Dangerous incounters

[Aussie_hunter]

I was out hunting last week while walking through the bush I stepped over a log and down by my foot was a tiger snake, iv come across snakes while hunting but never this close i was about a inch away from its head, why it didn't strike at me is a mystery. It got me thinking about other close calls iv heard of hunters having incounters with other dangerous animals but I'd like to hear your story's if you have any, hopefully no one got hurt.

 

[Broz]

Got a little close to this guy. But I didn't feel I was in any real danger.

 

[Clint Idaho]

Stepped directly on a coiled rattlesnake once. We were packing in fencing material into a snake infested canyon. I was leading a horse down the trail. Snake was coiled in the shade of a rock. Seen the snake about the same time he saw me. I paused with my foot in the air right over the snake. Stopped so suddenly the horse ran into me. Which of course caused me to put my foot down. Now I am standing on a very ****ed off rattlesnake, head sticking out on side of my boot. Rattle out the other side. Lucky for me the horse did not panic and run me over. Dad came around the horse and chopped the snakes head off with a shovel. Killed 127 rattlesnakes on that job. And that was just the one's that got in the way of the fence. Nine buttons on the rattle, think I still have it around in my collection.

 

[Twodogs10mm]

I was elk hunting in the Cascades in western Oregon, when I saw the top of a Vine Maple shaking over a rise about 100 yards in front of me. As I got to the top of the ridge I saw it was a large 4x4 Black tail buck raking his antlers at the base of the maple about 40 yards away. You cant hunt deer during elk season in Oregon. As I stood there watching (thinking this is really cool) the buck suddenly stopped and looked right at me, we stared at each other for about 30 seconds and then he charged me! In the time it took me shoulder my rifle he had closed most of the 40 yards, I thought I was in trouble and clicked off the safety and just as I started to squeeze the trigger he stopped. Again we stared at each other about 20 feet apart, it seemed like a long time starring at each other, me still with my finger on the trigger, finally the buck turned and bound away.

I must say that was rather exciting! I'm not sure what I would have done with a buck out of season if he didn't stop.

 

[Twodogs10mm]

Got a little close to this guy. But I didn't feel I was in any real danger.

Broz, this looks like a story worth sharing


When I was younger I was a logger, while tending hook I was in the back end one day packing rigging to the next tail hold. It had snowed 6" overnight and along the way I had to pack my rigging across a windfall over a draw. On the way back as I was crossing back over the windfall I noticed tracks in my tracks in the snow. As I looked closer I saw that they were cougar tracks! It had only been about 5 or 10 minutes since I had crossed the first time, the snow under the timber was spotty so I couldn't tell for sure but I'm pretty sure he was following me.

Needless to say I was looking over my shoulder the rest of the day.

 

[bigngreen]

I've ran into a few rattle snakes, almost stepped on one last year crossing a fence but the funny part was my buddy who hates snakes had crossed in front of me, they don't bother me at all so I had to tease him a little.
Got myself in a little tug of war pistol whipping contest with a Mt lion and hound dog, that was one that you sit down and start shaking after the dust clears, not fun at all.
Released a few bobcats which has proven to not be a fun deal, those little buggers get ****ED!!!!

 

[NCBoy]

We were hunting in SC and going by a spot riding down the road where we had a trail camera. My 18 year old son said he would run in and get the camera so I stopped. My son was literal. He took off and ran towards the camera. About 1/3 of the way there he jumped a downed log. As he did, a coiled diamond back struck the bottom of his snake boots. He sailed over the snake and never looked back. Close call.

 

[MachV]

Found myself between momma and cubs once. Fishing poll went one way and I went the other= right into a fast river. A few years later the guys are giveing me a hard time for carrying my Casull under my arm while baiting bears. The one giveing me the hardest time found himself between momma and cubs while baiting a couple weeks later.........I still get a kick outa calling him up and poping my teeth
Stepped on a couple rattlesnakes over the years, lucky for me a prairie rattler is usually not very aggressive and prefer to retreat rather than bite!

 

[Aussie_hunter]

Twodogs10mm is right broz you gotta tell the story with the cougar. Are cougars more likely to attack rather than run obviously if there cornered or threatened they would attack. Iv heard of wild dogs and dingos here in Australia stalking you if your on foot the dingos you don't have to worry about to much but the wild dogs you gotta be careful. I read in a hunting magazine that a hunter in the northern territory crossed a creek to get a way from a wild dog only to find the creek had salt water crocodiles in it so kind dammed it you do dammed if you do dammed if you don't situation. Are wolves a cause for concern if you come across them? What would be worse a wolf or a cougar? But iv read that wolves are mostly in packs so I'm guessing wolves would be worse.

 

[Broz]

Not much of a story here. We had treed that cat with hounds two times prior and he jumped. This time he went into these rocks and holed up. I crawled down in there to have a look and take a pic. He was sarling and had his ears back so I knew I was probably close enough.

I don't feel very threatened by a cat but they will follow you if you are alone in the mountains. I feel that is mostly curiousity but I guess if they were hungry they could attack or if a female had cubs to feed. But it definatly would not be the norm.

My prediction on wolves is we will hear of more attacks as they destroy the heards of elk and deer and have less to kill. They kill for sport as well as food so as the population rises we will see more human attacks. But again I don't feel it is the norm as they will more likely flee.

Now as for the Griz, I will keep my distance. They attack often and for a number of reasons. To me, that is the one to stay clear of and leave them their space especially if the sow has cubs.

Jeff

 

[HARPERC]

Funny what we decide is dangerous. On a horseback trip in the far north. We had a fellow already scared of bears. One night we had grizzlies in camp, and the next day sitting horseback he started verbalizing his anxiety. I told him the SOB he was sitting on was way more likely to kill or cripple him on accident than bears would on purpose. Didn't help with the bears, just more anxiety in the daytimel. Treestands are also worrisome, my funeral I'd much rather have folks saying Yeah bears finally got him, than the embarrassment of chuckling cause I fell out of my stand!

 

[Broz]

Funny what we decide is dangerous. On a horseback trip in the far north. We had a fellow already scared of bears. One night we had grizzlies in camp, and the next day sitting horseback he started verbalizing his anxiety. I told him the SOB he was sitting on was way more likely to kill or cripple him on accident than bears would on purpose. Didn't help with the bears, just more anxiety in the daytimel. Treestands are also worrisome, my funeral I'd much rather have folks saying Yeah bears finally got him, than the embarrassment of chuckling cause I fell out of my stand!

Great point. I sit here with broken ribs from a horse wreck 2 weeks ago and I look at my crooked wrist broken in a tree stand fall. How could I not agree...lightbulb


Jeff

 

[Speedo]

I've had to go into heavy brush (alders) a couple of times after wounded grizzlies.
I'd rather do that than have to mess with snakes, we don't have to worry about them here.

Gus

 

[Jerry M]

No snakes, but how about a Rhino at 15 yards?