YEs, how about the "too close to shoot encounters" thread
YEs, how about the "too close to shoot encounters" thread
"Target archery is seeing how far away you can get and still hit the bull's eye;
Bowhunting is seeing how close you can get and never miss your mark."
"A man's got to know his limitations"
Too close and not enough time go hand in hand.
Had a couple bears bolt close by or catch me unprepared.
1) Was getting changed in my drivers seat with the heat running when I first encountered the bear that would charge at me 4 months later. Saw him in my mirror walk a few yards behind the car.
2) Walking up to a knob we climb up, there was a bear snoozing between the vegetation and rock ledge. Almost stepped on it when it exploded out of there. Not even enough time to get scared let alone shoot it. No idea how we were not run over. We pretty much had it cornered. Probably lucky it didn't rough us up too.
3) Walking up to a lookout spot, turned out to be a bear in our lookout spot. Only a few yards away, maybe 8-10. I thought caddisgirl was going to shoot it. She thought I was going to shoot it. We stood there like idiots as the bear went up on hind legs sniffing at us, then started running up the mountain. I probably could have still got it a few times but it looked small. Ended up shooting it a year later about 1.5km away. It was still pretty small.
4) caddisgirl is up early eating cereal. I hear "#%@ ! A bear" ... I look outside and they are both staring at each other 3 yards away. Not much of a hunting story, as it was in July.
5) Also not a hunt story (summer and provincial park) but I wake up to "hey wake up. This bear followed me back to camp. What should we do?" My answer "follow it instead" lol ... we filmed it for quite some time.
6) Coyote that ran up to em when I was going #2. Completely oblivious that I was there. I had to stomp my feet.
7) Bobcat belly crawled up to us less than 5 yards away while we were sitting on a log. No tag, wouldnt have shot it anyway... just yelled at it
8. Almost stepped on a bobcat walking back to camp at dusk. It roared like a bloody lion then bolted.
9) Half the damn grouse I see and they scare me more than the bears.
Lastly the other misfire story. "Click part 2", a year after the first one. This time the bear didn't bolt. It looked right at me so I ducked down in the grass. Bad idea maybe. It headed right for me. Bear is about to find me and caddisgirl 10 yards away sees the problem. I don't even think she had time to aim. Boom! Bear bolts. She still.must have hit it right? No blood, no fur. We searched the area for hours. Every bit of timber, every patch of devils club. caddisgirl was climbing over some deadfall and broke through, smashed her face on a limb on the way down and broke her nose. We kept going. We could hear clawing at trees off and on but never caught up with it. caddisgirls condition starts going downhill as everything is swelling up. Took her back to camp and I went out looking until dark. Searched the next day as well. Pretty sure it was a miss and I believe (not 100% though) we shot the same one a week later, also a close up shot. caddisgirl still sporting two black eyes. I think I have some pics somewhere but she didn't want me to post. Funny story. When your wife with two black eyes picks you up a case of beer and meets you at a bus stop, you will get some weird looks.
There we have it. Close shots, close encounters. I think I'm out of stories. Gotta wait for some other crazy stuff to happen.
Last edited by caddisguy; 01-09-2019 at 09:17 AM.
Mule buck @ 3yards with 7mm Mag.
Mule buck @ 5 or 6 yards with crossbow.
Black bear in the head at 1 foot with the .338 WM.
Absolutely.
Have almost been run over by 2 bull elk.
I surprised a small herd riding the bike in at 1st light.
The cow and calf for some reason didn't bolt at all, just stared at me.
I bugled and the bull responded a little way off, over a hump.
I started to walk up the hump to look over, and just as I got there, over the top comes this bull at full tilt.
He hit the brakes, you could see the whites of his eyes when he realized what I was.
Head goes dow, all 4 legs plow dead straight, and goes into a power slide, right at me.
All I saw then was antlers pointed down towards me, and no time to count (1st year of 6 pt).
And stops just feet away from me, swings his head around and gone like the wind (they are fast!)
2nd bull I got so close, I could have tapped his nose with the barrel of my gun, as he came up from a creek right up quick to the tree well I was standing on the other side, and when he got my scent, literally 3 ft away, saw the whites of his eyes,
the nostrils flare open, and gone.
Can you believe I never got a chance to count all the points yet again
Had a buddy who had a cow elk, who was slowly feeding beside an old road, literally touch noses with him!
No bs, and it was funny to see her reaction.
She just took paused as to go, "hey, wait a second, that doesn't taste right" (he was seated in the bush right beside the road)
Did miss hitting a bear with my 10 speed back in the day coming down a hill at first light and going all out.
Didn't see the bear as my eyes were filled with tears from the cold wind rushing into my eyes.
Last second, hit the brakes, and missed side swiping him by mere inches.
Yes, my heart was pounding, so was the bears.
Amazing how quiet bikes are.
Scared lots of hunters over the years when they are walking the road and I would come "whizzing by" them,
stealthy silent!
Short Range Swing & A Miss...
A few years back I was out hunting an area I knew held a rather good Blacktail Buck.
He was damned smart, and making quite the chess match out of the affair.
One evening just at dusk I was actually on my way out, due to the impending loss of light.
Sneaking quietly down a trail in heavy timer (tunnel) I suddenly saw a large doe cross the trail about 75 yards distance.
She paused before she dumped into the heavy stuff on the far side, and gave a lingering glance back behind her.
I raised my rifle to 3/4 position, and slipped the safety off...
Just as I did so, the Big Boy rolled out onto the path.
Quick glance, yep 4x4 with good brows!
Rifle up, locked in behind the shoulder and let her roar.
Solid smack downrange confirmed the hit.
Good Stuff!
I gave it ten minutes, then went over to where he was when I fired.
Hair & blood - lung blood. He ain't far.
By then the light was failing rapidly, and in my earlier rush to get out there, I had forgotten to toss my headlamp into it's usual pocket. Did not realize that until I reached for it.
Always carry a back-up in the form of a mini mag light, so found that and flicked it on.
The faint glow indicated that a fella should probably check the batteries in his back-up light from time to time...
Nonetheless, I pushed on, and flailed around in the heavy stuff looking for that buck until the light faded completely, and I could not see my hand in front of my face.
Best Buck I had seen on this Island since moving here at that point, and I was very VERY Stressed!
But with little else to do I abandon the search for the eve, with the full intent of being back on it before light in the am.
Next morning I set off with the headlamp glowing fiercely to light my way.
Got to the spot where he was hit, and sat quietly awaiting a little more light.
At the greying of dawn, I slowly made my away into the thick, searching...
Didn't have to go far.
There was a huge amount of hair, and blood well indicating where he had fallen.
In the dark of the previous eve, i simply went right by him.
He had gone less than 25 feet.
Mixed in with the hair and blood were the tracks of two bears - a sow and 2 year old cub from the looks of it.
Well, they ain't going to eat the horns I thought.
Slipping a 150 grain Partition into the chamber (followed by 3 more stacked below) I slowly set off trailing them.
Easy track job following the marks the drug carcass had made.
Bush was getting thicker, damn near hands and knees stuff.
But by now I was committed (or should have been) and wasn't about to abandon the cause...
Got to a small clearing, and slowed to take a quick breather.
No sooner I did so than the bears began sounding off.
To one side, and close, the jaw popping of a nervous youngster.
Directly ahead, the low ominous GROWL of a rather pissed off mama.
Safety off.
Focused on the growling one.
Stance taken.
And right then all hell broke loose!
The larger bear came barreling through the brush directly at me.
It broke free basically point blank, and I fired from the 3/4 shouldered position, attempting to hit her in the noggin.
To my Horror, I saw her left ear get ripped right off her head.
Thankfully that was all she wanted of me, and she whirled and disappeared like so much smoke.
Shaking I withdrew.
Returned several times with my Wolf Dogs to try and find that head.
Never did.
Did however discover that I was so rattled when I shot the ear off that I actually cycled the bolt twice.
There in the duff lay the empty, right alongside a loaded round.
Must have double cycled without realizing it.
Both the bear, and I got somewhat lucky that day.
I have yet to take a Blacktail that would match that one still...
Cheers,
Nog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVNNhzkJ-UU&feature=related
Egotistical, Self Centered, Son of a Bitch Killer that Doesn't Play Well With Others.
Guess he got to Know me