would have just curled up into a fetal position, sucked my thumb, and waited for daylight. I thought about it anyway. I seriously consider just pretending to twist my ankle and wait on the shore until the boat came back for me, but I was afraid that the spiders might cooperate and wrap me up and suck me dry before the boat returned. It was better to keep moving, so, I finally found a good sized stick and used it as a sword and hacked my way thru the spider jungle.

I never went back, never will, and you couldn't pay me enough money to go back. NO WAY.


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## ridgerunner75 (Jul 21, 2006)

Most of the time I find the walk into the woods in the morning quite relaxing. One time in Southern IL I walked in during a full moon with a slight fog hanging on the ridge tops.........call me a ghoul but I liked the eerie feeling. I like to read stories about local ghost legends and items like that. I have had two times that I was very nervous. One time I decided to read about bigfoot sightings in IL and the local lore. I searched all the internet sites and read all the stories about bigfoot. The next afternoon I went out for an evening hunt. At time to quit, the woods was real still and all of the sudden I heard a loud screech like fingernails on a chalkboard but amplified. Scared the crap out of me. With all the bigfoot stories in my mind I thought.........maybe it was bigfoot messing with me. I later listened to some animal recordings and I think it was two raccoons fighting. Another time, while hunting in Southern IL in a big woods (by IL standards) my father and I were on a morning hunt in Shawnee National Forest and we were about 300 yards apart. We both heard a chanting like sound coming from what sounded like a large group of people around 7 am. Almost like some cult was holding ceremonies in the woods. We both discussed it at the truck later. So I know I wasn't hearing things.

One thing I do fear...........walking into the woods in the morning with my flashlight and the light comes across a dead body looking at me. Don't tell me you all don't think about that.

Ridge


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

ridgerunner75 said:


> Most of the time I find the walk into the woods in the morning quite relaxing. One time in Southern IL I walked in during a full moon with a slight fog hanging on the ridge tops.........call me a ghoul but I liked the eerie feeling. I like to read stories about local ghost legends and items like that. I have had two times that I was very nervous. One time I decided to read about bigfoot sightings in IL and the local lore. I searched all the internet sites and read all the stories about bigfoot. The next afternoon I went out for an evening hunt. At time to quit, the woods was real still and all of the sudden I heard a loud screech like fingernails on a chalkboard but amplified. Scared the crap out of me. With all the bigfoot stories in my mind I thought.........maybe it was bigfoot messing with me. I later listened to some animal recordings and I think it was two raccoons fighting. Another time, while hunting in Southern IL in a big woods (by IL standards) my father and I were on a morning hunt in Shawnee National Forest and we were about 300 yards apart. We both heard a chanting like sound coming from what sounded like a large group of people around 7 am. Almost like some cult was holding ceremonies in the woods. We both discussed it at the truck later. So I know I wasn't hearing things.
> 
> One thing I do fear...........walking into the woods in the morning with my flashlight and the light comes across a dead body looking at me. Don't tell me you all don't think about that.
> 
> Ridge


Thanks a lot! Way to take it to another level,.............now I am truly freaked out!! Just one more thing to thing to think about in the dark!!


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## ridgerunner75 (Jul 21, 2006)

Sorrry........but thats one thing that I think about. You always hear about some hunter taking a pee and looking down and realizing he is peeing on someone's bones.


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## BIGBUCKSONLY (Dec 15, 2004)

Ridge.... Dead Bodies in the woods!!!!! Not that is some freaky s**t. Not cool man... not cool. Opener is next weekend in MN.


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## inatree (Apr 9, 2006)

*OK, ok*

Ok guys, this thing is dragging out and I guess I will have to tell my story. I was hoping I could restain myself because it really freaks me out to even talk about this.
Where I hunt there are stories about all kinds of things. There is at least 1 old graveyard back in the woods and supposedly this is also a big native american historical area also.
Well, there is this old barn thats in the middle of a pine thicket that is starting to fall down and has vines all over. It just looks spooky. I was doing some still hunting late one afternoon. Despite the wierd feelings I get around this old barn, I decided to go check it out because I had heard that bucks like those areas for some reason. As I approached the barn, I could swear I saw something really big dart from one side of the barn to the other on the inside. I started easing around the barn to see if it might be a deer. The thing is so covered up with vines, its hard to get a good look. Well, I get all the way around it and never see anything, so I keep walking and forget about it. Well, maybe 20 yards away from the barn something catches my eye in my peripheral vision. Again, fairly large, and really fast. Zipping from one clump of bushes to another. I am really starting to get freaked now, because I dont think a deer would behave like that. I sit still, and then I start watching. This "thing" is starting to dash around me from bush to bush, closing the circle tighter and tighter on every lap.
This is the point that you guys really need to pay attention to....I watched "The Ring" one too many times!! HAHA Just kidding!.. I know I had some of you going.
Really, Im scared of jumping an unsuspecting bull or cow coming into my tree stand early morning, but thats about it. We dont have too many creepy crawlies or hoogity boogities around here.


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## WILLAIMSHANE (Jun 3, 2006)

A friend and I were hunting a old houseseat on wma land it was just before day light when I started hearing odd sounds I could here people screaming and a fire burning I could even smell the smoke I suggested we find a better location to hunt my buddy was more than ready to leave himself.
Later that day we came clean with one another he said he got spooked when he looked out into the bottom and saw a woman running tword us with a baby. I confessed what I had experienced we never spoke of it again. 
A couple of years later I found out that a settler home had burned killing several of the people who lived there.


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## SCDeerSlayer (Feb 24, 2006)

WilliamShane,
That is pretty freaky man.
Robbie


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## Reverend (Nov 2, 2004)

In Florida we're not afraid of water mocassins, rattlesnakes, alligators, bears or panthers... what every hunter fears, besides the mosquitoes, is the "skunk-ape." Yep, Florida's version of bigfoot.
Although I haven't personally seen him, I have smelled him.


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## BEARBOWHUNTER (Apr 26, 2006)

I got a good one. I went hiking with my friends on this mountian about 10 years ago. There was a sign at the bottom that told a story about this old Indian that lived there on top of this mountian and that his house was still there. So we walked to the top of this sucker to see it. As we got within 20 yrds of it the wind began to pick up and a big old Crow flew up out of this house and landed on a tree near by. The house was made of stone that was piled up on one another. The floor was solid dirt. It had 3 to 4 rooms if I can rember. The roof was gone form the weather. Some of the stones fell on the inside that were on the wall. So one of my budies picked up one of these stones to put it back on the wall and as soon as he picked it up the crow flew over to the wall and just sat there. I told him it was time to go and we all agreed and as soon as we left the crow flew back down into the house. Werid thing was there was no reason for that crow to be in there was no food or twigs or anything just dirt and stones. I wish I could remember where that was I would like to go back and see if it is still there.


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## Surfindakine (Apr 5, 2006)

bubba101st said:


> I don't get scared in the woods. I always make sure that I have someone that I know I can outrun with me. You know, my son, wife friends etc. THe scary stuff will eat the first one it catches.



You only have to be faster than one person!!!!


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## kscumminsdriver (Oct 3, 2005)

Great stories everyone... keep 'em coming. 

Living, hunting and working in Kansas we really don't have to worry about bears, wolves or rabid moose so most of my walks in and out of my hunting areas are uneventful. Since I'm a structural engineer, I sometimes am required to do in-service bridge inspections. One of my biggest fears, in my professional life and my hunting life, is coming across a body. It's never happened but you just never know. Just last month, I inspected a few bridges in SE Kansas and as we were doing our work and such we caught the faint odor of something dead... it's unmistakeable and always brings a little tightness to my stomach. We soon found where the smell was coming from; someone had disposed of their dog over the side of this bridge. It was everybit of a 50 foot drop if not 60 so I'm hoping the dog was already deceased for it's ill fated skydive. One of those other things you worry about doing bridge inspections is finding someone who has decided to make a home out of a perfectly good bridge. Those folks are so unpredictable you never know what kind of reaction you're going to get out of them. 

The worst thing thats probably ever happened to me while hunting is bustin' a covey of quail because they just explode from your feet and when you're deer hunting, you don't expect that. Our cows get me too... they are so curious that they'll run to find out what that blob is walking the fence line. I should know better since I grew up around them but it always puts me over the fence when they start headin' my way.


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## bigfiredog111 (Aug 24, 2006)

Not afraid of the dark here, but used to hunt with a buddy that was terrified of something getting him. Well, several seasons ago, I shot a big coyote on our evening hunt with my bow. When I came down from the tree I drug it over to the road he and I would be walking down the following morning. I took some sticks and propped him up and used some twigs to make his mouth look real snarly. Next morning he and I are walking in together and just as we got up to the dead coyote I flashed my flashlight in his eyes and yelled "Crap, what is that" and started to run. Well that is all he needed, he ran all the way back to the truck and I think I heard him scream a time or two, but can't be sure as I was laughing so hard. He was mad as a hornet when he found out what I did.


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## ridgerunner75 (Jul 21, 2006)

Fire Dog............thats just plain mean.....hope your buddy didn't have to change his britches.


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## sgs (Jun 8, 2005)

Ok, I gotta tell this one. My buddy was walking in and all of a sudden got an urge. He has a special stump he usually takes a dump at so he thought he'd stop. This was public land, by the way. So there happend to be a new comer to the area hunting in the same area and walked up on my buddies turd half hanging out of his butt with his flashlight shinning smack dab on the brown star. All my buddy heard was " Oh my f#[email protected] God !! " He said he couldn't even concentrate on hunting the rest of the day he was laughinbg so much.


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## bowhunter0916 (Apr 18, 2005)

*Im not scared*

I am not scared of the dark as I was...I mean I was an infantry man who has spent many a night walking through the woods in the dark. 
Until....
I was hunting in Camp Blanding in N.E. Florida during a new moon, and you MUST be out of the check station 1 hour after dark. Keep in mind that the woods are very thick with many palmeto's...It is very easy to get lost is what I am getting at. I got turned around somehow and got lost. I was under the gun as I knew the gate was going to be locked and I had no idea how I was going to get out of there. I started range walking(walking very fast for you non military types) and kept the sliver of moon to my right. All of a sudden I am walking in what I thought was simply mud. Wrong!!! It was quick sand. Never in my life had I thought that I would discover real quick sand. I had to think quick. I really dont know how I got out of it, but I did move slowly and used my rifle at the surface to keep from sinking more. Once I got out of the pit I took my time and eventually found a road and my way back to my truck. I must have walked several miles and I was too late as the gate was locked. I sat at the gate which is across a highway from the Army base. I honked my horn for a long time before the mp's came. They had the audacity to give me crap about being late. I showed them the damp sandy goo that was clung to me up to my elbows, and told them where to go once they opened the gate. I was happy to be alive for sure.
Again, I am not afraid of the darkness, but I am afraid of the unknown...and of getting lost. I probably use more bright eyes than any three of you combined along with a red led head lamp. I travel fairly slow most of the time too.


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## timekiller (Sep 3, 2006)

*who ya gonna call?*

First of all willaimshane's story is one of the freakiest things I have ever heard. I also have a story that just happened to me last weekend. I should say that I, like alot of people on here, grew up hunting and walking through the timber in the dark. It has never bothered me. Even though I am one of the jumpiest people I know things that I"ve walked into in the dark don't really scare me. Sure they make me jump, but I usually just go on without much thought after being startled. Here in Iowa we don't really have anything that is going to "get you." 
That being said ghost stories scare the crap out of me, I mean I just eat them up. Well, last Sat. night I was working night shift (I'm a deputy sheriff) and I got a call of some suspicous lights in the woods that a passerby saw from the road as he drove by. These same woods just happen to contain an old overgrown cemetary so right away I wasn't crazy about the thought of going in there to check them out. A few years ago some people were back there digging up graves and doing some freaky s---. I was hoping to drive by not see anything and just clear the call without going into the woods. Well I got there and sure enough there were about 15-20 small lights glowing in the timber. When I got there another car was parked on the road. It was guy from the area who was looking at them also he said that had seen them before, but had no idea what they were and they freaked him out. I was pretty curious as to what they were and I got up enough courage to drive across the field to the woods to check them out. I got out of my car where I thought they should have been to look around and listen the whole time thinking that I was going to walk into some satanic ritual, but I couldn't see or hear anything. I drove back out and told the guy that I couldn't see anything down there. He then said that he could see me and the lights the whole time and that it looked like I was right on top of them. After he said that I didn't care what those lights were and told him that I was calling it unknown and getting the he11 out of there. 
He probably thought that I was a wuss, but he sure didn't volunteer to go down there with me. Even though it didn't happen while hunting I thought that I would share my one (and hopefully only) ghostbuster expierience.


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

timekiller said:


> First of all willaimshane's story is one of the freakiest things I have ever heard. I also have a story that just happened to me last weekend. I should say that I, like alot of people on here, grew up hunting and walking through the timber in the dark. It has never bothered me. Even though I am one of the jumpiest people I know things that I"ve walked into in the dark don't really scare me. Sure they make me jump, but I usually just go on without much thought after being startled. Here in Iowa we don't really have anything that is going to "get you."
> That being said ghost stories scare the crap out of me, I mean I just eat them up. Well, last Sat. night I was working night shift (I'm a deputy sheriff) and I got a call of some suspicous lights in the woods that a passerby saw from the road as he drove by. These same woods just happen to contain an old overgrown cemetary so right away I wasn't crazy about the thought of going in there to check them out. A few years ago some people were back there digging up graves and doing some freaky s---. I was hoping to drive by not see anything and just clear the call without going into the woods. Well I got there and sure enough there were about 15-20 small lights glowing in the timber. When I got there another car was parked on the road. It was guy from the area who was looking at them also he said that had seen them before, but had no idea what they were and they freaked him out. I was pretty curious as to what they were and I got up enough courage to drive across the field to the woods to check them out. I got out of my car where I thought they should have been to look around and listen the whole time thinking that I was going to walk into some satanic ritual, but I couldn't see or hear anything. I drove back out and told the guy that I couldn't see anything down there. He then said that he could see me and the lights the whole time and that it looked like I was right on top of them. After he said that I didn't care what those lights were and told him that I was calling it unknown and getting the he11 out of there.
> He probably thought that I was a wuss, but he sure didn't volunteer to go down there with me. Even though it didn't happen while hunting I thought that I would share my one (and hopefully only) ghostbuster expierience.


Great! another one to scare the s!$% out of me. I'm actually going to school soon for law enforcement, not what I wanted to hear.


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

Cool story timekiller.


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## B.C. in KS (Jul 20, 2004)

Well here is a couple of mine.Last fall i was hunting and i have about a 3/4 mile walk in to our hunting spot about 1/4 mile open field ,cross a nice size creek and then a 1/4-1/2 mile walk in the woods.One morning i got there extra early and as iwas parking i noticed 2 helecopters flying up and down the fields and timber with spotlites on the ground.I think fish and game?As i was walking to the creek i started thinking maybe a killer escapted from jail of somthing along those lines,just as i started to cross the creek a beaver slaps its tail,scared the hell out of me.I stoped on the far side of the creek and debate wether or not to go in the woods.Well i finally get the nerve and geta couple hundred yards in and a deer snorts and takes off running ,i just froze right there and didn't move untill i was light enough to see!
Another time my dad and i were hunting together and i got down before he did and walked towards his stand alittle ways and laid down behind a log about 3 feet off the trail,well 15 mins later i hear him walking down the logging road ,right as he gets past me i let out a snarl and grab his leg.He screamed like a girl and kiced me right in the chin.He still gets mad at me when we talk about it!!


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

That's funny B.C. I've always thought about pulling something like that on my brother or dad but I'm afraid I'd get shot. They're both a little jumpy. Plus I probably wouldn't be able to not bust out laughing as they were walking by.


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## jeepejeep (Sep 28, 2005)

Two times i got scared out of over 20 years hunting. Once was a DAMN LOUD screech owl. Walking to my stand he sounded off in a tree right above me and it sounded like a woman getting murdered! Another was when i was turkey hunting. I had just sat down,back against a tree waiting for sunup. A coyote howled far away and another one answered and it sounded like he was right on the other side of the friggin tree!!


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

Last year I was hunting in Bayfield Wisconsin, my brother {BIGBUCKSONLY} was in the Coast Guard stationed there. A friend of his nailed a nice doe right at dark and came back for some help looking for her. We went out looking for her and just could not find her! Perfect shot by the way, anyway those cotes were onto it before we were. We found her first , but man those cotes were very close and not happy we were there.
Two nights later my brother nails another nice doe and same thing, couldn't find her, no blood whatsoever. We looked until midnite and decided to try again in the morning. When we woke up at six to resume the trail, we walked out his front door and seen a bunch of crows Sure enough, we walked to em and there she was, or at least what was left of her. Cotes ate her whole right side, we did manage to get some meat off her but not much.


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## MagnumPI (Jul 8, 2004)

Opossums scare the air out of my lungs, they always wait till your 2 feet away before the hisssssss with thoes 6in teeth showing.


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## soloslayer (Sep 2, 2006)

sasquatch is the only thing i'm spooked of


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## mdhunter (Nov 30, 2005)

3 years ago I was hunting rifle in Clinton County PA when I was about 100 yards from my tree stand when some coyotes started to howl. Is sounded like about 3 or 4 about 50 yards from me. It was about 5:30AM and I reached into my backpack for my knife. Never did see them but they howled for about 20 minutes.


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## maximus (Dec 20, 2005)

I was about 8 years old and it was me and my father and my best friend and his father and another friend of my dads. We was out fishing at night at this farm pond and not more than 75 yards from the pound was a farm house that hasn't been lived in for more than 70 years. It had no windows, doors and only had part of the roof. Well anyway we are sitting on the bank fishing and all of a sudden a piano started playing from the house. Now I will never forget this, we had a fire going and all I remember was my father and his buddies saying holy s#$% and grabbing us kids and jumping in the truck. We left so fast that we didn't put out the fire. One month later the landowner who was with us torn down the house and filled in the foundation. Two this day we do not speak of it when we are together and it has been 25 years since.


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## NSB (Aug 22, 2006)

maximus said:


> I was about 8 years old and it was me and my father and my best friend and his father and another friend of my dads. We was out fishing at night at this farm pond and not more than 75 yards from the pound was a farm house that hasn't been lived in for more than 70 years. It had no windows, doors and only had part of the roof. Well anyway we are sitting on the bank fishing and all of a sudden a piano started playing from the house. Now I will never forget this, we had a fire going and all I remember was my father and his buddies saying holy s#$% and grabbing us kids and jumping in the truck. We left so fast that we didn't put out the fire. One month later the landowner who was with us torn down the house and filled in the foundation. Two this day we do not speak of it when we are together and it has been 25 years since.


It was Old Man Johnson. And he'd have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids and that dog...


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## cattrapper (Aug 11, 2006)

*well heres mine not to funny tho*

my first scare came when i was 14 .i has walked a 1/2 mile from my house to my stand in the early mornin darkness crawled up into my homemade ladder stand pulled my rifle up put it on the hanger .then i strapped myself in and sat down to wait for first light . bout then i heard something to my right i looked over an seen the biggest great horned owl in oklahoma sitting 3 ft away from me oh s--t tryed to jump away thank goodness for my sfty belt.that was my worst scare but now this is what happened to me last fall i was rifle huntin and had already got my buck so i was doin some heard management for a big doe bouit a hour after first light some does came out an i picked mine out and let er have it with a 300 mag now she droppedin her tracks so i go to her an she jumps up i shoot again an she drops so i walk to her some more an she jumps up again an i shoot her again then she jumps up an ran from the feild an thru a fence onto private land so i get the owner out he s afriend to an we search an search an no deer we lose the blood trailso we quit . he came back the next day an found her bout 20 ft from last blood an she is in the fork of a tree 15ft up aint but 1 animal in okl that does that an the odwc says that we dont have big cats here huh BS


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## IshootDoes (Aug 30, 2005)

cattrapper said:


> my first scare came when i was 14 .i has walked a 1/2 mile from my house to my stand in the early mornin darkness crawled up into my homemade ladder stand pulled my rifle up put it on the hanger .then i strapped myself in and sat down to wait for first light . bout then i heard something to my right i looked over an seen the biggest great horned owl in oklahoma sitting 3 ft away from me oh s--t tryed to jump away thank goodness for my sfty belt.that was my worst scare but now this is what happened to me last fall i was rifle huntin and had already got my buck so i was doin some heard management for a big doe bouit a hour after first light some does came out an i picked mine out and let er have it with a 300 mag now she droppedin her tracks so i go to her an she jumps up i shoot again an she drops so i walk to her some more an she jumps up again an i shoot her again then she jumps up an ran from the feild an thru a fence onto private land so i get the owner out he s afriend to an we search an search an no deer we lose the blood trailso we quit . he came back the next day an found her bout 20 ft from last blood an she is in the fork of a tree 15ft up aint but 1 animal in okl that does that an the odwc says that we dont have big cats here huh BS


Holy freakin crap dude!! I think my spokes just puckered!


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## huntaholic (Sep 9, 2004)

We were dove hunting this weekend and talking about this exact same thing!!

I've got to take some of these stories back to the guys!!!

by the way that Blair Witch stuff is down right wrong!!:wink: 

Wait. . . . .

. . . . .what was that??????. . . . Did you hear that????? . . . . . . . :embara:


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## Jotun (Aug 14, 2006)

*Sorry very long but worth it*

First off I am not scared of the dark I am scared of what I can not see in the dark and coyotes just dont do it after what I went through. About 8 years ago I was on my first archery Elk hunt in Nothern Arizona east of Flagstaff I was only about 14years old. Well anyways I was chasing this heard of about 5 elk around all after noon and I finnally got close enough to get a shot on this massive cow at about 6:30 pm as the sun is going down and she flinched at the last second quartering away so the arrow hit her in the artery that runs in her rear haunch I trailed her about 2 miles into the middle of a wilderness area where there were no roads and more than that when I found her finnally I was now about 10 miles from the nearest road and my truck. So I got on the portable radio's and called my father and told him a general direction where I was so that he could help me pack out the about 600lbs in meat I had just harvested. I knew it was going to be at least an hour before he finds me and it was about 8:30 at this time so I decided to dress the elk and quarter it to make it easier to carry well after removing the entrails and cleaning out the cavity my dad shows up and he tells me that he will pack out the first quarter and for me to wait by the meat and protect it from coyotes. Thats the first time it hit me "holy crap there are probably hungry animals out here" well he left and now its about 10:00pm about 30 minutes later i start hearing some rustling just up the canyon from me and i was straining my eyes to see what it was but all I had was a mini-mag flash light and no moon the only thing I see are a pair of eyes swaying back and forth then dissapear. I was like *** was that so about 10 minutes go by and I start hearing what sound like groans and growls the like I had never heard before so I start yelling in its direction and walk up the hill towards it and then all he11 breaks loose behind me around the elk I turned pale white when I spin around shine my flashlight and see a black bear tearing into my elk tried to run with it I yelled at it but it wasnt running from me it was running from the dang Mountain Lion and cubs that were now charging in as well and ended up scareing the bear off I decided that they wanted it more than I did and I took off in a flat out blind run in the dark with no clue what direction I was going because of all of the camotion and the new moon. I didnt end up finding my way back to camp until about 10:00am the next morning out of water and completely exhausted I tried contacting my dad on the radio all night but I ended up running out of range of my dads radio and ended up killing the batteries. So I found a road and followed it for a while until someone drove by and hitched a ride to camp which happend to be about 23 miles away!


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## teambringit1 (Oct 28, 2005)

OMG now that is a scary story. I bet your pops was worried sick about you by that time.


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## Jotun (Aug 14, 2006)

Yeah he was pretty freaked out especially when he got back I was not there and by that time coyotes had picked the bones almost clean. He said he was actually scouring the woods looking for a body not his son. He called the forest service and everything already....They didnt start searching yet but it was coming soon.


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## Pat_from_PA (Dec 18, 2002)

*=-)*

I can honestly say i am not scared of the dark!...i've spent about 5+ years of my life camping in some way shape or form under the stars or a piece of canvas!...i've had a skunk curl up on my chest a bear come into my tent and make itself at home, along with raccoons, chipmonks, etc...but put the sun up in the air and a spider in front of me and that's it i'm outa there!

Pat


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## jhubbdo (Jun 9, 2006)

*what a great post*

Tell me another story, Daddy!


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## imurhucklebry (Sep 13, 2006)

the-ghost said:


> nah the dark doesnt bother me at all. though one time i was walking to my stand and i stepped over a big log onto a turkey buzzard that was sleeping on the otherside. we both freaked out, the bird flew into a tree and knocked itself out and i came close to screaming like a little girl. sounded more like a full grown woman. i had to chuckle at myself after that, and i'm glad i was alone hehe.


that's funny stuff right there


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## claythomas (Oct 26, 2006)

Last night of deer camp I was walking back in the dark and my friend rattled of about 30 rounds out of his assault rifle from behind a tree at about 6 ft


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## SirChitlin (Oct 9, 2006)

Buckmaster7117 said:


> That picture is exactly what I came upon last year in one of my favorite hunting locations. It included a small barrel full of incense, a fresh deer head with turkey feathers inlodged in the nose, a voodoo doll hanging from a stick, fire pit, various carvings and wooden structures, candles, blankets, and some vile substances in bottle scattered around the site. After that I chose not to hunt in that location anymore.


I I do that to keep yer' arse's outta my spot! :embara:


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## bow addict (Mar 30, 2006)

I was supposed to go hunting this weekend but after reading this thread I may rethink that....














nah, but I hope I shoot a big coyote that was funny stuff.


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## venison (Aug 29, 2006)

Not afraid of the dark but when you head to the woods and hear coyotes packed up all around you it makes you think, just how aggressive are these guys who have been known not only to attack deer but have actually been very aggressive around people. When all you have in your hands is a stick it makes you think.


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## Tim Z (Jul 11, 2003)

*Not usually but.....*

When I was in Canada on my bear hunt, that was nervous and my hunt in SC swamps, snakes (rattlers, copperheads & water mocks) or yea the gators too. Was very careful where I walked.


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## huntsman1024 (Aug 20, 2006)

I was looking at some land I was thinking about buying and the realtor who was walking the property with me ( he's also a buddy of mine ) points to a scrub oak that had 4 or 5 decaying goat heads in it hanging from pieces of twine. I did not buy the land.  
I also remember a time when I was about 17 or so and I was walking through a section of cedar swamp heading for my gun stand. I was trying to be as quiet as I could. I came upon an old blowdown that was next to a big old dead pine. I put my hand on the pine for balance as I stepped across the downed tree and when my foot came down I snapped a branch. All of a sudden the dead tree I was leaning on started raining branches on me, I though it was coming down right on my melon. An unearthly racket coming from above my head made me start to run to get away from what I though was certain doom as I just knew this big ol' tree was gonna topple on me. Turns out it was a flock of turkeys roosting in the tree and I spooked them when I snapped the twig. I sill curse their feathered arses to this day for that scare. I hate turkeys.


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## P'duck (Sep 28, 2006)

I have had the 'yote howling in the distance and that sends shivers up my spine...

I did manage to get a good friend good one night after dark. I was hunting on the edge of back flooding woods and had a black bear walk in. Season was open and I had a permit so kapow the Muzzy did its job a little too well. I watched the bear go down not too far from me. I stayed on my stand until my friend showed up since he was deeper in the woods. When he came up he asked if I saw anything and I said yes I shot one. He asked where it went to and I said I know exactly where it is. I sent him off while I stayed in stand, guiding him. He got there and screamed like a little baby as he walked up on a black bear laying there. I think he filled his pants. I was laughing too hard to hear what he had to say after walking up on that bear. Later we had a good laugh though.


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## P'duck (Sep 28, 2006)

Canoeing one time we went under a turkey roost and I about fell out of the canoe at dusk when they all flew out of the tree. 

I was duck hunting on a slew one time when a huge oak tree fell, my lab wound up in my lap on that one...


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## brokenbow06 (Oct 10, 2006)

*thing that go bump in the night*

I get a little worried about walking out after sitting over bear baits at night. Bears move with out sound and I know there are in the area. Would hate to get between a sow and her cubs. I walk out with a light but it still creeps me out. I dont mean to sound like a sissy but I think everyone has some fear of the unknown, I know I do.


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## Duckster2 (Aug 1, 2006)

me and a girlfriend decided to sneek away from a party one night for a little one on one. We were on a big farm that had an old house down behind the barn, so we went down there, looked inside and there were kids sitting in the middle of the big room , we thought nothing of it, thought maybe it was the neighbors kids so we just left. got back to the party, I told my buddy about it and he said none of the neighbors had any kids, and no one goes in the house anymore, al the old doors have been locked for years. We just left it at that, I never mentioned it again, but it puts a thought in the back of my head since I now hunt that farm and walk past the house on the way to my stand. I kind of keep my distance and walk a little faster in that area.


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## acridlon (Jul 18, 2006)

*scared*



stewart76 said:


> no lie them bobcats will scare the dookie out of ya!


It was nearly dark and we had to bulls bugleing one on each side. My buddy and I were about five yards apart and on our knees calling when I turned to my right and saw a big bobcat at about 10 yards ready to pounce. That scared me but probly not as bad as it scared my buddy when I jumped up yelling and he saw me scrambling away from that bobcat, I think I heard his pants filling up as I ran by. That was the first and only time I have called in something that was hunting me.. That walk out was a little hairy!!!


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## acridlon (Jul 18, 2006)

*one more for ya*

I was archery hunting a few years ago by myself in Idaho. I was coming down off the mountain around 9.00pm. My camp that was around 10 miles lower on the same and only narrow road up there when I come around the corner and see a white car on the side of the road so I slow down to get around it when its door flies door open and a lady starts to get out and then I see this hand come from nowhere and grabs her hair and pulls her back inside. I slam on the brakes because I cant get around the car with its door open so I end up almost in the ditch on the other side of the road almost right next to the car I instantly hear screaming and start to get out of the truck to see ifsomeone was hurt or something when the lady stumbles on tho the ground and runs around to the passenger side of my truck and is screaming for me to let her in. This lady is a mess hair every where and makeup all over. She cant even open the door so I open it from inside and she jumps in screaming for me to go to the police. Right about then the guy gets out of the car and starts walking over telling me that they are haveing a fight and everything is fine. I yell at the guy telling him to stay where he is and the whole time the lady is screaming leave, leave, just go! The guy stops talking and turns and runs for the car so I punch the gas and head for the police station. I turn to ask the lady if she is ok and she wont respond she is just shaking like crazy saying dont look at me, dont look at me. I finally turn on the dome light and see that she has been beeten badly hair mising cuts and bruise all over her face and hands and I see why she couldnt open the door her fingers were broken. By this time the adrenaline is really pumping and I am scared shi!!!!! She finally start to talk and tells me that was her exhusband she left him a year before and he tracked her down and hid in her back seat until she left work. He drove her into the hills telling her that this would be the last time anyone would see her he was going to shoot her and drag the body into the woods. I got her to the cops and did all that fun stuff then I had to go back to my nice and dark camp all alone that was less than ten miles away on the same road. I didnt sleep a wink that night but I sure kept my shotgun warm.. I left the next morning...


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## jbnks (Sep 16, 2003)

*noises in woods*

Thought I had heard everything till last year full moon got there really early was spookin deer when I got there later,I was in my stand about 20 min. heard this awfull growl and screech mixed and then heard leaves rusteling around coming toward me grab my bow thinkin it was a big cat that everyone has seen in area except me,turned out to be a badger never seen or heard one before.I think my heart actually stopped for a second that morning.


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## Dashai (Oct 3, 2006)

Heres a few:

The very first time I went deer hunting I was 12 and had read all the outdoorlife stories of bears eating people. My step father told me to go sit on the edge of this feild while he set on the side of it. I, having no clue, found the biggest deer trail and went and sat in the middle of it facing the feild. Just before dawn I could hear something cruching up behind me and I was sure I was going to get eaten by a bear. Quivering in place and trying to hold it together waves of fear washing over me I thought I was going to make it ......till the deer grunted and that was it,:bolt: I was running over the tops of the grass my feet not even touching the ground as I was sure I was going to be eaten.

One time in west Texas I came upon a skunk in the middle of this large feild I had to cross before dawn. The first time it scared me cause he was only 15 feet from me and went up on his front paws. Then next 10 times (he was there every time I went to that stand before dawn) we were like old buds and I would wave at him as I passed by. He would barely even look up after a few more encounters.

Another time in west Texas my buddy hunted a stand overlooking a dry creek. He came back and told me he had heard something get killed and it was an awful sound that scared him pretty good. I thought he was a wussy and offered to hunt there the next afternoon. About 4 pm I hear this terrible sound from like 50 yards in the thick brush. Its a large cat roar, snarl, attacking sound. I hear the thing pounce and this terrible racket with more snarling and roaring. I can hear things ripping and bones crunching and tearing sounds. It was FREAKY!  My guess is a mountain lion was making a meal out of something like a racoon or possum. That night walking out in the dark with my bow I felt under "armed".

Most nights in west Texas I would walk out of my stand with no light because the deer were on the feild I hunted. I would skirt the feild and ease out. One night I had a feeling to wear my red headlight that just gives off a small amount of light. I was walking down the center of a access road to the feild and just as I was stepping foward the ground moved a tad in the light. I stopped mid step and backed up and focused the light on a 5 foot rattler curled up lying flattened to the ground trying to be invisible. With out the light I would have stepped right on him.:eek2: I went around and he never rattled once.

Last week I was in a tree stand just as the last possible light and decided to get out. I turned my head from looking to the right for the last 30 secs back forward just as a owl was about to land on the rifle rest of my double ladder stand. He saw my head move and flicked his wings and landed just above me. Turning back forward to see a 4ft+ wing span blackthing comming at you in the tree 16 feet up gave me a really good startle.


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## Supershark (Dec 14, 2004)

Some of these are just classic... :chortle: I have tears streaming!


the one about the rat sitting in the guys lap and eating the grip off of his bow got us both crying! :chortle:


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## Bamabowhunter (Dec 28, 2003)

Back when I used to gun hunt I was sitting in a shooting house that was on about 6 ft. poles. It had really gotten too dark to shoot, but because of a full moon I could see pretty good in the field. I thought I saw something at the end of the field and leaned real close to the window to get a better look. Just then an owl tried to fly into the window. I did one of those manly girly screams and so did the owl.  To make it worse, upon my exit, I knocked the door off and I forgot how high the stand was. I promply fell the 6 feet face first down in the mud. I still haven't lived this one down.
Another instance I had was riding on my 4-wheeler to my stand. I was going down a trail and all of a sudden I felt something hit me in the head and knock me off my 4-wheeler. Lot's of blood and very scared. I thought I had been attacked by an alien or something. It turned out a limb was hanging over the road and attacked me. Still have the scar to show for that one.


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## huntsman1024 (Aug 20, 2006)

I just gotta see more of these........ BUMP


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## njshadowwalker (Aug 14, 2004)

Im afraid. Only of COYOTES. And then damn wild dog that always manages to find me in the dark. 

Dont care about the boogeyman but the yotes....yep scare the crap poutta me.


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## Jack NZ (Apr 7, 2006)

In New Zealand where I live,the ancient Maori people used to practice cannibalism during warfare,and one of the areas I used to hunt was the tribal boundry of two tribes that had long standing conflicts.
Anyway,I'd been hunting this place for a couple of years but never been up onto a large plateau in the area,then one time I was in there an the wind was all wrong so my mate an I climbed up onto this plateau.
As soon as we crossed over the rim we both started feeling "REAL" uncomfortable,to the extent that the hair on the back of my neck was just about standing on end.
After ten minites or so I mentioned it to my mate an sugested we get out of there.
For a change he agreed without any arguement,so we got the H,,, out of dodge.
As soon as we were away from the place we both felt OK again but decided nothing was going to get us back up there,it was just one very scary place.
A few days later we dropped into the local pub for a few cold ones before heading for home, an told one of the older locals that we got talking to about what we'd experienced.
It didn't really come as much of a supprise to find the place had been the scene of a large battle where the invading tribe had won second prize.
It turned out to be the deciding battle between these two tribes an the last recorded incident of cannibalism took place in the area,with around 20 people being killed an eaten.
The locals still call the place "Spooksville" an won't go there for any reason.
Strange things have been known to happen to people that ignore that first uncomfortable feeling.


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## Archer 1 (Feb 10, 2005)

Not scared of the dark but one morning sneeking into the stand in total darkness,I walked right into a huge flock of turkeys that were roosting and they took off.I wanna tell ya,my heart was in my throat.Never knew how loud they are when they take off.If I remember right,I think I had to change the old shorts when I got home if you know what I mean!:wink:


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## chuckb (Jul 10, 2004)

Screetch Owls will scare the crap out of you and a bobcat scream is another one!


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## deadaim (Feb 18, 2004)

*One of my favorite stands...*

Is about a half mile into the woods on a knob in an OLD oak tree that sits right in an old civil war cemetary we call it the colonel Tucker stand (there is a stone that leans on the tree with that name carved in it) Your mind can work overtime in there for sure................


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## ChariotDriver (Dec 7, 2004)

Our when we first arrived at the trailer that my uncles employer furnished for there employees to hunt out of he unlocked the the door of the trailer and shined the flashlight into the cavity, threw his hands in the air and, and, and let out a blood curdling scream!!
Of course he was just picking on us nephews and thought it was real funny,..till the next event later that evening.

After everthing settled down around camp the grownups decided that we needed to go and move a stand that night and I decided to stay at camp by myself. Did I mention that I was about 13?
As they left the drive in the old squeaky truck with the full over cab pipe rack I changed my mind as I saw how dark it was becoming as they drove away, and remembered then and there that although I was not afraid of the dark, it was the mere lack of light that made me feel uneasy, so as they idled out of camp. I took off running for the truck and slipped in the back without them knowing I was there with them.
They eventually turned off on a pipeline and are driving real slow down the pipeline looking for that stand and my uncle is sitting up toward the dash peering out the window with his faced almost glued to the windshield trying to find that stand that needs to be moved.
I ease up and over the cab of the truck using the pipe rack as support (I was more fit in those days) and I hung my head over the front of the windshield down directly into the view of my uncles vision.
He shines the flashlight in my face thinking it is a leaf that has stuck to the windshield or something (he tells me later) and then when he notices that the leaf has an upside down mouth with teeth opening and closing repeatidly he starts to hit the inside of the window repeatidly with the flashlight trying to get away from the now "monstrous animal" trying to eat him alive. He starts to scream like a little girl and they pull over and stop and let me in and I'm sure that I took a scowling for doing that one. 
I now realize that if they had any speed at all and had decided to hit the brakes I could have spilled over the front and been ran over.
Making memories, those were the good times that we all like to reflect back many years later and they still bring chuckles to me when I think about them.


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## cath8r (Jan 17, 2003)

Nice!!!!!


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## buelligan1200 (Nov 1, 2006)

Marc Barger said:


> A friend of mine is deathly afraid of the dark when walking in or out from a hunt. He had to walk about a half mile into one piece of land we were hunting. Most of the way on a terrace right next to a corn field but it was early afternoon so no biggie. So anyway he comes walking back along this corn field after his hunt when all of a sudden some unearthly screech comes out of the corn and the corn itself just erupts with stalks breakin' and something moving fast right at him. He said he just about died right there and was running as fast as he'd ever run in his life. First thing he did when he got back to his truck was to call me to tell me what happened. Unfortunately, I was unavailable at the time as I was out in the corn field with a double raspy diaphram and elk tube scaring the bejesus out of him!! HA! We still laugh about that one and yes...pay backs are a biatch!!



Man that's the funniest thing I've ever read on here.......still laughing....


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## dnbnt (Aug 27, 2006)

Ttt


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## daver9 (Aug 25, 2006)

I used to be very scared walking into my stands in the morning, the first couple years I started hunting. I kept hearing all kinds of wierd noises, and things running through the woods. 

I eventually figured out that I was scaring most of the deer out of the property and the wierd noises I was hearing were deer blowing at me as they ran away! 

My own stupidity amazes me sometimes (like the first time I saw fins coming up and out of the water while surfing in California. Sharks!!! Oh, dolphins...okay). Nowadays I don't sweat things to much, nothing out there that can eat me.


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## buelligan1200 (Nov 1, 2006)

I used to be afraid of big foot, unitl I realized the strange, stanky odor I always smelled was my hunting partner. Then I was afraid of aliens, until I realized that aliens don't like the woods because they're afraid of big foot. Then I was afraid of getting lost in the woods at night, until I realized it meant I wouldn't have to go home to the old lady. Now the only thing that scares me is having someone walk up on me while I'm taking a crap.


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## CVJ (Oct 1, 2006)

I know a guy that got hit in the face by an owl before daylight once he was on stand. Scratched him up pretty good. He wore a hardhat for years after that. He'd switch to a regular hat after sunrise.


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

Anyone see any unexplainable stuff this past season?:darkbeer:


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## sits in trees (Oct 9, 2006)

i think feeling a little uneasy in the woods at night is instinctual. just like the instinct that drives us out there in the first place. i have been out in the woods at night for decades but at times still get the willies for some unknown reason?


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## Yogie (Mar 18, 2007)

I love walking in the dark to my stand or blind, I feel like I'm one up on what ever I'm hunting that day. I like to kick back and nap a hour before daylight. The only thing I'm afraid of in the dark is stepping on a skunk...


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## BowtechJim (Feb 24, 2007)

i love these stories probalby one of the weiderst things i saw was i was hunting on public land and there was this little trail and all of a suuden this car just comes driving by at full speed honking it pissed me off


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## Westside (Apr 1, 2007)

Methlab/Pot farm 

Hands down especially the ones that have armed illegal alien guards.


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## norcalhunter (Apr 22, 2007)

vpier said:


> Not afraid to walk in the dark in the mountains but a buddy of mine is afraid of being pounced on by a cougar. He swears up and down that a lion was following him right before daylight a few years ago.


Yup my buddies wife had one do that.....It was just after dark and she was at the shop/old garage....on the other side of the 5 acres they live on she was walking back to the house and felt something watching her just off the trail she got back to the house and told my friend so he waited till morning and found Cougar tracks about 20 yards from the trail she was on the night before..:scared::jaw:


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## badbow148 (Dec 5, 2006)

*animals*

in Wyoming we have them all when I go hunting with my bow am not allowed to carry a side arm or fire arm of any kind large fine. When black bear hunting and using scents on the Rockie Mt. side and Griz come in and they do not want to leave you are supost to have bear spray but if the wind is in the wrong way it will do you no good. You also have to make sure you are shooting a blk.bear and not a young Griz to be cuz the differ. color fazes makes it hard and young griz do not have a definded hump. To the east is the Big Horn Mt. and you can bait there I live in the basin between the to about 55mileseast to one and the same west to the other. If you have made a kill of any kind in griz country or win the gun gos off that the dinner bell any more you bet your but I am a little afraid around here day and for sure at night. Griz/ Wolves/Mt.Lion Blk.Bear/Moose/Elk/Wolverine but that is why I live here have been charged by Griz 2 times and stalked 2-3 times to say that I should have filled my pants yes. I spent the first 40 years of my life in Ks.and few in Mo. 9 now in Wy. its been awsome to say the least.


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## Punch_Free4L (Mar 25, 2007)

Live4Rut said:


> That picture is exactly what I came upon last year in one of my favorite hunting locations. It included a small barrel full of incense, a fresh deer head with turkey feathers inlodged in the nose, a voodoo doll hanging from a stick, fire pit, various carvings and wooden structures, candles, blankets, and some vile substances in bottle scattered around the site. After that I chose not to hunt in that location anymore.


Pagan rituals(witchcraft)


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## posco (Feb 27, 2007)

eeekster said:


> Pagan rituals(witchcraft)


You bet. Being in New England and since Blair Witch...once in a while I'll get the willies.


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## AlaskaFlyerFan (Mar 13, 2007)

I got spooked once when I was a kid (9-10 yrs old). I wasn't hunting though. I was walking home from fishing with a couple friends. It was pitch black and we were walking down a trail next to some RR tracks. All of a sudden we could see something comming at us. When it got to about 20 feet in front of us, I could see it was a skull and it was still comming! I stopped and almost soiled myself! It was still comming then I could make out the outline of a person walking towards us and his T-shirt had a skull & crossbones on it. I ran the rest of the way home..


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## Punch_Free4L (Mar 25, 2007)

posco1 said:


> You bet. Being in New England and since Blair Witch...once in a while I'll get the willies.


The reason I know that is because I have a sister that is into that stuff.She is always calling me up and asking if her and her witch friends can go up in the woods behind my house and do there witchy thing.I always say yes because I like to get camo'ed out and sneak up there and spy.:tongue: it's a real hoot.


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## shovelhead80 (Sep 24, 2006)

I can not say I am afraid of the dark or the woods anymore. A came to terms with the fear thing. I hear all kinds if noises and see strange things, but the way I see it. I will put up one hell of a fight before it takes me out. Because if some thing is going to get you then it is going to get you. Not saying I am a monster he man, just do not care about working myself up for nothing. When it is my turn to go then see ya. Fear can make for a dangerous thing in the woods. You can hurt yourself or someone else.


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## hotshot1 (Oct 13, 2006)

2 Ultras said:


> I don't have a cool story to tell, but one thing I'm afeerd of when walking in, is pizzing off a skunk. Man, I don't ever want to get splashed by skunkzilla.


Hey thats what i'd call cover scent LOL:icon_1_lol: :set1_rolf2: :lol3:


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## Rabbit (Nov 27, 2003)

*Fear of GOD!*

I was turn around (lost) and got cought in a storm one night on the way out of the woods and had lightning strike twice within 20 feet. It blew a limb off a tree above my head on the second strike. The force of it knocked me to the ground. I got up and RAN as hard as I could back to the truck. Carrying a climbing stand and a Browning BAR 300 Win Mag the whole way.

After that, I NEVER hunt during a rain storm...NEVER. If I hear thunder one time, I'm outa there.

I don't know if GOD was watching over me or mad at me?:angel:


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## ddetar00 (Nov 9, 2006)

*Ain't Scared TO Admit It!!!*

OK, I am 40 years old, been huntin most of my life, every walk in the AM darkness full of fear. Still walking slowly, steathly but terrified of the dark. Always relieved to finally get to the top of my stand, whatever I am scared of apparently cannot climb trees.


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## Live4Rut (Jul 14, 2004)

*Deer*

Believe it or not, I'm afraid of deer while in the dark. I had an up close and personal encounter a few years back with a buck. I accidentally got some of my doe scent on my hunting jacket while filling up scent canisters. Well that evening as I was packing my climber I had a buck walk in fearlessly to under 5 yards. Yelling, clapping, nothing would get that thing out of there. As pathetic as it sounds I actually resorted to yelling " HEY DEER! GET OUT OF HERE!!!" yet it did nothing. So now I'm actually getting nervous with my bow laying about 5 feet away no arrow nocked. As a last resort I smacked my climbing aid off of my platform. Fortunately after I did that it ran off but wow, I've never had such an experience in my life. Covered in doe pee, middle of the rut, staring at the rack of a nice, wide whitetail.... not fun.


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## rolltide05 (Dec 21, 2005)

True Story;

I usually don't get the willies go into or out of the woods but like said earlier there have been times where I got neverous. Like on one accassion I was headed into the woods an hour and a half before daylight. While walking across an oil field location I got a glimpse of a man in a suit and tie going into the woods a couple hundred yards from my entrance point. Scared the poo out of me. I calmed down and went hunting and at daylight I heard something coming through the woods and it was the same guy. Comes to find out later on that some of the operators had caught glimpes but only at night of the man but never confronted him. Kinda wierd.

Another thing that gets to me in the woods is goin out alone late at night and pulling and setting stands.


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## archerman06 (Mar 4, 2007)

I grew up in AK and had a grizz stalk me after last light while coming back from a moose hunt. FREAKED me out I tell ya. I had my 30-06 with me, but I gotta say, it didn't give me the warm fuzzy I would have thought it would. I made it back in record walking fast time to the truck and all of the little critters heard just how badly I can sing at 90 decibels!
I also was doing some business in the woods up there and started getting the hair standing up on the back of the neck thing......as I reached around for the closest leaf...slowly, I saw a gray wolf standing not 15 feet behind me just staring at me! I gotta say, it's a good thing the business was done, cause wheeewwww was that a shocker! He wasn't growling, or even threatning in any way, just kinda staring at me. So I asked him in a real friendly sorta way to just go ahead and leave and told him that I was gonna turn around for the count of 30, and will he please not eat me and would he please be gone when I turned back around. Well, I counted to 30 (after about 5 miscounts), and I turned around and he was gone! I was out practice running for the cross country team and still had about 1.5 miles to go. If my coach coulda seen me getting back to the school, he woulda made me the star of the team:tongue:!


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## SoloCam'r (Apr 6, 2007)

ArraFlinger said:


> When your walken out of the timber in the dark and you start hearen coyotes yappen and it sounds like thier right behide you....that makes the hair stand up on the neck!..


Yep!

The only bad scare I had was once I got to my stand (it was a permanent stand) about 30 minutes before daylight, climbed up and as soon as I put my hand on the seat I startled a turkey that was roosting in the stand...all I can say is thank God for safety/climbing harnesses!


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## JC-XT (Feb 3, 2007)

When I first started deer hunting we had to walk right past a cemetery to get to the deer stands. My dad would drop me off at my stand which was at the bottom of a hill only about 100 yards away from back side of the cemetery while he kept going another several hundred yards to his stand, sometimes I wonder if that was his way of telling me he really wasn't looking for another hunting partner. Believe me, if I spent as much time looking for deer as I did peering over my shoulder at that cemetery I would have filled a lot more tags. A twelve year old's imagination is pretty active when all you can see is dark woods and the silhouette of tombstones at the top of the hill. 

One of my first bowhunts after I turned 16 and could drive myself to go hunting I spent the entire day in the woods alone. I thought I heard something behind me several times in the dark on the way in but just figured it was deer heading from the standing corn back into the creek bottoms where they bedded. In the middle of the day I went for a little walk and backtracked a ways from where I came in, it was real sandy soil along that creek and I saw about 6-7 sets of coyote tracks right next to my boot tracks. They had followed me for at least a hundred yards, and it looked like they had milled around a little bit in a spot where they must have been watching me climb into and sit in my stand. So by this time I was a little freaked out, but it was early in the season and I had been waiting all year to hunt, so back to the stand I went. I was sitting there debating whether or not to leave early when the coyotes started howling in the standing corn really close behind me. I pretty much made up my mind to make a quick walk (run) to the truck at that point when what sounded like another dozen or so coyotes started howling in front of me, directly between me and the truck. I knew then what the term paralyzed by fear meant, I was 16 and had a 1/2 mile walk back to the truck through standing corn and a thick creek bottom, and apparently every hungry coyote in Illinois was hanging around my deer stand. No cell phone, so sidearm, and no idea how I was going to make it home alive. I didn't want to get out of the stand, but I definitely didn't want to sit in the stand come dark. So about ten minutes after I heard the last howl and about 15 minutes before it would have been dark I took off for the truck. If I could always run a half mile as fast as I ran that half mile I would have been in the olympics.

Last year during deer season I kept having a recurring nightmare that I was being chased by a bear. That bear would chase me all over the place and was completely determined to get me, it would always wake me up in the middle of the night, and by the end of the season I was convinced I was going to get taken out by a bear and that stupid dream was actually a premonition. I know there aren't supposed to be any bears in Illinois, but try waking up from a bear chase nightmare and then hiking into the dark woods an hour later. It got so bad I was even jumpy walking out of my house in the middle of town. I have about a 20 foot walk to my detached garage, and there were a couple of mornings in the pitch dark that I was really scooting and scurrying to climb into the truck. STUPID BEARS!!!


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## Mountainman7640 (Feb 16, 2007)

Well mans man or not. I was turkey hunting a couple years back. I had gotten everything setup and waitin till daylight. I kept hearing something beside me about 4 foot away but never thought much about it. Well when the sun finally had enough light I found myself staring right at a 150 Tom cougar. His ears were back and his tail was flashing back and forth..He was so close all I could do was shot my shotgun straight into the air. Well that did the trick and off he went..Then the brush in front of me starting movin and making noise..I had no idea what was gonna eat me next..Out walked 4 big mulie does looking at me like what's up....Well needless to say that was it for me..Grabbed my decoys and went to the truck....Apparently the cougar was going to have a meal of mule deer but there was a dummer one closer....


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## Tim4Trout (Jul 10, 2003)

My concern in the dark is poking an eye out on an unseen branch.


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## GuinnessGood (May 15, 2007)

I was turkey hunting a couple three years ago on public land. It was opening morning (weekday) and I was the only truck in the parking lot. I was hunting a waterfowl area and walking a dike to a two track that led into the wooded area where I'd put some birds to rest a couple nights before. Just before I get to the trail I pick my head up (watching the ground in front of me due to numerous muskrat/armadillo holes in the dikes) and about 20 yards in front of me is a big black figure of a man in my flashlight...scared the bejesus out of me. I asked if he was setup or which way he was headed...no answer...creepy...so I just back tracked a few hundred yards and continued my hunt. I got my bird but all morning I had a creepy feeling like someones watching you.

As for the graveyard thing, been there done that at my grandfathers place in WV...not fun!


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## soonerboy (Sep 6, 2004)

I'm a teacher and work with 7th and 8th grade students.
I'm NOT scared of anything.
Not true but who could pass up a straight line like that.


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## ruffme (Aug 4, 2005)

*would like to hear this one*

We gotta get this guy to post up!
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1207142.html


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## longbowhunter (Mar 5, 2004)

Ain't anything out in the woods at night that isn't there during the day! But, I don't watch things like "The Exorcist" the night before going out either....


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## Clayfish (Sep 12, 2006)

Have you ever heard a grey fox call? It sounds like a mixture of a dog growl and a cat screech at about 120 decibels. I just about dumped a load last season when one screeched at the base of my tree in the pitch black.

A couple of years ago I was sitting in my stand about 30 minutes before daybreak and there was a large blue/green flash that light up the sky. I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me but when I met up with my buddy and his wife they asked if I saw it too. They were over a mile away. I have no idea what it was but think it was probably a meteor burning up just over us... or maybe we're really not alone:embara:


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## Matador_0 (Mar 8, 2007)

*It strikes in the city, in the suburbs, in the woods...*



njshadowwalker said:


> Im afraid. Only of COYOTES. And then damn wild dog that always manages to find me in the dark.
> 
> Dont care about the boogeyman but the yotes....yep scare the crap poutta me.


The only really scary creature that spooks the bejezes out of me...
and can keep me awake at night.....

Is the *REPO MAN!!!*.


Sure it's a grizzly bear or a ghost from the dark bowels of hell that just jumped in front of me,
at least it's not hading me a bill !!!!


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## Baz59 (Feb 17, 2003)

bout the only thing i am scared of in the woods is other people...never know who your gonna run into or what they are doin !!!


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## Matador_0 (Mar 8, 2007)

*Please no, please NO !PLEASE!!!!*

I still think that the scariest two words in the English language are: *PAST DUE*

You throw in the letters IRS and I'll drop into the fetal position right now and start sucking my thumb!

Oh gawd! I think I am getting lightheaded again....!


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## AndyMo (Oct 25, 2005)

I had a 20' ladder stand in a big old growth cypress swamp when I lived in SC a few years ago. It was part of an old, now overgrown plantation farm, and these swamp bottoms used to be both tea and rice fields. I have taken many many deer out of that stand, and its a sure bet for a fat doe almost every week.

Its also my favorite place to put guests, not just because of the success rate, but because for whatever reason, that stand SHAKES. I think its because the ground is fairly soft, and who knows what sort of tremors or whatever are going on in the earth, or it could just be nice and tight, and a little bit of movement makes it shake. But I'll tell you one thing...I was white as a sheet the first night it shook on me. Not a breath of breeze blowing, just after dark and the damn stand started shaking like someone was climbing up the ladder. Could be some upper thermal making the tree shake..I really don't know. I got over it pretty quick...

But, I always tell a story about that haunted stand before I send someone to hunt in it. And every single time....my friends would come back white as a wind driven snow....but usually with meat for the freezer too!


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## ub1243 at work (Oct 11, 2006)

*jersey devil*

i don't get scared in our local woods, but go a little east of me... in the pine lands (over 100,000 acres) there lives a beast that tormented early settlers for 100 years. sometimes coming out of the pines and sited less then a mile from my house. it's mother Leeds 13th child. the jersey devil.


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## preyquester (Feb 3, 2004)

walking into my treestand ,about 4:30 one morn, there was a real skinnie guy about 4.5 ft tall with a big head.walked right past & he did not move...(i was in my prime & knew i was the only thing to fear) later that day as i came out there was a post standing there with a MC Helmet on it...damn...:darkbeer:


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## BuckeyeRed (Sep 7, 2006)

ArraFlinger said:


> When your walken out of the timber in the dark and you start hearen coyotes yappen and it sounds like thier right behide you....that makes the hair stand up on the neck!..


Ditto


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## swampcruiser (Mar 27, 2006)

BuckeyeRed said:


> Ditto


double ditto

The only thing that make my hair stand up more are Wolves. When it is dark and you are heading out (many times a mile or more) to the road and there are wolve tracks -on the logging trails- (everything uses those in MI's U.P.) in the deer tracks- Creepy when you don't have a rifle. I'm not fast enough with my bow to shoot the whole pack. 





:wolf::help:


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## Matador_0 (Mar 8, 2007)

swampcruiser said:


> double ditto
> 
> The only thing that make my hair stand up more are Wolves. When it is dark and you are heading out (many times a mile or more) to the road and there are wolve tracks -on the logging trails- (everything uses those in MI's U.P.) in the deer tracks- Creepy when you don't have a rifle. I'm not fast enough with my bow to shoot the whole pack.
> :wolf::help:


If they get anywhere closer than 40yards, I'd say skewer a couple of them if you have the chance. Those things learn fast you don't need to take out the whole pack

In my view, if they are that close they have lost their fear and are already dangerous and threatening. If it is not you it is going to be some family with their kids later on.

And as far as coyotes I carry a small game license and if I am out huntin and I don't find Elk but I see a yote, say hello to my arrow! My 14y.o son is smaller than me so sometimes we'll set him up as bait in a bush with a predator call. If I was a yote I'd take on junior!!! We got a couple that way, but he always ends up hoggin the shot and taking out the coyote. Dang junior!$#@!!. 
Somehow the yotes know though. They never venture too close.

And anyway junior is getting bigger than me now, so much for my bait. My 12y.o daughter says NO WAY DAD!!!

At my inlaw's ranch in NV, when we hear yelping we also wait for them outside by the chicken coop, and put the predator call to work. My mother in law gets the ivy-jeevies! But so far no luck there either...
Telling you is like if those things had gone to college! They are smart rascals

You know the saying...
"The only REAL power comes out of a long rifle." --Joseph Stalin


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## NCBuckNBass (Mar 5, 2005)

*Messed my head up for life*

When I was like six or seven my dad told me snakes like to crawl under your car on cool nights to get the warmth off the engine. I'm not sure if he was messin with me or he really thought it and was passin on a tip. So whenever we would get to the car after dark hunting or fishing I would make one LARGE step into the car from a few feet out. I still do it to this day if the weather seems like it might get them warming up under there. If you think about it, it does make some sense. I wish he had never mentioned it cause you know I'm going to pass it on to my kid and mess him up for life :wink:


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## GuinnessGood (May 15, 2007)

Hey Swamp, ever hear/see anything to do with the so called "dogmen" of the UP? I have a new neighbor who just moved down, we're throwing some arrows down range one afternoon telling lies and he told me about them.


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## MN Bow Hunter (Jan 2, 2007)

So I have two stories to share with the group, both make me look like a real big nancy boy, but what the heck, this is a funny thread.

1- A couple of years back I was rifle hunting up in the north woods of MN, just a few miles from Canada. I was walking down an old dried up creek bed, it was about 10 yards wide, slight depression with gentle slopes where the banks used to be. It was dusk, but you could still see about 20 yards ahead without a light, but I did have my head lamp on. At first light that morning I had heard a pack wolves howling, they were fairly close, nothing too alarming, but the sound encompassed me from what seem like all sides, and as they chimed in one by one, the hair on the back of my neck stood up and I was trembling. As I was walking back in the creek bed my lamp lit up two eyes, just outside of where I could see clearly, I froze solid for what seemed like an eternity. I took two slow steps to the right, and the eyes moved with me. I could vaguely make out the shape of a large dog, so I was pretty sure it was a wolf. As they say, hindsight is 20-20, but I took off running into the woods, screaming like a little girl. I was crashing through the woods, tripping and stumbling and falling, just waiting for the teeth in the back of my neck. I busted out onto another trail and ran right into my friends dad who owned the land and tackled him like a pro-bowl linebacker. Every deer season I hunt up there, it is always brought up.

2- First year deer hunting, second weekend. It was just my friend and I that took the trip up to hunt, and just prior to going we found the video of the buck attacking that idiot that covered himself in doe pee...we I decided I would lay some scent wicks out and hunt on a log pile that was up against the foundation of an old homestead that had long fallen down. In the process of laying the scent out I spilled the bottle on my gloves, boots, pants, etc (man that stuff stinks for a really long time). Right about dusk I hear some snorting behind me and all I can think of is that buck pummeling that guy. I rolled over onto my stomach and saw a deer about 15 yards away (I couldn't see if it was a buck or doe), it was blowing and stomping at me. I freaked, threw my gloves into the old foundation and started walking backwards real slow, finally got out of there entact, but I thought I was a goner for sure.


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## StrutStopper (Sep 3, 2003)

2 things made me jump. One-walkng to my stand I flushed a grouse. Almost right on top of the thing when it exploded into the air. Second-not exactly the woods, but took my daughter to a corn maze at dusk. It got pretty dark and I thought my daughter was right in front of me, but it turned out she was around the corner. When I started walking towards where I thought my daughter was, I found myself way to close to a skunk... Thankfully, I backed off and he slipped thru the corn (WHEW!)


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## Joe W. (Feb 6, 2006)

I was going to make fun of everybody being afraid of the dark....I walk 7/10 mile in the pitch black to my favorite stand and I never was even a little scared. Now I am going to be thinking about this thread the whole way next time. Thanks alot AT'ers!!!!!:wink::wink:


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## [email protected] (Dec 29, 2006)

*Fraidy cat*

:jaw::boink: I know one fellow that I hunted with that wouldn`t leave the cabin until it was light enough to see. He was scared of the dark for sure!!! He still manages to take his share of deer though! I think he is just plain LUCKY! It still cracks me up to see grown men who are afraid of the dark!


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## ArrowSlinger86 (Apr 30, 2007)

GuinnessGood said:


> Hey Swamp, ever hear/see anything to do with the so called "dogmen" of the UP? I have a new neighbor who just moved down, we're throwing some arrows down range one afternoon telling lies and he told me about them.


Do explain further please.


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## daweasel (Aug 23, 2006)

One time coming out of the woods year before last had a cougar cross me path screaming. the only other wierd thing was found like a vodoo ritual with a calf,pig and a bunch of chinckens hacked to pieces and left with a 5 gallon of bucket of blood. in the middle of these parts.awprint:


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## WYelkhunter (Mar 26, 2006)

You have never heard anything as spooky as a mountain lion scream, Whether it is dark or day time it will make you shiver and look behind your back the rest of the day.


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## BowtechJim (Feb 24, 2007)

i love these stories


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## nrut2 (Oct 25, 2006)

2 years ago I was hunting spring turkey in kentucky. My uncle set me up on a little stream that was about 4 foot wide, and sitting up against an old fallen over tree. I started to hear some movement behind me but didn't want to move because I didn't want to spook whatever it was. As time passed I heard it getting closer and closer to me. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and turned to see what it was. When I looked around there was nothing there. So I was like man was that weird , and then all of a sudden I heard it again. Then I was like screw this I stood up and turned around all in one motion. I seen a big ole' copperhead about 3 foot from me and unloaded my super black eagle with 3.5's into him. I picked up the snake put it on the back of the quad, and headed back to the house. I put the snake on the porch and told my uncle to come see what I got. He was all pumped until he seen what I shot hunting. Then we made jokes I about I got hunted by a copperhead. And then he apologized to me about him not telling me about how bad that spot was for copperheads.


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## Rooster7 (Mar 27, 2007)

One thing I do fear...........walking into the woods in the morning with my flashlight and the light comes across a dead body looking at me. Don't tell me you all don't think about that.

Ridge[/QUOTE]

Not until NOW! Thanks!!


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## elecshoc (Dec 7, 2006)

*?*

when i was about 8 or 9 my dad and some of his friends were caravaning off the mountain after the hunt. When all of a sudden the first truck suddenly stops and turns to the right off the road. Every one else stops and turns, three of thier work vechicles with spot lights and all lighting up the hill side. After everything settled down we talk to the guy in the first truck to see what we were trying to see and he couldn't explain it. Just kept looking to the hill side saying he saw something. Seeing a grown man scarred, freaked me out pretty good for awhile. The guy wouldn't even get out of his truck.


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## arrowaddict (Apr 9, 2006)

A buddy of mine that owns a large plot of land in KY once had a pretty freaky experience, he owns about 800 acres of land, near the middle is an old cemetary I'm talkin' old! He happened apon it one day while hunting, I guess there is about 10 or 15 stones all creek rock that had been scrawled apon, well to mark it he put a white piece of fencing on a tree near by. One day on his way down the quad path that runs along side it he looks up and sees a woman in a big dress standing by the tree staring at the cemetary, he hurried up and turned his quad around thinking that someone related to the cemetary has come to visit, when he got back to the cemetary( a matter of seconds) the woman was gone. He was genuinely freaked out by this!! and it makes my heart race when I hear him talk about it because I know how honest he is.


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## swampcruiser (Mar 27, 2006)

GuinnessGood said:


> Hey Swamp, ever hear/see anything to do with the so called "dogmen" of the UP? I have a new neighbor who just moved down, we're throwing some arrows down range one afternoon telling lies and he told me about them.


Not sure what he was talking about other than some Indian stories to do with dogmen, but I am a "troll" from downstate who owns land up there:cocktail:
So what do I know ! :darkbeer:

Other than the wolves are eating all the deer- hoping they don't figure out how to live on bears or I'll just go up to deer camp for the kegs 'o beer !


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## BSeals71 (May 11, 2006)

*Lighting kills!!!*

Getting caught in a lighting storm just after an evening hunt walking back to camp.

I watched as lighting hit the ground just 50 yards in front of me.  The whole air and ground shook with the loudest crack, ringing in my ears. Almost went temporary blind. 

To this day I truly believe God saved my life!


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## UCNYbowhunter (Mar 31, 2007)

great just great with all these stories now when i walk into the woods im gonna need a 10,000,000 candle light flashlight so i can see the dead bodies ,coyotes, horned owls, voodoo wierdos jayzus i'll be lucky if there are any deer left after they see the light bouncing through the woods i'll have to pray i can get them to look into the light and mesmerize them til shooting light


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## N.H. Bowstalker (Dec 27, 2005)

Doesn't bother me, I walk through an old 1700's cemetary in on place I hunt and its pitch dark when I go in and when I go out. The only thing I am afraid of is some idiot sound shooter shooting when its not legal. I use a red headlamp when its dark, the only other bad experience was I almost got run over by a very large moose at a fast trot one evening when I was walking out, had to jump out of the way. The most dangerous thing is fear, it makes people do foolish things like running through the woods breaking a leg or poking an eye out. 

We once had a guy in camo who walked past my partner and my partner said hello loud enough there's no way he didn't hear him and he didn't respond. We had to go out the same way he went and we saw him duck in the woods about 200 yards ahead, there is only one way in and out and no roads or houses for miles. The guy played hide and seek as we walked out on an old logging road. When we went past a pond he was hiding behind some bush's throwing rocks in the water making loud splashing noises. WEIRD!


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## beakerello (Apr 12, 2007)

Okay, I'm gonna post a couple or three stories. The first doesn't take place in the woods, but in my folks house.

My dad passed away May of 2003. So I immediately go home to Indiana. Well later that week I was in the basement where their bedroom is, in one corner is my mom's makeup table, and there is a mirror that is on both sides of the corner. Well I caught my reflection as I was either going up or down the steps, well I swear to God my dad's reflection looked back at me. I about fainted, screamed, passed out, and had my heart stop on me. Heart did skip a beat or two. 

I'll combine the next two into one. Same place in Indiana. My brother and I have a 3-D target down behind the garage a piece, well every time I'm walking from the house down behind the garage, I see this deer. Makes me jump everytime I see it. Before we put that deer there, and when dad was still alive there was this steel aframe thing that he sat out there that had a big piece of black rubber pond liner stuff draped over it, and everytime, and I mean everytime I would walk down that way, it's startle me. All of this is right on the edge of the woods. Don't know why it gets to me but it does.


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## Creekhawg (Oct 7, 2005)

I have a few. Many years ago when Boggy Creek came out my next farm neighbor and I went to see it (We were both 16). He was pretty timid anyway and that movie scared us both because our farms are out in the country on a creek and there weren't many other houses around in those days. We got home around midnight and at 2:00 a.m. he called me to say his dad had heard something bothering their cows down on the creek and wanted him to go check it out. I loaded up my 357 and took a whole box of shells (like we would have enough time to reload a revolver!) and walked with him while he played his flashlight over every conceivable "monster". Didn't see anything but I never forgot it!

Once a few years back I was fly fishing for brown trout by myself in White River around midnight. I had hooked a couple of nice ones and was pretty pumped up about it. Had on my neoprenes and was a little over waist deep in a section of river I know extremely well. I kept thinking I heard something swimming but your ears can play tricks on you and the noise quit. All of a sudden something bumped into me and the water seemed to erupt. It was only a beaver but I screamed like a banshee and practically walked on the water back to the bank!

One other time I was surrounded by some wild dogs while on a fishing trip and didn't have any weapon with me but climbed up a large rock and peppered them with everything I could find to throw at them. They finally left but I bought a small .22 auto to take with me from then on. I'l far more scared of feral dogs than yotes. Had several encounters with them too but wild dogs are far more agressive and have no instinctive fear of humans.


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## StrutStopper (Sep 3, 2003)

This thread is getting away from the woods, so I'll share this story. It was the day after halloween in 2001, 4 of us went diving for lobsters near the Newport Bridge in RI. Lobster diving is best after dark, and it gets pitch black underwater, and the visibility is usually pretty crappy. That night we had decent visibility, maybe 15 feet. We were on the bottom and you can only see what your flashlight is pointing at. We were moving along the bottom when we came upon a skeleton. Just the rib cage and ribs, no skull arms or legs. I looked at my buddy and his eyes were pretty wide, lol. I grabbed a rib to have the cops check it out, but the wierdest thing happened. I opened my catch bag to drop it in, but it was so light, it floated away! We had kicked up so much silt on the bottom that we couldn't find the rest of the skeleton, so we went on our way. Turns out that the other 2 people we were diving with found the same skeleton, and they grabbed a vertebrae. The police later said it was from an animal, but it sure looked human to me. We were relaying the story at work the next day, and my friend said, we were screaming into our regulators.... I said "you were screaming"? That was too funny. I thought it was a cool find, but he was apparently ready to drop a load in his wetsuit.


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## iwant2killbambi (Dec 1, 2006)

Has anyone seen the movie "Wrong Turn"? Watch that and tell me how much scarier the dark is. LOL On the backcountry road that our farm and cabin is on there is a convicted murderer, out of prison. There is a guy who got busted for 2 meth labs and 22 lbs. of marijuana, at his house. We have been broken into twice. I swear every man down there has a scruffy beard down past their shoulders. 

There was also a time when me and my dad were fixing a screen door on the cabin that the wind blew off and all of a sudden we hear a low pitched moan. We were sqirrel hunting so we had shotguns and were safe. Out of nowhere this messed up guy turns the corner of the road and he is starring at us. When I say messed up he looked, honest to god, mutated or inbred. It sorta scared me cuz I know what I saw and my dad saw it too so I know I'm not crazy. Then I saw the movie Wrong Turn.


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## NCBuckNBass (Mar 5, 2005)

inatree said:


> Ok guys, this thing is dragging out and I guess I will have to tell my story. I was hoping I could restain myself because it really freaks me out to even talk about this.
> Where I hunt there are stories about all kinds of things. There is at least 1 old graveyard back in the woods and supposedly this is also a big native american historical area also.
> Well, there is this old barn thats in the middle of a pine thicket that is starting to fall down and has vines all over. It just looks spooky. I was doing some still hunting late one afternoon. Despite the wierd feelings I get around this old barn, I decided to go check it out because I had heard that bucks like those areas for some reason. As I approached the barn, I could swear I saw something really big dart from one side of the barn to the other on the inside. I started easing around the barn to see if it might be a deer. The thing is so covered up with vines, its hard to get a good look. Well, I get all the way around it and never see anything, so I keep walking and forget about it. Well, maybe 20 yards away from the barn something catches my eye in my peripheral vision. Again, fairly large, and really fast. Zipping from one clump of bushes to another. I am really starting to get freaked now, because I dont think a deer would behave like that. I sit still, and then I start watching. This "thing" is starting to dash around me from bush to bush, closing the circle tighter and tighter on every lap.
> This is the point that you guys really need to pay attention to....I watched "The Ring" one too many times!! HAHA Just kidding!.. I know I had some of you going.
> Really, Im scared of jumping an unsuspecting bull or cow coming into my tree stand early morning, but thats about it. We dont have too many creepy crawlies or hoogity boogities around here.


Oh Really? I could tell you about a dozen weird things that have happened to me down in Chatham Co. That place is just to weird for me.


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## BowtechIAN (Apr 16, 2007)

After I saw A Mountain Lion Trapping one night I carry a Pistol to the stand


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

NCBuckNBass said:


> Oh Really? I could tell you about a dozen weird things that have happened to me down in Chatham Co. That place is just to weird for me.


Do tell!


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## Texbow59 (Nov 30, 2004)

I've spent a lot of time in the woods over the past 30 plus years from most western states, Texas, Ohio and others. Most of the time I've hunted alone. Never really worried about mountain lions, bears, wolf or yotes. There is only one thing that really gets my attention.

I mostly hunt in a swampy timber flooded area in NE Texas during the archery season. It can still be very hot during the first part of the season and many times I have to wade or cross pockets of standing water. I have killed even into November some very large water moccasin. Some of the snakes are as big around as your forearm. They are numerous, you just have to hope a big boy is not wrapped in some waist high brush positioned to pop you in your nuts as you walk through his territory before sun up or sundown. After you see a few, you definitely pay attention.


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## elkkat (Jan 4, 2007)

*Griz!*

I forget I'm in grizzly country somtimes, until I cut a bear track with those 3'" claws. Amazing how much better your senses work when you KNOW you are not the only hunter in the woods. My flashlight ain't bright enough when I know there is a silvertip in the area


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## Huaco (Jul 7, 2006)

*Yikes!!!*

This is what creeps me out...

http://maniacworld.com/squirrel-vs-penguin.htm


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## steve-o (Nov 29, 2005)

Well, one time while up on a tree limb of a big ol live oak on a home made stand (a board to sit on) there was this owl that appearantly lit right behind me and finally announce his arrival by giving out that woo woo wooaaaal about 2 feet behind my head.......man I tore that tree up getting out of there.

back in 2000 I was in Russellville Arkansas area bowhunting and didn't have a tree stand and didn't want to buy one, so I bushed up on the ground and made what I thought was a pretty good hide....even the tree hugger that was walking by didn't see me...I scared the crap out of him but that's a nother story, anyway as I sat there comfortably resting my back against the tree, watching all forms of wildlife and leaves falling, sometimes twigs fell, I felt what I thought was a small twig or limb land on my right shoulder....no problem I'll keep a lookout for an unsuspect whitetail who was busy looking up in the trees for the hunters perched on their climbers when about that time I saw this blackish brown hairy leg come into view out of my periferal, that twig turned out to be a tarantula about the size of a dinner plate....I hate spiders...hate em anyway, needless to say that ruined my day and arkansas is still talking about the wildman screams....nope no big foot, although I do wear size 13's, it was just me.


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## FallVitals (Nov 7, 2004)

cagstorm said:


> This is what creeps me out...
> 
> http://maniacworld.com/squirrel-vs-penguin.htm



that was the greatest animation ever.

Only thing that i have had spook me in the woods, besides threads like this and ones that say 'dont watch this if going in the woods in the morning' and some freaky video of some half human/demon setting in the tall weeds. lol. that will play tricks on your head the next morning when you get about a mile deep into the woods and you can only see 5 feet infront of you cause of all the saplings 

But, the things that spook me the most are turkeys on the ground before daylight then flying off when you get withen 10 yards, whats up with that? 

and rabbits,

omg. those sucks in the dark are loud as crap. 

3 times in the past 2 years they have scared the crap out of me. 

last opneing day of rifle season. i nthe dark putting out scents jumped a rabbit up and it went crashing away. at noon that day retrieving my scent same thign happened in the day light, still as scary, lmao.


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## Huaco (Jul 7, 2006)

steve-o said:


> ....even the tree hugger that was walking by didn't see me...I scared the crap out of him but that's a nother story,


OH come on... We all want to hear how and what you did to scare the poop out of him... You can tell us...:wink:


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## nwaoutdoorsman (Jun 18, 2007)

Back when I was in my teens and buddy and I went to our stands the opening morning of bow season on a place we had been hunting for years. We were excited and climbed into our stands well before sunrise. As it began to get light I heard what sounded like a lion, tiger, cougar in the hollow to my left. This thing was screaching and letting out noises that were awful. I was scared to death, the hair on my neck was on end as was all the rest of them. I knew right there that I was no longer the dominant predator. I sat there in my stand scared to move or get down for 2 hours as this cat continously screamed. Finally I decided it must be hurt and couldnt move because the sounds were coming from one location. So, I climbed down and ran as hard as I could to my buddies stand where he was in fear just as I was. We made it to the truck, locked the doors and hauled tail to the farmers house to tell him of our encounter. We both had to be white as ghosts and must have sounded ridiculous as we told him the story. Before we could get it all out he couldnt stand it anymore and began to laugh histirically(sp?)at us. When he finally caught his breath he explained to us that a BIG cat rehabilation facility had bought the land adjacent to his and had several tigers, lions, cougars etc etc in cages over there. Apparently one was having a bad day when we were there. Its funny now, but at the time it scared the crap outta us. We hunted there for several years after that with no problems. My folks also bought some land about 5 miles from there as the crow flies and on calm crisp mornings you could hear the cats at that distance. The morning our encounter happened we were less than a 1/4 mile, so that night give an idea of how loud these critters are.

Other than that, I worry more about running into some lunatic in the woods more than anything. Never know who might be there, for what reason or what they might do. Lots a stupid crazy people out there these days!


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## jhubbdo (Jun 9, 2006)

:bump:

I need more stories


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## Bunkster (Feb 17, 2007)

diamondlangus said:


> You have never heard anything as spooky as a mountain lion scream, Whether it is dark or day time it will make you shiver and look behind your back the rest of the day.


OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have had this happen to me, in the dark. I liked to pee my pants. I was like 16 the first time, 19 the second time. Gives me goose bumps thinkin about it. Especially on a full moon! When you can see everything move from 30 yds. Scared the daylights out of me. Makes a 5 mile hike, real quick. LMAO.................. Here Kitty Kitty.......


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## bob101 (Sep 2, 2006)

Never really been spooked. But I do a lot of just sitting on the ground type hunting. Maybe throw some brush up real fast and hunt on the ground. A lot of times early in the morning before daylight you hear a lot of armadillos rooting around. They walk right up to you literally before they see/smell you or whatever it is they do then they run off 5 feet and stop - then walk right back into you.

One time this was going on and while it doesn't bother me it pisses me off sitting there listening to all this noise an armadillo is making 2 feet from me while I'm trying to get quiet just as the sun is about to come up. So I'm lobbing a few sticks it's direction trying to get it to move. Finally I had enough so I turn my light on and grab a big stick and start to chunk it when I realise it's a skunk about 3 feet from me.

I hauled ass, had to go back and get my little stool a few days later. Never had the old heart race like that really.

I hunt some land here in East Texas that's right by a road where these nutcase kids from Houston in the 70's came up and buried a bunch of people they killed in Houston. They were into some wierd stuff, kinda like Jeffrey Dalhmer - they'd drug the people - drill into their skull and crap then they'd die and they'd drive up here in the pineywoods to bury them. It's not far from a campground either. Every time I hunt there I wonder if they found all the bodies they buried or they just gave up after a while.


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## warped Arrow (Sep 20, 2005)

I am not scared by the dark. Ghost dont scre me either, they are a part of my life anyway. The left offerings and remains of cultic activities dont give me chills. Graveyards dont send chills up my spine. I have raised and caught all manner of wild snakes, even the poisonous ones, no problem. I still have a pet spider, so I am not arachniphobic(sp). 

Wanna know what does scare me??................

DANG '*****!!!!

I was chased over a mile out of the woods as a teen while squirelle hunting by a huge 85#+ '**** with green eyes and 6" teeth!!! Well, thats how I remember it anyways. Seriously, "***** scare me and I plug one every chance I get.


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## bowhunter3762 (Mar 11, 2006)

*******

same here they give me the willies try hunting from the ground and you cant see nothing and they decide to fight right next to you


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## slbeasley (May 26, 2006)

*The Willies in Washington State*

I've hunted Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas all my life -- never really too afraid. Not much in them there woods except fear itself. However, I recently moved to Washington state, to be honest I wish I had a hunting partner. The woods are thick and there are ample amount of black bear and cougar around here --oh yes and the never dying legend of Bigfoot. To say the least I'm terrified to walk into the woods before the light dawns. I took me a mighty long time to get out of the truck to walk to my stand on my very first hunt.


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## rogueworrior (May 23, 2005)

Here in northern ca we have a lot of Mountain lions and bears and rattlers. there is plenty to be spooked about, especially when almost every year one of my friends runs into a mountain lion. I had a pretty good run in with a rattle snake and a mountain lion on the same night. 

Needless to say. I do pray before I leave early in the morning.

J


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## norcalkid (Jul 6, 2007)

I`m more scared in the city at dark than anywhere in the woods,although one nite leaving the stand with the wind anda rain whipin I walked next to some hunkerd down wild pigeons that made me suck up some scentlock suit..haha


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## BCBhunter (Oct 28, 2005)

IshootDoes said:


> You can call me one!! There ain't a buck big enough in this world that I would walk through a freakin cemetary to get to! Forget it.


hahahaha add me onto that list!!! No way you could drag me through that cemetery if you had the world record on a leash!  ( joking before all you guys whine about the leash)


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## uryc (Oct 14, 2006)

Not really scared of anything here except those early season spider webs. Did have an owl land about 15 in front of me last year and got a little concerned that he might be thinking my face showing out of my camo was a squirrel. He spent a couple minutes checking me out then flew off.


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## Y-POPEYE-Y (May 2, 2007)

TEXAS 10PT said:


> Nothing used to bother me until I started hunting in West Texas. Walked back to my truck one night and as I was driving out I saw a three foot rattlesnake crossing the road. I said to myself "your walking around here with rubber boots" The next week I was wearing snake boots sprayed down with scent killer. So my biggest fear is walking up on one of those fellas.
> 
> 
> TEXAS


the hell with that you crazy southerners lmao this Yankee's ass is staying up here where there is nothing that's going to bite me.... i am a big baby **** i scare myself sometimes with my own shadow lol to be honest with ya i am all tattoos an run like water out of the faucet.. so god bless ya an stay safe


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## BCBhunter (Oct 28, 2005)

I'm not going to lie to ya, I have to talk to myself everytime I go in and out of the stand!  Although one time while turkey hunting I had a squirrel run up and sit down directly on my lap, I thought holy crap if he is hungry and chomps down there goes all hopes of children.


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## BCBhunter (Oct 28, 2005)

WILLAIMSHANE said:


> A friend and I were hunting a old houseseat on wma land it was just before day light when I started hearing odd sounds I could here people screaming and a fire burning I could even smell the smoke I suggested we find a better location to hunt my buddy was more than ready to leave himself.
> Later that day we came clean with one another he said he got spooked when he looked out into the bottom and saw a woman running tword us with a baby. I confessed what I had experienced we never spoke of it again.
> A couple of years later I found out that a settler home had burned killing several of the people who lived there.


That one gave me chills, wow. Although not a hunting story I do have a pretty scary one. There is a woods down the road from us that is Haunted, and is actually sorta famous. If you look in the "Haunted Ohio" books it is in the 2nd one I believe, "Holcomb Woods". When I was 15 i was riding through it with my mom at about 11:15 taking a friends bike home to a little town. Next thing ya know there is a woman standing there in a long white dress holding something red. A lot of people think it was just someone fooling around, but I dont know any girls that will do that, and if you saw the way she stared us down, there is no human that can duplicate it. Needless to say I cannot be drug threw that woods anymore! Here is a link http://www.forgottenoh.com/Counties/Wood/holcomb.html I live about a mile from it!


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## stormycindy (Dec 11, 2006)

That was a great story, I can't stop laughing!!! I believe you!!!



bowhuntin_kid said:


> One time I was out setting snares, crouched in a patch of willows on the edge of a large stand of huge spruce trees. So I'm laying down in long grass beside this trail setting the last snare I had, and when I stood up something behind me let out this unbelieveably loud God awful bark/grunt/snort thing and I was so scared my knees buckled and I dropped back down to the ground. I spun around and I was staring right into the face of a huge cow moose. I was actually kind of relieved to see a moose and not a big bear or something. BUT when I started yelling at her I thought she'd run away...NOPE. She lowered her head and started stamping on the ground with both her front feet. I was getting nervous again, and so I slowly started side stepping my way towards my quad, which had my 30-30 laying on it. The only problem was the quad was about 30 yards away and the moose was no more than 15. So I tried my best not to take my eyes of the moose, and I noticed she kept getting more sketchy. Man I was so scared that it was about minus 5 or 6 degrees, but I was still sweating like Michael Jackson at the childrens choice awards. All I kept thinking was "Of all the cool ways to die, I'm gonna get trampled by a friggen moose  ." So this stand off actually lasted quite a while before I noticed her calf was about 20 yards behind her, and I thought thats why she was being such an ass. So I'm about 20 yards from the quad and I decide to suddenly take off, and I bolted to the quad faster than I have ever moved before in my life. I Air Jordaned it from about 10 yards out and made a diving leap at my rifle. I then pulled some sort of Rambo roll on the ground on the other side of my quad and actually managed to cock the rifle while sailing through the air. I landed laying facing away from the moose, and when I turned completely expected to get a face-full of moose feet. However she hadn't moved, but still looked like she was ready to charge me. But with my 30-30 in my hands I was a little more at ease, and I settled the sights right between her eyes, and then started yelling at her again, but she didn't budge! One brave moose! So I sent a 30-30 lead about 2 feet over her head, and if that doesn't make you run I don't know what will. She high tailed it out accross the river. Once she left I just hopped on the quad and went back to camp. Then I had to throw my underwear out because they were just... beyond repair... and to this day my dad is the only person I have ever told this story to because I know 99% of the people who hear it are gonna call me a liar. But it happened, cummon who could make that up?


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## littlealk4 (Jul 8, 2007)

Heres mine...

Has anyone seen the Movie "Signs"? Well the notion of aliens has always creeped me out. 

So the night before hunting, me and the family watched the movie "signs". Theres a part in the movie where he looks up at the barn and there is an alien standing on top, along with a part in a corn field where he catches a glimpse of a alien walking between rows...

So the next morning, as Im walking to my stand through the corn field I kick up some kind of animal (bedding deer). It takes off, I all of the sudden remember the movie, and high tail it as fast as I can to my stand on the other side....I didn't see anything just heard the crashing of corn a few yard ahead of me.

Every time Im going out to hunt, I get half way in the field and remember that part in the movie. Always freaks me out a bit....


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## rehcra (Jan 14, 2006)

*Michigan Dog Man*

http://www.weirdmichigan.com/monsters.html


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## mikehurt88 (Jan 15, 2005)

I have to say I am one of those people that is about scared of everything there is when I go out in the woods at night. I mean I think of every single thing there is that what make someone scared out there or at least me. I am 18 now and last season was the first time I had ever walked to a stand by myself in the morning. I don't know what it is about doing it. I guess I am just scared I am going to walk up on something like a bobcat or coyotes or anything for that matter. Then it gets worse when I get into the stand. I am just sitting there thinking nonstop, oh my gosh what if there is a **** in the tree above me and its trying to get down and it crawls right next to me, what if a bobcat tried to get up in the tree with me, what if bigfoot is out there. Yes guys I always think that bigfoot is going to get me lol. Sometimes I will even take my flashlight and just point in the woods every now and then when I hear something and just flick it on. I know it all sounds crazy but I just sit there and think about those things till my hands start sweating and my heart starts beating so fast and then finally after what feels like I have been sitting in 2 hours of darkness for a mir 30 minutes the sun finally begins to rise and I can start to see my breath and out comes the deer and everything goes back to normal.


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## archer0545 (Nov 28, 2004)

When the boogeyman goes to sleep he checks under his bed for me!


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## Huntin'Honey24 (May 6, 2006)

archer0545 said:


> When the boogeyman goes to sleep he checks under his bed for me!


lol


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## Whitebuck9481 (Jul 1, 2007)

This is not a bowhunting trip. I was duck hunting with a buddy one morning on a river. We got there early and put out the decoys. A couple of decoys had turned over on there backs. My buddy had on waders so he went out and was turning them over. On the last one he let out a yell, and I saw a splash from the bank. I was thinking that he had tripped but I still could see him. When he finally made it back to the bank he had a big hole in the back of his waders and his jacket under them. When I asked what was going on he told me that we felt something pushing on his back and next thing he knew he felt water rushing into his waders. When he turned around there was a Beaver looking at him. The beaver slapped it tails and took off.


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## DocB (Jun 27, 2006)

On one of the farms I hunt there is an old run down barn you have to drive by on the way to the parking area. In this barn lives a buzzard. He waits for you to get real close and then swoops out a foot from the windshield. The first time I drove by I had my window open and wasn't expecting it and accidently let out a little scream. Kinda like a girl would. My buddy that was riding with me won't let me forget that one. That darn buzzard is there everytime I've been through. Even though I expect it now it's still one big ugly bird.


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## Lopez (Mar 10, 2007)

quote: It has about four of these rundown homemade old hunting blinds on it, man those things look creepy at night. when I am walking by those things after sitting in the near pitch black for a while... you mind starts to play tricks on you... and you swear you see something looking at you from deep inside the blind. 

jimposten, those blinds can get to ya.:bolt: Where you from in Michigan?


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## huntincajun (Jul 24, 2007)

when i jumped a small buck one time he let out a scream that sounded exactly like a little girl. that scared me a bit


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## Bubbahoyt (Feb 27, 2004)

Gotta watch out for those SKUNK APES . They'll git ya everytime:wink:! Always kept an eye on my backtrail when I walk into the deep woods. Not some much when I hunt the farm. But I did come close to getting run over by a herd of cows. Long Story:wink:


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## bowhuntermitch (May 17, 2005)

ttt gotta love these stroies at a boring day of work!


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## Danno75 (Jul 11, 2007)

*Spooky Woods*

I can't say I have ever had a real scary experience walking in the woods in the dark and sometimes I actually enjoy it. I use to get scared when I was in my late teens early 20s but afterawhile it became second nature. I don't know what the guys where bears and cougars roam do. That would give me the willies in the dark.

With that said, my biggest fear is walking along in the dark and as my flashlight covers the ground into the light comes a dead body on the ground. That would scare the oatmeal out of me quick. Especially if whatever or whomever left the body there might still be around.


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## 2005Ultramag (Apr 3, 2005)

I've never worried about being in the woods in the dark. As kids we used to "camp out" in the woods behind the house at a spot about 500 yards in. I grew up listening to all those wierd, and strange noises. 

...BUT...​
The morning of my very first ever bow hunt I hiked in while it was still dark, and in the pines I was hunting it was BLACK DARK. Without a light I could see nothing at all. I found my tree, sent up my climber, got settled in, and everything was dead quiet. You know... that kind of quiet that almost hurts your ears as you strain to hear something... or anything.

Then... still pitch dark... no more than 25 feet away in another tree... 

SCREEEEECH OWL!

MAN THOSE THINGS ARE LOUD!:embara:


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## 2005Ultramag (Apr 3, 2005)

Danno75 said:


> I can't say I have ever had a real scary experience walking in the woods in the dark and sometimes I actually enjoy it. I use to get scared when I was in my late teens early 20s but afterawhile it became second nature. I don't know what the guys where bears and cougars roam do. That would give me the willies in the dark.
> 
> With that said, my biggest fear is walking along in the dark and as my flashlight covers the ground into the light comes a dead body on the ground. That would scare the oatmeal out of me quick. Especially if whatever or whomever left the body there might still be around.


How about a dead goat! That happened to me.


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## rdneckhntr (Oct 23, 2005)

Theres a book on west virginia ghost stories that I had to read for school. It mentioned the road thats right beside my house that I have to go out to hunt atleast 10 times throughout the book...ive thought about a few of those stories when walking in a couple times...


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## TurboTec Man (Sep 3, 2006)

I just had to dig this one up again from last year. ttt


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## Z-Rider (Jul 23, 2007)

20 minutes t the end of shooting light, 15 feet up in my stand and watching in the direction of some noise i heard off to the side. Looked back directly in front of me just in time to see a red-tailed hawk trying to land on my face. I tell you I thought i was going to have to jump from the stand. He veered off at about 12-18 inches. Man I had to go change my shorts after that one.

Also had the squirrels in the stand with me, and once had a chickadee land on the bill of my cap and swing down upside down and commence a stair down with me, thta one was kinda neat.

Great stories by the way everyone.


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## MKNOX (Jul 8, 2007)

*These are too funny!!*

Ok I have two one is hunting related and the other is fishing related.

About ten years ago i was deer hunting on public land in North Florida. I sat in my stand until it was pitch black before getting down to walk back to the truck. Then i realize "No Flashlight" I figure not that big a deal and head down the trail about halfway to the truck something starts stinging me on the inside of the leg. I swat it it stings and climbs. More swatting more stinging MORE CLIMBING:mg: Im thinking SPIDER so i start shucking clothes not working still stinging still climbing Johnson is getting worried, Im getting naked. I finally am standing in the dark in the middle of nowhere barearsed and bit up. I walk to the truck in nothing dragging my clothes behind me and turn on the truck lights and my pants are full of prickly pears and im full of cactus thorns. But in the dark they were the biggest meanest SPIDERS i have ever encountered.

Second story I was wade fishing for seatrout on a grass flat near Ft. Pierce in about 3 feet of water one evening in the winter. As it started to get dark i began workin my way back to shore, about 100 yards out from the shoreline im slowly wading along in the dusk when the water around me for about 50 feet EXPLODES and something huge runs into my legs and knocks me down in the water I screamed until i started blowing bubbles and then walked on water for about fifty feet.Im standing there covered in saltwater, seaweed and mud unable to breath or move and wondering what is about to kill me . When i could finally breathe again I realized i had walked into the middle of a herd of sleeping manatees and startled them. Whoever said they were slow and gentle has never walked into a sleeping one on a grassflat in the dark!!!


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## ks_kiwi (Dec 22, 2004)

MKNOX said:


> Ok I have two one is hunting related and the other is fishing related.
> 
> About ten years ago i was deer hunting on public land in North Florida. I sat in my stand until it was pitch black before getting down to walk back to the truck. Then i realize "No Flashlight" I figure not that big a deal and head down the trail about halfway to the truck something starts stinging me on the inside of the leg. I swat it it stings and climbs. More swatting more stinging MORE CLIMBING:mg: Im thinking SPIDER so i start shucking clothes not working still stinging still climbing Johnson is getting worried, Im getting naked. I finally am standing in the dark in the middle of nowhere barearsed and bit up. I walk to the truck in nothing dragging my clothes behind me and turn on the truck lights and my pants are full of prickly pears and im full of cactus thorns. But in the dark they were the biggest meanest SPIDERS i have ever encountered.
> 
> Second story I was wade fishing for seatrout on a grass flat near Ft. Pierce in about 3 feet of water one evening in the winter. As it started to get dark i began workin my way back to shore, about 100 yards out from the shoreline im slowly wading along in the dusk when the water around me for about 50 feet EXPLODES and something huge runs into my legs and knocks me down in the water I screamed until i started blowing bubbles and then walked on water for about fifty feet.Im standing there covered in saltwater, seaweed and mud unable to breath or move and wondering what is about to kill me . When i could finally breathe again I realized i had walked into the middle of a herd of sleeping manatees and startled them. Whoever said they were slow and gentle has never walked into a sleeping one on a grassflat in the dark!!!


I think you made me pee a little bit - that was some funny stuff....


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## greenhornet (Jul 2, 2007)

I have to admit that the dark scares me. I have had one friend stalked be a cougar, he had no idea until he saw the fresh tracks following his. This was during a hike not hunting but it could happen anytime. I have another friend who had at least one wolf follow him for a little while. This was during last daylight. The fact that other animals can see what you cannot makes me a little uneasy.


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## Ringtail (Jul 18, 2007)

more spooky stories...


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## Rooster7 (Mar 27, 2007)

Me and my hunting buddy decided we were going bear hunting for the first time. We drove up to the woods and started scouting a few weeks before season. We got a tip to look for the little poles along side the trails that they mount the snowmobile trail signs on. For whatever reason bears love to chew and rub on them. Sure enough, we start checking these poles and they are chewed and there is black hair stuck all over them. One in particular had a visible trail leading up into the heavy cover. So we decide to hunker down and crawl up this trail. It was like a tunnel through the thickest nastiest stuff you ever seen. Well my buddy is in front of me and we just get to a point where we can stand up and I find a rock and throw it out in front of him. He about hit the moon. In a scared voice he says "did you do that??" I tried to lie but I couldn't keep from laughing. Anyway, about 30 seconds later, we can go no further. There was a giant deadfall and he was about 3 feet from it facing me. All of a sudden we hear this loud growl and then a POP (bears pop their teeth as warning) come from directly behind him. He looks at me and says "DID YOU DO THAT??" As turned to run I said "H** NO!!" Man you never seen two grown men run faster through thick woods and underbrush! That bear was probably laughing his A** off!


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## muzzyguy16 (Jul 28, 2007)

*spooked all the time*

I'm 16 and one time for no reason at all i was walking by my self and my flashlight went out and then i hear all these coyotes yelping around me by now I'm pretty freaked out never has a flashlight just went out and at that very instant is when those coyotes started yelping but it gets even weirder after about 100 yards my light comes back on and the coyotes stop but it gets even weirder that next week i come to find out i was about 150 yards from and old Indian cemetery on the south Canadian river now that has pretty much ruined me i wont hunt late unless someones with me or they come pick me up you can call bull on it if you wish but that is the truth


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## MudmanRx (Jun 8, 2006)

the-ghost said:


> nah the dark doesnt bother me at all. though one time i was walking to my stand and i stepped over a big log onto a turkey buzzard that was sleeping on the otherside. we both freaked out, the bird flew into a tree and knocked itself out and i came close to screaming like a little girl. sounded more like a full grown woman. i had to chuckle at myself after that, and i'm glad i was alone hehe.


now that is funny!!!!!


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## Rkhunter01 (Jan 29, 2007)

warped Arrow said:


> I am not scared by the dark. Ghost dont scre me either, they are a part of my life anyway. The left offerings and remains of cultic activities dont give me chills. Graveyards dont send chills up my spine. I have raised and caught all manner of wild snakes, even the poisonous ones, no problem. I still have a pet spider, so I am not arachniphobic(sp).
> 
> Wanna know what does scare me??................
> 
> ...



wow thats funny:set1_rolf2:, what do you mean? ghosts are part of my life anyway?


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## Ringtail (Jul 18, 2007)

*Bump*

:target: :target: :target:


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## ILLbucknut (Jul 12, 2007)

Check it out..... I went hunting one morning with a friend at a place I had never been before. It was about an hour before dark and pitch black. He led me to with'in 100yrds of a stand that I have never been to and pointed me torward it. I found the stand with the my small light and the reflective tape that he stuck on small trees leading to the stand. Sitting there for about 45min. hearing something walking and little noises here and there but could'nt see a thing. I started to get a little freaked as the sun started coming up and the stand I was sitting in was about 10 yrds from a fence surrounding a cemetary that looked 100's of years old. It is the only time I have raelly been freaked out in the timber.
My buddy was laughing at me when we met up later that morning, said " I could'nt stop laughing about what you might have been thinking when you realized you were next to that old cemetary, about fell out of my stand laughing". I could have choked him, but we still laugh about it every now and then. 
Things that go through your head when all alone in a tree.


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## archer1983 (Dec 24, 2006)

For me it's not the animals that scare me...........it's 100% the fear of not getting back to the truck or four wheeler...ie: being lost in the darkness and having to wait it out till morning......


I have been lost in the woods in broad daylight and it is not a good feeling at all...actually sickening


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## MARTIN BOBCAT (Mar 18, 2007)

the only time i'm uneasy is when i know there's a bear hanging around the area. there's just something about black bear that frighten the bejesus outta me. otherwise i walk normally and have no problem walking in the dark. the only time i run in, is if i'm running late and i'm trying to get into the tree before it get's light out.


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## powerpoint9 (Jul 6, 2007)

*Fear is an emotion that everyone has...*

Some feel it more than others. I was raised up **** hunting and of course this is done at night. I've been in some frightening situations. I remember the story of a panther attacking two school boys as they took a short cut home from school one day. Later it was discovered that it saw them when they saw it. Everybody screamed and ran and the big cats paw cam down on them hard. We were hunting right where that happened. I was 14. A screech owl let lose and so did I. My dad said come on son we'll get 12 tonight. I was ready to go. Then he told me it was an owl.

I walk in the dark just fine. I always pause and listen briefly every few feet just to be safe. NO need in running in. I have been scared before but it's part of it!


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## samgirl (Jul 14, 2007)

ok, i am typing slow, the husband is telling me what to type. I dont know if he is a robot or what, but i, myself, nor anybody else has ever seen, heard or in any other way known him to get spooked at all. he doesnt care about being in the dark, he just wonders slowly through the woods on his way back in the evening, when its pitch dark. he doesnt hunt mornings, because there is wayyy too much hunting pressure in our area. (which is starting to get on his nerves) he likes hearing wolves, owles, and everything in the woods. he gets all excited and looks for a camera. he had two wolves right outside his blind last season one evening, and he was loving it! in his own words "i am a creature of nature, so are all the animals, most of which are afraid of ME, sor some reason.. its not like i could hit them with a bullet or arrow if i had to anyways *laughing rather hard* i would liek to get more personal with them, and find out just WHY they are afraid of humans so much." he carries a small flash light with him, so he doesnt trip and fall over his huge clumbsy sel, but its not very bright. people around here will accuse you for poaching if they see you with a light. thats really sad.


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## fingershot16 (Sep 4, 2007)

Wow so some of these stories are scary, and some are just flat out funny!

I haven't had luck the past two opening mornings. 2 years ago on opening morning i was walking to my stand i had set up on a creek. Everything was going fine i was just walking the edge of the creek, and then i heard something that sounded like a bomb going off in the creek! Basically i almost fell in the creek and it scared the crap out of me. The sun came up an hour later and i see a stupid beaver swimming around. I was so tempted to sink an arrow in him!


Last year on opening morning im hunting on my own private land. I get out so i can make it to my stand about an hour before daylight. so i begin my trek in the woods and i hear something walking; more like tromping through the woods. It keeps getting louder and coming closer so i turn my light on and click it on and off fast to warn whatever it is. well the sound gets about 50 yards from me and all the sudden i see a head lamp come on! it keeps coming towards me. ive never ran back to my barn so fast in my life!


I can stay out in the stand late into the night and it doesnt bother me. but for some reason, mornings just creep me out.


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## bunktheclown (Aug 3, 2007)

*re: freeky stuff*

These are great!!!!

My first year archery hunting ,late season with a foot of snow on my buddy Doug's property. I was sitting in my tree stand a couple hours after sunrise enjoying the day and waiting for Mr. blacktail buck to show up. I hear footsteps behind me and think here we go it's a buck!! Well I hear a couple strange noises kinda like a soft growl / screech, then more steps and nothing. Couple min later the same thing only its getting much much closer. My heart starts pounding so I call out my buddy's name... Doug, that you... no answer. Then I hear what sounds like something trying to climb the dad gum tree that I am in!!! I stand up and half way spin around only to catch a snowball in the ear from my buddy and see him rolling around in the snow laughing his head off. I was good and mad for about a min or so then started laughing myself. Can't wait to get him back this year.


-jb


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## steve-o (Nov 29, 2005)

banana spiders, you know those big yellow and black spiders that have to build a web right across your trail...now mind you snakes don't bother me much, yotes, bobcats, *****, dillos or even a dang possum, but walk smack dab into a banana spiders web at night with no light...I almost shot myself getting that thing off me...I really hate spiders...and scorpions too...
I had the opportunity to hunt in arkansas back in 2000 between mt nebo and mt pettijean on the arkansas river in a wma. I noticed all the hunters climbed up in trees like hoot owls, deer noticed them too, so I bushed up, home made ground blind and ghillie suit. Now i had been sitting there for awhile, hearing twigs falling and feeling them hit me every now and then when I notice one hit me on the right shoulder and had some weight to it, I slowly glanced over to my right side and my peripheral vision caught this hairy 4 inch long black leg...a tarantula on ME...man i abandoned ship right there and whopped that thing with a cut branch that was now a destroyed blind...only other thing I didn't like about that place was the nature watchers that would drive around, find the parked vehicles and get out and walk the trails, I scared the crap out of one of them when the woods came alive about 5 feet away from him, I think he screamed louder than I did with that tarantula.


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## thomas brown (Aug 21, 2007)

i am affriad of getting attacked by a grizzly bear when pooping. i will hold it as long as possible. the whole time i keep thinking i could have went and nothing would have happened but now could be different.


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## Harpo1 (Jun 8, 2007)

To me, there is nothing more shivering than the howl of a wolf in the darkness:mg:! NO... not a yippy coyote... a wolf! I hunt in Michigan's Upper Penninsula and the wolves up there have this howl that starts out as a low rumbling growl then builds up to skin shivering howl that just echoes through the woods.

I would also like to send out a big "YOU IDIOT" to the person that decided right on the trail to my stand was the best place to put his bear bait pile. Bow season in Michigan is right about the time the bears are trying to fatten up for their winter nap and my 200+lb body probably looks like a giant steak walking through the woods to them. I have since gotten rid of the typical handheld flashlight and switched to a nice bright l.e.d headlamp so I can keep both hands free to shoot with.


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## FL-HNT-N-FSH (Dec 4, 2004)

an owl almost landed on my head as was nappin in the stand and i almost jumped out
waded into my honey hole for wood ducks in a flooded creek bed full of cyprus trees and set up everything only to realize when it got light there was a water moccasin coiled up against my leg in the the tree i was leaning on


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## Muzzyfied (Apr 23, 2006)

While still hunting the perimeter of a standing corn field one day. I crouched next to a hedge row to watch a small doe trying to pull an ear of corn off of a corn stalk. Another doe that I had seen about an hour earlier "snorted" from about 3 feet behind me. (there was a small berm at the edge of the hedgerow, I think she was tying to come over the berm.) Anyway, when she snorted, I dove forward, Binoculars went one way, hat another and the bow went another. I just laid there and sucked my thumb till my dad found me later that day. I WAS 24 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME!!!!!!!!:embara:


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## 454CasullOhio (Jun 30, 2007)

had a pack of wild dogs follow me to stand one morning, growling & barking on my trail. I pretty much ran in dark to my stand and got half way up the tree when they surrounded my tree and just growled at me for about 10 minutes then vanished. It was creepy and scary. Went right back next morning with my hi-power on my side with 13 hydra shocks ready to roll. Of course they were nowhere to be found. I was strangely dissapointed!


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## 454CasullOhio (Jun 30, 2007)

Muzzyfied said:


> While still hunting the perimeter of a standing corn field one day. I crouched next to a hedge row to watch a small doe trying to pull an ear of corn off of a corn stalk. Another doe that I had seen about an hour earlier "snorted" from about 3 feet behind me. (there was a small berm at the edge of the hedgerow, I think she was tying to come over the berm.) Anyway, when she snorted, I dove forward, Binoculars went one way, hat another and the bow went another. I just laid there and sucked my thumb till my dad found me later that day. I WAS 24 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME!!!!!!!!:embara:


Thats funny as hell. I want my Momma!!!!!!!!


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## bps3040 (Oct 20, 2003)

We were hunting in Lovelady,Texas. We had a 600 acre lease. Me and my Buddy had set all our stands up, but they were for bowhunting.His Dad (63 at the time) wanted to hunt. There were some old metal gun hunting box blinds and we had checked them out a few months back. He decided to hunt one. So we show him where it is and he climbs up (about 6'or7'), we are holding flashlights for him. He opens the door and starts to climb in and all hell breaks loose. He comes flying out and right behind him is a buzzard. Scared the crap out of us. His Dad had hit the deck, but was ok except for the buzzard crap on him. Nasty!!!


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## Rooster7 (Mar 27, 2007)

FL-HNT-N-FSH said:


> an owl almost landed on my head as was nappin in the stand and i almost jumped out
> waded into my honey hole for wood ducks in a flooded creek bed full of cyprus trees and set up everything only to realize when it got light there was a water moccasin coiled up against my leg in the the tree i was leaning on


Uh.........a water moccasin.....in Minnesota???


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## CWG (Nov 20, 2003)

The ONLY thing I'm afraid of is another person. Be it hunter, poacher, or some dumbarse tresspassing on my place or where I hunt. 
Each. and every. year. We will read about someone getting shot or arrowed by someone who shot at something 10 minutes before legal shooting time. Every year since I started hunting in the 70's. every few years we'll get an unsolved killing- some trespasser blasted the land owner not thinking another human would be where they were, take off- a cold body.
I freak myself out walking sometimes,but thats mans weakness hearing something snap in the dark and recalling some bad movie.


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## 125P&Y (Sep 24, 2007)

You just haven't lived till you walk up on a wild sow with a bunch of pigs in the dark. She'll give you a whole new perspective on life. You can run but you just can't hide.


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## Travellin' Man (Sep 26, 2006)

*Close encounter..........long one*

Just a few weeks ago I was bear hunting in Maine. Going to the stands each afternoon, the baits had all been hit but since it was pretty warm and a full moon, we were thinking the baits were getting hit at night.

This one evening after sitting through some rain and having a cow moose sniff at my ladder stand (another story), I got down out the the stand 20 minutes after sundown (30 mins was legal). It was cloudy and was just too dark to see any detail even with a good scope. I walked to 50-60 yards back to the 2 track trail that the guide was going to pick me up at. Now the 2 track was narrow and deep, *miles* back on some leased paper company land. I call the bride on the cell and when I'm done, I just stood there in the dark waiting. Did I mention it was really, really dark and cloudy too and I was miles back in the middle of Maine's version of nowhere? After a few minutes wait, I head a loud "thunk". It's the 80 lb. rock on top of the bait barrel hitting the mud. Then I clearly hear claws on the metal barrel. Then I realize - I'm on the ground, maybe 80-90 yards from a bait that is being hit by a bear right now and _it's really dark! _ Yikes!

I decided it was time to mosey on down the 2 track in the direction from which the guide should hopefully be soon coming to give that bear some privacy to finish his dinner. I didn't unload my .308 'till I was inside that guide's truck that night.


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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

Maybe we should rent The Legend of Boggy Creek.......poor kitten......ok acouple years ago i was hunting a swamp and after dark there some deer millingaround so i thought I would chuck my bow holder down to make a little noise to scare 'em off....it worked and i thought man i can find that thing, noted where i dropped it...climbed down and had my headlamp on, and it was one of those full moon nights during the rut when the moon is huge and rosey colored. I looked for my bow holder, could not find it, so I got down on my hands and knees a started swishing my hands back and forth across the ground..well we all know what that may sound like....I heard something behind me, so I stopped then heard some snorting and grunting...I was up and out of there quicker than a rabbit, hair was standing up on the back of my neck......thought I might get bred...went and bought a new bow holder...Solohunter


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## dynatec15 (Mar 15, 2004)

HAHAHAHA all this stuff is so true. I am STILL afraid. It truely is the fear of the unknown. I know in western pa there is nothing really that is going to tear me apart but still I walk a little faster to my stand in the morning and at night. 

As a kid I used to always look behind me or stop and just shine my light around. Or worse yet Id bang metal on metal or cough real loud just to "scare" what ever was there. No wonder my success rate sucked then.

I do remember a few times running a full out sprint dropping stuff all over the place hahaha I cant even tell you why anymore.


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## deertag1966 (Aug 29, 2007)

I am a man who walks alone
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park

When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark.

Fear of the dark,fear of the dark
I have constant fear that something's always near
Fear of the dark,fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there

Have you run your fingers down the wall
And have you felt your neck skin crawl
When you're searching for the light ?
Sometimes when you're scared to take a look
At the corner of the room
You've sensed that something's watching you.

Have you ever been alone at night
Thought you heard footsteps behind
And turned around and no-one's there ?
And as you quicken up your pace
You find it hard to look again
Because you're sure there's someone there

Watching horror films the night before
Debating witches and folklore
The unknown troubles on your mind
Maybe your mind is playing tricks
You sense,and suddenly eyes fix
On dancing shadows from behind.

Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear, thought you heard
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there.

When I'm walking a dark road
I am a man who walks alone


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## CA_Rcher12 (Oct 28, 2004)

Good 'ol Maiden. :nod:


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## DocB (Jun 27, 2006)

Dyna,

I'm in the same boat. Nothing in Indiana to scare you except a woodcock! That long beak is going for my eyes, I just know it.


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## WestVirginiaBow (Jan 14, 2003)

A couple years back I was walking to my stand on an old logging road when the "pain" hit me. So I stepped off the road a little bit, laying my bow down about 8 feet from me. As soon as I unbelted, I heard a loud crashing noise coming through the woods towards me. I looked up on the hill and standing about 60 yards from me was a medium sized black bear! Here's me, probably 16 years old, by myself, pants around my ankles, and bow 8 feet away. Thank god the wind was blowing in his direction, cause he sure ran off quick! :laugh:

Really the only thing that scares me in the woods is walking in before daylight to an area where you KNOW there are bear, and a grouse or 3 decide to take off right before you step on them. That always makes my heart almost jump out of my chest! I usually have to stand there for a minute for my heart to stop thumping so I'm able to hear myself think again.


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## grizzlyplumber (Jul 21, 2005)

solohunter said:


> Maybe we should rent The Legend of Boggy Creek.......poor kitten......ok acouple years ago i was hunting a swamp and after dark there some deer millingaround so i thought I would chuck my bow holder down to make a little noise to scare 'em off....it worked and i thought man i can find that thing, noted where i dropped it...climbed down and had my headlamp on, and it was one of those full moon nights during the rut when the moon is huge and rosey colored. I looked for my bow holder, could not find it, so I got down on my hands and knees a started swishing my hands back and forth across the ground..well we all know what that may sound like....I heard something behind me, so I stopped then heard some snorting and grunting...I was up and out of there quicker than a rabbit, hair was standing up on the back of my neck......thought I might get bred...went and bought a new bow holder...Solohunter



Yeah no kidding, anyone who has never been scared in the woods hasnt watched The Legend of Boggy Creek. Its a great one for a late night with your kids or buddies.


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## MTLivin (Jun 24, 2007)

Jotun said:


> First off I am not scared of the dark I am scared of what I can not see in the dark and coyotes just dont do it after what I went through. About 8 years ago I was on my first archery Elk hunt in Nothern Arizona east of Flagstaff I was only about 14years old. Well anyways I was chasing this heard of about 5 elk around all after noon and I finnally got close enough to get a shot on this massive cow at about 6:30 pm as the sun is going down and she flinched at the last second quartering away so the arrow hit her in the artery that runs in her rear haunch I trailed her about 2 miles into the middle of a wilderness area where there were no roads and more than that when I found her finnally I was now about 10 miles from the nearest road and my truck. So I got on the portable radio's and called my father and told him a general direction where I was so that he could help me pack out the about 600lbs in meat I had just harvested. I knew it was going to be at least an hour before he finds me and it was about 8:30 at this time so I decided to dress the elk and quarter it to make it easier to carry well after removing the entrails and cleaning out the cavity my dad shows up and he tells me that he will pack out the first quarter and for me to wait by the meat and protect it from coyotes. Thats the first time it hit me "holy crap there are probably hungry animals out here" well he left and now its about 10:00pm about 30 minutes later i start hearing some rustling just up the canyon from me and i was straining my eyes to see what it was but all I had was a mini-mag flash light and no moon the only thing I see are a pair of eyes swaying back and forth then dissapear. I was like *** was that so about 10 minutes go by and I start hearing what sound like groans and growls the like I had never heard before so I start yelling in its direction and walk up the hill towards it and then all he11 breaks loose behind me around the elk I turned pale white when I spin around shine my flashlight and see a black bear tearing into my elk tried to run with it I yelled at it but it wasnt running from me it was running from the dang Mountain Lion and cubs that were now charging in as well and ended up scareing the bear off I decided that they wanted it more than I did and I took off in a flat out blind run in the dark with no clue what direction I was going because of all of the camotion and the new moon. I didnt end up finding my way back to camp until about 10:00am the next morning out of water and completely exhausted I tried contacting my dad on the radio all night but I ended up running out of range of my dads radio and ended up killing the batteries. So I found a road and followed it for a while until someone drove by and hitched a ride to camp which happend to be about 23 miles away!




So far, and i've read them all to this point, yours takes 'em all! That is pretty freakin crazy, especially as a 14 year old!! That scenario will be running through my head alot when im by myself looking to shoot something before dark. Actually, last weekend i passed on a cow elk and a decent 4*4 muley because i was by myself, in a really dense and forest, just before dark, in the rain, and 6 miles in. Yep, still don't regret it! I love this thread, but this one hits close to home!


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## Martin_Cheetah (Sep 22, 2007)

Last Year I was retrieving an arrow that missed a wide 6 (my first ever shot at a deer with a bow). I had some doe in heat on my boot. Yes i know, bad idea. While getting my arrow, a nice 8 came walking right towards me. He was looking at me the whole time. He got to 6 yards, and the thought of being gored raced through my mind. I drew back hoping that I could bury an arrow into his chest, but he ran. But yeah, i was shaking pretty bad. That was my close encounter!


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## Violator (Sep 23, 2007)

I didn't read ALL of the comments in this thread, but I'll say I am NOT one to be spooked in the woods.
A few years ago (when this movie first came out) my Sons and I had just finished (the credits were rolling) watching "The Blair Witch Project" and my phone rang....A buddy needed help tracking a doe he hit.....It was about 9:30 PM...I said "Sure, I'll be right there.".....Didn't hesitate a second. 
and I don't generally watch those type of movies, but my Boyz wanted to watch it.


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## CA_Rcher12 (Oct 28, 2004)

MTLivin said:


> So far, and i've read them all to this point, yours takes 'em all! That is pretty freakin crazy, especially as a 14 year old!! That scenario will be running through my head alot when im by myself looking to shoot something before dark. Actually, last weekend i passed on a cow elk and a decent 4*4 muley because i was by myself, in a really dense and forest, just before dark, in the rain, and 6 miles in. Yep, still don't regret it! I love this thread, but this one hits close to home!


This is why I want to get a sidearm when I'm older.


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## pointer pa (Sep 7, 2007)

maxx said:


> im not scared of the dark,but it can be spooky......my favorite stand is in a swamp at the bottom of a long and norrow 18 acre corn field....walkin thru standing corn can make you analyze every little noise!now countless number of quail have raised my blood presure,and yea those darn owls.....but the worst noise that you will hear in an open field,let alone a standing one, is a black panther screaming....sounds like a dying women and you WILL have to get those hemos to remove your drawers talk about pucker effect!
> 
> now for a funny that happened last year.....that great stand at the swamp was the location and i was slipping thru that corn field.got to the end and entered the woods,and walked to my tree,tied bow and gear to the string and started the journy up to the top.as i peaked to the top of the platform i see/hear something.well needless to say none of us like that feeling!so i switched on my headlight and all saw was a toothy grin it was a BIG ole possum....i was like *&^%!what im i going to do....i had nothing,everything was tied at the bottom of the tree..so i got the bright idea to "spit some beechnut in that dudes eye" ohhhhhh never do that!that pretty much peed him off,he started growling and snaping and im 20 feet up and as far i know i dont bounce....but i can unclimb a ladder pretty darn fast.....but no possum was take my stand without a fight,and im gonna fight now i have a weapon! i put an arrow in my teeth and back up i when,just a bit more careful this time.got back up there and hes still grinnin and hissin.....i started poking the hound out of him with that broad head and finally got him out on a limb right beside the stand and run off to another tree and i got up in the stand and thought all was well.nope at daylight he come back up the limb toward me.....well heres the fight agian.this time he going down,literally!i had to climb up on the back of the stand(i wasnt going to attempted to lose an arrow on a possum) and started stomping the limb and finally he couldnt hold on any longer, and he crashed to ground and left me alone....after that possums are tied at first with squirrells with my most hated woodland creatures.
> 
> maxx



oh my god thats gotta be the funniest thing ive ever read, dude im cryin over this one


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## copteruh60 (May 31, 2007)

Want to have some good quality fun? Placing two bright eye tacks side by side make a great simulation of critter eyes. Do this in several places just off your buddies path to his treestand. It's even funnier if he's one of those that's a bit scared in the dark.


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## bushmaster1 (Aug 8, 2007)

ttt


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## TurboTec Man (Sep 3, 2006)

*Spooky Stuff*

Well here's my funny spooky story. I went to the deer stand one afternoon in pursuit of that big buck as always. I seen some does and had some bucks come in, but it was too dark to make them out well. So I waited to get out of the stand so I wouldn't spook them. They fed in the same spot for thirty minutes after dark with me 20 ft high in the tree. I was a long ways from the truck. I knew the woods well and had a super cheap light that cost 99 cents. It really was .99 cents. I thought I couldn't go wrong right. 

Well I couldn't wait anymore so I scared the deer off and started down the tree. I got to the bottom and wanted to try out my handy flash light. It did come on, but I promise you could not see more than 3 ft. in front of you. I started my walk back and it seemed like the light just made it worse so I turned it off. I was half way back to the truck when I started hearing something coming towards me. 

I stopped to listen and it kept coming. I started to make some noise and talked to it. I said ha! BUT it kept coming. I said HA YOU BETTER WATCH OUT! BUT IT KEPT COMING. I turned on my cheap #** light on and thought I would at least see what was about to eat my #** when it got close enough. I YELLED ONE LAST TIME. YOU BETTER WATCH OUT OR I'LL SHOOT. I tried to be patient and let it get close enough for me to see, but it was coming to hard and beline right for me. 

So like a chicken I fired off a round in the dirrection it was coming from. I waited for the sound of the gun fire to settle and when it did I hear the woods being mowed down and it was coming right for me still. This time it was almost at my feet and I knew it was not scared of a 30.06. The smoke from the gun and the crappy light was really giving me a fit to see. I shot again and yelled some more and right at my feet was a freaking Armadillo.

GOD my hair was standing on end and my heart was pounding man. I was scared to death and here was this stupid Armadillo to blame. I was so mad after seeing what it was I tried to field goal kick the stupid thing, but he dodged that too. So now you know my story. Everyone got a laugh off this one back at camp. They wondered what I was shooting at 45 minutes after shooting light. Great stories when you look back, but not when they are happening!


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## 2droptine (May 31, 2003)

*Dont be afraid of the Dark be afraid of whats in the Dark!*

Here in IL we dont have too many things in the woods and can GET ya. But I have been mistaken for Deer by Yotes....Waist deep grass the pack behind me snarling and and one out infront barking trying to turn me back into the pack...with me running waving my Broadhead tipped arrow behind me as not to get bit on the arse. Good thing the truck wasnt too far. Dont know what it is with them yotes here..then they like to skirt ya up on the hill side as you walk back to the farm house...Pure evil I guess.


I'm not a small guy just a hair shy of 6 foot and 235, Lifted for most my life.
But there is a survival instinct that kicks in, fear equals adrenaline which equals me tearing em all apart with my teeth if i have to.

I not ashamed to admit i am more that happy to hit the first step up off the ground in the morning. Cause who knows who or what is watching you........Booo!


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## Stanford (Jul 8, 2007)

I'll start by saying I'm not afraid of the dark and haven't been since I was a kid, but tonight I had deer come under my stand after I let my bow down and they stayed until 20 minutes after dark. Got down after they left and unhooked my bow and started packing up my climber, I don't use a flashlight so it was pitch black walking out and I started hearing something following about 30 feet behind me. I would stop and it would stop, I would start moving again and it would start moving again. It did this all the way back to the truck. It didn't really scare me but I wanted to see what it was so I turned on the truck lights as soon as I got to the truck and nothing was there. I shrugged it off and started putting my stand in the truck and heard it again. When I started looking again I found that it was the metal hook on the end of my pull up rope that I forgot to roll up


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## OHbowhntr08 (Mar 1, 2007)

you guys are freaking me out about going hunting by myself this satuday A.M. never had any problems as of yet. a few times thought wayy to much in the stand while it was still dark until i doze off hah

looks like ill need to pack a little extra "protection" :wink:


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## Chesta22 (Aug 21, 2007)

I've had several scary run in's over the years in the dark. One morning right before I got to my stand, I hear the most gawdawfull sound screaming near my stand. I almost fell out, and just knew I was a goner. I couldn't figure out what it was, and finally made it to my stand and got in. Then I hear it again, it's close, and its a sound I've never heard before. As the sun was coming up, I see this figure in a nearby tree. It looked like a turkey, but I've never heard a turkey make that noise. Come to find out, it was a Peacock. If you've ever been around a Peacock when it's on the roost, they make some of the freakiest sounds ever.

Another time, my buddy and I were walking to our turkey hunting spot, when we hear a lot of something running right at us. All of a sudden we see a herd of cows coming right at us, and fast. We both dove behind a couple oak trees, and watch as the herd runs by the trees. There was about 50 cows, and they were running from something. We finally got our breath back, and start heading to our spot. Then we hear something running at us again, and we run behind another big oak. The beast runs up to the oak we are hiding behind, and I turn towards the tree and try to get as close as possible. Next I know, I feel something tugging on my back pack, and it won't let go. I start screaming like a little girl, and swinging my fists around trying to hit whatever it is that has a hold of me. Then, I hear my buddy laughing histerically as I break free and sprint behind him. When I turned around there is a horse standing there looking at us, and I think he was laughing at me along with my buddy. 

Finaly story, I'm hunting in my ground blind one spring gobbler, and I hear my cousin scream and then his gun goes off about 300 yards down the oak line. So, I get up and run towards his location. When I get there, he is breathing hard, and ghost white. I asked him if he was okay, and he just points at the ground next to his blind. As I walked up to his blind, there is a dead bobcat laying next to his blind. Apparently the cat crept in on him, and he saw it charging him out of the corner of his eye right before it left the ground to pounce on him. He said he has no idea how he got his gun around in time to shoot the cat in mid air. It fell right in his lap, before rolling past him and landing in it's final resting place next to his blind. To this day, he gets a little nervous when turkey hunting.


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## Carphunter (Sep 30, 2007)

Bears in the woods... uncle always says, "They're more afraid of you than you are of them..." wanna bet ?

The two times I can remember almost jumping out of a treestand, though, both involved big, silent owls flaring 2 feet in front of my face as they decided I'm not a stump to land on.

Biggest thing I have to fear in the woods are my "friends" who know I'm a jumpy ******* and will ambush me on walk-out.


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## Bearcat 74 (Jul 4, 2007)

I live in TN and I don't think there is anything here that will eat you up real bad, but I am still nervous sometimes. Where I hunt it is super thick and I am bad to start thinking that somethings slipping through the growth when I hear things moving in the dark.

Poopie pants story time. Several years ago I am running a little late during rifle season and I am double timing it. Here I am 6'0" 230lbs and in pretty good shape and I am quick walking across my field. They have released some elk in the area but I am not thinking of that, I am thinking of getting to my stand quick. I leave the field and make it about 10 steps inside the woods when a brush pile EXPLODES right in my face. Well, this is it, I see the bright light, it's over, good bye everybody. I turned to run because it's dark, I can't see in the thick woods, and something is fixin' to eat my big butt. NOTHING will keep me from getting out of the woods, I am running over smal trees, brush, whatever, I am coming through. Anyways, I make it the 10 steps back to the field and fly to the middle of it, my gun is hung on my shoulder and I look like I am having a freaking seizure trying to get the gun off my back. I get'er undone, flip the safety off, and get it pointed in the direction of the beast or beasts that are almost upon me. I am sweating like a pig, heavy breathing, and shaking. I stand there for a minute or two in complete silence, nothing comes to eat me, and now I am really confused. I ease back into the "danger zone" and there is a dang elk standing there looking at me. It snorts or does something loud that elk do, I go weak in the knees and alsmot run from the woods again, I am just a little jumpy after nearly dying.

That was the end of my hunt, I went back to the truck, drove home and changed my panties........



I have read the replies in this thread and have been in tears reading a few, this is great stuff, glad to know I am not alone.


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## WeZ (Jan 3, 2007)

I hunted a few years back in the Shawnee Hills Nat. Forest, near an old "abondoned" coal mine. Let me tell you, when the guide dropped me off to walk back to the stand WELL before dayling, I was literally running to the stand! There were all kinds of creapy noises coming from that mine, along with the what must have been PACKS of 'yotes in that area. Once I got to the stand, I didn't even bother stopping to tie my bow to the row rope! It went over my shoulder, and up I went! I sat there for the next hour shaking, and seriously wondering if I was somewhere I shouldn't have been. It was so dark there you literally could not make your hand out in front of your face just a few inches in front of you! To this day I'm not sure what all the screeches and moaning sounds were coming from the direction the guide had said the mine was, but I decided I'd never hunt that stand again! To top it all off, a buddy of mine was hunting in the same general area. Problem was he NEVER found his stand, as he got lost when some trail markers crossed. He never did find his stand, and the after the guide picked me up for lunch and asked if I had "seen my buddy...."the guide and I drove around for a good hour before we found him aimlessly wondering down a deserted road.......that was enough for me!


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## shadow (Feb 8, 2005)

I've seen numerous Bear and Timberwolfs in my stand, so yeah, I'm a little on edge. Especially Sows with Cubs.


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## cliffhuxtable (Nov 4, 2007)

Walkin in the woods or the dark never bothered me. Ive grown up doing it and it never got to me. i live down here in florida and hog hunt all year round. and have seen boars that get real mean. was on a four wheeler headed back to camp one time and had a boar that decided to charge me. so i turned the front at him and gased it. he hit it hard then just turned and walked off like nothing happened. i usually hunt from the ground and ive had them walk with in inches of me, that there gets me nervous. ive been biten by rattlers and jumped on gators, but those hogs that close get me.


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## tunkhannockbowH (Jan 11, 2007)

*bear*

im not scared of the dark, but i am a little uneasy. two years ago i was bowhunting in the evening. right before dark a big bear came in. it was just milling around and eventually walked off. then five minutes later it came back. this time it started sniffing around my tree. so i started yelling and clapping trying to scare it away. well this stupid bear started pawing at the tree and making all sorts of snarls and noises. it was freaking me out and i kept yelling and making noise. the bear kept looking up at me and was circling around my tree. now it was getting real dark and the bear wouldnt go away. i turned on my flashlight and kept yelling at it. the bear wouldnt leave the area and i was starting to worry. so i grabbed my cellphone and called my dad. my dad and my brother grabbed a 12 gauge and came to get me. by this time the bear moved off but i was still scared that it was in the area. boy was i glad to see their flashligt coming through the woods. to this day it still freaks me out and im always paranoid that one night im going to have a fight for my life, not so much with a rifle in my hands, but definitely during bow season


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## irondale (Oct 5, 2007)

macweas said:


> Hey Hooked, I tell ya what really sucks is stepping into a partly sunken grave.I dont know why there like that but its pretty freaky.I guess years of settling.It doesnt seem to bother MH2214 ,I think he likes that crap!


Before they started using vaults the wooden caskets would rot and then collapse. I worked at a cemetery during high school so they really don't bother me.


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## Kickers (May 14, 2007)

I had a mtn lion follow me to me tree stand this year, and once 2 years ago now I get really jumpy walking to my stand in the dark


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## HoodIN (Mar 27, 2006)

qkdraw said:


> Had a pack of yotes run up close to me one evening walking home. They were howling and yip'in until they got about thirty yards from me. I was on the edge of a grass field and they were coming out of the woods. That was a bit spooky! As soon as they either smelt me or heard my heart pounding they took off. That night was a super bright night and I was walking without my flashlight.
> I am glad I didn' take my LUCKY rabbit that night!:wink:


I had an almost identical experience while hunting a friends property. I walked a quarter mile or more with yotes right on top of me judging by the sound. The last hundred yards was thru an open field to meet him already sitting in the truck. When I got to the truck he told me to check the view out behind me. There were over ten sets of eyes at the edge of the treeline where I had just walked out of. Made my hair stand up for a second.


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## Buckeyehunter12 (Oct 19, 2006)

About a month ago I was walking to my stand and a fire truck siren went off. Right when this started to go off a pack of yotes start going crazy howling!! It scared the crap outta me....


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## SPIKER_67 (Nov 7, 2007)

I'm always afraid that I'll get shot in the dark by another hunter....so I always wear a headlamp....I haven't been shot yet!:shade:


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## destroyr4x (Oct 15, 2005)

This wasn't me ,but my buddy said he was heading out to his stand for the first time of the season,which was going past an old house,smelled something strange . It was a meth lab he said they must of left right before he got there,a little burner was still warm. Anyway he said he got the hell outta there. You never know what crack heads are gonna do.


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## Blayze (Aug 2, 2007)

when i walk in the dark i have an arrow nocked and stop every twenty yards or so to look behind me and listen for movement. one time had yotes start howling right by my stand i stayed in the stand about an hour after dark before my dad came to get me. if i hear yotes start howling anymore its full sprint home. sometimes i think i may have to hit an animal with my bow if i get surprized because i wont be able to get my bow back. I hate the dark.


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## ownmorebone181 (Apr 4, 2007)

I had a guy walk 3 feet from me all tweaked out on meth. He was lossed and it was still pitch dark out. He reached in his pocket acting all nervous as he approached me so i lifted my taurus and put the crimson trace on his forehead


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## Wbuffetjr1 (Oct 3, 2006)

we were about 4 miles out trailing an Elk in CO this year. It was about 9:00 in some thick thick dark timber. Pretty much pitch black. We find a couple misc bones, hmm, then more and more. We start shining our lights around and see this about 20 yards away. We were chickens, we left and came back in the a.m.


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## Stevem74 (Jan 31, 2006)

When I was about 11 or so, Dad took an sat me in an old permanant stand while he and my uncle went about 1/2 mile or so further in. All was fine until it got dark and a bitty little SCREECH OWL let loose about 15 yards from me! Would not get out of that tree until Dad was about 2 inches from the base of the tree!! Other than that, I like the woods in the dark, except for the dam grouse jumpng up at you!


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## rickhove (Aug 30, 2007)

I don't know if you guys read the last field and stream but there is an article in there about two hunting buddies that were turky hunting. they were a few dozen yards apart and one thought he heard something near the other so he looked over and there was a mountain lion ready to pounce a few yards behind his friend. He prayed and let an arrow fly and luckily saved his friends life. it was a perfect shot and the cat was dead less than 50 yards away. He was a friend of a man my father worked with and the story still freaks me out. I also recently saw a trail camera picture of a deer feeding with a punced cat about a foot off its butt and the deer has no idea its about to die. I'm not gonna lie those stories play in my head all the time in the woods and I realy jump when I hear something behind me. I sure feel a lot better in gun season than bow season though.


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## XTECshooter04 (Sep 30, 2004)

*weird stuff...*

I must admit i always wonder what's watchin' me walk through the woods in the mornings and evenings. The one experience I remember was with a friend of mine and we were coming out one evening and we had our flashlights leadin the way....when we all of a sudden flashed over a pair of eyes about 20yds ahead of us....at first they were still and we couldn't make anything out other than the glow of the eyes....they were white, like any normal animal, so we were thinkin' possum or raccoon...it was was too short to be a deer....but what made it very abnormal and us uneasy was when we decided to cover up our flashlights and they were still glowing!! we sat there and looked at them for about 30secs and they started moving to our left....we watched, with no light shining or anything(pitch black), what we were sure were eyes just float through the air, only dissappearing behind trees and then finally the hillside about 50yds away....Let's just say we looked at one another to be sure what we saw just happened and then put a little hop in our step the rest of the way to our 4-wheeler!! 

to this day i have no clue what it was or how they continued glowing without light...could it have been a possum or raccoon and we had filled it's eye's up with enough light from the flashlights that it could still glow in the dark??? just something i have put into question about it....keep 'em comin'!


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## twisted1600 (Feb 23, 2007)

.... it was that dragged that dead dear 10' up an old bristlecone pine on ___________ Mountain?



View attachment 311479


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## Kickers (May 14, 2007)

I heard the mtn lion again I never seen him but I know he was there, he is a more relentless hunter than I am, but this is the third time he has hunted me .thats if cat the gloves are off, its go time


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## bulldog29 (Jan 2, 2008)

wow...loved all the great stories and thought I would post two of mine.
First story was more than scary. I grew up hunting (and still hunt) in the swamps and bayous of southwest Mississippi, ecspecially on the big black river. I decided to get me some "tree rats" and headed into the woods about 30 minutes before dark. As I was walking on some dry land between some sloughs I had my flashlight shining ahead of me on the trail when I felt something hit me in the foot. I looked down to see a rattlesnake (that never rattled) with one of its fangs tangled in my laces. I promptly shot the snake and nearly crapped myself trying to get it off and get away. Thats when I noticed the pain. I pulled my boot off and had two nice looking puncture wounds in my foot. That experience nearly killed me and it put me in the hospital for 19 days. To this day I wear snakeproof boots and shoot any snake I see.

Second story is more weird than scary. I was leasing three acres of land from an older gentlemen and put my trailer on it. I was attempting to sell my trailer and my land so I trying to get ready for my move to Starkville to attend Mississippi State. People bought my land but not my trailer. Anyway, there was an old house on the land that had trees and kudzu growing up all around it, and from my little boys window you could see the upstairs windows pretty good. Well, couple nights of being there were interupted by my little boy screaming and crying. When he was calm he told us that he woke up and saw a light and an old woman in the window. Told the older gentleman about it and he said hat it was probably his momma because that is the house he grew up in and where she passed away. I figure my son was just dreaming so I decide to go investigate. The planned investigation was immediately scrubbed and the whole area quarintened by moth balls when not two steps into the woods I almost stepped across a very fat rattlesnake laying on a log. My wife was poed because I left some streaks in my drawers. Hell, I would have much rather seen that mans ghostly momma than that slithering son of a B%^&*!!! ukey:


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## cubsfan (Aug 15, 2006)

IshootDoes said:


> Ok, I know all you guys are are big tough hunters, but lets here some personal experiences from the woods. Who's afraid of the dark?.......I AM!!! Who walks as fast as they can to their treestand in the morning? .........I DO!! Don't be bashful.:darkbeer:


That is funny It sounds like me. When the rut is kickin' and I am dragging scent behind me, I hear A LOT of stuff:embara:


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## jcsanders79-xt (Aug 28, 2007)

When I was a kid my friend and I had been out squirel hunting at his hunting club. The members had asked us to stop at the bottoms and try to kill a few beavers on our way back. Our squirel hunt had been successfull and we had them laying on the 4 wheeler rack. We parked the 4 wheeler against a large tree and we sat on the other side. It was dark with a decsent moon and as we were whatching for beavers we started hearing something behind us. The tree was too large to see around it so we just stayed put. The rustling continued. We finally saw a beaver making his way accross the water and as soon as my buddy pulled the trigger on my 44mag riffle what ever had been so sneaky behind us took of with a HUGE commotion. We sprang up only to find that all but 2 of our squirrels were gone. Still to this day don't know what took them and don't really want to know.


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## jcsanders79-xt (Aug 28, 2007)

Another "spooky experience" for you. A few years ago I got a new treestand and found a better way to strap it together than the way it came. This made the strap way to long. I would usually just tie the extra to the stand. One morning either it came untied or I didn't tie it back and I kept hearing something behind me. When I would stop so would it. I was WIGGIN out. I knew I was about to be attacked by something. Unfortunately it took a few times of this happening for me to figure it out and I was embarrased as well as mad.


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## Bubb (Dec 9, 2007)

One morning a few years back up at camp in upper PA I was out turkey hunting. The morning pasted with out much activity so I thought I'd would take a drive. Looking for new areas I went places I hadn't been before. I passed a small bar called the tannery and thought I would stop for a beer. I went in and sat at the bar. Didn't see anyone around but the sign said open. Next I heard some loud coursing #[email protected]*%#@! Then the door to the ladys room opened and there in knee boots holding a plunger was this huge thing that looked like that old lady in Gooney. When she turned to shut the *#@!!%!! door was the biggest scoll ring in her back pocket. She walked behind the bar sat down the plunger wiped her hands on her flanel shirt and asked me if we wanted a kiss. When I saw that scoll in her lower lip as she let out a blood curling laugh I though one thingukey: I just said I forgot my wallet and walked out!!!


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## apud (Aug 13, 2006)

I hunt much of the time in an old abandoned settlement here in the northeast. The only things that remain are mostly the cellar holes, stone walls and wells. who knows when it was started, sometime in the late 1700's, and the last resident went into the ground in 1904. The fields are all grow over with thick hemlock and pine and are crisscrossed with old footpaths. When walking through the "black forest" it is always dark, even at mid-day, and cell phones and radios won't work because of the dense cover which also deadens noise from escaping or entering the woods. Once when walking by the entrance which is an old bar-way through the tall stone wall a younger hunter in the group asked me what was in there. I replied, " lots of prime werewolf habitat." 
I have a tree stand right beside the old cemetery and every afternoon before I climb my tree I make it a point to say "Hi" to all the residents there, they don't mind I hunt where their homes once were, they probably enjoy the company. I did tell a story to the rest of my crew once that this settlement just vanished all of a sudden and no one seems to know why, but rumor has it that all of the folk buried there have wooden stakes through their hearts and some are missing their heads. 

For some reason I never have any problem with who get's to use that stand. I will admit though that sometimes, even during daylight hours if you listen close enough sometimes you can hear faint voices and singing coming from the surrounding woods.

Happy hunting. :wink:


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## jacoblea (Jan 2, 2008)

Bubb said:


> One morning a few years back up at camp in upper PA I was out turkey hunting. The morning pasted with out much activity so I thought I'd would take a drive. Looking for new areas I went places I hadn't been before. I passed a small bar called the tannery and thought I would stop for a beer. I went in and sat at the bar. Didn't see anyone around but the sign said open. Next I heard some loud coursing #[email protected]*%#@! Then the door to the ladys room opened and there in knee boots holding a plunger was this huge thing that looked like that old lady in Gooney. When she turned to shut the *#@!!%!! door was the biggest scoll ring in her back pocket. She walked behind the bar sat down the plunger wiped her hands on her flanel shirt and asked me if we wanted a kiss. When I saw that scoll in her lower lip as she let out a blood curling laugh I though one thingukey: I just said I forgot my wallet and walked out!!!


FUNNY SH&$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *******.......Did she look like this????


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## Bubb (Dec 9, 2007)

The one in Blue!! I don't want to remember that dark place in my life I try not to go back there!


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## Jlars (Oct 11, 2006)

I'd say a pac of wolves at sundown when your 2 miles back. Bear cubs trying to climb up your tree and that guy who is blasting the hillbilly music back in the sticks......:eek2:


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## jacoblea (Jan 2, 2008)

Bubb said:


> The one in Blue!! I don't want to remember that dark place in my life I try not to go back there!


IDK the first one is pretty [email protected]%^ FINE!!!!! :tongue:.............j/j thats when the lights off IS NOOOOOOOOT good enoughukey:


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## destroyr4x (Oct 15, 2005)

*spooky stuff*

This isn't so much spooky but while on an archery antelope hunt in '07, my brother in-law and I were walking to our blind set and literally 1 more step either 1 of us would have stepped on a 3foot + rattler. It was kind of freaky, spooked the hell of my brother in-law, not so bad on me ,but the snake was closer to him so I'm sure he would have got it first. Then we get back to camp that evening and he goes outside to wash up and just about stepped on another snake.This one was the snake that sounds like a rattler but is not.Don't know the name of this type of snake .I do know my bro had enough snake stuff for the trip.


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## rbeddy (Jun 27, 2007)

scariest moment for me walking to my stand:
having a .50 cal muzzleloader go off 8 inches from my head/ear in the dead dark and quiet of the morning!!!

sidenote, i will NOT cap my Black Diamond prior to getting into the stand again! i had the slide down (thought it'd be safer that way) and as i was putting stuff down off my back at my stand, the bag must've caught the lever, pulling it back , then letting it go and WHAM!!! i heard the boom and saw the flash, i don't mind telling you that i let out a yell!


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## 963369 (Nov 15, 2003)

Not Walking In Or Out...but Climbing The Tree. Back In 1979 Or So Was Hunting In Nj. Climbing In At 4am, I Looked Up In Time To See A "satellite" Pass Overhead. I Whispered To Myself, "cool, I Can See Into Space At Night." Then I Whispered, "i See You!" Just As It Was Straight Overhead. It *stopped*. Then, It Swooped Up And Out So Fast Its Flight Path Was Illuminated Like A Light Beam. I Just Stared, Openmouthed, For A Second Or Two..then Got Into My Stand. It Wasn't Scary As Much As It Was A Moment Of Revelation...i Knew From My Time In The Service We Had Nothing Like That, And So All The Stuff Weve Been Taught About "reality" Was Possibly Not The Whole Story. It Was A Life Changing Moment. And No, I Did Not Have Any "antifreeze"in My System.


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## 25-06 (Dec 27, 2006)

I have a close friend and hunting partner ( Bill) that is absolutely terrified of the dark.It took me a long time to get him use to walking to and from stands in total darkness without really being scared to death.

A couple years ago we were planning a bowhunt on some secluded property that I am very familiar with. It was myself,Bill and another close friend of ours Larry. Larry seen this as a good opportunity to have some fun out of Bill.Larry and I made our plan the night before and I sat and laughed thinking about how scared Bob was going to be. Plan was to let Larry off at his location first and then act like something was wrong with my truck while Larry made his way into our area from the backside and be waiting on us to park,he would call my cell when he was in position. When I felt my phone vibrate I closed the hood on the truck and acted like i didnt know why the truck quit as Bob was going through the possibillities of what made the truck quit.

We pull up along side the pond which is surrounded by cat tails and I shut the truck off. Now, I knew Larry planned on trying to scare Bob,but didnt really know exactly what he was planning to do,so I was looking around as we talked about how long we had to get to our stands before first light and it was still about an hour. I was still sitting in the truck with my door opened just waiting for something to jump out and get Bob anytime while Bob was standing just beside the truck with his door opened stretching. All at once there was this awful noise came from the cattails,I mean awful sounding,Bob looked at me and said "What the hell was that?" and I played dumb and told him I dont know but it dont sound too happy. Bob quitely sat back down in the truck seat leaving his door opened and whispered " I see it,I see it!!. I said where ? Bob said right there dammit,what the____ is that? Bob said turn the lights on,so I did and there it was ,standing in the edge of the cattails,LOL. Larry had cut a hole in a burlap sack for his head to stick out and was wearing the ugliest mask I have ever seen, It looked like a 300 year old man with this huge white head of hair with big warts all over his face. As soon as Bob saw this he went into convulsions trying to close his truck door,screaming "Start it,Start it!!" Well,Larry started making this crazy noise to the top of his lungs and ran right at Bob. I tried to act scared too and play along,but it was hard to not bust into tears. I jumped out of the truck and began to run , Bob came through across the seat and out the drivers side just as Larry reached the door. As I went bye he tailgate I stumbled and fell down,but Bob was getting the hell outta there he passed me laying on the ground and ran right by me with Larry close behind,By this time I am pissing myself as they run out of sight,a few seconds pass and I see Larry coming back taking his mask off,He is smiling from ear to ear and we bust out laughing. I asked him wheres Bob and he said" I couldnt catch him! I got tired of running and started lauging outloud and yelled at him to stop that it was me,but he looked like Carl Lewis tearing the ground up as he ran down the dirt road.
After a few minutes of crying and pissing we headed out in the truck down the road and here came Bob running just as hard as ever when he saw the headlights ,By the time he reached the door Larry was down in the floor crying again and I busted out laughing too. It wasnt until then he realized he had been had. Too my suprise he wasn't too mad at us and after a couple months he would talk to us again,LOL.


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## lpdoghunter (Mar 28, 2006)

2 years ago I was helping a friend out scouting of speed goats in AZ. We got his new truck stuck and need something to help get it out. We were in flat land with no trees or anything. we hade past an old ranch that might have what we needed. It was about 2 miles of walking in some of the best lion country AZ has. We had one Light an one glock 9mm. As we walk I would hit the light and sweep around us ever once in a while. You can talk your self into being scared real easy in that kind of dark. As I was sweeping with the light there they were two eyes about 100 yards away. After years of night hunting for predator Its not hard to tell a yote for a cat by how they move. As Zack saw there he asked what i though thay we. As it started are way all I said was CAT. Know I knew Zack could out run me so Running was out for me. As we watch the cat bounce from one bush to the next Zack ask what we should do. My reply was lets go right at it. After calming Zack back down and telling him thats are best plan as there was no were to hide. we started after the cat. As we closed into about 65 yards we lost site And just about the time we both were going to donate a pair of undies to the cause out steps or cat. We were alot closer to the ranch house then we though. There were about 25 ranch cat at that old place. After we calmed down I look a Zack and said I told you it was a cat just not what kind.

After a 2 mile walk back to the truck both with 16 foot water logged 2x8s on are backs and three hours of digging we got the truck out and had a few beer It was pertty funny


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## PSE76 (Jun 9, 2007)

Interesting thread! I'm a little uneasy at times in the dark, mostly walking out at night. In thew a.m. I know I have all day to find my way. I hunted a different part of a lease we had a few years ago. I was on a borrowed 4 wheeler that didn't have any reflectors on it all. I sat in my climber till way past dark because I had seen several deer right at last light and didn't want to spook them. I finally climbed down, packed up my climber and shouldered my .270. I never saw the wheeler and ended up walking circles in the woods. I figured I was just turned around, but was to :embara: because I wasn't far from camp. I knew my buddies were already there and would rib me the rest of the trip. So after two hours of walking searching for the wheeler I decided to tourch off my .270. Man that thing was loud!!! I was also relieved to hear my buddies wheeler fire up from camp. By this time I was soaked from head to toe and a little shaken to ay the least!! My buddies headlights came just over the hill a couple of hundred yards from me. I shined my light at him and he shut down his wheeler and turned the lights off. I yelled at him to turn the lights back on and I cut a path right for him. He thought I had shot a wounded deer and I told him I had been lost for a couple of hours. To my suprise, there was no ribbing for a couple of weeks. That's a good friend for ya!


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## McPhee (Jan 22, 2008)

*Wyoming hunt*

I was hunting in SW Wyoming on a guided hunt. The bunks were upstairs and the cook stove was downstairs with the kitchen. All the heat radiated out from the stove pipe upstairs and my bunk was next to it. Got too darn hot for me to sleep and I had spied a cot outside on the porch so I packed up my sleeping bag and moved outside. After a few hours of good sleep, I felt something on top of me!!! At first I thought it was someone telling me time to get up and hunt. I pulled back the flap on the sleeping bag and was looking eye-to-eye with a scruffy, nasty cat-sized wood rat. They have to be one of the ugliest critters on earth. I let out a holler and the rat looked surprised too. Wow, talk about something that will make bacon stripes in your shorts!!!


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## scottburger (Jan 8, 2008)

:angry:i hate kickkin up bears at night, i hunt in jersey where there a problem and are in every thicket, some people say they crack there jaws at you when they get spooked? i never heard that but i hate hearing them take off 10yrds from you


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## whitetailfreak (Feb 13, 2008)

ok so one property I used to hunt I was heading up the trail real early nice moonlight flashlight in hand but OFF and I heard something coming at me real fast down the trail and fumbled with the light and when I got it on froze this nasty azz yellow mutt gone wild in his tracks. Scared me to death thinking what might have happened if I didin't flash him. Doves taking off from underfoot gets the heart beating real good too.


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## hockey7 (Jan 29, 2004)

I have about a three hour drive to my hunting spot. I stay at my in-laws cottage which is about 30 minutes from my spot. Sometimes I get up at 2AM, and head out to hunt the following morning, and stay for a few day's. Well, to make the time pass while driving, I put "coast to coast" radio on. If you've heard this radio show before, they talk about weird stuff. That night, the subject was shadow people. Three hours of listening to callers describing their experiences, I was looking out the side windows, and rear view mirror all the way along these rural roads, expecting some ghosty things to attack my truck at any second, then I had to walk through the bush in pitch dark to my stand, holy crap, was I scared.


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## superghunter (Nov 29, 2007)

IshootDoes said:


> Ok, I know all you guys are are big tough hunters, but lets here some personal experiences from the woods. Who's afraid of the dark?.......I AM!!! Who walks as fast as they can to their treestand in the morning? .........I DO!! Don't be bashful.:darkbeer:


i was walking out of the woods one night and it ws vey foggy. i was only a young buck and i came across a big rock circle with a very big cross in the middle. i dont know why that scared me but it shore did


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## posco (Feb 27, 2007)

Don't kniow if this one counts or not but it's true.

Once upon a time I was a bricklayer and I got a call from a town nearby that some vandals had broken into a cemetary crypt and it needed some repairs. Just happened to be a spot I did some deer hunting so I scoped it out and sure enough the thugs had broken in the steel door, smashed out the brickwork that held the coffins, took those out and had the remains thrown all over the place. Only bones I could not find were the skulls. 

I was going to make it bombproof so I started laying up block from the inside and worked my way out...finished it off with a nice stone door. The worst part was that last block...you know...the one that seals the tomb...that's the part where in the movies a hand comes out and grabs ya. 

Finished it up and let a neighbor across the road know about it and asked them to call the police if they saw anyone go in there that night. Went in the next day to acid wash the stone work and found the grave robbers had been there in the night and tried to pull the masonry work apart. They gave up with little effort. Very Steven Kingish working down there all alone out in the woods.

I still hunt that area.


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

Anyone have any new stories to share from this past season?:thumbs_up


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## JustinM (Aug 23, 2007)

never till bigfoot ran up pushed me down and stole my jack links beef jerky out of my pocket.


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## MOHALucan (Mar 20, 2008)

bubba101st said:


> I don't get scared in the woods. I always make sure that I have someone that I know I can outrun with me. You know, my son, wife friends etc. THe scary stuff will eat the first one it catches.


You don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun your hunting buddy!!!!:wink::wink:


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## MOHALucan (Mar 20, 2008)

JustinM said:


> never till bigfoot ran up pushed me down and stole my jack links beef jerky out of my pocket.


That sucks!!! Anyone steals my jerky, I'm kicking butt and taking names....:wink::tongue:


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## heilman181 (Mar 24, 2006)

Jlars said:


> I'd say a pac of wolves at sundown when your 2 miles back. Bear cubs trying to climb up your tree and that guy who is blasting the hillbilly music back in the sticks......:eek2:


Hillbilly musc is okay, but if I hear a banjo I am outta here! :wink:


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## ILLbucknut (Jul 12, 2007)

Well opening day morning I had the crap scared out of me. Another member from A/T got to our deer stands about 1hr before sunrise on opening day. I had settled into my stand and was watching a bean field to my left when all of a sudden I felt something sharp grab my leg. I could feel the wieght of it on my leg and was scared to look, it felt like a hand with sharp claws. I automatically thought "BIGFOOT"......NO ****!
When I turned to look, it was a giant owl that had landed on my knee. This owl was atleast 10lbs and 20"-24" tall, we came eye too eye for a few seconds before he flew off.
I have had birds land next to me and squirels run across my legs, but nothing like this. The wierd thing is I did'nt even hear the owl coming....I sure heard it take off as it hit a few limbs and stuff though.


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## Michigan Bob (Oct 26, 2002)

I had a pack off coyotes run up to me in the dark as I was putting my tree climber together, when they realized what they did I think they were as scared as me. When coming out of the swamp one night it was pitch dark and cloudy I heard a bobcat scream sounded like it was right next to me. The only real scares I had. But still get to the treestand a half hour before daylight and don't leave until dark.


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## mobowhntr (Jan 29, 2005)

Michigan Bob said:


> I had a pack off coyotes run up to me in the dark as I was putting my tree climber together, when they realized what they did I think they were as scared as me. When coming out of the swamp one night it was pitch dark and cloudy I heard a bobcat scream sounded like it was right next to me. The only real scares I had. But still get to the treestand a half hour before daylight and don't leave until dark.


Coyotes have never really bothered me. I have had a couple of Bobcats scream in the woods behind my house in the middle of the night after I came in from fishing. That will send a shiver down your spine everytime.


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## HotRodChevy (Oct 7, 2008)

TTT For some more funny (scary) stories!


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## Userx100 (Dec 25, 2008)

strange things in the wilderness we all hunt.. I ride my quad at night frequently during the summer. I have a big loop on a two track between a swamp im going to start hunting and a small lake..Lots of bear scat all over back there..But when I clip thru there at night there is no lack of speed..I want the bears to hear me coming..Thank god my quad will do 70...altho hitting a bear at 70 doesnt sound fun either..lol...Spooky when its super dark..When the moons out tho i dont get so nervous. Whats really creepy..I get called out at night to start my compressors and engines..and youll be working bent over in a building and the building starts creeping or the engine moans YIKES! I went out one time to start a compressor and it was dark and all i seen was a big rolly thing running at me..I swore it was a bear...but when i put the mag on it..it was a big bull elk...(just as scary on a dead run)lol..but it took off after that.


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## IChim2 (Aug 20, 2006)

I never was afraid of the dark or what was in it,but i will admitt that it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up when i've been close enough to some yotes that i can hear them pop their jaws at 4am while walking down an old logging road.


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## highplains (Apr 5, 2008)

This was taken in southern New Mexico. Makes you think twice while out and about.


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## bhanks55 (Sep 14, 2005)

*Omg*



Marc Barger said:


> A friend of mine is deathly afraid of the dark when walking in or out from a hunt. He had to walk about a half mile into one piece of land we were hunting. Most of the way on a terrace right next to a corn field but it was early afternoon so no biggie. So anyway he comes walking back along this corn field after his hunt when all of a sudden some unearthly screech comes out of the corn and the corn itself just erupts with stalks breakin' and something moving fast right at him. He said he just about died right there and was running as fast as he'd ever run in his life. First thing he did when he got back to his truck was to call me to tell me what happened. Unfortunately, I was unavailable at the time as I was out in the corn field with a double raspy diaphram and elk tube scaring the bejesus out of him!! HA! We still laugh about that one and yes...pay backs are a biatch!!


I think I would have strangled you! Funny as heck though!! Gives me an idea for this fall... "Bow season only" type of trick there.


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## bhanks55 (Sep 14, 2005)

*A buddy*

of mine had a panther cross in right in front of him while he was on an ATV a while back in the hills near the MS river. Me and my brother were waiting on him to go turkey hunting on an old logging road in the middle of nowhere and we hear this fourwheeler just tearing it up coming toward us. He slams on his brakes and jumps off and the guy is freaking pale as a ghost. Said the panther jumped across the road about 10 yards in front of him when he was doing about 25-30 down the old road bed. He was past him before he could react then he just GUNNED IT. He wouldnt drive back through there in the dark for as long as I knew him.


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## saskarcher (Feb 1, 2008)

The only time ive ever been really scared in thdark is durning bear season


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## Userx100 (Dec 25, 2008)

ttt. dont want this to get killed and forgotten funny topic.


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## Pager21 (Dec 27, 2008)

My cousin and i were doing a late afternoon drive through the woods i was standing while he was walking the woods. I heard two shots in quick succession and a 7mm makes a very distinct noise. I start heading towards him, but suddenly see him walking hard and fast. we meet up and he has a coyote with him. they both turned a corner and were no more than four yards apart. the coyote growled and my cousin shot the 7mm from his elbow fell over and was able to finish it with a second shot from the ground. It makes me nervous at night in fields with the corn i have to walk through.


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## RT1 (Nov 20, 2006)

Userx100 said:


> ttt. dont want this to get killed and forgotten funny topic.


this is a pretty good thread


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## hypochiro (Dec 17, 2008)

Me and my uncle were late season hunting in northern WI about 3 years ago and when he didn't return after dark I thought he had probably shot a deer so naturally i go to his stand and see him sitting against the base of his tree. Instantly I know this isn't good and think he fell out of his stand but as I get closer I can see blood all over his face, hands, the ground, his climber. So I walk up to him and he says he's is alright and tells me the story. He was sitting in his tree with his face and neck covered with a camo stocking hat and neck gator, looking to the left and then to the right and when he came back to looking straight an owl barried his talons into his forehead and one into his eye socket right above his right eye. This knocked his glasses off his face ( which saved his eye) and he had to hit the owl to get it to let go. Finally after he regained himself he said he couldn't see out of his right eye do to how much blood was running down his face so he got in his climber and climbed down. We found his glasses the next day and there was a huge gouge out of the right corner of the lense near his nose. The next weekend I went out hunting and had an owl fly in and land about 20 ft away looking at me swaying back and forth. Yea i was ready for him, scared a bit, but he never flew at me thank god.


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## King (Dec 8, 2002)

I love reading through these stories again. I remember when the thread started. Love it!


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## Hoyt Havoc (Jul 27, 2006)

highplains said:


> View attachment 513387
> 
> 
> This was taken in southern New Mexico. Makes you think twice while out and about.


No need to fear.....there's no bayonet lug!:wink:


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## Hoyt Havoc (Jul 27, 2006)

Which one to start with? Hmm
2 falls ago you might remember the "bearwolf man" creature that was sighted by a few people here in Wisconsin. There was a guy who is contracted by the state to pick up road kills whos reputable...well this thing comes and takes a deer right off the back of his pick-up. Hearing nothing about this story one morning I head out to drive to my buddies place to bowhunt. Its an hours drive and its about 4am. I flip on the radio and hear this story come on. Then I hear how its been seen 2 other times and by 4 people alltogether. All said 7' tall, body like a big black bear but a wolf-like head, and walks up-right like a human. I listened to the crap for the whole hour drive and find out the latest sighting was less than a mile from where I was going to be hunting....I still didn't bring a flashlight and i saw no bearwolf but I admittedly was a little freaked walking in.


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## Hoyt Havoc (Jul 27, 2006)

One morning I was sitting on a stump bowhunting. It was still very dark where you could see stuff on the ground. I hear what I thought was a deer running behind me but coming right at me. I'm thinking "I'm going to get plowed over and kind of hunch for the hit. Suddenly something crashes into the back of my left calf. 2 squirrels were chasing each other and the one bounced off my leg.


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## MNBowhunter300 (Jan 22, 2008)

From this past season: Now that look back on it I see how stupid it really was to do but it was worth the laugh. My uncle that hunts with me is an Vietnam vet and the day b4 season I had this brilant idea, I rigged it up with some rope and those eyehole screws i ran the screws from tree to tree to get it right where it had to be. Then i fished the rope between all of them so I could get them in the right place. I had cut out in the shape of a human in some plywood painted it black and put that at the end of the rope coverd it up with some leaves then I hooked it up to the sheet of plywood and tryed it out. I yanked on the rope and whoof this thing comes flying up outta no where and im like yes this is perfect. Now mind you this is the day b4 opener rifle season so i had one shot at it to make it work. I reset everything up got it into mint condition and planned my idea furthermore. We hunt the same area and he has to walk by me so he can get to his stand down the trail and that morning I told him im gonna head out early to get my spot ready. So b4 i leave I get into my truck and grab my radio that has a cd in it of gunfire noises and off like a prom dress I head to the woods. About 30 mins later I am sitting there waiting and I hear crunch crunch crunch and im thinking to myself "oh boy here he comes" he gets down to within 20 yards of me shines my stand and sees im not there, im under it trying not to laugh. So he keeps walking and gets within about 5 feet of where the siloute is and I reach over hit the radio and at the same time i give that rope one hell of a pull. Now at this time it sounds like your sitting next to a full auto AK-47 and when that thing came up he hits the dirt falls back and starts running to who the hell knows where, meanwhile im still in the bushes about dieng of a heart attack from laughing so hard he hears me laughing at knows at this point it was a joke. He comes walking back from outta the woods and looks at me and says " if you ever do that to me again I will put one right between your eyes"
we laughed about it afterwards and if you could have seen the look on his face when it happend it was priceless. This one will be talked about for years to come at our deer camp. Thats my story I thaught you guys might like it lol


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## Hoyt Havoc (Jul 27, 2006)

I had a neighbor move in next door but he was a city boy. A woodchuck had dug a home right under his front porch. He could hear it thumping around and it freaked him out because he thought it was getting into the house. It wasn't but he was worried. Anyways, I teach the guy how to shoot my .22 and he did really well. (4x scope) He was a stay at home dad so he sat the next day in wait for the chuckster. He called me at work to let me know he shot it but it had run into the bushes. I asked him where he shot it. He says "in the front yard" I say no where did the bullet hit the chuck...Where were the cross hairs when it went bang? He said it was walking away from him and he just aimed for the center. I told him it probably dead, go look and see. He says "NO WAY am I going out there"
2 hours later I pull in my driveway and he's standing in my yard asking if I'd go look for it. I walk over there and he thinks I want to take the gun. I say "You keep watch, it might attack" He knew I was kidding. He showed me where it went and theres a little trail where the thing would go in. The bushes were thick but once I poked my head in I could see it, deader than roadkill, about 5' in but I'd have to crawl in to get it. I knew exactly what to do next!!! I said "well I don't know if its him but there's something moving in there!" I take the gun and start to crawl in. I set the gun down and grab the chuck by the back leg and threw it straight at him and shouted HERE HE COMES!!! WATCH-OUT!!!

He screamed! and just like a 4th grade school girl! A HIGH PITCHED GIRLY SCREAM! OMG, did I laugh
Now keep in mind he's about 31 yrs old, 6'2 and 250lbs.



Same guy, same summer...He left his attatched garage door open one night and a **** crawled up into the sofit of the house. He calls and asks to borrow Mr. Ruger again but he didn't know what it was that was up there. He said he saw it in the garage but he didn't know what it was. He discribed it as a brown furball about the size of a cocker spaniel. I was wondering what the heck it could be by that discription. He knew what a woodchuck looked like and it wasn't that. Then his lady came out and says he didn't see what it was because he was to busy sreaming and running me over to get into the house. I asked her what she thought it was. She didn't know either. I was thinking maybe a opposuim. He showed me claw marks in a corner wher it crawled up the wall. And the sensor for the bigdor's wires were chewed. I fixed those and then he shows me his new pellet rifle he bought to kill whatever it was. He says its not strong enough though. I asked "how do you know...did you shoot it? Then he takes me outside and points to the sofit where theres about 20 pellet holes all around the house. He grabs a stick and starts poking the sofit until he finds it and you can tell where it is when it moves. He puts another pellet through it and i say, Its probably a **** or possum, that thing is just ruining your house. He says shoot it with the 22. I said no way...it'll go through the roof. he says I don't care! I talked him out of it and I set a live trap in his garage. The next day I visit him and theres about 5 traps in there from an exterminater baited with all kinds of junk. Next day still nothing so he pulled about 2' of sofit out. As we stood there we saw the **** peek out. I said that cute little face is what has your panties knotted! I put a peice of wood up against the house so it could climb down easily. About an hour later he called to say he saw it come down and thanked me for helping. I thanked him for giving me such great stories to tell my friends! 

They moved...Man I miss them!


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## RT1 (Nov 20, 2006)

New stories may be submitted for February


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## Shedstomper (Oct 10, 2007)

Not real bad to get scared or nervous in the woods in the dark, but I can tell you a story about a rude awakening. This was probably 15 years ago or more I was headed in one morning well before daylight with my uncle and he dropped me off along an old strip mine in an area that I hadn't hunted. My intention was to go up a long hollow and scout and find a good spot for a stand. Being as it was well before daylight I figured I would sit down along the edge of the strip and wait till just before daylight to head up the hollow so hopefullY I wouldn't spook everything out with my flash light. Well I sat down at the base of a tree and was warm and toasty and had just nodded off when ..."POW...POW...pop..pop..Splash!" WHAT THE H*** was that is the thought I was awakened too. Talk about your heart pounding out of your chest. I thought I had woke up in the middle of world war 3. I was checking for bullet holes in my camo. Well once my pulse rate dropped back below 200 and my head was able to think clearly I realized what had happened. Unknown to me I had sat down right between two ponds along this bench that apparently was home to some mean spirited beavers. They must have been watching me waiting for the right time and then they sprung their trap. When spooked they will slap their tails on the water making a cracking sound that sounds remarkably like gun fire at 30 feet in the pitch black moonless dark of night while you rest comfortably at the base of a tree. They musta had cell phones because they were on both sides of me "firing" back and forth. Needless to say I was good and awake after that for the rest of the days hunt. Don't let those buck teeth fool you, they are evil little creatures with a prankster side a mile wide.


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## Userx100 (Dec 25, 2008)

lmao. I had a wifes friend come up from lansing. This kid was the biggest city kid ive ever met. So we are sitting there talking and i asked him if he hunted or fished and he said no.... But if i did id use a knife to give them a fair chance...: at that point i said you mustnot have spent much time outdoors. To which he replied ive been mountain bikeing. I never laughed so hard id love to see him tangle with a squirrel!


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## straightshot101 (Nov 25, 2008)

not really scared until this happened.I was going to my stand and was earlier than what i normaly get there but went on anyway.I started up a big hill and when i looked up with my flashlight i didnt see anything.so i stoped to go ahead and get my outwear on because i was about 70 yards from the stand.so i got all my stuff back on(took about 5 mins)and looked up the hill and a big **** was looking right at me.its eyes was shining so bright.it then started hissing and scared the S#!* out of me.Then i went on to the stand.Later in the stand i started laughing at myself realizing how funny it realy was.


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## FLwombat (Dec 2, 2008)

Down in Florida I must I admit I get pretty nervous walking back, especially alone, it's not so much the dark, as the fact you hear and know there are hogs all around you. The sound of an angry snort in the dark sure isn't to comforting.ukey:


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## FLwombat (Dec 2, 2008)

highplains said:


> View attachment 513387
> 
> 
> This was taken in southern New Mexico. Makes you think twice while out and about.


This is probably one of the craziest game camera pic's I have EVER seen! You should have put it in the photo contest! Or send it to the Feds.haha.:mg:


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## sdpeb1 (Dec 4, 2005)

*indoor weasal hunt*

We had this weasal(ermine that time of year) getting into our house and making a mess in the kitchen. So I grabbed a 6 foot section of 4in pvc pipe and kept it the bedroom with plans of ambushing the little critter some night. A few nights latter I hear him scrurrying around in the kitchen. So I quietly get out of bed, grabbed my trusty pvc pipe and began my stalk. When I got to the kitchen I flipped the light on and brought the pvc into the el kabong position, and there was my prey, cornered on the floor. I remember having this little smile on my face as we stared at each other for a second, I took one more step to bring him into range of my trusty pipe. Then the little bugger stood up on his hind feet and showed me a set of fangs that looked like something out of a horror movie, he lets out a screach that must of mean F-you in weasle talk. Suddenly I'm fully aware of that I'm standing there buck naked with something that wants to attach itself to me, I don't know high they can jump but I know he can make it to my private parts easy. Well sure enough the little **** attacks, his little feet are having a little difficutly getting traction, thank God, because it gave just the time I needed to drop my weapon and high tail it out of there. He never did come back, probably the his first experience seeing a naked human scrared the heck out of him.


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## Userx100 (Dec 25, 2008)

ROFLAMO! :icon_1_lol:


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## logman72 (Apr 21, 2006)

a few years ago while hunting on public land during gun season...someone opened up with a fully automatic rifle a couple hundred yard away from we. sent me running behind the biggest tree i could find.


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## Theelkhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

sdpeb1 said:


> We had this weasal(ermine that time of year) getting into our house and making a mess in the kitchen. So I grabbed a 6 foot section of 4in pvc pipe and kept it the bedroom with plans of ambushing the little critter some night. A few nights latter I hear him scrurrying around in the kitchen. So I quietly get out of bed, grabbed my trusty pvc pipe and began my stalk. When I got to the kitchen I flipped the light on and brought the pvc into the el kabong position, and there was my prey, cornered on the floor. I remember having this little smile on my face as we stared at each other for a second, I took one more step to bring him into range of my trusty pipe. Then the little bugger stood up on his hind feet and showed me a set of fangs that looked like something out of a horror movie, he lets out a screach that must of mean F-you in weasle talk. Suddenly I'm fully aware of that I'm standing there buck naked with something that wants to attach itself to me, I don't know high they can jump but I know he can make it to my private parts easy. Well sure enough the little **** attacks, his little feet are having a little difficutly getting traction, thank God, because it gave just the time I needed to drop my weapon and high tail it out of there. He never did come back, probably the his first experience seeing a naked human scrared the heck out of him.


That was hillarious!

OK, I have been talking to more and more elk hunters that have been calling in cougars. They are just calling away and "BLAMMM" there is a big kittie giving them the "eat you eyes". It hasnt happened to me YET, But the thought it scares the crap out of me. If it ever does happen, I Had better make it back to camp before my hunting partners. The thought of what they would say about me cleaning the load from my skivies scares me even more.


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## bowhuntermitch (May 17, 2005)

MNBowhunter300 said:


> From this past season: Now that look back on it I see how stupid it really was to do but it was worth the laugh. My uncle that hunts with me is an Vietnam vet and the day b4 season I had this brilant idea, I rigged it up with some rope and those eyehole screws i ran the screws from tree to tree to get it right where it had to be. Then i fished the rope between all of them so I could get them in the right place. I had cut out in the shape of a human in some plywood painted it black and put that at the end of the rope coverd it up with some leaves then I hooked it up to the sheet of plywood and tryed it out. I yanked on the rope and whoof this thing comes flying up outta no where and im like yes this is perfect. Now mind you this is the day b4 opener rifle season so i had one shot at it to make it work. I reset everything up got it into mint condition and planned my idea furthermore. We hunt the same area and he has to walk by me so he can get to his stand down the trail and that morning I told him im gonna head out early to get my spot ready. So b4 i leave I get into my truck and grab my radio that has a cd in it of gunfire noises and off like a prom dress I head to the woods. About 30 mins later I am sitting there waiting and I hear crunch crunch crunch and im thinking to myself "oh boy here he comes" he gets down to within 20 yards of me shines my stand and sees im not there, im under it trying not to laugh. So he keeps walking and gets within about 5 feet of where the siloute is and I reach over hit the radio and at the same time i give that rope one hell of a pull. Now at this time it sounds like your sitting next to a full auto AK-47 and when that thing came up he hits the dirt falls back and starts running to who the hell knows where, meanwhile im still in the bushes about dieng of a heart attack from laughing so hard he hears me laughing at knows at this point it was a joke. He comes walking back from outta the woods and looks at me and says " if you ever do that to me again I will put one right between your eyes"
> we laughed about it afterwards and if you could have seen the look on his face when it happend it was priceless. This one will be talked about for years to come at our deer camp. Thats my story I thaught you guys might like it lol


Im sorry, thats just not right, i know some guys that have had serious problems with that... and they would have put on in between your eyes, just because of fight or flight....:thumbs_do


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## DUCKORBLEED (Dec 17, 2008)

*Will the sun ever come up?*

Well were to begin:mg: 2007 my first year bow hunting and first morning out the moon was partially lit so I left the flashlight and hurried to my spot. Halfway there the yotes air it out and all at once I'm surrounded by the whole gang. I can see the dark images just enough to hardly make them out, by this time I have an arrow out swinging it around like zorro and yelling "Get, Get, Get on outta here" Amazingly I lived through the morning ordeal and even got the chance to shoot a doe. Last year I cam unglued around the time Hoot owls were mating. I know they get vocal around this time but this owl was perched in a tree right in the hedgerow of the fence I was crawling under. So mid crawl He lets out his best cackle-screech and I immediately convulse and get hung in the barbed wire all the while the owl flying tree to tree and fake dive bombing me. I eventually got out and seated and the owl never left giving me an unwanted concert all morning.


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## Double Lung 'Em (Dec 19, 2002)

i've been on the other side of the story where i scared the crap out the animal.

this past fall i got out to my stand fairly early and had settled in waiting for 1st light and it gets to that point in the morning where you can see but can't see and all of a sudden i hear the telltale sound of a deer coming through the woods and it gets closer and closer and all of a sudden out pops this deer about 15 feet from my stand. i think i can make out horns so i go to bring my binos up (they are on the crooked horn strap) and i catch my backtension by the thumbpost (i'm wearing a waterfowl sweater with the horizontal zipper) and it hits the base of my treestand. i think i heard the deer soil himself and he hit every cornstalk for about 500yds. i was pissed at the time but it was funny later on.


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## illbowhunter (Mar 18, 2005)

Have heard several things that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end but never saw anything....yet.

I did find out the other day that the woods I have hunted since a little boy is HAUNTED. :mg: It is listed on several national haunted places websites as being haunted. They claim people have seen strange lights, shadows when no one is there and other strange happenings. Not sure who those people are? 


Now I will be looking and waiting for the spooks to show.


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## ruffme (Aug 4, 2005)

Not spooky or Freaky but funny..
1. Stopped in for coffee and rolls at the Cenex in Wilton ND at 4am pheasant hunting. Fill up the thermos and grab a pack of rolls to eat. A "priest" complete with collar says, "don't waste your money, take the rest of mine! I wont finish them." and he gets up and leaves. Ok cool. So I pay for the coffee and head for the door. The lady goes "hey you gotta pay for the rolls!" I say, Padre gave me his! She laughs and goes, he does that to every body!
***!!!!! 

2. Spring goose hunting. Nice warm day. Pull up for gas, station door propped open for some spring air. Lab jumps out of the window and runs in and grabs about six hot dogs off the rollers and wolfs them down before anybody can get out of the truck. The lady comes flying out of the station beating the dog with a broom!


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## Ringtail (Jul 18, 2007)

Bigfoot took my bike...then had the audacity to pull a U turn and pose for a pic...


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## bsnelling1 (Jul 16, 2006)

sdpeb1 said:


> We had this weasal(ermine that time of year) getting into our house and making a mess in the kitchen. So I grabbed a 6 foot section of 4in pvc pipe and kept it the bedroom with plans of ambushing the little critter some night. A few nights latter I hear him scrurrying around in the kitchen. So I quietly get out of bed, grabbed my trusty pvc pipe and began my stalk. When I got to the kitchen I flipped the light on and brought the pvc into the el kabong position, and there was my prey, cornered on the floor. I remember having this little smile on my face as we stared at each other for a second, I took one more step to bring him into range of my trusty pipe. Then the little bugger stood up on his hind feet and showed me a set of fangs that looked like something out of a horror movie, he lets out a screach that must of mean F-you in weasle talk. Suddenly I'm fully aware of that I'm standing there buck naked with something that wants to attach itself to me, I don't know high they can jump but I know he can make it to my private parts easy. Well sure enough the little **** attacks, his little feet are having a little difficutly getting traction, thank God, because it gave just the time I needed to drop my weapon and high tail it out of there. He never did come back, probably the his first experience seeing a naked human scrared the heck out of him.


Ha, HA, HA!! That was great. Bested by a weasel, priceless.


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## QuickReflex (Jul 28, 2008)

Theelkhunter said:


> That was hillarious!
> 
> OK, I have been talking to more and more elk hunters that have been calling in cougars. They are just calling away and "BLAMMM" there is a big kittie giving them the "eat you eyes". It hasnt happened to me YET, But the thought it scares the crap out of me. If it ever does happen, I Had better make it back to camp before my hunting partners. The thought of what they would say about me cleaning the load from my skivies scares me even more.


Had the same happen while turkey hunting was calling had a bird coming heard something to my right looked to see a panther swishing his tail. that hunt was over quick ,I jumped up gun drawn he/she I didnt care at that pont It done a quickspining backflip & was gone. I never heard it coming in that was freaky. last year had one back track me & a buddy after we had carried out our birds I was carrying both birds as we doubled that day , he was toting the guns as we walked I would sometimes drag the heads a little as they were large birds. in the midst of our hunt my buddy droped his phone we get back to the truck when he relizes this so we drive back to where we shot the birds as were looking for the phone I catch movement look up & standing 40 yds away is a large male panther. That will get your heart rate going.


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## Sterling (Feb 14, 2004)

I am afraid of the dark in the A.M. but not so much in the P.M. What scares me the most is the thought of having someone unexpected in my stand when I arrive or a rodent like a **** in the tree with me. Givin myself goose bumps...


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## Chancy B (Jan 3, 2007)

*Ttt*

Best thread ever.


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## Red Fletch (Apr 25, 2008)

One of the funnier things for me was last year I was sitting in a tree with my girlfried early season. Just at dusk a bat scurried up the tree right next to her and took off from a little abouve us. I was laughing cause she wasn't very thrilled about it. Still funny thinkeg of her trying to get out of the way with nowhere to go but off the front of the stand.....:wink:


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## Mueller (Oct 5, 2008)

*Bobcat, Bear or Pig?*

Was walking out of the woods after dark in VA one time and something came crashing out of a tree. Started screaming and coming at me, needless to say I was a little scared. Kept getting louder and making all kinds of noise. After I decided I had played around enough I shot my gun into the ground in front of me and whatever it was ran off the other direction. Couple of nights after that I was walking out at dusk and this weird thing came out of the woods and scurried across the path. Still have no clue what this thing was, probably a bear cub or something. I guess I am a wimp. Ha. Still get scared sometimes though walking out there in the dark. Too many scary movies as a kid I guess.


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## Gary K (Nov 28, 2008)

*Terrifying sight...wish I could forget it...*

The scariest thing I've ever seen was while deer and pig hunting on public land in Florida. 

Just after I left the trailhead to work my way back for an evening hunt I saw some movement in a dense palmetto grove a little over 50 yards off. Figured it had to be rooting pigs. Watched for a little while but couldn't get more than a glimpse or two of movement and a couple rustles of some bush limbs, and it didn't seem to be moving any direction, so I circled downwind and to an approach route that I could slink through quietly. If I worked it right I'd emerge about 20 yards from the pigs. I planned my route well, and was able to see the cause of the movement from about 15 yards. There was scattered clothing, a pack, a bow, and an emaciated 30-ish man being straddled by a huge woman, both buck nekked, enjoying their time together so to speak. I guess they were out hunting and got bored. I quietly retreated and let them commune with nature. Truly a sight I wish I could erase from memory. ukey:


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## pin cushion (Jan 1, 2007)

ILLbucknut said:


> Well opening day morning I had the crap scared out of me. Another member from A/T got to our deer stands about 1hr before sunrise on opening day. I had settled into my stand and was watching a bean field to my left when all of a sudden I felt something sharp grab my leg. I could feel the wieght of it on my leg and was scared to look, it felt like a hand with sharp claws. I automatically thought "BIGFOOT"......NO ****!
> When I turned to look, it was a giant owl that had landed on my knee. This owl was atleast 10lbs and 20"-24" tall, we came eye too eye for a few seconds before he flew off.
> I have had birds land next to me and squirels run across my legs, but nothing like this. The wierd thing is I did'nt even hear the owl coming....I sure heard it take off as it hit a few limbs and stuff though.



Same thing with me except I sorta saw it out of the corner of my eye and moved my head to see what it was and it flared off. Flew silent and was huge.


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## irkr (Feb 7, 2007)

Gary K said:


> The scariest thing I've ever seen was while deer and pig hunting on public land in Florida.
> 
> Just after I left the trailhead to work my way back for an evening hunt I saw some movement in a dense palmetto grove a little over 50 yards off. Figured it had to be rooting pigs. Watched for a little while but couldn't get more than a glimpse or two of movement and a couple rustles of some bush limbs, and it didn't seem to be moving any direction, so I circled downwind and to an approach route that I could slink through quietly. If I worked it right I'd emerge about 20 yards from the pigs. I planned my route well, and was able to see the cause of the movement from about 15 yards. There was scattered clothing, a pack, a bow, and an emaciated 30-ish man being straddled by a huge woman, both buck nekked, enjoying their time together so to speak. I guess they were out hunting and got bored. I quietly retreated and let them commune with nature. Truly a sight I wish I could erase from memory. ukey:


Thanks buddy, glad you didn't interrupt me, but I wish you would have stuck around to help me find my other sock...
irkr


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## storminN (Apr 7, 2007)

Not sure I can top that last one.

Spookiest thing that happened to me was last year Elk hunting. By myself, 5 miles into a wilderness area, 5am, just got coffee going when something moves just outside of my headlight in the dark. I fall of the log, sit back up, and watch the porkupine waddle over and climb a tree outside my camp.


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## Gary K (Nov 28, 2008)

irkr said:


> Thanks buddy, glad you didn't interrupt me, but I wish you would have stuck around to help me find my other sock...
> irkr


I applied the man-rules scooter theory and let you save face... real men may enjoy riding scooters, just get really embarrased if caught with one. Matthews shooters know what that's like.  hee hee...

Sorry to hear about the sock, but that shoulda been pretty low on your list of issues.


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## chasnfreaknasty (Jan 6, 2008)

Buck N Rut said:


> Haha... a guy I work with runs to his stand because he thinks he's gonna be attacked. By what exactly I'm not sure. He told me a story about how he was charged by a small doe and at the last second she veered off because he stood up from his ground blind and yelled!!! I think someday I'll go sit by his stand and wait for him to come running through the woods so I can videotape it.


When you do you need to post it. That would be hilarious!


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## jschulz70 (Dec 22, 2008)

When I was 17, I was bow hunting in mid october. I was leaving my stand that was about 3/4 of a mile into the woods. I had to wait about 35 after dark before I got out of my stand because I had several deer still under me & I didn't want to spook them. So finally I got down & headed for the truck. I didn't have a light with me because I could follow an old logging road in & out of the woods just fine by moon light. Well, about 100 yards from my stand, I here something walking about 30 yards beside me. I assumed it was one of the deer I'd seen. Then I heard something walking on the other side of me. Then I heard a whole bunch of somethings on both sides of me. When I stopped, they stopped. Then they decided to start talking back & forth to each other. Turned out to be a whole pack of coyotes, at least 5or6 that I could tell. Armed with only a bow & skinning knife, I began walking faster & faster with the hair on the back of my neck standing straight up. Finally about 3/4 of the way to the truck, I'd had enough so I decided to charge one of the groups on my right side, so I let out my most intemidating war cry and charged the group. Luckily for me they all scattered and took off like crazy. You won't see me out ever again without a light and something that makes alot of noise, preferably my 44mag.


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## WhiteTail74 (Jul 3, 2004)

ArraFlinger said:


> When your walken out of the timber in the dark and you start hearen coyotes yappen and it sounds like thier right behide you....that makes the hair stand up on the neck!..


I fully agree with ya on that


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## Cornraker (Jul 22, 2008)

jimposten said:


> I am man enough to admit IT.when I am leaving the woods by myself after dark, I am awful relieved when I step out of the woods into a wide open field.
> 
> Its the fear of the unknown.


couldnt have said it better myself. its the unknown that puts you on end. ill admit i am a chicken **** when its comes to being in the pitch black alone. especially when its damp and rainy its just unnerving sometimes


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## randydb (Jan 25, 2006)

*one of my favorites*

A guy on here a while back told about walking out and hearing something following him about 20 - 30 yards behind. Would stop when he stopped, start when he started. I think he eventually got so rattled he was running through the woods with it hot on his heals. When he got to his truck it turned out he had forgotten to wrap up hist rope that he used to get his bow into the stand and it was dragging behind him!

I really liked his story!!!!!
randydb


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## bengalbrother (Dec 17, 2007)

*heck yes man*



IshootDoes said:


> Ok, I know all you guys are are big tough hunters, but lets here some personal experiences from the woods. Who's afraid of the dark?.......I AM!!! Who walks as fast as they can to their treestand in the morning? .........I DO!! Don't be bashful.:darkbeer:


I know it is the same as it is durning the the day, but even with my 5 led green light, i do the treestandle scramble in the morning, tie on, pshoo up the tree i go weenie, but i ll never giveup huning unlessits nazi vietnamese invade americe, but lets hope it dont happen


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## bengalbrother (Dec 17, 2007)

*indeed sir*



macweas said:


> Hey ,the cemetary was a killer spot.Tons of clover almost like a food plot.Just scary as he11 .


I have hunted above an old family plot of my buddies. lots of deer.


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## jflars (Sep 4, 2006)

The woods are safe in the dark or otherwise. I grew up in a big city, It's the people that scare me.


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## BTBH (May 4, 2008)

Live4Rut said:


> That picture is exactly what I came upon last year in one of my favorite hunting locations. It included a small barrel full of incense, a fresh deer head with turkey feathers inlodged in the nose, a voodoo doll hanging from a stick, fire pit, various carvings and wooden structures, candles, blankets, and some vile substances in bottle scattered around the site. After that I chose not to hunt in that location anymore.


I bumped into a bunch of devil worshipers hiking one morning. The had tents and such set up in a field, animal skeletons and other wierd crap all over the place. Only one of them saw me. I drew a pistol, didn't point it at him or anything, and nodded my head and walked away. It was kind of sketchy. Also been almost 50 miles from the nearest town, and probably 15 miles from the nearest road and heard someone laughing just before dark. Been fishing on a pond in the middle of nowhere northern maine, and shared a pond with ghosts. That is no joke, swear on my life. I got told by some oldtimers later that night that there is a ghost that never misses a green drake hatch on little enchanted.


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## turkinator (Feb 1, 2009)

IshootDoes said:


> Ok, I know all you guys are are big tough hunters, but lets here some personal experiences from the woods. Who's afraid of the dark?.......I AM!!! Who walks as fast as they can to their treestand in the morning? .........I DO!! Don't be bashful.:darkbeer:


............and then when you get up in the stand, you feel untouchable! Im not gonna admit i get spooked, Ill just leave you to wonder how I knew this!:mg:


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## Hoyt Havoc (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm always worried going into state land in the morning. Not of the critters but of other hunters. My 1st deer hunting trip my uncle caught a 30:06 through his right bicep, into th stock of his '03 Springfield. Luckily it hit square on the steel bar in the stock or it would've gone into his chest. It nearly killed him anyways. I'll never forget what looked like a gallon of congelled blood, his blood, on the floor of the back seat of the car they rushed him to the hospital in. He had a lot of permenent damage to his arm and hand after that. He was heading into the woods about 1/2 hour before shooting and a 12 yr old was holding a flashlight while his 16 yr old brother had an '06. He said he thought he saw a 10 pointer. He actually shot twice but only hit with the 1st. 

I had yotes around me twice at night and once in the morning making me uneasy.

Another time I was walking out while bowhunting. I had no light and I had a mile or so to walk. There was some cloud cover so it was hard to even see through the tree tops to keep me on the logging road. I came to where the road Y'ed into another road. In the Y was about a 50 square foot clump of trees with heavy woods everywhere else. I heard something crunching in the clump of trees. (back in these days we used to soak a few stripes of doe scent right on our pants and jackets) Whatever it was walked out right in front of me and I couldn't hear anything when it got onto the road. I was walking slow and whistled. It ran into the woods a few steps and stopped. At the time I noticed there were 5 or 6 others all aroung me that did the same thing, run a few steps and then stop. Man the the hairs on my neck rise up! I yelled..."GET OUTTA HERE!!! Then a chorus of deer snorts sang out. They all just jumped around snorting at me...not running away! So I made my best attempt to charge at the closest on but I could'nt see my hand in front of my face. I didn't get in but 3 or 4 steps before they finally bolted out of there. It was the peek of rut and those deer wern't backing down. 

4 years ago on opening morning of gun deer I found my stand a good half hour before light. I heard the nieghbor head out on his 4 wheeler and he kicked something up that ran straight at me in the dark. It stopped what sounded like 50 yds away. I could tell it was a big animal but it didn't sound like a deer. I thought bear right away. Then it started bawling and it went on for a solid 2 minutes. When it stopped it started coming towards me. When it got to about 20 yds away I could see a black ball moving around. I was just sitting on the ground so I got up and waved at it to let it know I was there. I had my .308 at the ready but it choose to react wisely and walked off the way he came.


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## itsashooter (Feb 20, 2004)

*Great thread*

Lots of funny stories, back up for others to read


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## TNbowslayer (Aug 29, 2006)

Living in Tennessee I dont really have to worry about too many things eating me. (Except our monster bucks and overpopulation of grizzly bears, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and various other things I think I hear in the mornings.)


I've had a few run-ins with coyotes but they don't bother me. They're just out doing the same thing I am.


I hope to God I never run into any ghosts or witches or devil worshippers or whatever. Mainly because I would not be held responsible for my actions. (slinging a 100 grain grim reaper dipped in holy water through their faces)


Pot farms and meth labs are a definate possibilty however. And that scares me. The day I turn 21 is the day I get a conceal carry permit. At least I will feel safer.


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## turkinator (Feb 1, 2009)

Buck N Rut said:


> Haha... a guy I work with runs to his stand because he thinks he's gonna be attacked. By what exactly I'm not sure. He told me a story about how he was charged by a small doe and at the last second she veered off because he stood up from his ground blind and yelled!!! I think someday I'll go sit by his stand and wait for him to come running through the woods so I can videotape it.


----I had to wake the wife to show her this one!! You should be ashamed! But is you do, PM me for my address! I want a copy of the tape!!!!!


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## King Country (Nov 7, 2008)

Nothing to do with the night, but this would have made me fill my pants, and shoes!


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## General-08 (Feb 2, 2009)

Two seasons ago, I was talked into going early shot gun with a friend of mine. I set her in a stand and told her to wait there until I got back. Just after dark as i apporched her stand, I heard, what I assumed was a bear growl. Scared the crap out of her and spooked me a little. Next day we proceed to tell the other hunter about it. They tried to convince us that it was a "cow". Well, regular shot gun rolls around, we are making a drive in this little patch of woods. I'm walking the 4 wheeler trail along the fence line and come up on this bear in a crab apple tree, he sees me, jumps right out of the tree, didn't climb down, JUMPPED right from where he was and takes off running right in the direction of her and my buddy. I yell to them, bear coming, I hear "Yep, but we don't see it". I head in there direction, figuring it scooted up a tree. I'm scanning the trees for this bear, as I walk past the huge oak, about 4' in diameter, looking up in it. As I come past the tree, I realize I'm looking a bear eye to eye, at eye level at a distance of a good 5'. I almost did a back flip on the spot. He wasn't a big bear, standing on his hind feet like he was, we were about the same height (I'm 5'10"). Need less to say, I am now a tad bit nervous about running into bears.


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## TNbowslayer (Aug 29, 2006)

King Country said:


> Nothing to do with the night, but this would have made me fill my pants, and shoes!




Reminds me of the time I took on a velociraptor armed with nothing but my Jack Bauer counter terrorist skills and a swiss amry knife toothpick...



That could have been bad. I dont know whats worse, the pissed off lion or the bullets flying everywhere. :wink:


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## King Country (Nov 7, 2008)

TNbowslayer said:


> That could have been bad. I dont know whats worse, the pissed off lion or the bullets flying everywhere. :wink:


I think the lion was a helluva lot safer to be around!


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## turkinator (Feb 1, 2009)

sdpeb1 said:


> We had this weasal(ermine that time of year) getting into our house and making a mess in the kitchen. So I grabbed a 6 foot section of 4in pvc pipe and kept it the bedroom with plans of ambushing the little critter some night. A few nights latter I hear him scrurrying around in the kitchen. So I quietly get out of bed, grabbed my trusty pvc pipe and began my stalk. When I got to the kitchen I flipped the light on and brought the pvc into the el kabong position, and there was my prey, cornered on the floor. I remember having this little smile on my face as we stared at each other for a second, I took one more step to bring him into range of my trusty pipe. Then the little bugger stood up on his hind feet and showed me a set of fangs that looked like something out of a horror movie, he lets out a screach that must of mean F-you in weasle talk. Suddenly I'm fully aware of that I'm standing there buck naked with something that wants to attach itself to me, I don't know high they can jump but I know he can make it to my private parts easy. Well sure enough the little **** attacks, his little feet are having a little difficutly getting traction, thank God, because it gave just the time I needed to drop my weapon and high tail it out of there. He never did come back, probably the his first experience seeing a naked human scrared the heck out of him.



Definitly 1ST Place so far, but about 300 to go!!!


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## turkinator (Feb 1, 2009)

Folks, its 3:26 am and i am the only user on here now. I swear I am ready to take my laptop in the backyard and build a campfire to sit around! This is cracking me up!!!


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## blasterak (Aug 21, 2008)

I was out hunting rabbits this past year outside of town. I was out there for awhile, didn't see any rabbits, so on my way back to my truck, mind you i was hunting near a rail road track, I start hearing these voices. It stopped me dead in my track, I knew there shouldn't be anyone else out there! The parking lot was empty, no other tracks, so I keep hearing this voice, it sounded like it was coming from a radio. next I thought maybe it was a game warden? So I start looking around while standing still, I looked up in the trees(I dont know why, maybe the game warden was up in a treestand looking for outlaws lol..), I was getting kinda paranoid, than I finally figure it out. It was a rail car on the rail road, they were doing some repairs! I swear i heard it a lot closer but sure enough it was the rail road. Scared the crap out of me for a while, thought someone was stalking me!


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## Gary K (Nov 28, 2008)

ttt

:happy1:


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## skipper26 (Feb 28, 2008)

in the 60's, i spent 2 years of my life in the jungle where there really were things in the dark actually trying to kill you. not to mention the booby traps. I ain't scared to walk in the woods or swamps at home now. Of course I live in the south where there are no bears or cougars, but we got some mighty big boars. They ain't trying to get you though. you'd just have to get right up on them and thats all there is to be careful of.


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## woodshed (Jul 23, 2007)

I go quickly out of the woods after evening hunts. I'm scared of my wife everytime I come home late!! :set1_punch:


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## Gary K (Nov 28, 2008)

woodshed said:


> I go quickly out of the woods after evening hunts. I'm scared of my wife everytime I come home late!! :set1_punch:


Glad I'm not the only one! :chicken01:


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## vtec1 (Aug 11, 2008)

Quite a few years back I was hunting on my family farm i northeast PA on the edge of a field. I was actually sitting in some brush with my bow on the edge of the field ready to pop up slowly and take a doe not more than 20 yards away. It was early season so I had a good feeding pattern on them as I got in there early. I knew I would be able to take the doe when all of the sudden I hear a blower like sound over the tree top behind me. This goes on for a few minutes getting closer all the while. Finally the deer spook and high tail it for the woods and here comes a hot air ballon over the tree tops. The balloon actually lands in our field and it turns out I actually know the guy, (local remax real estate agent with a remax ballon). After telling him he blew my hunt (literally, no pun)he proceeds to give me a ride up for a bit to another field of ours 1/2 mile away, pretty neat experience but never got the deer.


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## briwayjones (Jan 7, 2009)

huntaholic said:


> We were dove hunting this weekend and talking about this exact same thing!!
> 
> I've got to take some of these stories back to the guys!!!
> 
> ...


I don't live too far from Burkittsville. You guys want a tour?


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## goodoldgus (Nov 14, 2007)

I was sitting in a stand that was right on the property/fence line. So my back was to the neighbor's property. Before sun rise, I heard something walking through the woods behind me, but I just figured it was something moving before first light. About 20 minutes later the sun was just starting to come up and some turkeys got down from the roost and landed in the neighbor's field. I saw them, but was concentrating on deer hunting. Out of no where, a shotgun blast went of no farther than 15 yards behind me. Come to find out, the neighbor snuck into his turkey blind behind me and took out one of the turkeys. Scared the living crap out of me.


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## 0260b4u (Nov 17, 2008)

*never was scared, now i am, call me a sissy*

3 years ago walking in early one morning on some family land that we never really hunted, as had a little better lease that was a little bigger.. I had a long walk down into a big holler that leads into soybean and corn fields. I heard a loud screech, i thought about all it could be while remaining quiet and still. Another loud screech, then hear it coming. Before i could even get my bow drawn i turned to see something runnig at me and hit me right in the leg. what the &*##, pain instantly ran through my body. A hog had gored me, we didnt even know there were hogs in this place. Now, after some stitches a good story, and fresh pair of pants i return all the time for some bacon, and revenge.


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## Chihua33 (Feb 17, 2009)

*My own dumb fault*

After a night a hunting, and some disappointment of a nice buck not coming int o range, I got down out of my stand and went back towards the fourwheeler. When I got to it, I loosened up the straps from my safety harness that were around my legs, and because I was still mad about the buck not coming in, I forgot to stuff them in so they wouldn't flap around. So I proceed to leave on the four wheeler when I realize that it's kind of a creepy night out, when all of a sudden it feels like something jump out of the trees and was hanging onto my shoulders! when I go faster it gets worse, so I stop.....only to realize the leg straps had gone under the back wheels of the four wheeler, and they were tightening the vest down on me  Needless to say I never forget to put the straps away anymore!


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## bigracklover (Feb 1, 2008)

I was huntin down in an area that has alot of bears, big cats and Sasquatchs (just ask the locals). The place is very rugged and there aren't any houses for miles and miles so I'm always a little leary about getting stranded out there. 

One evening last fall about 45 minutes before dark I heard a THUMP - THUMP. Way to loud to be a deer, but it didn't bother me much until I heard the same sounds two more times. The sound was coming between me and my 4 wheeler. I got down out of the tree at dark and started stacking my LW sticks together when my darn flashlight went out . That's when I got a little worried. I said hell with stacking the sticks, just grabbed what I could and started walking. When I finally made it to the 4 wheeler, I was shaking so bad I was barely able to turn the key. I put that dude in high gear and cut a trail toward camp. Don't know to this day what made those sounds and really don't want to :embara:


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## Bowbuster (Dec 9, 2004)

Back when i hunted in North West WI, I had a spot that was real close to a very old private cemetery. I never gave it much thought walking through those woods in the morning and evening in compete darkness. There were timber wolfs and black bears in the area and I never gave it much thought, that all changed one afternoon.
While walking to my stand one cool and cloudy afternoon, I thought I seen some movement by my stand as I approached, I went into stealth mode as it was very easy to walk through the pine forest quietly.. I seen a flash of grey moving away from my stand and thought it was a timber wolf, I have encountered them as well as yotes in the area and it was no big surprise..

My API climber was already hung on the tree, so up I went as quietly as possible.. Settling in for my long wait the temps started to drop and a very light rain, almost mist started to fall... I sat there trying to wonder why it was getting so cold, there wasn't any mention of this in the forecast.. I surely wasn't dressed for this and was starting to get chilled to the bone.
A light fog started to lift from the warm damp pine needles as the temps went lower and that's when it all went FUBAR for me!
I looked over towards the hard woods that butted up to the pine growth I was in, the little cemetery that i mentioned earlier was right where the two met. It was a transition area that always produced good deer for me and one I miss hunting, but will never return there again..
From my perch I could see just a little bit of the cemetery, a few head stones through the overgrowth of wild grasses. While looking out toward the headstones I seen movement again, it was moving out of the hardwoods out into the grave yard... IT WAS A MAN!!!!!!! 
The property he came out of is miles from any farm houses and is property we had exclusive rights to hunt, nobody was suppose to be there!
I watched this person come into view and out of view, but never really got a good look at him. While trying to figure out who he was and why he came out of our woods to enter the cemetery i seen more movement from where he had come out at.. This time it was 5 deer, two mamma's and two little ones.. They continued walking on the edge of the grave yard toward the guy who was still standing there, I readied my bow as i figured that he would spook the deer to me once they seen him. This is when it happened and is something i don't talk about much about and will remember the rest of my days on this earth.
The man started to walk from the grave yard towards my side of the woods and the deer didn't even look his way! I'm still trying to figure out who this is and what he is doing there and now I am wondering why the deer don't see him!
What happens next most if not all don't believe and that's why i don't talk about it, but i was there and know what i saw..
He continues walking to my woods and passes between two of the deer with out so much as a look from any of them, this scared me bad!
The hair on my neck was standing straight up and I could feel my heart ready to beat out of my chest, the man continues into the woods on a path that will take him 15 yards from my tree. As he gets closer I realize something isn't right about him at all, he is dressed in a dark grey suit with white hair.. I can see him plain as this day moving toward my location but not hearing him nor seeing his feet moving.
With my bow still in my hand and the deer still is sight, I give him a big "Hey" which stops him in his tracks.. I proceed to ask him why he is trespassing and what he was doing there. His head slowly rises and my heart sank, the face of this thing was not of this world!!!!!! I am getting the chills I had at that very moment as I type this, the eyes is what sticks in my memory the most. They were Black as coal and looked right through you, it scared me to the point of panic..
I seen movement over by where the deer were at and it was them taking off, It took my attention off this person for no more then a second or two..
When i looked back at the person standing down on the path, it was gone and i mean gone gone... There is no way that anyone could have got out of my sight in such a short time, it vanished!!!!!!!:mg:
Trying to collect myself was near impossible, I was 20+ feet up a pine tree and didn't want to be there anymore. I started grabbing all my stuff as fast as i could and the whole time I kept looking all around for this thing. I lowered my gear down and made it down the tree in record time. I left my treestand as well as a couple hooks and to this day have never gone back for them..
My ordeal was not over, I still had a very long walk down a fire lane that i used to access the area. It was still a good hour before sunset so I could see fine, I walked at a very fast pace to put some distance between me and my stand..
I kept looking over my shoulder as I walked, I was nervous like never before. I kept talking to God as I walked out of those woods asking for guidance and safe passage.. I dropped something out of my pack and had to stop to pick it up and did something i regret to this day, I looked back!
There standing in the fire lane 75 yards from me was the man in the grey suit, with the light fog behind him!!!! I am man enough to say I screamed at this very moment, Like a little school girl to be more precise.. I turned and ran, i ran faster then the great Forest Gump, never looking back.. I kept asking God to help me, more like screaming it... I ran and ran till I couldn't run anymore, 100 yards from the road and my truck, i had to stop to catch my breath. i kept moving but it slowed to a walk.
I noticed that the temps wernt cold anymore, in fact they were as warm as they were when I left the truck and i was sweating and shaking like a dog pooping razor blades.. I kept on to my truck talking to God the whole time, I was shaking very badly and just a mess. When I got to my truck there was a note on the windshield, it was wrote on a very old looking piece of paper and all crinkly... My heart sank as this didn't look normal to me either, it was very old looking.. I threw my stuff in the truck and took off down the road to where my buddy was hunting, I pulled in behind his truck and started blowing my horn.. It took him a good 20 minutes to come out and he was shaking up himself and after I told him all that had happened, he fessed up to having a similar experience in those woods I hunted and believed every word i told him.. He knows me and knows that I ain't afraid of anything out in them woods, well that was till this happened anyway....
I finally took the note from my windshield and read what was one it. 
Now if you are a person who has light skin and is bothered by the super natural, you might not want to read this.. It is very scary but is also very true, I wont post this here as i don't want to scare any of the kids that might be reading this. Click on the link and it will take you to my page and i will post in on my message board. http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/member.php?u=17622
Thanks for reading!:wink:


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## deerhunter97 (Jun 29, 2007)

You S.O.B. hahaha, I got chills reading your story! Stephen King himself couldnt have done better! Thanks for the 3 minutes of fright! :darkbeer:





Bowbuster said:


> Back when i hunted in North West WI, I had a spot that was real close to a very old private cemetery. I never gave it much thought walking through those woods in the morning and evening in compete darkness. There were timber wolfs and black bears in the area and I never gave it much thought, that all changed one afternoon.
> While walking to my stand one cool and cloudy afternoon, I thought I seen some movement by my stand as I approached, I went into stealth mode as it was very easy to walk through the pine forest quietly.. I seen a flash of grey moving away from my stand and thought it was a timber wolf, I have encountered them as well as yotes in the area and it was no big surprise..
> 
> My API climber was already hung on the tree, so up I went as quietly as possible.. Settling in for my long wait the temps started to drop and a very light rain, almost mist started to fall... I sat there trying to wonder why it was getting so cold, there wasn't any mention of this in the forecast.. I surely wasn't dressed for this and was starting to get chilled to the bone.
> ...


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## Buckem (Jul 13, 2007)

*SOB x2*

That was an awesome story...had me going,goosebumps and all!:rip::moviecorn


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## shootnmiss (Jan 14, 2006)

that was a good story bowbuster.


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## Bowbuster (Dec 9, 2004)

deerhunter97 said:


> You S.O.B. hahaha, I got chills reading your story! Stephen King himself couldnt have done better! Thanks for the 3 minutes of fright! :darkbeer:





Buckem said:


> That was an awesome story...had me going,goosebumps and all!:rip::moviecorn





shootnmiss said:


> that was a good story bowbuster.


Thanks all, just felt like writing..........:thumb::darkbeer:


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## Buckem (Jul 13, 2007)

*Morning walk*

Walking to my stand on an early morning hunt two years ago scared the bejesus out of me. I park my truck in an apple orchard and can walk in between the rows of trees virtually undetected which leads to the woods I hunt. The apple trees are on a hillside with an open alfalfa/grass field on the top and the same below which has a retaining pond. 
After throwing on my backpack and grabbing my bow I started walking between the trees. It was a beautiful cool morning in the low 30's with a light breeze in my face,also still very dark. A flashlight isn't needed cause the trees guide me directly to where I need to go. About 75 yards from my truck I thought I heard something so my nerves just started to get heightened but I continued to walk slowly. All of a sudden about 5 yards in front of me two pigs let out a squeal like hogs do when fighting over food. I literally froze and started fumbling for my flashlight, zippers do NOT open when you're scared sh!!less. Then one of the hogs let out a woof and they took of one direction and I up the hill to the open field flashlight still in said pocket.
Hogs in WI is a new thing and I'm still getting used to them, I've had three other encounters with hogs after dark and walking since this incident. They usually let out a woof and go crashing thru the corn our woods. Still almost leaves me with stains in my shorts.:fear:


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## G20 (Jan 31, 2008)

That note is hilarious...LOL


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## the-ghost (Sep 11, 2004)

briwayjones said:


> I don't live too far from Burkittsville. You guys want a tour?


looks like great whitetail hunting in that area, so yeah i do!:wink:


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## Gary K (Nov 28, 2008)

Bowbuster said:


> ....I finally took the note from my windshield and read what was one it.
> Now if you are a person who has light skin and is bothered by the super natural, you might not want to read this.. It is very scary but is also very true, I wont post this here as i don't want to scare any of the kids that might be reading this. Click on the link and it will take you to my page and i will post in on my message board. http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/member.php?u=17622
> Thanks for reading!:wink:


Dude, that IS scary... being told to get rid of a Hoyt... makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck!
:darkbeer:

Bravo, BTW!


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## hopper (Feb 5, 2005)

When we were about 16 or so we hunted a large tree nursery that was very spread out and had small but thick patches of woods and overgrowen pines ,we would sit in the holes where the trees were removed from and wait for pheasnts or fox to happen by ,at the time there were a lot in the area, one day after school 4 of us decided to go hunting and grabbed our bows and walked thru the fields to our favorite hunting spot. Once we got there everyone split up ,we would sit till dark ,the idea was to try to shoot a pheasant on their way to roost,we all would meet on the road that ran in front of the tree nursery under an old street lite after dark, Well dark came, 3 of us were there waiting for our last buddyafter about 10 min. he comes jogging/ running up to us, we ask what did you see? any shots? all he says , no, lets go, all this time with an arrow nocked and he started walking very quickly, we asked him what your hurry, ya gota crap ,he just said lets go,still with his arrow nocked ,now we are walking faster to catch up to him,asking him whats going on. We got back to his house and we go into his basement,he turns every lite in the basement,by now we can see he is really scared,we all quiz him ,what is the matter? He says ," I sat in the thick pines,I was by the road in the short grass ,ready to go under the barb wire fence ,when I heard a noise behind me in the thick underbrush so I waited,thinking it could be a fox or ****, I had my bow ready and a guy wearing a hooded monks outfit comes out of the pines to the edge of the thick underbrush and stops, I called out all your names, nobody, answered so I rolled under the fence grabbed my stuff,I looked back and the guy turned and slowly walked back into the pines ,I could never see his face, I got scared when I saw you guys under the old street lite ,realizing it was not you guys." I have never seen this guy this scared ,we went back to that area the next day,during the day to look for whatever,trying to figure out who was out there. My buddy is a good hunter and usally does well ,deer , ducks ect. but to this day he does not venture to far into the woods into unfamiliar territoy at least by himself ,this took place over 25 yrs ago When we get together talk about it he still gets chills down his spine


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## jschulz70 (Dec 22, 2008)

Turkey season last spring, I just got my popup blind set up & got all my gear situated and settled in for the days hunt. Then I here the farmer's dogs start carring on like crazy. All of the sudden I hear coyotes start yelping & howling about 150 yards away. Right where the dogs were barking. Then I hear multiple footsteps coming over the hill. It was probably 4 or 5, but it sounded like 50 in the dark. They stopped right outside my blind. I could hear them sniffing they were so close. Then one of them started yipping and growling. So I got out my 44 just in case. By this time it was still so dark in the blind I could'nt even make out the leaves on the ground. Then I thought to myself, what if they decide to come in here with me. About that time they ran over & one of them grabbed my inflatable hen decoy by the throat and popped it. well it made a semi loud popping noise and they all ran off. My decoy had about 6 holes in the throat of it in the shape of a U. At least it was a $10 decoy and not me.


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## 2arrow1 (Jan 29, 2008)

i have a buddy thats terrified of coyotes.if he has to walks across a bean field to the truck in the dark.i get at the field edge and bark n howl.you'll see a 275 LB man winsprint to the truck,sorry i can't help my self.:wink:


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## deerwoods (Mar 7, 2003)

ttt


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## arrow-n-bucks (Mar 22, 2007)

I hate walking in the dark. I always have my headlamp on but the red lense isnt bright enough in the mornings. Two years ago I had a cottontail scare the crap out of me. A set of eyes glowing in the dark is enough to make anyone stop dead in their tracks. My big scare last year was the worst however. My tree row backed a standing cornfield at the end of October. The night before I had been a good uncle and took my nephew and his friend to a haunted corn maze. Nothing to scary but roaming around in a cornfield in the dark while people try to scare you is not my idea of fun. Anyways, walking along the trail, still thinking of the night before and feeling a little creeped out, a doe blows louder than I have ever heard about ten yards behind me! As if this werent bad enough, as I instinctivley turn to see what the noise was a fawn busts out of the corn not ten feet in front of me! Talk about instant heart attack. I was shaken so bad I could barely pull my bow up after climbing into my stand!


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## Ronbo 316 (Feb 1, 2009)

I get a bit freaked out everytime I go into the woods when it's dark. I watch waaaaaay to many zombie / monster movies.......


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## Ringtail (Jul 18, 2007)




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## lucky strike (Feb 17, 2009)

Last year my stand was a little too close to a turkey roost. One of 'em got me on two different mornings, the second one just long enough after the first for me to forget about it. Damn they are loud birds when they get jumped. But what scared me the most is about an hour before sunrise I think I hear a deer moving, so i'm watching a bright moon spot about 20 yards in front of me, waiting and waiting, looking at the one spot, thinking i'm gonna see a deer, a coyote, some animal and then finally see it...its another hunter, kind of creeping along, trying to be quiet. Well I waited to see where he was going, and he turned around about 50 yards later and started coming back. So when he gets back in front of my stand I yell "hey", and of course he jumps a mile high. Definitely spooked me, as no one was supposed to be anywhere close to me. Guy wandered a half mile from where he was supposed to be, was his first time trying to find his stand in the dark and forgot his flashlight :no:


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## Spike Country (Jan 10, 2009)

*Ghost story*



Bowbuster said:


> Back when i hunted in North West WI, I had a spot that was real close to a very old private cemetery. I never gave it much thought walking through those woods in the morning and evening in compete darkness. There were timber wolfs and black bears in the area and I never gave it much thought, that all changed one afternoon.
> While walking to my stand one cool and cloudy afternoon, I thought I seen some movement by my stand as I approached, I went into stealth mode as it was very easy to walk through the pine forest quietly.. I seen a flash of grey moving away from my stand and thought it was a timber wolf, I have encountered them as well as yotes in the area and it was no big surprise..
> 
> My API climber was already hung on the tree, so up I went as quietly as possible.. Settling in for my long wait the temps started to drop and a very light rain, almost mist started to fall... I sat there trying to wonder why it was getting so cold, there wasn't any mention of this in the forecast.. I surely wasn't dressed for this and was starting to get chilled to the bone.
> ...


Dude you should be a writer. So it's about 12:40am i am reading your story i am at the part were you look back and see the man, my power goes out[getting rain snow mix even thunder in MI]. I put my lab top down grab a flashlight turn around and my wife who had been sleeping is standing there. I think i screamed like a girl, awesome story!! Love the ending.
__________


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## Buckem (Jul 13, 2007)

Spike Country said:


> Dude you should be a writer. So it's about 12:40am i am reading your story i am at the part were you look back and see the man, my power goes out[getting rain snow mix even thunder in MI]. I put my lab top down grab a flashlight turn around and my wife who had been sleeping is standing there. I think i screamed like a girl, awesome story!! Love the ending.
> __________


That's funny...been there myself. We had that same storm yesterday afternoon here in WI, thunder and all. Now it's just a cold icey mess.


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## elkman406 (Feb 22, 2008)

ttt


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## ahawk19 (Aug 16, 2007)

*quail*

Stepping on a covey of quail while walking in the dark will scare the mess out of ya. Its happened a couple of times to me and I always about have to check my britches to make sure I have'nt crapped myself lol.


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## M Kelly (Jul 18, 2007)

BowBuster, you have miss your true calling. That was an awesome story. What a cool idea for a Twilight Zone Clip.
Great Read:thumbs_up.
Mike


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## badgerhunter84 (Dec 17, 2005)

was walking back from hunting spot at dusk/ dark when an arrow wissed by my head and lodged in the ground. I knew it came from up in a tree but could not see anything. yelled and screamed but got no answer. waited 1/2 hr, niether heard nor saw anything. got out to the road, no other vehicles anywhere. still have the arrow, purple with a black cock feather. easton game getter/ aluminun.


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## Gary K (Nov 28, 2008)

badgerhunter84 said:


> was walking back from hunting spot at dusk/ dark when an arrow wissed by my head and lodged in the ground. ...


Just had a Monty Python moment... "message for you, sire!"

:darkbeer:


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## mdmountainman (Sep 8, 2008)

For me, it totally depends on where I am hunting and what lives there. Bears, especially brown ones but black ones too, and Mt. Lions spook me. I will admit it.

I had a buddy who was stalked by a Mt. Lion about 5 minutes before dark while hunting elk by himself in Montana. He never heard it. He just happened to turn around, to go back down the canyon to his struck, and saw it standing about 7 yards away twitching its tail and staring at him.

That kitty took his final breath that night. If the cat hadn't stopped when he turned around, my buddy would probably be dead right now. He had left his .44 in the truck and all he had was his bow. Talk about nerves of steel and target panic!

This happened TWO days before I met him out there for a 12 day hunt myself. You think I wasn't checking my six every 30 seconds or so, especially walking out in the dark?

Anyone NOT afraid or at least on edge and hyper-aware of your surroundings in Lion country is kidding themselves.


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## mdmountainman (Sep 8, 2008)

badgerhunter84 said:


> was walking back from hunting spot at dusk/ dark when an arrow wissed by my head and lodged in the ground. I knew it came from up in a tree but could not see anything. yelled and screamed but got no answer. waited 1/2 hr, niether heard nor saw anything. got out to the road, no other vehicles anywhere. still have the arrow, purple with a black cock feather. easton game getter/ aluminun.


I hope you were within cell phone range of the police. Back east we can make phone calls from the woods and you can be damned sure that whoever fired that arrow was going to have some explaining to do.


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## outpost22 (Mar 19, 2009)

Was tracking a wounded buck and it got dark. I noticed around the ends of the flashlight beam that the ground was moving :mg: .

After a little inspection, it wasn't the ground moving, but about 50 timber rattlers moving and I was in the middle of them. Effin WHAT! I got out of there right quick :eek2:

Talk about an escalated heart rate!


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## 1Badboy (Mar 18, 2009)

had alot of run ins with yotes ,they ve follow me a out a few times and chased me others. also had them eat my deer so all i see get shot night or day.
have had bears pop off at me (my own fault) but not at night
definatly feel un easy sometimes have hunted near cementarys not pleasant to say the least, and have had my shadow sneak up on me a few times but i think everyones nervous when it comes to the dark about something or rather
but wierd people do make me think twice, some of your stories are freaky and would have scared me *****less
we have some screwed up idiots around here (thats what drugs and inbreeding will do for ya)
couple years ago a couple towns over (where i used to hang out) some real screwed up kids broke into a crypt in the cementary and broke up some caskets and sawed off the head of one of the bodies and just made a helluva mess, well the cops got some tips to who it was and went to see the kid(s) and when they went to the house they caught the kid smokin out of a bong made from the stolen skull
amazes me sometimes how absolutely ****** some poeple can be but didn t have to do with huntin but thought i d give you guys something to think about in your treestands happy hunting
and good luck


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## FReAKZiLLA (Jan 28, 2009)

IshootDoes said:


> Ok, I have a couple, I've been laughing too much to post. I used to hunt in this field adjacent to our land that had an old abandoned house in the middle of the field. It was the creepiest house you ever saw, kinda like Physcho in the movies. Anyways I used to sit by an old bale of wire about 150 yards from the house, Right at primetime I saw somebody or something pull the curtains back from the upstairs bedroom and stare at me. I swear on my kids man. I ran so fast that my camo pants came undone and fell down which in turn had me face plant on a gravel road. Of course neither my brother or dad believe me, but I swear there are spooks around my land.



holy sh"t man I got a he11 of a chill when I read this!!!!haha I"d be running too!!!!


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## bowgramp59 (Apr 12, 2007)

we are getting more and more pictures on our trail cams and people seeing mountain lions here in north tex. just driving through here you wouldn't think that there would be any here. i get a little spooked going from my popup blind to my truck right at sundown. i wouldn't want one of those things jumping on my back. we also have lots of wild hogs around here, an old sow with a bunch of little pigs might be hard to out run, i always think about that while i'm sitting in my blind by myself .


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## FReAKZiLLA (Jan 28, 2009)

the most scared I've ever been in the woods!!!I was about 14 when it happened. second or third day of pa rifle season. I was in a ground blind by myself early in the morning in the pitch dark. I heard something pretty far away crashing and walking through the the thick saplings and stuff that were all around me. I kept looking as it got closer. it was just light enough that I could see an outline of something huge about 50-60 yds away coming right at me. it was at least 8 or 9 feet tall. I was starting to think of those damn bigfoot stories and pictures you see! I crouched down in my blind and when it stopped about 10 feet from my blind I worked up the courage to stand up and shine my flashlight on what turned out to be a guy with a big climber treestand on his back and sticking up over his head!! I said "Oh Sorry" and he didn't say anything, he just walked past and I heard him for another 15 mins crashing around like an idiot.


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## QuietMan (Mar 25, 2009)

Best one for me so was last deer season in KY on a new lease property...Heading for a stand on a food plot along the edge of the thicket that surrounds the plot and kicked up a grouse and the bobcat that was stalking it. Both look pretty weird in a head light at 5:30 am not to mention the sound of the grouse takeing off only a few feet away...


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## BigBuckKiller08 (Aug 20, 2008)

vpier said:


> Not afraid to walk in the dark in the mountains but a buddy of mine is afraid of being pounced on by a cougar. He swears up and down that a lion was following him right before daylight a few years ago.


I live in Ohio so I don't have to worry about this but one of my relatives from Arkansas was here recently and he showed me a trail picture of not 1 not 2 but three mountain lions in one picture eating a doe they had just caught by a deer feeder. It was amazing, I'm originally from there and I know people occasionally saw them but three together I'm guessing is extremely rare. anyways I sure as crap wouldn't feel comfortable walking in that area before daylight or after dark in the evening with just a bow!!!!!!


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## El Boone (May 25, 2009)

Wow. Some pretty funny stuff on here.

Im not afraid of the dark, or the animals for that matter. But the "unexpected" stuff will get your attention.

I was walking out one night, loooong after legal light as I had deer milling under my stand that I didnt want to spook. It was darker than dark. No moon, no stars, nothing. I have to walk over a beaver dam on the way out, well, about halfway across, I surprised one of the dam engineers checking his handiwork. He flew off the dam splashing into the water, pretty sure I went a good six feet straight up in the air.

I wouldnt say im scared of em, but hunting in wild pig country, or worse yet, tracking a wounded pig in the dark will make you "feel alive". I had a close call with a single lunged mucho grande boar once that I will not soon forget.


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## OBAN (Jun 25, 2006)

It's hard to compete with all the good stories here. Mine isn't spooky but made me think twice about carrying just a bow. My brother and me were following fresh elk tracks down a logging spur and started to see cougar tracks in the elk tracks we were following. We decided to turn around and head back to the powerline we came in on and about 150 yards into going back we started to see cougar tracks in our tracks that we made going in. We made plenty of noise getting out of there and now legally instead of illegally carry everywhere we go. Thompson Creek is the spot. Walk softly and carry a big boom stick.


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## Sgt Badger (May 25, 2009)

I was a guest on hunt one morning and was walking through some waist high straw grass trying to find my stand when I damn near stepped on a sleeping doe. She jumped straight up off the ground and blew at me before bounding into the woods. I was so close to her I had to wipe deer snot off my face....the use my under wear as toilet paper :embara:


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## 4nwtf (May 17, 2009)

Have to admit, sometimes i get nervous. I did have to clean the poop out of my pants one morning. I got to my ladder stand crawled up and grabbed hold of a ************* snake!!!!! :mg:I think when I hit the ground it made my heart start beating again because I know I had a heart attack. I hate ******* snakes!! Don't understand why GOD made the things. Needless to say I look before I grab now


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## R. Lang (Apr 4, 2009)

During the rut I was walking out at dark and got in the middle of a couple of bucks and does that were chasing each other all around me. I tucked next to a tree and could just barely make out their outline. They were getting real close and aggressive, so what do I do?? Like an idiot, I grunted. One of the bucks basically charged in my direction. Even though I could not see him very well, he was frickin close. At that point, I just wanted to get the hell outta there, but for some stupid reason I still didn't want to spook them:nervous s 

To top it off, an owl flew in front of my face and landed eye level about three feet away. I finally just admitted that somebody did not want me there so I started talkin out loud and walked pretty darn fast to my truck.

When I look back at it, it probably wasn't that big of a deal. But at the time I was freekin out..........


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## randydb (Jan 25, 2006)

*Scared me a bit...*

My buddy had arrowed a big black bear and we had tracked it into a narrow stand of trees that were on a hillside that separated two alfalfa fields. We each took a shot gun and walked in the fields bordering the stand of trees. I am wading in chest high alfalfa with my daughter trailing me thinking all sorts of thoughts of how I could practically step on a wounded bear without seeing him when a grouse flushed right at my feet! My daughter says the gun leaped to my shoulder while I went straight up three feet in the air! I had to pee immediately after that one. "Don't look honey, dad is going pee now!" She thought it was absolutely hilarious and brings it up way too often. To tell you the truth I am surprised I didn't pull the trigger because there was a lot of energy and fear screaming through my body in that moment.

randydb


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## GaryZ (Jan 29, 2009)

*Our imaginations are the worst things in the woods.*

Years ago when we were in college, indestructible, and afraid of nothing I witnessed one of the funniest, most awful events in my hunting career. 

Bow-hunting in Ohio the usual noises start when the sun starts getting low, but one evening right at dusk I heard this awful high pitched scream(sounded like eeeeeeaaaaaawwww). Now I'll admit it scared me the first time it let loose, I think it was a screech owl(still not sure to this day). Now the thing you need to understand about my buddy, is that he's an avid outdoorsman and just plain understands the woods(also a bit cocky about this fact).

As it happened, that evening the trail that he walks out was in the general area of the screeching. So I decided to leave the stand a little early and hide in this big hollow tree along his exit trail. By the time I got my gear and got to the tree it was well past shooting time and the woods were really getting dark....no more high pitched screams by this time. So I started with my imitation of the screeching eeeeeaaaaawwwww!!!! every few minutes. I tell you I sat in that hollow tree for more than an hour waiting for Steve to walk out, by this time it's so dark you can only see big blobs and darkness.

Then all of a sudden I heard some movement, the time was at hand, it's getting closer and closer(maybe 100 yards now). So, I let out one more eeeeaaaawwww!!!! the movement stops. Now the woods are ghostly quite and about 10-15 minutes passes before I could hear the movement again, only now it's a loud and aggressive kind of stomping. Just like when a deer senses something and starts to walked all stiff legged. So like any good hunter I sat there patiently waiting for the oppertune moment when EEEEEAAAAAWWWWWW!!! I jumped out of the hollow stump and screamed as loud as I could. 

I've never seen such a big guys arms and legs move so fast without going anywhere. I'm in tears right now thinking about it. Any way, he proceeds to tackle me and generally beats the hell out me....I was laughing so hard I couldn't even stop him. He was really mad at me on the walk out and wouldn't talk to me, but when we got to the truck...WHEW what a god awful smell. I found out at that moment he wasn't really upset with me... he was upset with himself for pooping in his pants. Suffice it to say another pair of undeys knifed in the name of hunting. The worst thing in the woods that night was my devoius imagination and a pair of abused boxers.


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## GaryZ (Jan 29, 2009)

*To the Top*

Bump for the best thread ever. I was up till 4am reading these stories and laughing my #@* off.


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## Huntin'Honey24 (May 6, 2006)

GaryZ said:


> Years ago when we were in college, indestructible, and afraid of nothing I witnessed one of the funniest, most awful events in my hunting career.
> 
> Bow-hunting in Ohio the usual noises start when the sun starts getting low, but one evening right at dusk I heard this awful high pitched scream(sounded like eeeeeeaaaaaawwww). Now I'll admit it scared me the first time it let loose, I think it was a screech owl(still not sure to this day). Now the thing you need to understand about my buddy, is that he's an avid outdoorsman and just plain understands the woods(also a bit cocky about this fact).
> 
> ...



IF there was a contest for this thread, you would definitely get my vote!! What a story. That would be me, I would poop my pants!!!!!


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## 4nwtf (May 17, 2009)

GaryZ said:


> Years ago when we were in college, indestructible, and afraid of nothing I witnessed one of the funniest, most awful events in my hunting career.
> 
> Bow-hunting in Ohio the usual noises start when the sun starts getting low, but one evening right at dusk I heard this awful high pitched scream(sounded like eeeeeeaaaaaawwww). Now I'll admit it scared me the first time it let loose, I think it was a screech owl(still not sure to this day). Now the thing you need to understand about my buddy, is that he's an avid outdoorsman and just plain understands the woods(also a bit cocky about this fact).
> 
> ...


Now that's funny!!:set1_rolf2::set1_rolf2::set1_rolf2:


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## huntnfish4life (Apr 6, 2009)

thats an awesome story!


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## wis_archer (Jul 27, 2007)

Bowbuster said:


> Click on the link and it will take you to my page and i will post in on my message board. http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/member.php?u=17622
> Thanks for reading!:wink:


Where is the note?


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## bishjr (Aug 1, 2008)

We have a set of rules at one of the places I hunt. Rule #1: If you shoot anything, dont let it get out of sight. If it does get out of sight, get tracking in 3 minutes. Rule #2: If you shoot anything with less then 30 minutes left before dark, your on your own for track (only one person made that mistake). Rule #3: Make sure someone knows where you are and what time you will be back around. 

We have had a few time where the wolves will be right behind us after we shoot an animal. Im talking just on the edge of flashlight range, where you can just see the reflection of your eyes. Its kind of scare because if you go back in there tomarrow and you still have some blood on you, they might be coming after you again. The rules where made to make sure that no one gets attacked.


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## kgoold (Aug 12, 2008)

I always jump when a grouse flies off or a trail cam flashes in the pitch dark on the way to the stand.


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## Chancy B (Jan 3, 2007)

*ttt*

The greatest thread ever! Great stories!


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## Cipher (Jul 18, 2007)

About 4 or 5 years ago a friend and I were hunting public land, we were bound and determined to find the most remote place we could to avoid any hunting pressure. We took the quad about 5 miles in to where the trail stopped, got off and walked another 2 miles or so. The last 200 yards was thick, and I mean thick, brush - as far as we could tell nobody had ever been back in there. 

So, here we are, arms loaded down with gear, both rifles slung on our backs, walking by moon light and feel only. We hear the brush come to life, there are foot steps all around us, and neither of us has the capacity or room to ready a weapon. My friend finally got a flashlight and turned it on, there were hogs everywhere, and I mean everywhere - running across the "trail" in front of us, behind us and along side of us. It took everything I had not to scream like a girl and freak out, I didn't want me friend to think I was a sissy - but I was genuinely scared to death, trembling and about to pee my pants.

We eventually made it in and found a nice place to hunt. We hunted the day and decided we'd setup along the trail that night and try and get some of those hogs. So, there we are, shoulder to shoulder on some 5 gallon buckets waiting for nightfall. Out of nowhere, right behind us, this turkey that I guess had walked up on us set of running and clucking through the woods - I jumped off the bucket, grabbed my crap and told him I had had enough. Two bad scares in one day is too much.



Another time we decided to take the quad and just sit on it and wait for hogs to come in, He had the spotlight and I had the rifle. About an hour after sunset we hear footsteps, ever so lightly and slowly making their way in front of the quad moving across the trail form left to right. As soon as they got in front of us he turned the spot light on - there was nothing there. About 5 minutes after he turned the light off the footsteps started again, this time we let them get to about our two o'clock, then we lit the area up again - again, nothing there. The light went out, some time passed and the steps started again. This went on for about an hour, once the footsteps got directly behind us and progressively got louder we decided to leave. Neither of us knows what it was, but it just felt bad - like a sudden feeling of imminent danger.



My worst scare to this day - it was the first time I had ever been hunting. My best friend's dad had given me a break open 410 to use, I had a slug chambered and some buck shot in my pocket just in case. I get woken up at 4 am, have to follow this guy out to the middle of nowhere where he tells me to climb up in the most unsafe looking treestand I had ever seen. It was nothing more than a 2x4 mounted onto a ladder that was leaned up against a tree. So I climbed it and sat.

It was cold, I was dog tired and my imagination took off. The next thing I know I feel something on my head (I had a jacket on, so it was really on my hat). It actually felt like something had crawled onto my head and coiled up to go to sleep.

That was probably 6 in the morning when that happened (the sun had just come up), I sat in that stand, motionless, for another 4 hours scared to death to move in fear of getting bit by what was now the biggest, baddest, most poisoness snake in the woods. I was literally afraid to move a single muscle, that was probably the longest and stillest I've ever sat in my entire life.

I decided I had had enough and worked out a plan to get me off of that tree. Ever so slowly, moving an inch a minute I broke the breech of the shotgun open (with one had, and without looking), traded the slug for the shot, closed the breech and put the slug back in my pocket. Then I gathered my nerve, counted to three in my head and leaped from that stand. Somehow I turned myself around in mid air expecting to see a snake flying through the air at me, I had told myself I would shoot the snake on the way down. Well, there was no snake, but I did fire the shotgun, which slightly accelerated my fall.

I landed on my back, I had jumped from about 12 feet, I was stunned, cold and scared. To this day I don't know if it was purely my imagination, a leaf or if something had in fact curled up on my head.




My friends once tried to scare me in the woods, I was walking out ahead of them after a hog hunt and they thought it be funny to throw a big stick in the brush next to me. As soon as it hit the brush I jumped, shouldered the rifle, took it off safe and aimed at the source of the noise. They didn't try another stunt like that again.



I've also came nose to nose with a hog before while crawling through the brush on my hand and knees. We both screamed like little girls, it took off running one way and I crawled as fast as I could the other. I don't do that anymore.


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## car94401 (Mar 26, 2009)

My brother in law got up one morning at 4 AM and scared the living crap out of me. He made this big grizzly roar outside my tent at elk camp and he's a big guy. He knows I have a thing about grizzlies. I think I lost ten years as I was in a deep sleep. Man, he is one scarey guy! Nothing else to report, coyotes running through camp at night yelping can get spooky. Bivying out on a high plain when you can't see your hand 1 inch from your face can get spooky. I keep a flashlight in my sleeping bag and read if I wake up. Haven't met any spooks yet but hey - there's still time.


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## OldSkoolKilla (Mar 29, 2009)

I was rinsing dishes in the creek one night and having flash light clinched in my teeth and turning to go back uphill to camp only to come face to face with a badger. I broke the land speed record for the 100yd. dash without touching the ground. Not sure where the badger went as I never looked back. My brother couldn't stop laughing at my expression.


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## Dinger9 (Dec 31, 2007)

Bobcat screams send chills down my spine and listening to coyotes yelp as it gets dark and hear them walking through the swamp as I'm leaving my treestand makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. 

A couple years ago I was heading into the swamp we hunt, but we had to walk around this huge pine to get onto the trail. As I'm coming around the back side of the tree at 5 am (no flashlight of course) a pheasant got up between my legs and almost knocked my shotgun out of my hands. My uncle was behind me chuckling the whole way into the swamp that morning. 


This same uncle got his payback one night while scouting deer in a cut corn field. As we shined out into the field there must have been at least 30 ***** feeding. Thinking hed be funny and see how close he could get he got out of the truck as we kept the light in the field. Little did he remember our light like to blow a fuse and quit working. Just as he got to the center of all the ***** the light cut out. The screams and speed of a 300 pound man were something I have not forgot to this day!!!


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## Full draw 61 (May 15, 2009)

*third times the charm*

this may be long but i got to tell ya bout these, last hunting season i had three good scares, 1. me and my hunting budy and my son, who is six, took a little evening ride on the fourwheeler to scoope out a lake we wanted to hunt and hope mabey to find a doe alone the way, well we found the lake and walked down to the water let out a couple of bugles(its mid sept) and nothing responded cow called a little nothing so whe took in the view and my boy was alittle hungery so we head for the fourwheel to get a snack, and my budy, decided to walk a trail we found and see if it lead around the lake, so he took off and i got the boy a snack, he wasnt gone 30 sec, and i heard him squeek his cow call a couple of time and suddenly the was a loud splash in the water, (this is all taking place right about dark), and he came runingout of the brush pale, with his pistol in hand pinting at the water quietly as he could saying "there somthing **** big over there, so we tryed to sneek to the waters edge but the only one of the three of us brave enuff to go down to the watter edge was my boy and i wasnt letting that happen, we stood there for a few and watched and all we could hear was heaving breathing and the fogg from it breath, we figured it was time to go,

2. one evening the same season me and my hunting budy decided to sit on a beading area we found till dark so we built a blind and settled in for the evening, after a few hours and a couple of naps, we decided to walk up the trail a little ways and as we rounded corner i caught soming out of the corner of my eye, and as i looked over here come and black bear down the trail we were sitting on and sleeping none the less, i started back peddling and howling to my budy bear bear, we stoped and wathched him, for a few at about 30 yards, but as he caught are sent he headed but up in the brush, but just amaging if we wer still naping in are ground blind and he would have come down the trail and ferther!!!!

3. this i why i dont hunt alone, anymore, this took place mid day, same season as all the rest of my stories, i went out buy my self for a mid day fourwheeler ride, i was hunting a clear cut that i had been to many times it had a upper road and lower road, and many times while i was on the upper road i would see mule deer does down in the belly of this clear cut, but you cant shout mulie doe,in montana, so i was riding the top of this clear cut and saw a doe as usal so i rode to the end of the road and turnd around as i came back i saw the doe there still, so i got out the binocs and took a better lookand spotted a nice shooter buck with her, so i grabed my bow and started to shimy down the draw, and they started to move so i knew right where they were going so i jump on my quad and head for the bottom of the clear cutt, i was so exited i knew right wher they were headed i knew right where i kneed to set up so i jumped off my quad grabed my bow and took off up the hill, (leaving my pack pistol, bearsprayand all on the quad):frusty:, i made it up the hill about 60 yard and set up on the trail, after about 10 min they never showed i figured i must have juged them wrong when here they came the doe in the lead with the shooter buck in tow, so i go to full draw, settle in wating for the doe to pass and give me a shot, what dose she do just stops, so i let down and try to move for a better shot at the buck, but every time i do, she see me move and stares at me so iam frose with no shot, so i wait, but all the suden the both look behind them and take off up the hill, so i run up to were they where, and star looking around, and about 20 yard away behind one of those dead trees with supper low hanging branch, the kind you can kind of see throw but not really, somthing starts raking the branchs and snorting, and her i am no trees to climb no pack no gun no spray, and no clear path to just run so i stand ther frozze for about 5 min, waitning, untill i got enuff couragre to start to back pedal down the mountian, wonce i was out of sight of the tree i turnd and made it out of there and make to my quad in not time, lol
now you all know why i dont hunt alone, and i apolagize for any spelling mistakes :BrownBear:


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## da white shoe (Mar 10, 2009)

A few years ago hunting elk in Colorado, we had just rode into camp in pitch blackness and my brother went to feed the horses. He had the scoop in one hand and was holding the grain sack open with the other, so his flashlight was laying beside the bag. He went to reach in for a scoop and a pack rat the size of a Buick came flying up his arm. And when it got to his shoulder, it launched itself off his face with it's rear claws. It actually left 3 scatches on his cheek! The scream that followed nearly made ME wet myself!


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## eyebrowcounter (Mar 15, 2009)

Top shelf of an idea for a thread, great stories!


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## FireMedic26 (May 9, 2009)

*Scare*

I'm not really afraid of walking in the woods in the dark, but last year I got a good scare. I went hunting earlier in the week and killed a coyote, w/ my bow, but couldn't find him to haul him off. A few days later I was walking in the woods, on a pitch black morning, w/ a friend that is extremely scared of the dark. I dropped him off at the stand that I had been at earlier and was walking deeper into the woods when I heard a loud ruckus. I froze in my footsteps and waited for it to stop. It seemed like a few minutes before the sound went away. I got so scared that I felt my adrenaline dump and my body got warm all over :scaredno urine was involved). I climbed the first tree I could find big enough to hold w/ my Ol' Man climbing stand. Later when I regained my senses, I realized that it was a flock of buzzards on that dead coyote, and the sound that scared me so bad was several wings flapping through the trees.


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## Redemption (Jul 18, 2007)

Cipher......you need to, like, stay out of the woods or something. lain:


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## MADNESS MAN (Feb 19, 2009)

Yahhhhh, I get unnerved a little walking in or out in the dark. One time when I was walking out from my spot in northern Wisconsin, a huge owl swooped down on me and knocked my hat off! During that same week, while hunting in a tree in the same area, right at the last second I saw an owl dive bombing at me in the tree. He came right at my head! I dodged quickly and thought "What the Heck"?. Almost knocked me out of the tree. Ever since then, I always wear a safety harness, never know what can happen to you up here in the great white north. Oh, by the way, I carry a desert camo Glock model 26 in 40 S&W with me on every hunt ever since I ran into a bear in the dark a few years ago. It just kept snapping its jaws at me in the dark. Had to wait til light to get the heck outta there! Was very glad to finally make it back to the truck. Lotsa toothy critters up here, makes for an exciting hunt sometimes!


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## FireMedic26 (May 9, 2009)

*Another One*

The other good scare that I had in the woods was one morning when I was walking in on a little foot path through some trees that I had made earlier in the year, as a shortcut. I jumped something up not far from the ground blind that I had set up about a month prior to this hunt, so I was already a little on edge. I climbed into my blind and awaited sunrise. About 20 min before dusk I heard a really loud roar and just about jumped out of my skin. I had no idea what it was. As the sun came up I realized that my feeder had been knocked over and emptied and the noise was the empty plastic feeder barrel rumbling and an emply spinner plate spinning, as the automatic feeder went off.

After checking my camera I saw that I had my first pics of a hog and he didn't want to wait for corn. Now that the hogs are there they will not leave and destroy everything.


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## Brad E (Aug 10, 2007)

All you guys that are reading this are going to see half of it at first and or last light . This type of reading is why i dont watch scary movies and hunt .. lol EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK !


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## Xithole (May 31, 2009)

*So scared about peed in my pants*

I got into hunting last year joined a hunt club. During rifle season I rode with a buddy we parked the truck and walked together in the dark til we branched off to our stands. I got to mind first off the trail down towards a bottom, he went to a box stand about a couple hundred yards off to the west side of a food plot. It was freezing that morning and I had just got into my stand still dark the next 15 minutes changed my thoughts about hunting. This retching scream about 30 yards in front of me, I couldn't see anything but fog, my ears hurt, the hair on my neck stood up, my whole body started shaking so bad and had that sensation to pee in my pants. My mind racing to figure out what kind of animal sounded like that. For about an hour still shaking I wanted to get down and go back to the truck but was too scared to move. Later that morning I shot a 9 point when my buddy met me to look for my deer we briefly discussed the screeching sound we heard. He has hunted for years and was too scared to even talk about the sound. His comment, "it scared me so bad I put my gun down and started for the truck, I was shaking so badly I couldn't move to get down from the stand". Later we found out it was a Panther...


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## monstershooter (Apr 30, 2009)

when i was 13 and heading out for my first solo bow hunt the next morning I was watching the news and someone had reported seeing bigfoot in the area of our cabin. Well when we got there the next morning I told dad I needed to use the bathroom and to go on without me. needless to say I hid out in the outhouse until the sun came out. I also had a scare with some of the local coyotes one evening. I was sitting at a field edge hunting from the ground when I saw 6 of them pop out next to the trail I had to take to get back to my truck. Well it started to get dark so I got up and started heading that way thinking they would run off when they saw me. They stayed put watching me walk 20 yards away they were yipping and carrying on. As soon as I passed by them the race was on back to the truck.


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## jcsanders79-xt (Aug 28, 2007)

I was huntng in a local swamp (just so you know I've always had a fear of beavers). We left the GPS that morning and decided to hunt an older spot that we had not been in a while. Well my buddy and I were arguing about direction and a beaver hit my legs and tried to power its way through them. Needless to say I screamed and started running through the brush!


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## red man (Aug 7, 2008)

i was hunting on our property got in the woods at about 5 am or so got to my stand no big deal tide the bow of got to the the top of the wooden stand. and my light from my hat lit a **** up that was eye level with me it was in the stand just having a good old time. it shook me up pretty good let go of the stand and fell about 14ft it hurt got my bow and went home though i was going to have to go the er. man that hurt. got back in the stand 2 days later he left some presents all over the bottom of the stand. he got the best of me


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## Cipher (Jul 18, 2007)

Redemption said:


> Cipher......you need to, like, stay out of the woods or something. lain:


Never 



> I got into hunting last year joined a hunt club. During rifle season I rode with a buddy we parked the truck and walked together in the dark til we branched off to our stands. I got to mind first off the trail down towards a bottom, he went to a box stand about a couple hundred yards off to the west side of a food plot. It was freezing that morning and I had just got into my stand still dark the next 15 minutes changed my thoughts about hunting. This retching scream about 30 yards in front of me, I couldn't see anything but fog, my ears hurt, the hair on my neck stood up, my whole body started shaking so bad and had that sensation to pee in my pants. My mind racing to figure out what kind of animal sounded like that. For about an hour still shaking I wanted to get down and go back to the truck but was too scared to move. Later that morning I shot a 9 point when my buddy met me to look for my deer we briefly discussed the screeching sound we heard. He has hunted for years and was too scared to even talk about the sound. His comment, "it scared me so bad I put my gun down and started for the truck, I was shaking so badly I couldn't move to get down from the stand". Later we found out it was a Panther...


I've heard cougar screams, but NEVER that close to me.

I was once driving out to my parents house around midnight, they live out in the middle of nowhere, and part of the road is bordered by water on both sides. The road narrows to one lane through that section and I was smack in the middle of it jamming to Sweet Child of Mine when a Mountain Lion leaped off a tree right in front of me, I thought for sure he was gonna end up in the seat with me. The cat was on the ground and gone before what happened registered in my head.

I tried for months to lure him onto my folk's property to get a shot at hime to no avail, but I did get a lot of Coyotes


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## bowhunter1807 (Feb 17, 2008)

*nothing*

not scared so much but when a pack of coyotes open up behind you in the mornin after you get settled in makes me uneasy but the upside sometimes i catch a straggler slipping by and i put a rocket through him


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## Tug08 (Aug 12, 2008)

*I am not smart enough to be scared*

I always walk to and from my stand in the dark. 

One morning I was walking in, I was on a trail, there was a ruffed grouse in a tree and when it took off the branch hit me in the head knocking my hat off, I was to scared to scream.

I also stepped on a rabbit one morning in the dark, I don't know which of us it scared worse me or the bunny.

But my cousin got me the best of all. I was circling through this swamp not on a trail or anything, well my cousin saw me coming and hid behind some brush, when I got beside him he said in a low voice "what are you doing in here" I about had the big one right there.

I have also walked way past my stand because it was to dark to see it. Had to wait till I could see to find my way back to the stand.


I still walk to my stand in the dark but now i have a small light that slides on the brim of my hat.


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## porty425 (Jan 24, 2009)

the-ghost said:


> nah the dark doesnt bother me at all. though one time i was walking to my stand and i stepped over a big log onto a turkey buzzard that was sleeping on the otherside. we both freaked out, the bird flew into a tree and knocked itself out and i came close to screaming like a little girl. sounded more like a full grown woman. i had to chuckle at myself after that, and i'm glad i was alone hehe.


what are the odds of that happening


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## xman59 (Jan 19, 2009)

the-ghost said:


> nah the dark doesnt bother me at all. though one time i was walking to my stand and i stepped over a big log onto a turkey buzzard that was sleeping on the otherside. we both freaked out, the bird flew into a tree and knocked itself out and i came close to screaming like a little girl. sounded more like a full grown woman. i had to chuckle at myself after that, and i'm glad i was alone hehe.


#1 that is dang funny!!!!!


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## xman59 (Jan 19, 2009)

Marc Barger said:


> A friend of mine is deathly afraid of the dark when walking in or out from a hunt. He had to walk about a half mile into one piece of land we were hunting. Most of the way on a terrace right next to a corn field but it was early afternoon so no biggie. So anyway he comes walking back along this corn field after his hunt when all of a sudden some unearthly screech comes out of the corn and the corn itself just erupts with stalks breakin' and something moving fast right at him. He said he just about died right there and was running as fast as he'd ever run in his life. First thing he did when he got back to his truck was to call me to tell me what happened. Unfortunately, I was unavailable at the time as I was out in the corn field with a double raspy diaphram and elk tube scaring the bejesus out of him!! HA! We still laugh about that one and yes...pay backs are a biatch!!


good thing he wasnt carry an uzi!!!


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## PlainandTall (Jul 7, 2009)

These are some great stories- I have to say that nothing made me laugh as hard though, as the girlfriend who was afraid of clowns... my face was soaked with tears I was laughing so hard. 

This will be my first year hunting, so I don't have any hunting tales yet, but I do have a few wildlife ones I'd like to share- just in the spirit of swapping stories.

*Being a good mother*
We live by an old cemetary and down a grass lane there is an abandoned house by a creek . History is that the last guy who lived there was an old man who was found frozen to death in the creek. The first floor windows are all boarded up and it's got an old well, and a path leading back to a woods pond (full of snakes) and the path is covered over by arching snaggly branches of an old osage orange hedgerow- looks like something you'd see in a Disney animated movie where the trees come alive. This place is just the sort of spot you practical jokesters would love to set up your buddies for a great scare... Well, sometimes I'd go hiking back there with my kids and I'm a kind mother... I know better than to set up a little kid for a big scare or to fill their heads with ideas they won't shake from their fear cortex even when they are a big 250 lb man capable of screaming like a little girl like you fellas. 
Our hike loosely circled a wide path around that abandoned house and as we finally approached it we were uphill from the house- and we could clearly see into a second floor window that had all its glass broken out. Now he's my son. I know how his brain works, and seeing right into that room, seeing the shadows of the furniture and the color of the old wallpaper I knew his curiosity would be peaked, this looked like a very interesting place to explore. He was only 6, I didn't have to worry yet about him venturing to that house on his own... but the day might come when he would be tempted. My mind was working quick- what could I tell him that would clearly explain the danger of an old house like that without possibly creating a temptation? rotten floors, trespassing, outlaws, meth labs, etc... as I was sorting out my "mom's lecture" and choosing words carefully before speaking - he said, "Wow- that looks like a really neat place to explore" and as if on cue- a big turkey buzzard flew out of the window and perched on the tree branch right outside the window as if to say, "Are you so sure about that little boy?" My son's eyes got so wide and he said "Mom- I am NEVER going in that house- EVER!!!" Thank you mother nature.

*Crazy Triangle*
For several weeks I'd been finding fresh horse manure on my land, but outside of my horse fence. I wasn't overly concerned about it and thought that one of my horses might have found a way in and out- and as long as they were all accounted for I wasn't worried.

Finally one day I saw her, she was had come out of the woods to get water at our pond, and was in the middle of a five acre pasture. I tried to quietly approach the red quarterhorse but she wasn't keen on being caught, and when she moved away slowly limping, puss was dripping down her leg from up near her teats. We moved slowly across the field toward a corner where two treelines came together- me talking gently, her keeping about a 20 yard distance between us. Right then- a deer popped out of the treeline and like a Tarentino style standoff - the three of us just froze there in a perfect 20 yard triangle taking turns looking at each other, each trying to figure out what to do next. Well, what happened next I will never understand- but a Coyote came running out of the other treeline at full speed and ran right through the center of our Mexican standoff without so much as looking at us- it was like a coyote version of "streaking" - as if his buddies had put him up to it. He just came blasting through the pasture and continued to run across the road and across my neighbors wide open field- I got to watch him running for a good 30 seconds. This was the first and only time I laid eyes on a coyote on my farm.

*Bacon Alive!*
I was out for a jog on a one lane road with lots of "whoop-de-dos" which prevent you from seeing too far ahead. As I crested one hill I saw two white pit-mix dogs hanging out in the road. There was a guy who lived the next place up, and he always had a collection of pit/boxer/bullish bred dogs, so I figured they were his. My flattery tactic with farm dogs works almost all the time- call them pretty and they don' bark or bite. Well, the two dogs decided to be my friends and join me on the jog. As we crested the next sharp hump in the road at the guy's trailer- to my dismay I discovered that my two new jogging partners were not his dogs... that's because his big American Bulldog came across the yard doing an agressive silent power trot. The dogs stood there all hackly and sniffing and I was expecting a big fight to explode at any second- when in my periforal vision I picked up on a new (and very ugly) concrete lawn ornament in the yard... a black pig. My focus was on the dogs, but in those milliseconds someting in me was thinking, "that is the biggest concrete pig I've ever seen"... and then the angel on my shoulder whispered... "pssst- and very hairy too!" Right then the frozen statue of that pig flew into action and charged the dogs- grunting loudly. I have no idea how fast or how long a pig can run- but I gave him the benefit of the doubt- so I jumped off the road and ran for the trees and figured I stood a better chance of climbing than outrunning. Too bad for me it was a forest of mixed thorn anything. I didn't look back, I just ran as fast as I could about 1/4 mile through the woods to a different road that would take me home without passing by there. I have never been so scared of an animal. 
I went back later in my truck and took his picture.


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## Full draw 61 (May 15, 2009)

there a some great stories in here this is one great thread:darkbeer:


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## bulldog29 (Jan 2, 2008)

Ttt


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## davejohnson2 (Mar 20, 2008)

ttt:darkbeer:


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## Majerie (Jun 18, 2009)

So I was visiting my Dad and Cousin in Ga a few years back for our anual whitetail hunt. We have all been hunting for a while and know the dos and don'ts of hunting...at least I thought so. 
So we woke up and went to the local country diner for breakfast and to the general store for whatever supplies we needed. All jumped in the truck and headed to our hunt spot. Got there, unloaded the fourwheelers and headed to our stands. I dropped a nice 8-pointer and my cousin bagged a doe. Tied them up to the four wheelers and drove back to the truck.
What happened next I'll never forget... 
So we get to the truck, and my Dad dropped the back of the truck bed. I was untying the deer and heard this roar and yelling. I look up and there is a freaking bear in the back of the truck. We all took of running faster then 3 fat dudes are supposed to run. At about 150frds we stop and look back.
The bear is now sitting in the bed of the truck. We are all asking how it got there and why. Then the bear showed us. It reached back and started playing with the bag from the store where my Dad left the 2 candy wrappers and a half eaten bag of jerky. We spent the next 2hrs cracking on my Dad for leaving the trash in the bed and not in cab. The bear finally got bored and took off but my Dad still owes me a new set of camys...
:darkbeer:


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## bownutman (Jul 28, 2008)

*get a stick*

great start up on a thread i have a couple storys not to scared of the dark but i do get freaked out and my mind plays tricks on me i'm sure i'am not the only one i've gotten a few friends started in bow hunting and usually take them out hunting to teach them what i know so of course i'am going to have a little fun with them now and then like move there stand a few days before the hunt so they walk in the woods looking for there stand to proud to call you on the radio to ask for help i know this could spoil your hunt but that crap is funny finally they call you and your laughing so hard they figure your up to no good.also letting them know about all the things in the woods and what to stay away from like the eyes at the base of the trees you know the reflective thumb tack trail markers its great when you let your new huntin buddy know about the morning snakes that lays at the base of trees and you pick a tree or two on the way to his stand and once at the stand mark the trees around his stand and i will be suprised if your buddy hunts that morning.because all of the morning snakes around his stand. there was one time i was hunting with my daughters boyfriend and i ended up popping a doe so i waited awhile before i contacted huntin buddy of course it was aready dark so we found the blood trail and started tracking the deer to a creek that had maybe 4inchs of water so no problem it did have about 4foot banks we jumped down in creek to cross and all of a sudden my huntin buddy screamed stop i said what is it he said it is a snake so my butt cheeks tightend up and i shined light on snake and for some reason it started heading straight for me so of course i scream a screeching loud whailing sound like a woman get a stick which i repeat several times while he is laughing so hard at me with him being a new hunter of course he has to tell all my huntin buddys and anybody that would listen i guess next time i want move his treestand before the hunt keep up the funny stories


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## Bonecracker (Sep 24, 2003)

*My Solo Bivy Experience!*

A few years ago I was on a solo Bivy hunt for elk and was about 5/6 miles from the nearest road. Now elk hunting on you own is not easy, but sleeping alone at nite was more difficut than I thought it would be and I was glad I had my I-pod for some music and change of pace. Near the end of my hunt, I had glassed up a nice 6pt with about 6/7 cows that were beaded on a mtn side. They were about a 2 hour hike away and I tried to make a move on them before dark. As fate would have it I just missed a good shooting opportunity so I decided not to pressure them and try them again in the morning. While decending the Mtn I came upon a old cabin that was intack and I went over to check out. As I looked in the cabin it was bigger than I thought it would be and over in the corner was alot of camping gear that was in good shape (lantern, fuel, tarp, sleeping bag,etc). Most of the floor n the cabin was gone and it was very dirty. Over to the right was a door that was closed with the floor intack on that side of the cabin. Being the brave person I am, I did not look in the back room as it really gave me the hebbie-jebbies. It was getting dark and I need to find a place to pitch my tent and eat some food as this was my last evening in the back country. Since I was on a Mtn I was having a difficult time finding a level place to pitch my tent and I ended up camping about 100yds from the cabin. I did not think much about where I set my tent up, casue I was more concerned with getting some food im my system while listening to the sound of elk bulging in the back ground! Wow what a nite! I was beat and climbed n my sleeping bag and went to sleep. Around 2/3 in the morning I woke up to someone or something walking around my tent and I was on alert with my side arm ready. I am not dumb and this sounded like a person walking not a 4 legged creature! The wind started blowing harder and harder and it made it difficult to decern what was going on outside my tent and that bugged me even more. Some where around 5am I got out of my tent and make some breakfast as I was very hungery! Pistol n hand I got out of my tent with my headlight on and went to inspect the surrounds and everything looked OK to me. While heating some water for breakfast the bulls started bugling again and that grabed my attention as I wanted that 6pt. After breakfast I decided to hike up to a higher vantage point to try and glass the heard of elk at day light as not to spook them. While walking n the dark I passed by that damn cabin and I sware it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck!! But I pushed on as I had a date with a 6 by. While glassing the elk I could see some of the cabin and I sware I saw a light come on in the cabin and then it went off (am I seeing things?). My elk were now on the move and I went back into my hunting mode! Make a long story short I passed up a shot on a smaller satellite bull (dumb on the last day of your elk hunt) and just missed another opportunity at the big 6X6! Afterwards, I hiked back to my camp and was dumb founded at what I found. My tent was trashed, sleeping bag ripped, someone head gone through my gear and had taken stuff (pants, shirt, and food) but my side arm was left alone inside my sleeping bag. I packed up my gear quickly and got my GPS out to find my heading back to the trail I entered on. As I hiked out of there, I stopped at a saddle and just glanced back toward where I had come from and u could see the cabin that was about a mile away (with my naked eye). For some reason, someone had a signal mirrow and was flashing it in my direction. I dropped my pack and got my glasses out and I briefly saw only one more flash. I had had enough and I picked up my pack and got the hell out of there setting a record on the 5mile hike out!! Once back at the truck I had some cold beer on ice and I sat there reflecting on what had just happened to me. I think the odds are more in favor of someone messing with you than something messing with you! That was a very difficult/scary nite alone in the wilderness!!!!!! :darkbeer:


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## lovestobowhunt (Aug 14, 2009)

Live4Rut said:


> That picture is exactly what I came upon last year in one of my favorite hunting locations. It included a small barrel full of incense, a fresh deer head with turkey feathers inlodged in the nose, a voodoo doll hanging from a stick, fire pit, various carvings and wooden structures, candles, blankets, and some vile substances in bottle scattered around the site. After that I chose not to hunt in that location anymore.


That is some "Blair Witch crap going on there". I wouldn't hunt there either. Just as I wouldn't take some shortcut offered by some gas station guy either. I think I watch too many scary movies!


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## TruthHunter66 (Aug 21, 2009)

Mine isn't realy a hunting story, and it doesn't involve me, but it's still a good one.

Several years ago when the movie "The Blair Witch Project" came out, my cousin who lives in Arkansas went to see it opening night at midnight. After he watched what he described as one of the scariest movies he had seen to this point in time, he climbed into his truck, and headed home. As he was driving through the heavily wooded country landscape near his home town, he thought he saw something moving around in the woods, so he slowed his truck in order to investigate as he drove by. You know how curiosity killed the cat? Well, this night curiosity got the better of him. As he slowed his truck, and neared the source of the disturbance in the woods, a drunken man stumbled from the woods, and ran out directly infront of his truck...needless to say, he was quite relieved to get back home to a clean pair of undershorts!


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## Arrow_slinger43 (May 16, 2007)

When i was 11 or 12 my grandad shot an elk, then the next day i was showing my mom where the elk had ran from and where my grandad shot it. Im on the trail running to where the elk died when i hear bees buzzing so i look down at them and i am litteraly standing on the paw of a bear, at that point everything went into a blur of screaming and running/ tripping down the hill, my cousin who was right next to me passed out. Upon reaching my mom and other family member i told them what happened and we went and looked at where i got so scared. The bear had been poached along with 2 of its cubs while eating on the gut pile, then just left there to rot. We turned it into the DWR and who we thought it was, which resulted in an arrest, for that i received a bear tag, but still have not got the tag, 7 years later, they say they have no record of it.


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## manwitaplan (Apr 22, 2009)

*A national forest story*

About 4 years ago i was hunting alone in a national forest in texas. It was a long walk from the truck. I decided to get there early to get a move on and not bother anyone. I still rifle hunted at the time. Any way it was one of those dark dark nights/mornings where every thing is black. I get up the tree in my climber and i am settled in relaxing. I have about 45 minutes to daylight and I can not see 2 inches in font of me. It was deathly quiet at the time and i had my eyes closed with my rifle laying across my lap and the barrel and scope were resting on the pad in front of me. The stock of the rifle is to the left with my hand just resting there. I am super zoned out just listening when i hear a small tree bark scratching sound, way up,then all of a sudden something big hits the stock of the rifle and i feel it litterally fly up in the air and I use both hands to trap it on my lap and tree stand. Well i still can not see anything and my heart is beating and i have no idea what just happened and pure chaos set in. I turned on my flash light (with red filter) to look at gun and it is scratched real good. I could not see to the ground to see what hit until light. 
At first light i realize that a branch the size of 2 louisville sluggers fell from the very top of the tree and hit the gun instead of me. If that branch would of hit me, who knows what would of happened.

BTW- Scared the shiat out of me.

Holla

manwitaplan


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## sullins44 (Aug 15, 2008)

This happened to me last year on opening day of of archery season. This was my first time hunting by myself ever, and first time hunting period in 10 years, and I am hunting a new state.

I skirt the edge of a field and cut in at a small clearing just off the field. As I look through the briars and low hanging branches I see eyes glowing! I thought crap, a deer. So I decided to try and scare it off without letting it know I am a human, so I start making a scrape with my boot and barking like a dog. The I see the eyes lower and it starts walking toward me! I'm thinking...are there bears in Illinois??? So I start barking some more and swinging my bow around into the branches and it finally takes off. I was scared to death! 

And what I think might be the same deer (a small 8 pointer) came back a couple hours later. I just about gave up hunting on my first morning..ukey:


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## b_vanfossen (Dec 5, 2008)

I'll admit I get scared lol. I hunt by myself and I always look behind me to make sure nobodies sneaking up - lol! I'm worried some wood bums or the Florida skunk ape is stalking me!! No joke!


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## gbienvenu (Aug 25, 2008)

TTT for the season


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## SilentHntr. (Jan 20, 2004)

*Wonder what these are?*

Caught them on one of my trail cams..........................could it be ghost?:wink:


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## Supernaut88 (Mar 1, 2009)

I had a doe walk straight @ me while I was in a makeshift groundblind. It was pitch black in the morning, and as soon as she got to 5 feet I could silhouette her head. I could almost touch her she was so close. I had a buck jump up out of the weeds I was walking through @ about 5 yards once too. almost pooped.


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## olinLA (Feb 19, 2007)

Very quiet and observant somewhat uneasy at times esp. if it is new areas
worst scare I pull up to the area get out of my truck start the ritual of getting ready and in the tree next to the truck all of a sudden something is coming out of that tree like a banshee leaves crunching twigs snapping and I am trying to get back into the truck...cannot get the bow only can turn on the truck lights to show a big old **** ...must have been falling out of the tree...about finished me off


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## Deerslayer 28 (Dec 16, 2008)

jimposten said:


> I am man enough to admit IT. I am a 26 year old man, and when I am leaving the woods by myself after dark, I am awful relieved when I step out of the woods into a wide open field.
> 
> Its the fear of the unknown.
> 
> ...


I second this^^^^^^ THE UNKNOWN!!!!!!


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## cotystinson (Feb 22, 2008)

*yup*

hearing the hogs close by when ur walkin through the quiet woods is a lil creepy, they are pretty big in this part of the country, bout the size of a small cow


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## REEZENENOUGH (Sep 18, 2009)

one morning when i was climbing in my box stand and it was pitch black i saw something in there and it made a snarling sound at me scared the mess out of me. needless to say that opossum is dead now.


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## REEZENENOUGH (Sep 18, 2009)

SilentHntr. said:


> Caught them on one of my trail cams..........................could it be ghost?:wink:


i think it is bugs on your camera lens. had it happen to me before.


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## B Man (Jul 24, 2007)

My mind is my worst enemy in the dark! In Ga. we don't have much to be afraid of beside's bears in some areas but when walking out in a thick spot in the woods any odd sound will get my mind going. 

The only thing i've ever seen in the woods that kinda freaks me out knowing it's there I saw about 5 or 6 years ago when i first started getting into bow hunting. I was in a big peanut field with a makeshift ground blind out of surrounding shrubs. I was between two main trails leading into the field. After sitting there for about 45min. a cubby of quail flushed to my right side about 10-15 yds. out in the peanuts. I just knew there was a deer coming in (it was a blind spot). Then after looking hard for about 30 sec. i noticed something brown about 2-3" above the peanut vines going really slow. Then is rose up and I saw what scared the quail. Me on a 5 gallon bucket with nothing but a bow and a few broken dog fennels in the dirt seperrating me from a full grown Female Eastern Cougar. I found out thats what it was from my enviromental teacher and A good friend that's a DNR later. I know it was a female b/c it's milk bags were full and hanging low! Thats how close i was and never knew of anything like this in the woods around here! Scared the HE!! out of me. And knowing she had kittens means there are more around now The DNR also told me they were first established in MY county on the State Park i also hunt some land beside. And the creek that runs through it runs down to this land. I was 16 or 17 at the time and when i told my daddy he said son, I've been in the woods over 40 years and never seen such. Either your own something i need to know about or you saw wrong and it was a bob cat. Didn't argue b/c it did no good with my daddy but one year later he called me coming from the club and first thing he said was son i owe you an appology, I just saw it in the road coming out and got within 50yds of it and it's just what you described. LOL, I'll never forget that. I haven't seen one since that one time nor has my daddy. Go figure...

I just try and remind my self that whats out there is more scraed of me and i try to remind my self of that... haha


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## KYBowhunter89 (Sep 21, 2008)

I started bowhunting by myself when I was about ten years old, so I can't remember how many times I have sat in a tree while it was dark scared to death, thinking of the "UNKNOWN" or power walked out of the woods just to get back home. LOL.

I have two stories. The first was when I was about 13 or 14. After an evening hunt on my farm I was walking back to my house without a flashlight, this was after I had kinda gotten out of the fear stage. All of a sudden about 10 turkeys fly off the roost right above my head, it was the most awful noise I have ever heard, I almost peed. haha.

I am 20 now and the second story from my first hunt this year. A good friend of mine and I walked back in to Pennyrile State Forest to a spot we had never hunted. After climbing up we began to wait for daylight and after about 15 minutes of waiting the most awful scream, almost banshee-like, came from the tree next to me. Somehow we had managed to slip in on top of a screech owl. Needless to say we were both kinda freaked out.


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## soulless (May 22, 2009)

Snood Slapper said:


>


i'm more afraid of stuff like this vs dangerous animals... When i was about 12, i went small game hunting with my dad.. So it was mid-day. We walked over this field filled with 5' grass... Little did we know, we were walking over and across what looks like an ancient cemetery... :mg::mg: Hair stood up and goose bumps all over with the added gush of wind made it even worse...


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## soulless (May 22, 2009)

jimposten said:


> I am man enough to admit IT. I am a 26 year old man, and when I am leaving the woods by myself after dark, I am awful relieved when I step out of the woods into a wide open field.
> 
> Its the fear of the unknown.
> 
> ...


i feel ya... i walked pass a couple of super hold shacks in the woods and it would scare me too..


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## madsammer (Nov 21, 2008)

bump, this is to good to loose

R


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## billpaul (Aug 4, 2008)

One hour to dark...heard the leaves crackin behind me..then looked down and had two cubs coming up the tree...started yelling at them and they went back down, Threw my piss bottle at them and they went up another tree. Looked to my left and there was Mama..she gave them a yell and they came down and all three took off to the swamp...no i did not hunt til dark. I was out of the tree and a dead run to the truck:mg:


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## Clay C (Jul 22, 2006)

Im not really scared but kinda uneasy at times. Although some wierd stuff has happened at our place. Right before my family bought our ranch the son of the people who run the place beside us went dove hunting and never came home. They looked for him for several years combing every inch of land out there. 7 years later they decided to go deer hunting and found his skeleton piled up in a tree trunk (which just happens to be about 75 yards across the fence from one of our stands. His shotgun was next to the trunk fully loaded. Supposedly they had ran blood hounds over this area several times when he disappeared and never found a thing. true story. Also a few years ago my dad was shredding. He isnt scared of anything at all. Well he says it got dark and all of a sudden he looked into the timber and saw two big green balls of light swooping left to right coming towards him. and not like vehicle lights they were independent from each other. Also this past saturday I was in my treestand watching a deer across the creek when he snapped his head around staring at something. About this time the neighbors cows started hawling a*^ across the creek then the deer followed suit and ran right under me and never stopped. suddenly I heard this wierd blood curtling sound. LIke a mix between a scream and growl. I grew up out here around cows and everything else and have never heard anything like it.


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## sundowner (Mar 9, 2008)

*Graveyard*

I lived for a while in Columbia MO. While living there I hunted a wildlife managment area between Columbia and Boonville. This area is right along the Missouri River and there has been a lot of settler activity in this area ever since Dan Boone. Anyway I found an area where a good buck had been tearing it up with rubs and scrapes, and when I patterened this guy the best ambush spot was along an old cemetary. This cemetary had grave markers dating back to the 1830's. Not all of the names on the markers were Anglo Americans some were Native Americans as well.
Well I set up there one afternoon and things were about as perfect as they can get. No wind, cold temps, dark moon etc, and I am feeling lucky.
About an hour into the hunt I get to feeling like something or someone is watching me. I shake it off and continue to sit there. The only thing is I cant shake the feeling and the more I think about it the bigger this thing gets.
After about 3 hours and getting along towards dark the hairs on the back of my neck are sticking up and I am getting to be a wreck. I cant concentrate I am forever looking around for something that is not there.
Well I hang there until past shooting light just out of stubborness, and am quite relieved to have an excuse to leave. As I am gathering up my gear getting ready to climb back down the tree an owl the size of a 747 hoots at me from a tree not 10 feet from me. I never heard this bird come in, I never saw it while I spent the afternoon there, it just seemed to me that this damn bird ascended from Hell to haunt me.
Well I am not ashamed to say that I was scared speechless and climbed down out of that tree like a cat squirrel. I dropped about half of me stuff out of me pack forgetting to zip it up good and by the time I got myself back to my truck I was about to cry. I am not really superstitious and have hunted a lot of woods by myself and would continue to do so after that, but I never hunted there again.
I have gone by there again to a very good pond (big bass) always giving a wide berth and on more than one occasion I was hooted at by an owl. Whether it was the same owl or not I dont know and dont really want to know.
I talked to another hunter that finally got that buck, and he said "man I really felt like I should have left the deer and just got away from there".


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## BO-HUNTR (Nov 25, 2005)

Me and my buddy were walking to our stands together, in the dark, before we had to slip up. While walking I was explaining the scenery from stand. It sits on a swamp line, kinda of marshy with cypres knees all over the place. I told him I imagine little half goat half man creatures coming out just before sun up running around. My friend got reel quite. I then asked him has he ever been sitting in his stand, before sun up, and felt a presence lean over his shoulder from behind and whisper, "hey" into his ear. After i said that, my buddy said, "F**k this, I'm going back to the car!" And he went back, he wouldn't go to his stand until the sun came up. I almost pissed my pants laughing so hard at him. I continued to my stand. When I was up in it, I was thinking of what I had told my buddy and started to spook myself. But I stayed anyways.


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## cokays (Aug 30, 2009)

When I was younger I didn't enjoy the dark wood so much. Then it hit me one day! I am at the top of the food chain. I am predator numeral uno! I am the baddest thing out there looking to take something out! After that realization I was and am fine.


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## NYBowhunter71 (Jul 29, 2007)

For me, it depends on what i know is in the area. Here on LI, there are no poisonous snakes and predator bigger than maybe a dog. So I have no problem wlakin in the woods at night.
For somewhere that is known to have bigger predators (cougar bear etc, yeah, I would probably be nervous. I don't know about scared though.


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## rolltide4469 (Jul 16, 2009)

*Close Call*

Ok this is really something scary but more of a close call. Me and a buddy were walking in one morning without a flashlight. The moon was full so we could see pretty well however we heard something running along side us so I pulled out the light to check it out. Pe Pe Le Pu was about five feet from us with his tail in the air. I just knew that we were about to get sprayed. Luckily he turned away from us when i turned the light on. Don't think we would have seen much that morning if that skunk would have sprayed us.


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## tamusdh (Jul 21, 2005)

*Illegal's*

Had 7 illegal’s walk up on me one hunt. They about walked over my ground blind. Luckly it was during gun season. Being only 30 miles for the border I have seen them multiple times. All times turned out ok, but it is a reason to carry a side arm for persuasion.


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## mountaineer2314 (Sep 15, 2009)

I was muzzleloader hunting for deer a few years back with a buddy who gets scared real easy. We had just came out of the mountains and were walking a river bank to our canoe. I was in front walking and I got about 10 feet from a rhododendron bush which starting shaking violently. So I raise my gun and put the light on it and there was a beaver under it that took off into the river. I said it is just a beaver and I didn't get a response. So I turn around and he is about 50 yards up the bank running. He still gets crap over that.


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## Cajun83 (Sep 30, 2009)

I can walk through the woods all night and not feel wierd..... but put me walking through the middle of an empty field in the dark and I feel anxious. Basically when in the woods I feel that the only things that can see me are close enough for me to hear.. when in the middle of a field, all the furry woodland creatures (both naughty and nice) can see me. 

It is quite the opposite for most people... but not for me. 

I got over the being scared of the woods thing at a fairly young age. Trudging through knee deep swamps at 4:30 Am to reach a blind or stand will get you over the fear of the dark... because you start to fear the water... lol Gators and cottonmouths are much scarier than skunks and owls. haha

Edited to add*

When I was a youngin', a cousin and I decided that it would be cool to camp out in the granparents backyard. Their neighborhood is just a few houses surrounded by woods with one road out. We set up the tent in the backyard and messed around in the woods for a couple hours. When it started to get dark we sat in the backyard until everyone went to sleep. We snuck out into the woods and got really scared because we were both obviously born as females and later turned into males. 

Finally we went back to the tent as it was getting cold and we got into our sleeping bags and started to doze off. When all was dead quiet, I could hear these thumping and growling sounds coming from underneath us. I was quite scared. I woke my cousin up so we could both be scared... and we decided to go inside and sleep on the couches. 

When we woke up, my uncle was there (my cousins dad) and I told him what we heard and he replied "Yeah, I heard about some gremlin type creatures that live underground around here...". It wasn't until I was a teenager that I found out that the septic tank was underneath the yard near that spot and that was the noises we heard... Needless to say, we only camped in that backyard once. lol


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## RoadKing01 (Jun 13, 2007)

*Southern AZ*

Well hunting is Sounthern Az there are a number of things that you might run into from Rattlesnakes to Cougar to Bears. That stuff has really never bothered me to much. However last year I was hunting in a canyon and it was early in the morning and I was in a natural blind. I had seen a few coues deer early in the morning when I heard something coming through a draw about 30 yards away. I was getting all excited until I saw the first of 13 illegals coming through. This got my heart rate up since all I had was a bow and 4 arrows. The problem is you dont know if they are running drugs (ie Guns):uzi: or just crossing the border. I sat there and didnt move until they were out of sight. I got up and moved up the mountain to another trail and then made my way back to my truck and headed down the mountain to have the pleasent surprise to see the border patrol. I stopped and let them know what I saw and headed home.


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## madsammer (Nov 21, 2008)

Bump,

tis the season


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## JD BC (Sep 23, 2009)

There is one thing that gets my heart pumping every dam time it happens. When I am sleeping in a tent in the back country and I wake up to some thing sniffing or rubbing up against my tent. This has been caused by a number of critters black bear ,grizz ,marmot ,moose ,pack rat ,mule deer ,and other things I never got a light on. It always gets me a bit no mater how small the critter is.


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## bowhuntr94 (Oct 23, 2009)

im gonna have to try that


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## 2ilbbd (Aug 17, 2009)

I was mushroom/shed hunting this past spring on some property I had gotten permission on last fall. I was not all that familiar with the place so was just kinda wandering around when I heard the deepest nastiest growl I had ever heard. I have heard yotes, mad *****, dogs, and lots of other things in the woods, but never this. I turned and ran about 20 feet until I convinced myself that I was bein a big p***y. It was just over the ridge from me so I picked up the closest stick and started back toward it. Then it did it again! I begged the Good Lord to turn that stick into a buckshot equipped 12ga. Long story short the stick was left in the woods and I ran my chicken butt in a 200 yd sprint across the field to the truck. Have not been back in there since. The bad part I have a stand 30 yards from there that I killed a 163" out of last year. When they get the crops out I'm afraid I'll have to suck it up.:faint:


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## K9-26 (Oct 25, 2006)

Well here is kind of an eerie one for you all. About ten years ago I was out tracking a deer with a buddy that he had shot earlier. It was about 10pm and obviously dark with a heavy breeze. While out there we would occasionaly hear a thumping type sound, and had no idea what it was. Well long story short, later the next day we hear that a man had hung himself in the woods we were in, appearently not far from where we were looking for the deer. Kind of spooked us for a while....


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## millertime89 (Oct 27, 2009)

my buddy and i had a little scare one night... We were helping a friend track a deer he had hit just before dark in an area where we have seen several good sized bears and one of our 2 flashlights died.. the other flashlight started to go out but we were determined to find the deer since we still had a light blood trail.. before you know it we are both crawling through the woods on the side of a hill with our faces about a foot off the ground looking for blood drops.. 

just as our last flashlight is on its last legs we hear some branches snapping and both stand up to try and see whats making all the noise.. *silence*... back to looking for blood.. more branches snapping.. we stand up again and me being the genius i am, decide i'd rather launch a few rocks into the darkness in hopes of scaring whatever it is off than just leave well enough alone haha.. immediately all h3ll breaks loose and we are instantly convinced we are about to be eaten alive haha.. who knew porcupines could run downhill so freaking fast!! 

lol.. we instantly felt like total girls but it was good for a few laughs when we were able to stop pulling out the white hairs we developed in those few seconds  talk about things that go bump in the night haha


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## GPZYELLOW (Mar 17, 2006)

ttt


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## balls8302 (Aug 9, 2009)

this happened last year during firearms season. but not in the dark...

me and a buddy were sitting together next to a fallen tree during late afternoon. was a super windy day, and we hadn't seen anything all day. he decides he's gonna walk to one of our stands and sit a while, about 200 yards away or so. we use radios and earpieces when we're out in groups so i told him if he spooked anything on his way to let me know where they go when they take off. about 10 minutes roll by and hadn't heard from him. so i decided to stand up and stretch the legs a bit, walked to the ditchbank and started glassing the field to the south. i get on the mic and ask him if he's in the stand and he says yeah, i didn't spook anything up. now this buddy of mine is known for sneaking up on me while i'm in the stand, he's good at it. so another 20 minutes or so go by, i'm standing there looking thru the binos, and hear some leaves shuffle. stayed still cus i knew it was him, had to be. put the glass down, and quickly turned around and yelped, "NICE TRY DICKHEAD!" 

and damnit if this doe AND a nice 8 pointer didn't look like they was about to shat themselves! i then yell in disgust knowing that i had leaned my shotgun up next to a tree about 15feet from where i was standing, and these deer were about 10 feet from me. they hop the ditch so i go grab the gun, and hunker down. deer are long gone now. buddy gets on the radio saying he heard me yellin , haha. 

freaked me out and i felt pretty stupid when i realized i was yelling at two deer when i turned around.


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## bowhunter130 (Feb 5, 2009)

dont like it but ya gotta do it!! i just am constantly looking around. What is really scary is when your running your coonhound at night out of season without a gun or anything and he and Mr.Wily coyote decided hey i dont like you.. Pew that Was SCARY. The coyote was just like circling us and growling and my dog was barking up a storm. Thank god he didint go down there


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## fxdwgkd (Oct 6, 2009)

Not really when hunting except I get that funny feeling something is not right. A lot more scarred of the dark in the city. When I was a 4 my parents split up and I being the oldest boy as I got older took on the protecter role. Our house was broken into twice in the middle of the night. One time our dog scarred them away, He was a 120lb husky/wolf mix. The other time I had my 870 pointed at he door when they reached in through the broken glass. Pumped a round into the chamber and they fled. Never had to fire a shot thankfully. That was about 12 years ago when I was 18 and in HS. Ever since then I have had a really hard time going to sleep at night. Now I sleep with my 45 and a streamlight under my pillow.


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## swampboss (Sep 8, 2009)

Some of you guys crack me up. After having to wade waist deep about a mile out of a Louisiana cypress swamp at night without any light when I was about 15 yrs old , nothing is really scary any more. but IMO falling dead trees or limbs from wind gusts are the biggest threat to your life in the woods. Next would be lighting in open country.


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## PIC2 (Feb 13, 2006)

balls8302 said:


> this happened last year during firearms season. but not in the dark...
> 
> me and a buddy were sitting together next to a fallen tree during late afternoon. was a super windy day, and we hadn't seen anything all day. he decides he's gonna walk to one of our stands and sit a while, about 200 yards away or so. we use radios and earpieces when we're out in groups so i told him if he spooked anything on his way to let me know where they go when they take off. about 10 minutes roll by and hadn't heard from him. so i decided to stand up and stretch the legs a bit, walked to the ditchbank and started glassing the field to the south. i get on the mic and ask him if he's in the stand and he says yeah, i didn't spook anything up. now this buddy of mine is known for sneaking up on me while i'm in the stand, he's good at it. so another 20 minutes or so go by, i'm standing there looking thru the binos, and hear some leaves shuffle. stayed still cus i knew it was him, had to be. put the glass down, and quickly turned around and yelped, "NICE TRY DICKHEAD!"
> 
> ...


Not sure whether yelling at two deer that you thought was your buddy was stupid, but a buddy that sneaks up on another with a gun surely is. Whatever floats your boat.


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## dat201 (Sep 11, 2007)

Not really afraid of the dark,but walking out I had the feeling I was being watched ,turned around and 2 coyotes were about 20 feet behind me.I am a little more cautious now and use a flashlight after that.


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## Deer Smacker (Oct 31, 2008)

What just about stops my heart ever time is when I almost step on a pheasant or grouse. Man they spook the CR** out of me.....


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## mountaineer2314 (Sep 15, 2009)

Actually this was two things in one night.There was one time a buddy of mine shot a bear and we went back to my cabin to get a lantern and wait for it to die. So we go back and there is about eight of us tracking this bear. So myself and one the guys does the tracking and follow us from a distance so they didn't accidently mess up the blood trail. Well the trail goes into a huge rhododendron patch and we follow carefully. Now take in mind the guy that shot the bear had his bow and the rest of us had pistols. Well we start to come out of the rhododendron patch and we all group up to rest. We then stand up and start trailing again when we hear the woods come alive and two sets of eyes come running at us. Well all you hear are various cuss words and pistols coming out of holsters and cocking. It was two bear dogs that were cold trailing. It was pretty funny when we realized what it was. Well we continue tracking and the trail goes straight to a big oak. Well we all are standing around this tree looking up and one of the limbs starts shaking like crazy and flashlights are going everywhere loooking and the guy in the back is behind a bush shining it. Well where he was behind the bush it made a huge black shadow that looked it came down the tree. People were running everywhere yelling and a couple of guys fell down. Turned out it was only a ****. But it was hilarious.


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## b_vanfossen (Dec 5, 2008)

that sounds pretty funny!! 



mountaineer2314 said:


> Actually this was two things in one night.There was one time a buddy of mine shot a bear and we went back to my cabin to get a lantern and wait for it to die. So we go back and there is about eight of us tracking this bear. So myself and one the guys does the tracking and follow us from a distance so they didn't accidently mess up the blood trail. Well the trail goes into a huge rhododendron patch and we follow carefully. Now take in mind the guy that shot the bear had his bow and the rest of us had pistols. Well we start to come out of the rhododendron patch and we all group up to rest. We then stand up and start trailing again when we hear the woods come alive and two sets of eyes come running at us. Well all you hear are various cuss words and pistols coming out of holsters and cocking. It was two bear dogs that were cold trailing. It was pretty funny when we realized what it was. Well we continue tracking and the trail goes straight to a big oak. Well we all are standing around this tree looking up and one of the limbs starts shaking like crazy and flashlights are going everywhere loooking and the guy in the back is behind a bush shining it. Well where he was behind the bush it made a huge black shadow that looked it came down the tree. People were running everywhere yelling and a couple of guys fell down. Turned out it was only a ****. But it was hilarious.


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## Sooner Archer (Nov 2, 2009)

I never used to be scared of the dark, until two "incidents" that happened back-to-back last year. Got done one night in early October and decided to check a camera that was on my way out. Thought I was standing on a stick, until it started moving. Grabbed my flashlight to see I was standing on a 3 ft. timber rattler. Next morning, I was walking on a trail through thick brush. I got to the top of a steep hill and something with a big black head hit me in the chest and I rolled to the bottom of the hill. We have pics of a 300 lb. hog on our trail cams and I just knew it was him. I lost my flashlight during the fall, so I had to crawl up the hill to find it.  Turned it on to see a cow at the top of the hill looking at me. She was laying down and hit me when she tried to get up. Having those two things happed in a 12 hour span will make you a little spooky.


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## lineslinger (Dec 8, 2007)

The wolf man is out there, he almost got me once.:mg:


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## SET THE HOOK (Dec 30, 2004)

doesnt bother me unless im way upnorth by the bears and wolves guess its because i dont go up there that often and half the places my buddy puts me he has trailcam pics of bears and a few pics of wolves. during gun season there is no fear


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## wi_deerslayer (Oct 28, 2009)

had a new first the other morning. I've been hunting the same patch of woods since I was old enough to hunt, and can usually find my stands without a light, well last week i was walking in to a newer stand and got a bit turned around, so while trying to keep my noise to a minimum turned on my headlamp to see if I could find the stand, and sure enough right in front of me are 2 sets of glowing eyes peering back not more than 15 feet away, if that wasn't erie enough, when the 2 deer finally got up and took off, there were 2 others I hadn't seen yet, didn't have to worry about staying awake in the stand that morning.


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## G20 (Jan 31, 2008)

Not hunting but me and some buddies went camping years ago and we were camping next to a creek maybe 30yds wide. We kept seeing these eye staring at us on the opposite bank when we hit it with the lights. It would shine and then disappear while we had the light on it. It was hanging over the water.

Next morning it turned out to be a spinnerbait someone lost and the wind would spin it which looked as though it was blinking.


Another incident is when we wre 12-13 years old we went camping and were asleep when we awoke to our tent down and someone making pig noises while grabbing us through the tent fabric. Turned out to be our buddies uncle but scared the crap out of us.


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## cjtaylor0103 (Oct 22, 2008)

A pistol mainly protects you against rustling leaves, glowing eyes belonging to *****, branches that tickle your neck unexpectedly, roosting turkeys, spooked deer and howling wind.

This is why I carry a pistol.

Sometimes it could even protect you from crazies, bears and cats.


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## NC stringpuller (Jan 26, 2007)

nyturkeyduster said:


> Then I look at the ground and the grass is moving like something is going through it. It's coming fast and right at me. I stand and all the deer bolt, the figure in the grass is still coming at me. Its gets about 4 feet away and leaps from the grass right at me. *It's a raccoon, and it tried to kill me.* I kicked it as it was mid air and let out the biggest Nancy scream you guys will ever hear. I never ran home so fast in all my life.




You made me choke on my pizza!


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## phxccw (Sep 28, 2009)

I hate the dark...but this is what freaks me out the most.








THat's why I carry my Kimber too.


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## snaildarter (Jan 24, 2009)

Just about every time I have gone to my stand this year (before daylight) at the same spot I hear something running toward me, when I stop it stops. When I'm about 50 yards up the creek I can hear it crossing the creek and going up the hill. I'm almost positive it is a coyote because there are tracks there (both deer and coyote) and I've seen him cross there a few times. I need to move my climber and take him out, he's huge.


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## chris2008 (Dec 24, 2008)

Misfire said:


> A post from last year, but it's worth revisiting...
> 
> http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=247174&highlight=rat
> 
> ...


 well that rat would have died... i was laughing big time thanks for the laugh....


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## violentsleeper (Jul 8, 2009)

*Holy bobcat batman*

In my stand deer hunting this year (Oct 6) when a bobcat shows up out of nowhere and gives me a shot. As I release, he goes into a trot and I clipped him in the rear; it was a 25 yrd shot. The bobcat sat on a log in sight for a few minutes before dragging his rear to a large into the thick . I gave him 2 hrs to die, then went looking for him. I found lots of blood and then found him staring at me 8 yards away. He tried to climb the bank, but he's dragging his rear and can't make it. He then he gave me *the look*. After duecing in my pants, I drew my glock (in that order). I fired 2 rounds that hit the dirt in front of his face and I flew back into my stand. 3 hrs later, I went and found it in the creek. 3pm now and don't want to leave so I took my bow rope and tried to hoist him into the tree with me thinking it would be harder to wind us. He was too heavy for my bow rope and it was cutting my hands, so I leave him at the base of my tree and have a dead cat below my stand. Waited till dark and drug him out. He was 45lbs -- now I wonder how many more are there when I walk in in the dark. It's not a mountain lion but had some knarly fangs. It was lurking around a chicken farm so plenty of food.


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## stinkbait85 (Nov 4, 2009)

i'm right there with you brother haha. i get there as quickly and as quietly as i can. one of the farms i hunt is slam eat up with coyotes and on several occasions i have walked right up on em and it will make you caca de los pantelones! another place i hunt has a huge mound about ten feet high and about 40 feet in diameter right in the middle of a big river bottom that i USED to sit on alot. that was until i found out that a major college archeology class came down about 10 years ago and excavated a bunch or indian remains and artifacts. nope not me, not anymore, lol. i aint scared of the dark, it's what i cant see that scares the crap out of me lol


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## Keesey (Oct 20, 2009)

When I was about 13 or somethin me and my cousins were playing in the woods one night at my grandparents house. well while we were in the woods out of no where we hear this scream it almost sounded like a woman screaming from all around. Scared the crap out of me!!! I'm 19 now and still a little nervous about goin out into those woods at night. I really wish I knew what it was but it was scary being that young


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## drenalinxt (Feb 23, 2009)

*lol*



the-ghost said:


> nah the dark doesnt bother me at all. though one time i was walking to my stand and i stepped over a big log onto a turkey buzzard that was sleeping on the otherside. we both freaked out, the bird flew into a tree and knocked itself out and i came close to screaming like a little girl. sounded more like a full grown woman. i had to chuckle at myself after that, and i'm glad i was alone hehe.


i don't care who you are that is some funny stuff right there now. :set1_applaud:


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## aimatdeer (Apr 19, 2009)

up in a treestand very early one morning and it was early season so plenty of leaves were still in the tree it was very dark. now ime not afraid of the woods or dark but a loud high pitched screaming came up the hill at me and it didn't sound like it was on the ground either. was up in the trees with me at about my height. sounded like a woman being stabbed or tortured... creepy. after a few minutes i figured it must have been an owl. but if it was the booger man he better be able to handle 125 grain .357 magnum hollow points!


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## armedic1 (May 23, 2008)

the sound of dueling banjos in the Ozark Mountains ALWAYS freaks me out!!!!


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## ryan.u (May 3, 2008)

i have herd some odd noises before in the woods in he pooring rain arround night,like onece i herd cries out there like someone is being tormented,herd that more than once
but my woods has a rumor of a guy who had my property before my famly and before tha family befor us has a treasure burryed on are proprty, so could be haunted
but my woods gives me a eeire feeling so no matter if it is day or night or just a walk back there i habe a shotgun loaded up with slugs
but the most scary thing has to be ering cyotes in the area when heading out to your stand


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## ryan.u (May 3, 2008)

here is another one, when i was about 7 or 8 up north near travers city, i was in my uncles house and i looked out the windo and i seen a shadow like figure in the woods that like a indian in full head dress and all


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## shilo (May 16, 2006)

No. but we don't have bears or mountain lions here. out in colorado elk hunting we were seeing quite a few lion tracks and bear tracks. definately made me more alert at night. heck i even worried about the cats during the day.


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## turkeykiller22 (Jul 10, 2008)

*ttt*

MAN that awesome!!! So funny!!



Marc Barger said:


> A friend of mine is deathly afraid of the dark when walking in or out from a hunt. He had to walk about a half mile into one piece of land we were hunting. Most of the way on a terrace right next to a corn field but it was early afternoon so no biggie. So anyway he comes walking back along this corn field after his hunt when all of a sudden some unearthly screech comes out of the corn and the corn itself just erupts with stalks breakin' and something moving fast right at him. He said he just about died right there and was running as fast as he'd ever run in his life. First thing he did when he got back to his truck was to call me to tell me what happened. Unfortunately, I was unavailable at the time as I was out in the corn field with a double raspy diaphram and elk tube scaring the bejesus out of him!! HA! We still laugh about that one and yes...pay backs are a biatch!!


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## Christopher67 (Nov 13, 2009)

Misfire said:


> A post from last year, but it's worth revisiting...
> 
> http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=247174&highlight=rat
> 
> ...



OMG, i havent laughed that hard in a long time! :thumbs_up


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## WarrenB (Oct 24, 2009)

Bears & cougar .... only things that FREAK me out in the woods. Love the dark, I see very well at night (very light sensitive eyes), so have never had an issue other than the constant "where is that damn bear/cougar" thing in the back of my mind. Have been stalked by a bear before & seen VERY fresh cougar tracks. :mg: :mg:

ps some Hilarious posts on here, laughed so hard it was awesome. Thanks all I really needed a laugh today.


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## Bowhunter110 (Nov 13, 2009)

coyotes howling and barking 30 yards behind you in pitch black.. and then running underneath you and not being able to see them..


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## kx90 (Sep 10, 2009)

I never really had a problem with the dark. Yeah, it's spooky because you don't know what's out there and it could be right next to you.

I was 17, I was heading back to my spot at 0 dark 30. Of course I decided to take the spot all the way in the back, in the last hollow where it's at the base of the mountain and it's darker than dark there. I would hit the flashlight, look ahead, shut the flashlight off then walk for 5 minutes. Repeat. This way I was hoping to not give any deer my position, and yes I knew at the time that they could see in the dark. :embara:

So at this point I was probably about 100 yards from my spot. I decided to walk a bit longer without turning the flashlight. I go almost 15 minutes slowly creeping along when I hear a low growl that sounded like it was coming from something very much larger than me. I turn the flashlight on as I'm bringing my rifle off my shoulder and OMG THERE IT IS STANDING ON IT'S HIND LEGS A GOOD THREE FEET OVER ME WITH IT'S CLAWS UP IN THE AIR AND JAW WIDE OPEN DROOLING ALL OVER ME!!!! That dang nasty up rooted tree almost got me. I actually had the safety off and finger on the trigger before I realized what it was.

Funny thing is I marked the downed tree with it's roots sticking up in the air as an alternate spot in case someone flashed me on my way to my main spot (which nobody should've since we were the only people back in there.

It was a frigid morning (about +5°F not in the windchill if I recall correctly) and after that I was good and toasty for a few hours. 

Same frickin' year, two days later. We just finished putting on a drive on the other side of the property. Have about a half hour until it's dark. One of our buddies wasn't out of the woods yet though so I head down the main trail to see if I can spot him. I'm almost to the first bend in the trail and out of the pine trees. I don't see him so I turn around and head back. Now in the pines it gets darker about 20 minutes before everywhere else. So I'm strolling back and I hit an exceptionally dark section when I hear some twigs cracking while I was still walking. I stop, it stops. I take a step and I hear a crack. This goes on for about 20 feet. I spin around real fast unslinging my rifle and I jump another 20 feet in the air at the sound of a Blackhawk helicopter trying to take off from the top of the tree I was standing next to. Holy ****! I didn't know turkeys were so frickin' loud.




Buck N Rut said:


> Haha... a guy I work with runs to his stand because he thinks he's gonna be attacked. By what exactly I'm not sure. He told me a story about how he was charged by a small doe and at the last second she veered off because he stood up from his ground blind and yelled!!! I think someday I'll go sit by his stand and wait for him to come running through the woods so I can videotape it.


I know this was from 3+ years ago but, you know you should've went in ahead of him and sat in his tree stand. Or better yet put dummy in his stand. So many possibilities.


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## Christopher67 (Nov 13, 2009)

Tug08 said:


> I also stepped on a rabbit one morning in the dark, I don't know which of us it scared worse me or the bunny.



Haha!


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## Christopher67 (Nov 13, 2009)

Ringtail said:


> Bigfoot took my bike...then had the audacity to pull a U turn and pose for a pic...




Haha, nice!~ :darkbeer:


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## Full draw 61 (May 15, 2009)

ttt


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## jhubbdo (Jun 9, 2006)

This is an oldie but a goodie of a thread. Let's revive it


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## stickin em' (Apr 22, 2012)

Not scared of the dark. But I do hunt in this one place close to some pines that you have to walk near a graveyard. Always get an uneasy feeling when passing thru there. bout it


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## Jmoore12 (Mar 19, 2012)

Good thread. Never very scared of the dark, but I have had my oh **** moments. Mostly just from things jumping out of the bushes in front of me as I walk down a trail.


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## Blackhawkhunter (Aug 31, 2009)

No need to be scared, help is never far away when you got comms like these. Breaker Breaker!


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## BP1992 (Dec 24, 2010)

Great thread.....:thumbs_up


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## Everson (Sep 9, 2010)

Normally I don't spook in the timber since I will more often than not bivy where ever I am at after the sun goes down when I am elk hunting. Had a feakishly close call with a cougar a few years ago that took me a while to get over though. I was walking in to my deer stand about 4 am along a dry creek. I felt something was not right so I turned on my headlamp. As soon as I looked over my shoulder I about messed my drawers. 10 yards from me up on the creek bank was a cougar. I froze thinking I was a dead man but it calmly walked down the other side of the bank and slipped away. Needless to say I made a beeline for my stand. While sitting in my stand I could see the spot where I met the cougar, it became real clear why the cat was not paying much attention to me. It was watching 3 does in a hay field on the other side of the creek.


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## sawtoothscream (Apr 19, 2008)

idk if I posted on this already but I had weird year where I swear I would see this same shaddow figure everywhere. Probably just my head playing tricks on me but, I was hunting In this one stand and it was getting dark, figured it was time to leave. But like always I looked over the rail (you know maybe a deer snuck in and was sitting right under me lol) but as soon as I looked over this shaddow figure shot up at me and vanished. I jumped about 10 ft and was just shaking like crazy. Few weeks later was walking through the woods and had a strange feeling like something was watching me and looked around and saw the shaddow figure move by and gone. Happened multiple times that year in a few different locations and most when it was light out, shaddow figure always being the same exact size and shape. But I havnt seen it since that year. I want to just say it was my eyes playing tricks on me but idk.


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## jhubbdo (Jun 9, 2006)

Sawtooth I admire u for continuing to hunt. That would've freaked me out. I at least would've been taking my blankie along


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## Jmoore12 (Mar 19, 2012)

There is something about seeing something or hearing something in the woods real late and never really being able to put a pin on what it is that gets me on edge. Sounds freaky bro. 

So I got one. My old man was hog hunting with us recently. He was sitting in a wooden blind overlooking a field. He wears these sound magnifying earphones when he hunts. So as you can imagine, a wood boaring bumble bee sounds like a lawnmower etc etc. So he is in the blind at around 1am when he hears this terrible Whoosh Whoosh to look up and see a massive turkey vulture coming in to occupy the same blind. While trying to land the vulture actually got a foot on his gun before he noticed there was something severely out of place in his nesting area. Apparently he watched the bird perch in a nearby tree and just stare at him all night. That would have scared the dickens out of me, not to mention the sound magnification.


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## lawman882 (Feb 8, 2006)

I was quail hunting up in the mountains of southern California and long about dark I heard a blood curdling (unidentifiable) scream. While waiting to get picked up and armed with only a shotgun & #8 shot, I put my back up against a steep grade with the barrel pointed forward while I waited for my ride. It (the scream) came from a very close proximity - if i had to guess, I'd say less than 50 yds away. I hadn't a clue as to what the heck it was.

Well, it was about a year or so later I was in the kitchen fixing up some lunch one Saturday afternoon when I heard that very same "scream" come from the TV, I bolted into the living room to see what the heck it was, it was a black bear. Needless to say, to this day I feel fortunate.


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## Doofy_13 (Jan 2, 2012)

First time hunting and I was 14 in the middle of a cedar swamp sitting at the base of a big old pine tree. I kept hearing something scratching around me and stuff falling onto the ground. Figured just pine needles or something. The sun rose and I looked straight up the base of the tree I was sitting against and there was a huge porcupine coming at me. A deer hunt soon came to me chasing the thing with a stick.


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## STKA (Apr 4, 2011)

I can honestly say I'm not bothered by the dark, but scaring a skunk is my biggest worry. We don't have anything that will mess with you around here. If we had mountain lions, or grizzlies I would be much more concerned. Coyotes won't bother you, I have an infestation of them where I hunt and they are as fearless as they get. I was field dressing a deer on the edge of the field with the truck running, using the head lights to work and the whole time I could hear a pack of coyotes in the field with me waiting to get to the deer. That was an uneasy feeling and if I had a gun rather than bow I would have turned the truck off and got in the stand again. Same spot I've had (at least twice) 6+ coyotes come out right under my stand at dusk, and then have to walk out in the dark the direction the headed. That doesn't bother me much, just keep an arrow in my hand.


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## STKA (Apr 4, 2011)

That stand I actually put up for coyote hunting with my buddy who owns the land, it's a buddy stand over looking a secluded pasture. Last fall he was in the stand at night with his 12 year old daughter. They had had enough and were getting ready to get down. well he stands up and something hisses/screams at him from the bushes just feet behind the stand. He immediately looked down to see a pair of glowing eyes staring at him, but in the dark bush he couldn't see a shape or even size. He had a 223 with a light so he points it at the bush and turns it on, but couldn't see anything through the leaves. Soon as he turns the light off it hisses at him again an is now pacing semi circles around the back of the stand and all he can see is the eyes glowing. So his next idea is to yell at it (same I would probably do) and it doesn't leave, just paces around looking up at him. He ended up firing three shots into the grass below the stand finally get it to leave. He was a bit unnerved as you would expect especially with his daughter being with him and having to walk a few hundred yards out. She was fine.

We're pretty sure it was a fisher, I had one try to claim my buck that I left overnight in 2010/11 season, even bit a hole in my arrow. And I've been seeing and getting trail cam pics of them. Either way if it was me in his shoes that night, whatever it was would have gotten either lead or carbon in it's eyes.


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## jhubbdo (Jun 9, 2006)

U have got to read these. Best thread on AT


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## jhubbdo (Jun 9, 2006)

Enjoy


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## Lien2 (Aug 4, 2005)

jhubbdo said:


> Enjoy


Good grief man.........why do you keep digging this thing up? Let it die already.


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## MeatSeakerX2 (Aug 5, 2012)

Lien2 said:


> Good grief man.........why do you keep digging this thing up? Let it die already.


 


:set1_violent002:


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## Bowtecher24 (May 30, 2012)

A couple buddies and I was coyote hunting a couple weeks ago, snow on the ground about 5 30am, had a flextone call calling, like as soon as we stopped not 5 seconds later something about 3o to 40 yards from us let out a loud noise that sounded like a turkey/ bobcat mixture and it scared the hell out of us, we are between the age of 25 - 30 and all have been hunting for 10 to 15 years and has never heard anything like that ... something ill never forget


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## jhubbdo (Jun 9, 2006)

Thanks for sending up earlier, Lien2. I appreciate the help


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## fishguts430 (Feb 17, 2011)

First hunt ever by my self I was walking to my stand and had a die snort wheeze about 10 feet from me. Never new a deer sounded like and I was so scared I knocked an arrow and sat down on the spot till the sun came up. I was 14


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## TimGerst (Aug 5, 2010)

One cold january morning, my buddy and I pulled into the parking lot of our favorite hunting spot. We began our walk in and after about 1/2 mile we split off .. I walk another 1/2 mile or so by myself. I noticed a really weird smell and the closer I got to my stand , the stronger it got. I noticed it got much colder too. I finally reach my tree and the smell was so intense that I could barely breath.. It was a chilling feeling.. The moment I touched my tree , I heard what sounded like a child giggling off in the distance.. The hair on the back of my neck stood straight up.. I begand climbing my tree and heard what sounded like an old lady laughing but this time it was close.. I climbed up my tree got settled in and the moment I did, it sounded like a deer ran right up to my tree, but I felt it climbing my tree.. I was falling apart at the seems at this point, clicked my light on and as soon as I saw what it was,it started pulling my leg the exact same way that I am you,right now... Muahahaha .. 


I use to be terrified of being miles deep in the woods.. Not so much anymore.. I am more terrified of getting lost.. I love them woods!! Once you learn all the different noises you hear, your golden!! 


Sent from my iPhone using a Hoyt.


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## catfishmafia76 (Aug 23, 2009)

Found this saved to my favorites and finally finished reading all of them. Good read.


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## harley (May 20, 2006)

arrowslinger200 said:


> The only thing that spooks me in the dark woods is rutting bucks when I;m carrying doe in heat in my pack! They are very unpredictable.lol


I've had them approach me in the dark thinking I was the doe they were chasing.


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## whack n stack (Dec 23, 2007)

Almost got mauled by a sow bear 3 years ago. She was so close I could smell her stink breath....NASTY!!! She charged right up to my eye level and why she didn't take me out of the tree, only God knows. 

I hunt black bears every year and I still have the hair raise on me when walking in and out of the stand.


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## Srongchoo (Jan 11, 2012)

you guys are cracking me up. 
last year i went and put up a climbing stand up in a tree i had never hunted before when it was still dark. right at daylight, i realize that i am not 3 feet from the biggest hornet nest i have ever seen, burrowed into the tree i was in. climbed down very slowly, and never came back. a few weeks later i got in a ladder stand in the bottoms of my farm and watched 2 big copperheads crawl out from a log that i had stepped over to get to my stand. waited for them to crawl away, climbed down, drew the pistol and was out of there.


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## catfishmafia76 (Aug 23, 2009)

whack n' stack said:


> Almost got mauled by a sow bear 3 years ago. She was so close I could smell her stink breath....NASTY!!! She charged right up to my eye level and why she didn't take me out of the tree, only God knows.
> 
> I hunt black bears every year and I still have the hair raise on me when walking in and out of the stand.


Wow, talk about a high pucker factor!


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## 12PointJedi (Apr 24, 2013)

Used to hunt Blackbeard Island off Georgia coast many years ago. Decided to wade a tidal creek one day to hunt some woods on the other side. Then that big log I was headed toward suddenly grew legs and slid into the water. My buddy told me I looked like a duck taking off. 

But the biggest thing I fear about the woods is not being able to get in them. - Jed


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## askbowdaddy (Jun 27, 2009)

Here in Montana there are issues in the news about wolves grizzly bear encounters,but my biggest fear I have when I am hunting is cougars,there more numbers of them then there has been in the past.I have a land owner that has hundreds of acres (within a half a mile of my house) that he allows hunters to hunt on. he is now not allowing as many due to the fact that whitetail numbers are going down because of the cats.so I do have that fear and find myself looking behind me quite often.


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