Tell Me A Good Hunting Story
- Thread starter NDguy
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MuleyHunter
Active Member
Fun with black bear
Back in 1997 I was archery hunting by myself in the middle of the week. I cold camped right next to where I drop off into one of our nasty elk hunting holes and woke up bright and early to get down into hole in the dark to come up underneath the elk. That morning was dead calm and I had hit a couple spots where the hair on the back of my neck would stand on end. I would stop in the dark and just listen......
As soon as the sun started coming up I could hear a bull bugling up where the wallows are. The closer I got the louder the bull got and I could start picking out cows and calves strung throughout the oakbrush. I was sneaking closer to where the bull was bugling and got to within 90 yards of him when 12 yards to the right of me something goes crashing away from me in the thick oakbrush. So immediately I start cow calling thinking it was an elk so as to not run off the herd. As soon as I cow call it comes running back at me and when it comes out of the brush I see it is a medium sized black bear.
He comes out of the oakbrush to about 10 yards and starts hopping up and down on his front legs, woofing at me, and slapping the ground with his front paws. At this time I did not have a arrow knocked and was not carrying a hand gun. I put my bow over my head and started talking to him. He turned and headed back away from me back thru the thick oakbrush. As I turned to see if the elk were still there I could hear him headed back towards me so I start to knock an arrow. He comes back out to about the same spots and does it all over again. This time I could feel the dirt and rocks hit me from him swatting the ground. He runs away two more times and comes back both times with the last time actually coming to within 7 yards with me drawing my bow on him and yelling at him.
He ended up turning and running off... Leaving me with no elk and having to check my shorts !!
Quinton
Back in 1997 I was archery hunting by myself in the middle of the week. I cold camped right next to where I drop off into one of our nasty elk hunting holes and woke up bright and early to get down into hole in the dark to come up underneath the elk. That morning was dead calm and I had hit a couple spots where the hair on the back of my neck would stand on end. I would stop in the dark and just listen......
As soon as the sun started coming up I could hear a bull bugling up where the wallows are. The closer I got the louder the bull got and I could start picking out cows and calves strung throughout the oakbrush. I was sneaking closer to where the bull was bugling and got to within 90 yards of him when 12 yards to the right of me something goes crashing away from me in the thick oakbrush. So immediately I start cow calling thinking it was an elk so as to not run off the herd. As soon as I cow call it comes running back at me and when it comes out of the brush I see it is a medium sized black bear.
He comes out of the oakbrush to about 10 yards and starts hopping up and down on his front legs, woofing at me, and slapping the ground with his front paws. At this time I did not have a arrow knocked and was not carrying a hand gun. I put my bow over my head and started talking to him. He turned and headed back away from me back thru the thick oakbrush. As I turned to see if the elk were still there I could hear him headed back towards me so I start to knock an arrow. He comes back out to about the same spots and does it all over again. This time I could feel the dirt and rocks hit me from him swatting the ground. He runs away two more times and comes back both times with the last time actually coming to within 7 yards with me drawing my bow on him and yelling at him.
He ended up turning and running off... Leaving me with no elk and having to check my shorts !!
Quinton
6mm Remington
Very Active Member
My first year big-game hunting I was 12 years old and we were hunting deer and antelope on my grandfathers ranch over at Roy Montana east of Lewistown. We were just bumping along looking for antelope to sneak on when we came over a little rise and all of a sudden there was about 20 head right in front of us. We jumped out of the truck but by the time we were out they had ran out of sight over another little knoll.
My father and I were standing there about 50 yards from the pickup watching where they had just ran to and I have no idea why but here they come running full out back towards us and were going to pass by at about 75 yards. The larger group went past and we never got a shot, but at the back there was a buck and doe running near each other and about 15 yards behind them another buck was running. As they went broadside to us my dad and I both shot and it sounded like one shot. You could not tell that two rifles had gone off at the same time. Three antelope dropped and tumbled to a stop! My dad had killed the larger buck at the rear of the group and when I shot, the doe ran directly on the other side of the buck and my bullet went through him and dropped her also. They both were hit in the ribs with the doe being a little bit towards the back of the ribs. They both required another shot to finish them off, but I had essentially just taken two antelope with one shot...................on the run...and it was my first big-game animal ever!
My dad's friend who was hunting with us was kind enough to tag the doe as at the time we only had one either sex tag and no extras that year. It was exciting to say the least and my grandfather was there to witness the whole thing. I sure miss that man!
Oh and the rifle I was using was my Remington Model 600 in 6mm Remington that my father had given to me. Now it belongs to my older son.
David
My father and I were standing there about 50 yards from the pickup watching where they had just ran to and I have no idea why but here they come running full out back towards us and were going to pass by at about 75 yards. The larger group went past and we never got a shot, but at the back there was a buck and doe running near each other and about 15 yards behind them another buck was running. As they went broadside to us my dad and I both shot and it sounded like one shot. You could not tell that two rifles had gone off at the same time. Three antelope dropped and tumbled to a stop! My dad had killed the larger buck at the rear of the group and when I shot, the doe ran directly on the other side of the buck and my bullet went through him and dropped her also. They both were hit in the ribs with the doe being a little bit towards the back of the ribs. They both required another shot to finish them off, but I had essentially just taken two antelope with one shot...................on the run...and it was my first big-game animal ever!
My dad's friend who was hunting with us was kind enough to tag the doe as at the time we only had one either sex tag and no extras that year. It was exciting to say the least and my grandfather was there to witness the whole thing. I sure miss that man!
Oh and the rifle I was using was my Remington Model 600 in 6mm Remington that my father had given to me. Now it belongs to my older son.
David
brushcreek
Active Member
I've got a similar story, we have a big dove shoot with my inlaws opening weekend every year. My father in law was hunting about 30 feet from me and had shot several birds that morning. each time he'd get one he'd retreive it and toss it in the sportsman's bucket he was sitting on. about mid morning he went to open the lid of the bucket and out like a rocket shot this dove that had been sitting in there for at least an hour. he yelled at me "Jimmy shoot that darn bird." I was laughing so hard I could not get a shot off at it. We lost my father in law this past September, this is one of those hunts with him I'll never forget. Miss you Mike.
MuleyHunter
Active Member
Another bear experience
One year I was setting up and calling coyotes on the mountain around the end of June. We were using an electronic call along with mouth calls. The electronic call had been going for around 30 minutes ( just because the spot looked so good) and I started hearing something behind and off to the left of me. I would turn my head really slow and look, but could not see anything. As it got to be around 40 minutes, all of a sudden a bear came running in from my left and hit the breaks about 2 feet from the end of my barrel on the .22-250. All I could think of was to rip my face mask off really quick and stand up. The bear spun around and ran behind me about 15 yards and stood up on his back legs before running off.
That was quite the adrenaline rush..... Ended up killing two coyotes later on in the day and getting to see a giant bear just before dark.
Quinton
One year I was setting up and calling coyotes on the mountain around the end of June. We were using an electronic call along with mouth calls. The electronic call had been going for around 30 minutes ( just because the spot looked so good) and I started hearing something behind and off to the left of me. I would turn my head really slow and look, but could not see anything. As it got to be around 40 minutes, all of a sudden a bear came running in from my left and hit the breaks about 2 feet from the end of my barrel on the .22-250. All I could think of was to rip my face mask off really quick and stand up. The bear spun around and ran behind me about 15 yards and stood up on his back legs before running off.
That was quite the adrenaline rush..... Ended up killing two coyotes later on in the day and getting to see a giant bear just before dark.
Quinton
some great stories! ill share a couple. for one I was on a deer hunt down near the Utah Wyoming Idaho border, my buddy had shot a buck that morning and I somehow was the one that ended up field dressing the thing.... that evening while he stayed down in the deer cabin I hiked back up into the hills where some big bucks were hanging out. wasn't seeing what I wanted and decided to call that evening hunt a bust and started walking out right at dusk. I got to base of hill and started my walk across tall dry grass towards the cabin and I kept hearing rustling behind me. id stop on 2 or three occasions to look behind me and seen nothing. then I heard it louder and knew there was something there; I flipped around and seen a fox running right at me! no time to pull up rifle or side arm and the thing was within kicking distance so I kicked it like the Pittsburg Steelers kicker and knocked him backwards, I threw one in the chamber and pulled up as the fox sat there showing me his teeth, he met Remington's 130 grains and lost that dirty grin of his. that one caught me off guard and scared me.
one more while its on mind. dad always had his 357 revolver on his side, day and night... growing up we knew not to ever wake him up by grabbing him or we would get a fist or an elbow to the face. (Vietnam vet) we resorted to waking him with broom sticks
anyway, come hunting season it was always a race to set up our sleeping bags away from dad; I being the youngest of 6 boys was always forced to put mine next to dads, as he was always against the wall opposite corner of wood stove. (big canvas tent) one night as we were sleeping I woke up and seen dad sitting up with his gun drawn and I just laid there wondering what the crap! then BANG! all of us boys were up out of bags wondering what the hell. then dad started laughing and said "taught that raccoon to stay out of the grub box" then he laid his head back down and began snoring upon impact of pillow. and sure as shit, there was a a dead coon with a mangled head against the tents door flap.
one more while its on mind. dad always had his 357 revolver on his side, day and night... growing up we knew not to ever wake him up by grabbing him or we would get a fist or an elbow to the face. (Vietnam vet) we resorted to waking him with broom sticks
anyway, come hunting season it was always a race to set up our sleeping bags away from dad; I being the youngest of 6 boys was always forced to put mine next to dads, as he was always against the wall opposite corner of wood stove. (big canvas tent) one night as we were sleeping I woke up and seen dad sitting up with his gun drawn and I just laid there wondering what the crap! then BANG! all of us boys were up out of bags wondering what the hell. then dad started laughing and said "taught that raccoon to stay out of the grub box" then he laid his head back down and began snoring upon impact of pillow. and sure as shit, there was a a dead coon with a mangled head against the tents door flap.
I was out hunting deer sheds,,one day and I was following a game trail along the bottom of a sheer 40-50 foot cliff.
all of a sudden rocks came raining down around me. I thought the whole mtn was coming down, when suddenly a doe mulie, hits the ground about two feet in front of me, and just lies there like she is dead. so , I take a step forward,to investigate and she turns her head, sees me and her eyes bug out like daffy in a bugs bunny cartoon. and she jumps up and bounds off like hell is at her heels.
naturally ,I circled around to get to top of cliff but never did find out what spooked her off that cliff.
all of a sudden rocks came raining down around me. I thought the whole mtn was coming down, when suddenly a doe mulie, hits the ground about two feet in front of me, and just lies there like she is dead. so , I take a step forward,to investigate and she turns her head, sees me and her eyes bug out like daffy in a bugs bunny cartoon. and she jumps up and bounds off like hell is at her heels.
naturally ,I circled around to get to top of cliff but never did find out what spooked her off that cliff.
some great stories! ill share a couple. for one I was on a deer hunt down near the Utah Wyoming Idaho border, my buddy had shot a buck that morning and I somehow was the one that ended up field dressing the thing.... that evening while he stayed down in the deer cabin I hiked back up into the hills where some big bucks were hanging out. wasn't seeing what I wanted and decided to call that evening hunt a bust and started walking out right at dusk. I got to base of hill and started my walk across tall dry grass towards the cabin and I kept hearing rustling behind me. id stop on 2 or three occasions to look behind me and seen nothing. then I heard it louder and knew there was something there; I flipped around and seen a fox running right at me! no time to pull up rifle or side arm and the thing was within kicking distance so I kicked it like the Pittsburg Steelers kicker and knocked him backwards, I threw one in the chamber and pulled up as the fox sat there showing me his teeth, he met Remington's 130 grains and lost that dirty grin of his. that one caught me off guard and scared me.
one more while its on mind. dad always had his 357 revolver on his side, day and night... growing up we knew not to ever wake him up by grabbing him or we would get a fist or an elbow to the face. (Vietnam vet) we resorted to waking him with broom sticks
lol.my dad was same way, when you woke him.
I once got bold at deer camp and woke him with a cattle prod.(rotflmao).
never before or since have I seen him jump outa bed so quick.
that was some 40 years ago and I still have not fully regained full movement in my legs from the arse whoopin he give me. but it were worth it.
MuleyHunter
Active Member
Crazy Coyote
One year while hunting elk one of my really good buddies (who is a deputy sherif and on the swat team as a sniper) and I where coming down a trail and had some elk moving ahead of us in some thick p/j's. I was in the front and concentrating so hard on the elk that I did not realize that I had walked right over the top of a sleeping coyote in the trail. My buddy behind me had almost stepped right on the coyote and he came alive.....
I hear this crazy scream, and as I am spinning around to see what's happening, all I see is teeth and hair standing on end as the coyote is spinning around toward my buddy. At the same time his rifle is coming off his shoulder and the safety is coming off and firing hitting the coyote dead center in the body. All this happening in seconds I looked at my buddy and asked what the scream was..... He could not even speak ! He had shot the coyote at two yards and could not believe what just happened, but we will never forget it.
I still tease him to this day about the crazy scream he made over a little coyote....
Quinton
One year while hunting elk one of my really good buddies (who is a deputy sherif and on the swat team as a sniper) and I where coming down a trail and had some elk moving ahead of us in some thick p/j's. I was in the front and concentrating so hard on the elk that I did not realize that I had walked right over the top of a sleeping coyote in the trail. My buddy behind me had almost stepped right on the coyote and he came alive.....
I hear this crazy scream, and as I am spinning around to see what's happening, all I see is teeth and hair standing on end as the coyote is spinning around toward my buddy. At the same time his rifle is coming off his shoulder and the safety is coming off and firing hitting the coyote dead center in the body. All this happening in seconds I looked at my buddy and asked what the scream was..... He could not even speak ! He had shot the coyote at two yards and could not believe what just happened, but we will never forget it.
I still tease him to this day about the crazy scream he made over a little coyote....
Quinton
Apparition
Active Member
Ok, this isnt so much of a hunting story as a on the way to hunting camp story. My dad who was one of those guys that carried spare parts in his truck, carburetors, fuel pumps, starters you name it if he broke down (which was often) chances are he had a spare. So I roll into hunting camp, and there his truck sits with the passenger side wheel all concaved in and a few dents in the front bumper and hood. I walk through the door and of course the obligatory WTF happend to your truck. Here he had lost a wheel bearing about 50 miles from camp, made a left at the one traffic light, lost control of the truck, plowed over a bunch of parking meters cool hand Luke style, had change flying everywhere to the point where he turned on the windshield wipers, yanked the wheel hard left and limped all the way to camp.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I'll give you one more...told you I had a bunch after 65+ years of having fun.
Wyoming in 1990, hunting deer and antelope. My Dad burned up a clutch in his truck, so we took the truck to a garage in Powder River. The owner, who was a friend of a friend, rented Dad his 4x4 stake bed truck while he put a new clutch in Dad's truck. One day we were hunting a pretty good canyon for deer. I had already got my buck, but also had a doe tag to fill. I let everyone our at the top of the canyon so they could work it down. I took the truck and went to look over another potential spot for later that day. As I was leaving I saw 4 or 5 does moving down away from Dad and my 2 cousins. I jumped out and leaned over the hood to shoot one of them. I shot and there was a funny noise and the deer just looked at me. I shot 2 more times with the same results. I finally moved away from the truck and killed a nice fat doe. I really couldn't figure why I had missed 3 shots at less than 100yards. I suddenly saw 3 holes in the hood and fender of the truck! Holy crap...I shot the truck. I was shooting slightly down hill and with the scope being over the barrel, I was shooting below my line of sight.
Needless to say I really got roasted by everyone and the owner of the truck really got a laugh. He said he would never fix the truck as this would be a tribute to his California friends! My cousins still remind me of everything, especially when we have a brew or 2 and are talking hunting stories! LOL
Wyoming in 1990, hunting deer and antelope. My Dad burned up a clutch in his truck, so we took the truck to a garage in Powder River. The owner, who was a friend of a friend, rented Dad his 4x4 stake bed truck while he put a new clutch in Dad's truck. One day we were hunting a pretty good canyon for deer. I had already got my buck, but also had a doe tag to fill. I let everyone our at the top of the canyon so they could work it down. I took the truck and went to look over another potential spot for later that day. As I was leaving I saw 4 or 5 does moving down away from Dad and my 2 cousins. I jumped out and leaned over the hood to shoot one of them. I shot and there was a funny noise and the deer just looked at me. I shot 2 more times with the same results. I finally moved away from the truck and killed a nice fat doe. I really couldn't figure why I had missed 3 shots at less than 100yards. I suddenly saw 3 holes in the hood and fender of the truck! Holy crap...I shot the truck. I was shooting slightly down hill and with the scope being over the barrel, I was shooting below my line of sight.
Needless to say I really got roasted by everyone and the owner of the truck really got a laugh. He said he would never fix the truck as this would be a tribute to his California friends! My cousins still remind me of everything, especially when we have a brew or 2 and are talking hunting stories! LOL
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mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
- 3,921
- 3,238
I had a buddy of mine do the same thing the the tailgate of his brand new truck shooting at a groundhog while leaning on the bed side....lol Good Story brought back a funny memory of mine lol
Fink
Veteran member
Since duck season is now over, and a buddy just happened to send me this picture the other day....
When I was in college down in Springfield, MO, we had a horrible ice storm that knocked out power for nearly all of the city for 10 days. During the ice storm, we all were like transients, moving from house to house, whoever might have power for a few hours, to take showers, etc.. It was so bad, for the first time in the 100 year history of MSU, school was canceled. So was work for me..
I had nothing to do, and it was freezing in my apartment, and the only place that was warm was my truck, so I took a drive up to the local reservoir just kinda aimlessly driving. I was crossing one of the feeder creeks into the lake when I looked over and saw thousands of mallards bombing into something. I watched for a while, as the ducks kept dropping in. I hoped out of the truck and went out to see what was going on. I walked about a half mile through the woods before I could finally see water. the lake was about a foot or two high, and had flooded a little flat in the back of this cove. the wind and waves had kept it open, and there were a TON of ducks in it. I called my buddy, and told him I found the ducks, get ready for the morning!
We went in the next morning, and were taking our time, when we saw a headlamp coming from the other side. Nick drops all his stuff and tells me he's gonna go claim the spot and to bring the rest of the gear! I finally get out there and we set up on the edge of the ice. there is NO cover out here, so after we set up, Nick goes back about 100 yards to the better cover, and we take turns.
The mallards came back in flocks of 400-500 birds, and were completely committed, it was incredible. I shot 1 greenhead, went and grabbed it, and swapped out with Nick. Over the next 2 hours or so, we proceeded to trade out, each shooting a single greenhead, out of flocks of hundreds. By about our 6th bird or so, the kids that we beat into the spot were watching, and screaming in agony, when we would shoot just one. hhaahahaa, it was great.
We killed our limit, and got out of there. those kids were packing in as we were headed out. We called everyone we could, to come hunt these ducks with us, but the roads were so bad, nobody could make it except one other guy, who drove all the way from STL. For the next three days, we flat pounded the mallards in this spot until the season closed.
I've been on some incredible duck hunts, but that one was by far the best.
When I was in college down in Springfield, MO, we had a horrible ice storm that knocked out power for nearly all of the city for 10 days. During the ice storm, we all were like transients, moving from house to house, whoever might have power for a few hours, to take showers, etc.. It was so bad, for the first time in the 100 year history of MSU, school was canceled. So was work for me..
I had nothing to do, and it was freezing in my apartment, and the only place that was warm was my truck, so I took a drive up to the local reservoir just kinda aimlessly driving. I was crossing one of the feeder creeks into the lake when I looked over and saw thousands of mallards bombing into something. I watched for a while, as the ducks kept dropping in. I hoped out of the truck and went out to see what was going on. I walked about a half mile through the woods before I could finally see water. the lake was about a foot or two high, and had flooded a little flat in the back of this cove. the wind and waves had kept it open, and there were a TON of ducks in it. I called my buddy, and told him I found the ducks, get ready for the morning!
We went in the next morning, and were taking our time, when we saw a headlamp coming from the other side. Nick drops all his stuff and tells me he's gonna go claim the spot and to bring the rest of the gear! I finally get out there and we set up on the edge of the ice. there is NO cover out here, so after we set up, Nick goes back about 100 yards to the better cover, and we take turns.
The mallards came back in flocks of 400-500 birds, and were completely committed, it was incredible. I shot 1 greenhead, went and grabbed it, and swapped out with Nick. Over the next 2 hours or so, we proceeded to trade out, each shooting a single greenhead, out of flocks of hundreds. By about our 6th bird or so, the kids that we beat into the spot were watching, and screaming in agony, when we would shoot just one. hhaahahaa, it was great.
We killed our limit, and got out of there. those kids were packing in as we were headed out. We called everyone we could, to come hunt these ducks with us, but the roads were so bad, nobody could make it except one other guy, who drove all the way from STL. For the next three days, we flat pounded the mallards in this spot until the season closed.
I've been on some incredible duck hunts, but that one was by far the best.
since we are on the subject of shooting trucks. I once HAD an old hunting buddy that shot his own truck on three different occasions.
ONE WAS SAME TYPE SITUATION DESCRIBED ABOVE . SHOOTING OVER HOOD INTO A DRAW AT DEER.
2nd was , when he got back to truck after hiking ,he would always unload, and then dryfire his rifle.don't know why , he just always did it. on this particular occasion ,he was alone , so he laid the rifle on the seat of truck ,pulled the trigger and shot a hole through passenger door.
on third occassion , I was with him. we were spotlighting coyotes.we saw one up on a hillside about 150 or so yards out. HE JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK WITH HIS .243, leaned across the hood and click. dry fire.again .dry fire.and again, dry fire. he then comes back in the truck lays his rifle barrel down on the hump in center floor, borrows my .223 and proceeds to shoot the coyote. CRACK -POP. DOWN IT GOES AND DOESN'T EVEN TWITCH. so , he gets back in and we start to drive up the hill to get the coyote AND KABOOM!
WTH,the whole cab filled with smoke . pieces of the floor are raining down around our heads. my ears are ringing and it feels like I have a concusion.
we finally realize that his gun went off. he never removed the last misfire from the chamber. he shot a hole through top of hump out the side of it and through the floor next to my feet.
he yells,(cause we are now deaf),"are you ok?"
still in a state of shock ,I yell back," I think so, I'm not sure , let me check."
turns out I was . so, we climb under the truck with spotlight AND inspect tranny and whatnot and determine nothing important was hit and what are we gonna do if it was.
so we get back in the truck. I check and make sure my .223 is unloaded because I no longer trust him . it is. good deal .
so we proceed driving up hill to collect the dead coyote and I'LL BE DAMNED IF IT DOESN'T JUMP UP AND RUN AWAY. WE NEVER DID GET THAT DOGGY.LOL.
ONE WAS SAME TYPE SITUATION DESCRIBED ABOVE . SHOOTING OVER HOOD INTO A DRAW AT DEER.
2nd was , when he got back to truck after hiking ,he would always unload, and then dryfire his rifle.don't know why , he just always did it. on this particular occasion ,he was alone , so he laid the rifle on the seat of truck ,pulled the trigger and shot a hole through passenger door.
on third occassion , I was with him. we were spotlighting coyotes.we saw one up on a hillside about 150 or so yards out. HE JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK WITH HIS .243, leaned across the hood and click. dry fire.again .dry fire.and again, dry fire. he then comes back in the truck lays his rifle barrel down on the hump in center floor, borrows my .223 and proceeds to shoot the coyote. CRACK -POP. DOWN IT GOES AND DOESN'T EVEN TWITCH. so , he gets back in and we start to drive up the hill to get the coyote AND KABOOM!
WTH,the whole cab filled with smoke . pieces of the floor are raining down around our heads. my ears are ringing and it feels like I have a concusion.
we finally realize that his gun went off. he never removed the last misfire from the chamber. he shot a hole through top of hump out the side of it and through the floor next to my feet.
he yells,(cause we are now deaf),"are you ok?"
still in a state of shock ,I yell back," I think so, I'm not sure , let me check."
turns out I was . so, we climb under the truck with spotlight AND inspect tranny and whatnot and determine nothing important was hit and what are we gonna do if it was.
so we get back in the truck. I check and make sure my .223 is unloaded because I no longer trust him . it is. good deal .
so we proceed driving up hill to collect the dead coyote and I'LL BE DAMNED IF IT DOESN'T JUMP UP AND RUN AWAY. WE NEVER DID GET THAT DOGGY.LOL.