# Dangerous close calls while hunting.



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

It's nearly hunting season and it's time to think about outdoor safety while scouting and hunting. I can't stress enough about being prepared for an emergency. What are some of your close calls while hunting or just out in the outdoors.
Me first.
I was charged by a couger while calling bears to a longbow. We usually have coyotes come first, hit the skids then bolt and run off. Cats usually tippy-toe in. Not this one. The cat came rushing in, and I mean reaching out and grabbing ground. He skidded to a stop 7 feet from us when I jumped up and yelled. We were both still shaking a couple hours later.

My biggest scare was during a solo hunt on the boarder of Idaho 67 and Wyoming. I had a tag for both states and had shot a nice 4-point buck with my longbow back in a secluded Wyoming basin. While caping the buck my knife slipped and I stabbed myself on the inside if my leg right next to my unit. Blood immediately soaked my pants. What a sinking feeling I had. All alone, no help, I even thought of writing a note to everyone I love. I ripped my tee shirt up, made a compress and tied it over the hole. I left everything but my daypack and headed to the trailhead. By the time I got there I couldn't think straight. Luckly there was a couple disembarking for a hike that saw me and took me to St John's in Jackson Hole. From then on I've been very calulated about what I do while alone in the wild.

What stories do you guys have and what did you learn?


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## utjer (Jun 30, 2010)

Was charged by a bear calling coyotes in the white mountains of AZ on an elk scouting trip. That bear came in at a full run. I stood up and yelled at him. He put on the brakes and stopped at just under 10 yards. I had my 30-06 on him and we stood toe to toe for a few mins. He was popping his jaws and showing other signs of aggresion. He eventually turned around and walked off. I went back to camp and cleaned my shorts.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Not what happened outdoors but what happened inside a truck. My friends bear spray went off, somebody threw their pack on top of his and while we were bouncing down a dirt road it sprayed. We couldn't breathe and our eyes were burning so badly we couldn't see crap. We parked the truck quickly and bailed out. Lesson learned......


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

My brother rolled the quad trying to get one of my deer out. Broken leg, bruised ribs. Fortunately we weren't far from the truck and were able to carry him out.

Scouting last year a few miles in and a friend of mine bumped a half downed tree...you know the kind. About 6" base, 25-30 feet tall, dead and being supported by a different tree. Well he hit it just as I crossed under and it fell right on top of my head. Luckily I didn't get knocked out on the steep hill and it didn't split my skull. One hell of a headache but otherwise ok. Could have been ugly.

Got lost when I was a kid hunting mulies up by Strawberry. Blizzard conditions, ended up hitch hiking my way to Heber. Meanwhile my poor panicked father was still on the mountain looking for me. Remember, cell phones were not common yet. No good.

I've got tons of similar stories of human stupidity and close calls. Heck, I've got the scars to prove it. Ever had to tie two tube socks together to make a head wrap to stop bleeding from the forehead? What about bleeding from just above the eye while tent camping in January?

I go prepared now, don't climb trees, carry a GPS and don't drink nearly as much as I used to.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> Not what happened outdoors but what happened inside a truck. My friends bear spray went off, somebody threw their pack on top of his and while we were bouncing down a dirt road it sprayed. We couldn't breathe and our eyes were burning so badly we couldn't see crap. We parked the truck quickly and bailed out. Lesson learned......


That's why the bush pilots up here in Alaska make you duct tape your bear spray the wing strut.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I once shot a nice four point buck that dropped in his tracks at the crack of my trusty 30.06. I went to clean the deer and he jumped up and charged me. I mean antlers lowered and coming right at me. I'd have been gored had I not kept a round in the chamber. I shot the deer at point blank range and he fell at my feet. 

The lesson: Keep the gun loaded and point it at the animal as you approach until you are certain he's dead.


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## DarKHorN (Mar 4, 2012)

utjer said:


> Was charged by a bear calling coyotes in the white mountains of AZ on an elk scouting trip. That bear came in at a full run. I stood up and yelled at him. He put on the brakes and stopped at just under 10 yards. I had my 30-06 on him and we stood toe to toe for a few mins. He was popping his jaws and showing other signs of aggresion. He eventually turned around and walked off. I went back to camp and cleaned my shorts.


Holy chit your toes are 10 yds long? You may want to get that checked out.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Longbow, you are lucky to be alive with an injury like that. 

I've had a run in with a bear that I thought was going to end poorly. 

Cut my finger real bad caping an antelope. Fortunately, only ended needing stitches--no structural damage. 

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is severe weather. I got caught in a REALLY bad lightning storm last year. I put my odds at 50% for getting zapped.  It was insane.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I've called in alaskan moose and had one try and kill me. If I hadn't had bear sprey I have no doubt he would have succeeded.

Have had cougars face me in the dark at 10 yards or less.

Ran into black bears on Vancouver island that stood there ground deciding if they should run or fight.

Have had sow grizzly bears 40 yards away with cubs.

Slid off a cliff while hunting by myself. The drop was nearly 12 feet. 

Ive had Lightning strike trees less than 20 yards away on numerous occations.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Had a run in with a cougar while archery elk hunting. Scared some deer off and watched as the biggest lion I had ever seen jump from the bush next to the deer. Thought I was going to see a show but the cat knew the deer were gone so he turned and watched me and my buddy. Tell ya that's an erie feeling. 
Thought I was lost on my first trip to the Boulders, started hiking got on a bear track and before I know it I realize I don't have a clue where I am or how I got there. No GPS no compass. I was pretty nervous. Found a logging road turned one way, walked about 1/2 mile and got a feeling to go the other way. Was about to be stubborn and ignore it but I turned and walked back the other way. After about a 3 mile walk came to the road about 500 yards from the truck. Never been so happy to see the truck.
Last Was elk hunting on the Manti and had parked my quad at the bottom of this canyon and then drove my pick up to the top and was going to walk down and get on the quad and come back up. Well we got into some elk and it got dark on us, the kind of dark where you can't even see your hand in front of your face. I had a head lamp but my cousins died and we didn't have any batteries. I knew all we had to do was walk down the canyon but at the bottom there was a thick stand of quakies about 300 yards long before the road. When we got in there and was trying to make our way through we got completely turned around. I couldn't tell which way we were walking anymore. We stopped and listened and after about a hour a truck finally drove up the road and we were able to make it to the road. We were quite a ways off from were I had unloaded the quad but we knew where we were. 
I've learned that Mother Nature can really mess you up if your not prepared.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

My wife and I were hunting in the Central unit and opening morning upon reaching the clearing we were planning on watching we were met by a small group of horses which I believe to be wild. The big stallion did not want us there and made that very clear by repeatedly charging us raising up and down, kicking and making all kinds of noise. Never realized how intimidating a highly agitated horse can be lol. Thought for sure I was going to have to put him down. Wife was in tears for a few hours after that lol.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

swbuckmaster said:


> Ive had Lightning strike trees less than 20 yards away on numerous occations.


Funny you should bring that up. I was hunting the Tushers for deer and I'd just crested Mt Holly when I started to taste sulfer and the hair on my arms stood up. I dove to the ground just as lightning hit next to me. Scared the livin' bejesus out of me!


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

My biggest experience of real danger was a bee sting. I got stung on the arm by a "dirty" bee while bowhunting. I've never been allergic, but I sure had a reaction to that particular sting. At first, it burned like crazy. Then I noticed that I felt light-headed and my heart was racing. It was when I started having trouble breathing that and I got scared. All I could do for the next hour or so was struggle to calm down, control my breathing and keep from passing out. Long story short - I eventually made it back to camp and, feeling less panicked by that time, went to bed. Ended up going home the next morning because I had a vicious headache and my arm was so swollen that I couldn't bend it. Now I always carry an Epipen.

FWIW, here are some stats:
http://historylist.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/human-deaths-in-the-us-caused-by-animals/

I say FWIW because the list doesn't include the animal that worries me most: a cow moose with calf. (That's another story - a couple stories, actually.)

*Average Number of Deaths per Year **in the U.S*

Bee/Wasp 53
Dogs 31
Spider 6.5
Rattlesnake 5.5
Mountain lion 1
Shark 1
Alligator 0.3
Bear 0.5
Scorpion 0.5
Centipede 0.5
Elephant 0.25
Wolf 0.1
Horse 20
Bull 3


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## 4pointmuley (Sep 18, 2007)

BirdDogger,
Same thing happen to me on my first buck, but it was a 2-point. When I started deer hunting at 16 years old.



> I once shot a nice four point buck that dropped in his tracks at the crack of my trusty 30.06. I went to clean the deer and he jumped up and charged me. I mean antlers lowered and coming right at me. I'd have been gored had I not kept a round in the chamber. I shot the deer at point blank range and he fell at my feet.
> 
> The lesson: Keep the gun loaded and point it at the animal as you approach until you are certain he's dead.


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

About 5-6 years ago we had a moose come rumbling out of the hills and almost take us out. He was just headed for the water we were by. We dove into the bush's out of his way and watched him drink like a camel. He acted like he hadn't seen water in 2yrs.

Another time I was calling coyotes and a hawk kept swooping down at me trying to grab my furry hat:grin: no joke, i think he thought _I _was the distressed rabbit8)


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## polarbear (Aug 1, 2011)

I hunt alone probably 95% of the time. Luckily on one occasion a buddy came along with me elk hunting in Idaho. We got caught in a white out blizzard a long way from the truck. We couldn't see anything so we started heading back. He was following me, but luckily he was paying attention and let me know when I took a wrong turn. We argued about it for a while until I realized he was right. I would have ended up about 8 miles from the truck cold, wet, and exhausted in the dark. 

I've been charged by moose on several occasions. 

Frostbite

Fell through the ice into the Teton River 

Got ledged out in canyon country in 100+ degrees. Hiked around for 5 1/2 hours trying to find a way down. My quads were cramping for 3 hours. Finally took a 30 foot vertical slide down some slick rock to get out. The only thing that saved me was the 2 gallons of water in my pack. I drank it all before I got to the truck.

Probably the scariest was when I crawled in an "abandoned" polar bear den in Alaska. A sow with two cubs were there to greet me. Mama was not happy.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

A few years ago, I was fishing a small stream in Northern Utah. I was paying close attention to the stream, and not really where I was walking. I took a step and heard a scream, almost like a baby crying out in pain. I looked down in the grass and had nearly stepped on a fawn. Little thing jumped up and screamed again and busting through the willows came mama deer. She charged at me and stopped about five yards away. She let out her own bleat, stomped her front feet, snorted and gave me the evil eye. I just stood still. She snorted one more time, looked down at the fawn and it seemed like she yelled at it with her bleat, and then they both took off. Never mess with Mama. No matter what critter it is.


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## mack1950 (Sep 11, 2007)

the funniest though it wasn't at the time was on my first elk hunt above santaquin and a bunch of things happened that qualify as life threatening. 1. my friend horse which he had been praising for a week solid as the most understanding and gentle animal in the land went completely nuts when my friend shot of his back at a bull we had rode up on, at the shot his horse tried to and almost succeded in throwing him into to next county if he hadn't hit a tree along the way he would have made it easly. 2. after I shot the bull he missed and it ran into some tree s my buddy found it alive at which time he bravely said save your ammo I ll just slit its throat, do you have any idea how hard it is to shot a elk with a friend wrapped around his neck and the bulls tring to brain him on every tree rock and shrub it could find not to mention his screaming shot him, shot him. it was very unsettling but all and all the bull collapsed and died and it only took 3 hours to find his trust worth nag which we found at camp when we brought in the first half of my elk


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## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

I have had a couple scary incedents over the years.
First off I got caught out in a lightning storm where the energy was so strong the hair on my arms was standing straight up. Obviously never got struck, but I'll bet I was real close!

Another time, I ended up getting between a cow and bull moose during the rut. They were probably 4 yards apart and the bull was so close, he was slobbering on my leg and bow. I was kneeling on the ground next to what seemed like a toothpick of an aspen tree. Just as I thought the end was coming, 2 calves walked up the trail. Definately going to get trampled now, I thought. Turns out the bull didn't like the kids to watch, and as he ran them off, the cow followed to see what was happening. I sprang to my feet and ran like hell the other direction.

Last one was just a few years ago on the Henefer WMA, on Christmas eve. We set out for a morning cow hunt (wifes tag) that turned into an all nighter. We go into some elk and had to track down some wounded ones. By the time we got them ready for the horses the snow moved in and visibility dropped to maybe 10 yards. We ended up walking back in to the wrong draw and had no idea which way to go, and didn't have the gps or lights. Luckily we found a trail and were able to stay on it. After it got dark, the only way we could find the trail was we could feel the hard frozen tracks of the horse trail under the new 3" of powder. We didn't get back to the truck until 11:30 that night.


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## Idratherbehunting (Jul 17, 2013)

mack1950 said:


> the funniest though it wasn't at the time was on my first elk hunt above santaquin and a bunch of things happened that qualify as life threatening. 1. my friend horse which he had been praising for a week solid as the most understanding and gentle animal in the land went completely nuts when my friend shot of his back at a bull we had rode up on, at the shot his horse tried to and almost succeded in throwing him into to next county if he hadn't hit a tree along the way he would have made it easly. 2. after I shot the bull he missed and it ran into some tree s my buddy found it alive at which time he bravely said save your ammo I ll just slit its throat, do you have any idea how hard it is to shot a elk with a friend wrapped around his neck and the bulls tring to brain him on every tree rock and shrub it could find not to mention his screaming shot him, shot him. it was very unsettling but all and all the bull collapsed and died and it only took 3 hours to find his trust worth nag which we found at camp when we brought in the first half of my elk


Haha. This is awesome. I had to be careful not to bust up laughing at work.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

On one occasion my dad and I were duck hunting in an unfamiliar area when some fog rolled in. We immediately headed for the car but soon became disoriented and completely lost. Dad thought about it really hard and picked a direction, and I followed. We missed the car by about 400 yards but we found the road we were parked on and took the walk of shame as we realized that bringing a compass is never a bad idea.

Another time, we got up early and drove 1.5 hours to a favorite hunting spot of ours. When we arrived at the parking lot we saw a lightning storm ~20 miles away to the southwest. A steady north wind was pushing it south, so we decided it posed little threat and headed into the marsh.

All of a sudden, the wind changed on us and we were treated to the unpleasant sight of one of the craziest thunderstorms I'd ever seen bearing down upon us. The fact that we were on some very flat land wasn't particularly comforting either. My dog and I huddled on the ground and cringed every time another bolt lit up the sky. Some strikes came within a few hundred yards of us, but we were spared for whatever reason.

We packed up and headed home in a daze before the morning had even ended (though we planned an all-day adventure). My dog has been terrified of thunder ever since.

Lesson learned: Think before you act! If there's lightning in the forecast, I stay home!


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

Let's see now, I've survived motorcycle wrecks, wheeler wrecks, truck wrecks, snowmobile wrecks, and boats capsizing while out hunting. I've been sliced, diced, and stabbed by my own and buddies knives. I've spent nights alone under a pine tree miles from my truck as a blizzard raged around me. Been swatted at and spit at and woofed at by countless lions and bears (I'm a houndsman remember). Been stabbed in the knee by a deer horn, and been run up a tree by moose, been attacked by a swarm of angry hornets that left me with close to 100 stings on my arms, face, and neck.

Been frost bit, bobcat bit, and broke down a long ways from home. I've been throwed, bucked, bit, and stomped by about every ornery horse or mule I've ever owned. I've broken, strained, sprained, cut, split, bruised, or pulled near every part of my body. I've fallen from ledges, I've fallen from trees, and I've fallen through the ice on many a frozen river.

But I can't see where I was really in any danger......


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Dang Kevin, that's just about the best post I can ever remember reading! ;-)


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

I'm usually very deliberate and calculated when I'm in the woods but that hasn't exempted me from my share of nail biters. 

Been ledged up in some really vertical sh*t a couple times... Had hypothermia once... Got really lost in some black timber for about six hours... Had several stare-downs with bull moose... Been charged/treed by moose and cattle... Almost sat on a rattle snake... The scariest, having a momma bear and her two cubs feed right into me and then get separated with me between her and her cubs. She winded me, woofed, and the two cubs instantly went up a tree. She didn't know where I was but she knew I was close. She walked around my right flank popping her teeth and woofing until she was under her cubs. Then she went up the tree with them. I then made a hasty exit and got the hell outa there... Went back to camp and changed my shorts.


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## mountainrat (Sep 19, 2013)

Early spring turkey hunt I came face to face with a mama moose. And she was pi $$ ed. She charged. I shot up a branchless quakie. She reared up at me. Was trying to bite my feet. Pawing at me. Growling like a bear. Long story short and 30min later I made my escape. Trusr me I have not been the same since.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> I've called in alaskan moose and had one try and kill me. If I hadn't had bear sprey I have no doubt he would have succeeded.
> 
> Have had cougars face me in the dark at 10 yards or less.
> 
> ...


thats it... the bowfishing trip is OFF! :shock:

jk


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Powell lightening storm... while casting spoon's to stripers, one cast didnt come back down. *WHAT AN ERIE FEELING* Dropped the rod in the drink and smashed the throttle... 

Scouting and unarmed, had a Bear push claws n paws through the tent wall one night...

Cat tracks in my tracks on numerous occassions...

Horses that have nearly killed me getting spooked by nothing, or i guess spooked by something im glad i havent seen?

Buried my capeing knife between my left index & middle finger.

Slid off a 20' embankment on a muddy road, didnt roll BUT my gawd what a ride!

Oh, then there was that near headon with a flatbed semitruck while on Hwy 6... no comment...

mammy moose at stinking breath range, LORD im glad the calf was behind her...

Or the Black Cow standing in the middle of the highway just outside Hanksville... 

Or the time the Airboat decided to drop a header pipe in the prop at full throttle? 

or the time my buddy's horse came over on top of me...

bears popping teeth in the dark, stinky breath range...

almost slid off THAT ledge...

:angel: anyone know how to basketweave??


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Well lets see over the years I have done the knife stab to the leg while cleaning a deer. 

I cut a tendon in my hand while digging a hole with a machete while putting up a deer stand. 

I stepped on a cottonmouth while, turkey hunting, he sent me to the hospital for a few days.

I had a bull moose chase me round a tree several times.

In NM I had a "dead" mountain lion that we were pulling the dogs off wake up! put him back to sleep for good.

I got caught out on the Mississippi River in a 16 ft boat by a huge thunderstorm. It got a little hairy for a bit until I got us to the bank.

I've hunted thru a blizzard on the GSL a couple of times

I fell in the water on cold morning on a duck hunt in Ar and ended up with hypothermia.

When we were kids we rolled the pickup over off the Arkansas river levee, during several rotations on the way to the bottom, my dumbass buddies shotgun went off twice, luckily nothing but the truck took damage.
this was the only time I thought I might get killed.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Then there was the time my wife friend seen me in Wendover when I was gone dove hunting for the weekend:shock:


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Longgun said:


> thats it... the bowfishing trip is OFF! :shock:
> 
> jk


Lol it might be safer for everyone
But liven on the edge is what makes it fun


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

longbow said:


> That's why the bush pilots up here in Alaska make you duct tape your bear spray the wing strut.


I'm going to leave the bear spray outside my cab from now on. An accident in parley's canyon could turn deadly!!


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

I'm pretty paranoid in the outdoors and I guess that has kept me pretty safe.

The only close calls I've had were in Louisiana. I almost stepped on a cottonmouth.
I got a little turned around in Maurepas Swamp.
I got cought in a serious thunderstorm in Lafitte in a 14' flat boat and almost sank it.

I think it is funny how in the South we call them thunderstorms and in the north they are call lightning storms!

I've dodged many hornet nests!!
Since I hunt up around East canyon and Lamb's I'm sure that run in with the moose is in my future!


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Like Finnegan, I have to carry the eppie stick. I have gotten to the point that will all the other stuff that happens, the **** hornets and bees scare me the most. And they seem to LIKE me the most.......
Remind me to never go hunting with some of you guys........:mrgreen:
My wife and I enjoyed the stories, a lot of them remind me of a few trips I have had.
But if it was boring ALL the time, we would not go would we !!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I have a friend who always packs bear spray. He always has a tote of hunting clothes in his car. Some how the can leaked and got on his clothes. He had no idea until he started hiking. He got a mile ir so away from the truck and next thing he new his nutts were on fire.


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