Well over a decade ago, when I was pretty new to hunting and still willing to push through just about any kind of cover or terrain in my desire to learn the comings and goings of various game, I was mucking around in the remote ‘head-waters’(swamp and creeks) of a lake system on a large chunk of completely undeveloped property, NH. It was October and grouse was open so I was looking for them and mudbats with a shotgun, simultaneously scouting around for deer sign. Mucked through some nearly thigh deep **** to an island’ish high spot that was dry. Low and behold, I found a very odd and symmetrical configuration of maybe 30 plastic planter pots sunk into the ground.... they were empty. Maybe someone’s attempt at creating a food-plot for whitetail to hunt over?? Lol. Nahhhh. Kinda tip toed out of there with a close eye for any kind of ‘traps’ around, and started keeping a pocketful of 3” 00 shells with me in bird season. Later, I bought my first big bore revolver and never go into the woods without it, no matter what i’m hunting or carrying for a long gun. In various other remote places, over the years, I have found different signs of human..... encampment?.... if that’s the right word, where they really have no business being. Always an eerie feeling. It also made me feel better to switch my primary woods rifle from an Abolt that holds 3 to a lever that holds 5 plus 1. 5 extra in the pocket.
Hunting stories or encounters?
- Thread starter BigBill
- Start date
jlrhiner
US Veteran
My longtime hunting partner (40+ years) and I were being subjected to cross examination from my Grandson about all the neat stuff they teach in Hunter Safety. He asked us if we knew the international signal of distress; to wit, firing 3 rounds every 20 minutes or so until you get rescued. We did, and my partner commented that he was still on the same box of shells he bought 25 years ago and had been carrying the same 5 for his gun for at least 10.
We call those 5 shells "family heirlooms".
We call those 5 shells "family heirlooms".
Two of the guys I hunt with I suspect of having some heirlooms. One of my brothers joins us a camp about every other year. I know he used to be a decent shot, but, I havent't hear of him actually shooting any game or for that matter his 06 for a long time. I have shot handguns with him though and he still shoots those well.
Another guy comes more often than my brother. Another guy I haven't heard of shooting anything. His kick seems to be counting the game he sees.
Each to their own. To me going hunting is more about being out in the hills, BSn with your buddies and having fun than shooting anything. These 2 guys got it down to an art form. LOL I know I got more of a kick out of helping the wife and step daughters each get their first deer than I did shooting mine.
If I ever fail to show back up from hunting my brother would just go out and look for a big fire somewhere not far too far from a road. Our signal for distress has always been a big ole fire with lots of smoke.
Another guy comes more often than my brother. Another guy I haven't heard of shooting anything. His kick seems to be counting the game he sees.
Each to their own. To me going hunting is more about being out in the hills, BSn with your buddies and having fun than shooting anything. These 2 guys got it down to an art form. LOL I know I got more of a kick out of helping the wife and step daughters each get their first deer than I did shooting mine.
If I ever fail to show back up from hunting my brother would just go out and look for a big fire somewhere not far too far from a road. Our signal for distress has always been a big ole fire with lots of smoke.
I go on a planned hunt every year but it isn't real hunting... it's prairie dog hunting out west. Lots of hiking but no stalking, no tree stand, no tracking and no field dressing. The days are only as short as 6-7hrs if the weather is lousy. If it's prime then we hunt for 10-11 hours. Each day we go out I take 150rds (.223 Rem and my bolt gun)
The magazine is internal, not detachable and it's rare when the first couple rounds that go in the bottom of the mag don't stay there until the end of the day. Lots and lots of kills, but I tend to keep loading a single as I shoot them. It's not often that I'll take 2 or 3 shots and pull rounds from the magazine.
The magazine is internal, not detachable and it's rare when the first couple rounds that go in the bottom of the mag don't stay there until the end of the day. Lots and lots of kills, but I tend to keep loading a single as I shoot them. It's not often that I'll take 2 or 3 shots and pull rounds from the magazine.
Faulkner
Member
I must be doing something wrong, I have hunted in bear occupied country my whole life and have not even once had a bear charge me. In fact, quite the opposite, they typically run off the other direction with me hardly getting a glimpse of them.
Regarding the ammo question, I carry my rifle fully loaded and then another full load in my coat or vest pocket. My bolt .30-06 holds five so I carry an extra five. My Winchester .30-30 gun holds seven so I typically carry an extra seven, whereas my short barreled Marlin .30-30 holds five. I've hunted with my .357 lever gun a couple of times this year and I just throw a handful of extra cartridges in my pocket when I carry it.
I also always have a couple of extra speed loaders or magazines for whatever handgun I'm carrying. Because it's been warm so far this year in the deer woods I've been carrying a Ruger SR22 so I've been carrying an extra magazine plus I threw a 50 round box in my backpack.
Regarding the ammo question, I carry my rifle fully loaded and then another full load in my coat or vest pocket. My bolt .30-06 holds five so I carry an extra five. My Winchester .30-30 gun holds seven so I typically carry an extra seven, whereas my short barreled Marlin .30-30 holds five. I've hunted with my .357 lever gun a couple of times this year and I just throw a handful of extra cartridges in my pocket when I carry it.
I also always have a couple of extra speed loaders or magazines for whatever handgun I'm carrying. Because it's been warm so far this year in the deer woods I've been carrying a Ruger SR22 so I've been carrying an extra magazine plus I threw a 50 round box in my backpack.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
Down here we just use our cell phones.Too damp to make a fire in the basin or marsh and as long as you are south of I-10 you will have phone coverage 99% of the time. You need to ask your grandson what happens when he runs out of arrows
misswired
Absent Comrade
Was invited to a new woods for a squirrel hunt. Hiked the rise and set up around some acorn trees.. little bit later here comes a huge red fox squirrel( close to the Tennessee Line)...watched him feeding and frolicking never considering a shot and amazed at his size and coloration...after the hunt I told the story of the beautiful red fox squirrel to my buddies and one says : I want that squirrel mount...!
We return to the property and he immediately says he's going to where I saw the squirrel... disappointed, I say OK... and set up
close to its nest...I see the beautiful squirrel leave its nest and head straight for the hunting buddy..minutes later after hearing a 10/22 empty... I shout what happened ... he says I've shot big red... reluctantly I climbed the rise to find bid red trapped in a tree afraid to move, nary a wound...he's shouting I've got big red ..:when; I raised the rifle and shot him thru the left ear... he unbelievably had me set-up targets later to prove the trophy hunters scope was 5 inches off ... only thence did he concede ... materialistic fool wanted a trophy....
We return to the property and he immediately says he's going to where I saw the squirrel... disappointed, I say OK... and set up
close to its nest...I see the beautiful squirrel leave its nest and head straight for the hunting buddy..minutes later after hearing a 10/22 empty... I shout what happened ... he says I've shot big red... reluctantly I climbed the rise to find bid red trapped in a tree afraid to move, nary a wound...he's shouting I've got big red ..:when; I raised the rifle and shot him thru the left ear... he unbelievably had me set-up targets later to prove the trophy hunters scope was 5 inches off ... only thence did he concede ... materialistic fool wanted a trophy....
Went hunting for 5 days with 5 guys. Never saw a track let alone a deer. On day 4 we got back at camp and there, hanging out to cool and dry and for all to see, was an expertly field dressed chipmunk.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
I used to hunt with the same group of guys every fall. We always took turns cooking; breakfast, lunch to take with for the day, and supper at camp, then someone else took over the next day.
One day the lunch prepared happened to be liverwurst and cheddar cheese with sliced onion on hard rolls with mustard. Had two of those sandwiches with me while I settled into a sheltered area of decomposing granite overlooking a Y-intersection of two small valleys where critters had been observed coming and going, morning and evening. Heard rustling noises and grunting noises in the aspens uphill from me for half-hour or more, and the air delivered a smell worse than any skunk. Then on my downwind side I saw movement, and a 300 lb. black bear was within 20 yards of my position. He held his nose high and sucked in the air, then exhaled noisily several times, working his way around the granite boulders toward my hidey-hole.
I had a .30-06 rifle, but I really didn't want to shoot a smelly old bear. I stood up, waved my arms, then yelled at the bear a few times. He seemed to pay attention, but showed no sign of leaving, and spent another 20 minutes or more wandering back and forth, sniffing the air and huffing each breath back out noisily.
I figured that he was smelling something that he liked, so I opened my day bag and unwrapped one of the sandwiches and threw it down the hillside. Mr. Bear went right to it, scarfed it down, then wandered off down the valley with no more problems.
I ate the other sandwich, drank some hot coffee, dozed in the sunshine, then about 3:00 I took a nice 3-point (western count) mule deer buck.
Next day was my turn to cook. Fresh liver and onions with fried potatoes for breakfast. Ham and swiss on rye sandwiches and chocolate brownies for everyone to take along for the day. NO DARN BEAR BAIT LIVERWURST & CHEDDAR WITH ONION & MUSTARD SANDWICHES.
One day the lunch prepared happened to be liverwurst and cheddar cheese with sliced onion on hard rolls with mustard. Had two of those sandwiches with me while I settled into a sheltered area of decomposing granite overlooking a Y-intersection of two small valleys where critters had been observed coming and going, morning and evening. Heard rustling noises and grunting noises in the aspens uphill from me for half-hour or more, and the air delivered a smell worse than any skunk. Then on my downwind side I saw movement, and a 300 lb. black bear was within 20 yards of my position. He held his nose high and sucked in the air, then exhaled noisily several times, working his way around the granite boulders toward my hidey-hole.
I had a .30-06 rifle, but I really didn't want to shoot a smelly old bear. I stood up, waved my arms, then yelled at the bear a few times. He seemed to pay attention, but showed no sign of leaving, and spent another 20 minutes or more wandering back and forth, sniffing the air and huffing each breath back out noisily.
I figured that he was smelling something that he liked, so I opened my day bag and unwrapped one of the sandwiches and threw it down the hillside. Mr. Bear went right to it, scarfed it down, then wandered off down the valley with no more problems.
I ate the other sandwich, drank some hot coffee, dozed in the sunshine, then about 3:00 I took a nice 3-point (western count) mule deer buck.
Next day was my turn to cook. Fresh liver and onions with fried potatoes for breakfast. Ham and swiss on rye sandwiches and chocolate brownies for everyone to take along for the day. NO DARN BEAR BAIT LIVERWURST & CHEDDAR WITH ONION & MUSTARD SANDWICHES.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
Not a deer hunting story:
One morning I was squirrel hunting, wearing full camo and sitting with my back to a tree, watching a big hickory. Sun had just come up when I saw the biggest skunk I have ever seen. He was very old--his face was almost entirely white, and the black fur had turned a rusty brown. The white stripes were yellowing. He was huge, and he was waddling straight toward me. His vision must have been poor even by skunk standards, and he hadn't scented me.
What to do? I didn't want to shoot him, but was afraid if he bumped into me or smelled me at close range he'd spray.
I raised my Marlin 39A and prepared to pop him with a head shot. But then he stopped a few feet away, and said (in skunk language), "Oh what the hell," and veered off. Passed within six feet of me, angling away and mumbling to himself.
One morning I was squirrel hunting, wearing full camo and sitting with my back to a tree, watching a big hickory. Sun had just come up when I saw the biggest skunk I have ever seen. He was very old--his face was almost entirely white, and the black fur had turned a rusty brown. The white stripes were yellowing. He was huge, and he was waddling straight toward me. His vision must have been poor even by skunk standards, and he hadn't scented me.
What to do? I didn't want to shoot him, but was afraid if he bumped into me or smelled me at close range he'd spray.
I raised my Marlin 39A and prepared to pop him with a head shot. But then he stopped a few feet away, and said (in skunk language), "Oh what the hell," and veered off. Passed within six feet of me, angling away and mumbling to himself.
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Friend of mine went on a lion hunt. They were in heavy brush. About 10 yards visibility at best. Could hear the lion moving around, but not see it. First sight was when it was in a full charge right at him. PH took a shot but missed. Friend got a shot off at about 1 yard. 416 Rigby and it was an instant kill. Lion crashed into him breaking a few ribs and sent the rifle flying. Happened in less than a second. Makes me really want to give it a try. Looks like fun. PH had a tiny camera on his hat and got it all on video. No link. Video is not posted on internet. Bunny huggers are all insane.
