Strangest, weirdest, coolest thing seen in the woods?

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"The funniest thing was when a pair of chipmunks ran up my legs, screamed horrible little screams, and jumped about 3' in the air when they realized what I was."

Don't you know this sort of thing is ILLEGAL?

"Well shut my mouth! It's also
illegal to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling! ..." Chief Wiggum
 
Nothing real dramatic.
I was sitting about five feet away from a chipmunk when I noticed a house cat stalking it. Neither animal knew I was there. The cat made a perfect stalk and grabbed the chipmunk. I jumped up and let out a whoop and they both took off at high speed in opposite directions.
I had a ruffed grouse land on a branch about three feet away from me when I was bowhunting from a treestand.
I don't know if this is unusal, but I had never seen it before. Twice while elk hunting in Colorado I saw two doe mule deer walking along with a fawn. A coyote began stalking them. One of the does turned and chased the coyote clear out of sight. The second time this happened I got it on video tape.
The funniest thing I ever saw was on a fishing trip in the Quietico Provincial Park in Ontario. Two bald eagles were sitting on a branch. One eagle was reading the other eagle the riot act for about ten minutes barely pausing to take a breath. Finally the second eagle flew to another tree and turned it's back on the other one while the first eagle continued to bitch him out. It looked for all the world like a guy who came home from the bar after spending too much time there and his wife laying into him for it. He listened for awhile, then just ignored her.
Most exciting. Same hunt in Colorado, I was sitting in kind of a depression. I heard a noise in the woods that sounded like someone tearing down everything in his path. The most beautiful cinimon bear (I don't know bears, it was a cinimon color) came out of the woods. It moseyed around for awhile and then began walking right towards me. He got about 20 yards away and I decided I better do something so I stood up and waved my arms. He stopped and looked at me, then turned around and walked the other way like he couldn't care less.
 
the coolest was while I was living in wyoming,out hiking and caught a pair of mountian lions watchin me from a ridge,so I stopped and watched them!they got bored and walked off after about forty -five minutes---------wish I'd had a camera instead of the .22
 
Nothing further to report, folks.

Two young - very much so - uhuh - coupla ladies laying upon the rocks, sans clothes - they were friendly. I am (very much so) married & merely just observant (although not immune) ;) = a pretty treat.

I was fishing & this is Colorado & one must expect things like this.

I caught a trout & moved on.

They didn't expect any "extra fun," nor did I.

We merely passed - "ships in the night" ya know?

Certainly worth the visit though.
 
Two with a similar theme come to mind.

First time I was learning to dive in the northern corner of Monterey Bay. This was shortly after the movie Jaws was released. Yep, learning to dive in the southern tip of the Red Triangle, the GW Shark capital of the world. Anyways, was in about 20' of water and really enjoying playing tag with the Grimaldis in the kelp trees when I turned around and there was a shark swimming about two feet in front of my mask. Geez, that's a BIG shark. Well, so it seems when you're face to face with it. It its environment, and you're no longer top of the food pyramid. I think I drank most of the bay before I realized it was a itty-bitty (3') Thresher that was just passing through. Ever hear someone laugh at you through a regulator? My instructor though it was one of the funniest things he'd ever seen. Thus ended my adolescent shark anxiety.

Second time, I decided it was time to quit smoking. I figured the best thing was to terrorize the squirrels in Yosemite on my own for a while as the nicotine worked its way out of my body (better than doing the same to my friends and family). I arrived too late in the day to get a good start packing out, so I decided to spend the first night in the campground. Late that night was a meteor shower, so I was laying down on a footbridge that crosses the river watching the fireworks through the break in the trees when it suddenly got very dark. A black bear had decided to cross the river and just stepped over me like a log on the path and kept trekking towards the campground looking for a midnight snack. And I still don't smoke. :)
 
Angry beaver story

Was kayaking in flooded area and noticed limbs/branches in tree above me moving. Try as I might I couldn't detect what critter was causing the disturbance. There was no wind at all. Finally it dawned on me that the tree was falling in slo-mo. Two reverse strokes and I avoided the ignominy of being the first human being to be crushed or drowned by a beaver. Never got a look at him, but those chisel marks on the stump were unmistakable!

Got with 14' of a bobcat while out hiking. Sat down and ate my lunch while talking to him. When I got up to leave he took off like a shot.

While backpacking a had a black bear sneak around a tree and take a grab at our bear bag that was on the ground while we were cooking dinner. It was pitch dark, but I felt this odd sensation and looked down and left. He musta been three feet away. I said, "Oh, Sh##. A bear!" He took off and raided some gals campsite on the other end of the lake when he realized he'd been made.
 
The coolest thing that's ever happen to me; last year I was hog hunting in Northern Tx. I was slipping down an a brush covered creek trying to be a silent as possible. When I thought I heard a slight noise in the branches above me. I stopped and looked up only to see two tiny little baby Bobcats. These guys had just opened there eyes which were bright blue. The Bobcats stared at me as I stared at them. I started to reach up and touch one but decided to leave well enough alone and let them be. It was only after about an hour that I realized that I did have a camera in my pack........ Oh well probably never get a chance like that again.

Strangest thing well..........My brother and I were out hunting Coyotes in the NM desert when up in the Juniper trees we see this black round shiney thing moving through the brush. I put a pair of glasses on it and decided it was definatley moving it was shiney and black and I had no earthly idea what it was. So being the good ranch raised NM boys that we were we grabed a pair of rifles and proceeded to investigate. Checking the wind we carefully and skilfully stalked up on this strange and mystical black shining object. Which turned out to be a lady clothed in a swim suit and a pair of calf high leather boots walking a little doggie under the shade of her black umbrella. Guys I couldn't make this up if I tried. And the best part is that she was out in the concentric center of nowhere and we never did find a car or motor bike or anyother such vehicle to provide transport to the above mentioned locale.
And stranger yet this lady never would murmur a word or even lokk at us so we just left her to her walk.:confused:
 
I followed a beaver 1500 yds down a canal in Bolivar co. Ms. That dude came up out of the water 4 times and kind of danced & played on the bank area ,we were 25 yds apart I stayed to its rear .When he would climb over trees ,branches etc. I mean his bottom was huge. I would guess 300lbs. easy. Anyway he climbed & swam on ouy of sight.
 
And the bad news is that it's getting more freaky by the day. If your to wierd to live in San Francisco or Boulder you move to Santa Fe.

And now the newest group to invade is the "My trust fund is just to big for Aspen". crowd.

That's Santa fe, 36 square miles surrounded by reality.:D
 
Had a squirrel pinned in an isolated tree and was being quiet & still waiting for him to show himself so I could try out my (then) new 10/22 on him.About 20 mins later of playing statue I hear a twig snap to my right. I spun my head that way and there is a momma & 2 yearlings, mountain Lions, bout 20 ft away. She let out a Wild Kingdom yell and I dunno who was scared more, me or them. I suspect it was me. I've never felt so undergunned in my life! My heart rates up right now just thinking about it. (20 ft.!)

Who said they never seen a Mtn. Lion in Colorado? Be careful. I see more Mtn. Lions than any other game, specially in Phantom Canyon.
 
Was on a deer stand in Northern Michigan one time and a bunch of deer passed. Then along comes this fawn a bit behind and bleeting like a lamb....you could hear this rascal everywhere.
 
My father and I are riding our horses in souther IN along a logging road. We decide to race to the top of this hill. So we rip up this path as fast as we can, side by side. Really fun, and then we pull the horses back, slow them down, and walk them over the top of the hill. About ten to fifteen feet in front of us is an incredibly straight stick about seven feet long laying across the logging road in the sun. Then the stick begins to MOVE!! Yikes, a snake. It was a big black snake, right in front of us. We let him amble off the path and into the bush before we past.

Another time riding in Missouri, about twenty of us going through the ozarks. We're going through some thick forest single file. The rider in front of me stops abruptly and freezes. Some long green snake is hanging out of a tree looking him in the face of a distance of 12". Then pops back up into the tree and watches us pass. Sucker must of been bout 48-60" long. I hate snakes.

Strange happening....

Trying to load a green horse into a trailor. Horse spooks and takes off down a dirt road in full-tilt boogy. I won't let go of the rope because I'm too young and proud to let the critter win. So I hold on and actually mud ski behind my pony in my boots for about 50yds. Past one of my dad's friend and I calmly said, "Hi Bob" as I blew past him.
 
I've seen a couple of hawks grab dinner. Saw a king snake eat a copperhead.

At dusk one summer evening, three of us were flying low, on ATVs, down a dirt road that runs through the middle of our deer lease. I saw the lead guy throw his arms up as he fell back on the seat in a cloud of feathers. He was able to lock it up and skid to a stop. He had run head long into a screech owl. My friend had caught the impact full in the face, breaking his riding glasses. He was in a daze for several minutes, not knowing for sure what had happened. We found the poor owl knocked out in the middle of the road. After soothing the little fellow for a little bit, it took a perch on my finger. After about 10 minutes it took off.

However, the strangest thing I've ever seen in the woods is my brother-in-law.

P.S. I just signed up tonight. I was moping around on the old TFL sight and saw the link to this forum. It's good to be back.
 
I have a few.

I was checking my deer stands last fall and came around a small hill that was covered with scrub brush. When I rounded the hill, I was no more than 10 feet from a coyote who was taking a nap in the sun. It was quite windy that day and I was walking up wind, so it didn't notice me until I was there. It looked at me, not startled, not angry, nothing. We looked at eachother for a few minutes and it turned and walked away.

Another time I was hunting pheasant in southern MN with a friend and his yellow lab who is about 10 human years old. Anyway, Pete (the dog) starts getting birdy and Dean (my friend) tells him to go. Pete runs into a small patch of brush and is almost run over by two whitetail does. Practically gives Pete a heart attack. Even worse, about 30 minutes later, same situation, Pete runs into some brush and out flies the biggest wild turkey I've ever seen. Pete looks at us, then back at the bird, then back at us trying to figure out why we're not shooting.

Ryan
 
Have had 'monks/other three-rats walk up my leg, touched a deer once, the plenaply of the "black-cap" chick-a-dees walk all over me & peck the trees to beat the band all over - sometimes while standing on my head ....

... caught a Gambels' quail once - by hand. Quite the stalk. I figure that a real treat not to be done again ....

I saw what could only be a pine martin once, in the deep/dark timber, - but Colorado doesn't have any ....

I saw a mountain lion once stalking 2X mule deer bucks on a Sangre de Cristo terrace - & this from a 4WD - so cool! but the truck's presence broke off the chase. Still, to watch that partial ...

I've seen the rise of many a nice brooky to a fly, in crystal clear water - & missed the hook-set because the water was too clear & I anticipated. ;)

I've shot a coupla jakes a 8 feet - after being called in - they can be stupid for such smart birds. Guess they have to live a year or two to get there ...

Too many "on the flats" - re Keys fishing - to mention. Such strange things go on there .... a world unto itself.

I should have done a journal, as my huntin' bud Ted suggested .... "write down those things important while it happens" (or just afterwards) ... I'd be able to more aptly put down some strange, or just normal, things that goes on while "in the woods."

That, & those that are just absolutely wonderful for the just being there.

What better thing could anyone write down - or remember? I've forgotten more than I could say & thanks for bringing up this thread - brought up so many memories (again). .... will have to start that journal (as should we all).
 
Once, just out of the woods, saw a white fox jump a ringneck cock out of the corner of a cornfield -- purple-orange dusk sky and a little house directly across the road with untended bushels of apples on the porch. Not weird, but a postcard moment for this city boy. These other stories are great by the way.
 
Ed, your story reminded me of another story that is only loosely related to hunting, but it occured when I was hunting. Last year, maybe the year before, I was out hunting at night for varmints (coyote, bobcat). I don't know how many of you are familiar with Nevada, but there are a couple cities of any size and millions of miles of uninhabited territory. Nevada is a huge state by eastern standards. Nevada could swollow up a half dozen or more eastern states and they would never be heard from again. Neavada used to be a mining state; Gold and silver mining. There were some huge bonanzas, but as the vein played out, everybody packed up and moved on down the line. So, scattered throughout the state are ghost towns in various states of disrepair. Some of them actually have a few people living in them, way, way, way out in the middle of no where. So this particular night in December I fueled up at the last gas station for about a hundred miles in all directions, drove 68 miles up the highway, turned left and proceeded out across the desert. We drove an old dirt road for about two hours spotlighting, calling, looking. We crossed over a mountain range heading in the direction of California. About two hours off the pavement there is a ghost town pretty much just like it was a hundred years ago, the buildings are standing and there are even a couple people living there out in the middle of no where, they even still have the gallows right on the main street. I came down out of the mountains, crossed some more desert and pulled onto the main street of town. Much to my amazement, the first house on the street had a fully lit Christmas tree in the front window. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It was an incredible sight in the middle of the night, so far from civilization.




Yes, we did get a cat and a couple coyotes that came in to our call.
 
And one time along the South Platte River, oout east, we were hunting quail, or pheasants, probably both.

1/2 foot of snow on the ground & we were walking some turkey tracks because nothing else was happening - meandering.

A cock pheasant busted out of the underbrush & a hawk (of some sort - I don't know 'em like I should) was cranking on this bird to beat the band - matching every twist & turn while only about 5 feet behind. We watched this flying match till the pheasant dumped into cover & the hawk skreeched its way skyward. Lasted a whole 10 seconds, if that, but burned forever into my mind. (but I'd forgotten, again, till just now .... )

Neat thread. Thanks.

Perhaps the same day, & if not, all but the same location & very similar terrain/conditions, my black lab, Spook, got birdy.

I kneeled down with my 870 across my knees & called to The Dog. He was "all over it - being way birdy" - a quail jumped up out of the snow & Spook grabbed it - snatched the thing in mid-flight.

"What a great dog!" I think. He's caught a cripple. What a great conservation tool a dog is - pulling in an otherwise lost cripple.

I bent down to retreive the quail & praise Spook. "Fetch it up!"

The covey starts to erupt through the 1/2 foot of snow between my legs!

Obviously, I stand up & start jammin' 'em.

Yeah, right.

3-4 birds at a time, the covey seems to break the more I shoot.

I shoot 1 - 2 times & stuff another coupla shells in - to "be ready." Right.

I'd lay odds that a cool 2 dozen birds flushed between my legs that quick minute.

I shot at least 11 times & got 2 whole quail. The dog got one without firing a shot. ;)

I've had birds flushed close to before, but have never experienced such a staggered covey ever launching such as that.

Absolutely flustered & the worst shooting I have ever done.

Beat by my dog. So totally cool.

Again. Neat thread. I'd forgotten till just now.

Gotta start that journal .....
 
This thread seemed to have started a memory flood ....

Had a day once, dark Colorado timber & I'm essentially "bow hunting" elk with a rifle - a 2X8 scoped short-barreled .308 - usual shots are well within 25 yards - the timber's fairly thick.

I'm sneakin' & an elk moves into the zone, I start to scope 'im & "git ready."

All I can see is what I think is a front shoulder - a perfect shot placement - but I can't be sure - too much cover & the whole sight picture is too cluttered - too much trees 'n stuff in the way, but an elk's "right there!" I just can't tell what part of the elk I have in my sights.

V-e-r-y slowly, I'm 20 yards off & dial up the scope from 2 to 8 ... still can't make out the picture to see what I'm aiming at. I want a sure shot & not "just a hit somewheres."

I scope 'im out, trying to discern what part of the elk I'm looking at ..... for 2 ..... 3 minutes. The elk is stationary. Time is d-r-a-g-g-i-n-g ..... any who has done this know the time distortion - it drags so long.

I can't see what I'm looking at & finally the elk spooks some & jumps some & walks away = spooked for being so close, for so long.

As it figures, once the elk moves, I know that all the while, I've been scoped in to the shoulder all along ......

It moves on out & no shot's available - everything's too close & the elk moving off only a few yards makes it unavailable ever again.

But that's really OK.

Having it that close, for so long was a real treat & just have to thank it for doing what it did.

Never did get an elk that year.

Did get to have an exceptional rush through .... ;) very cool hunt all told.
 
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