TheCoachZed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Had bobcat try to take off with a decoy once, while hunting late season blacks. It was priceless.
Unforgettable experiences in nature while hunting
- Thread starter Linger
- Start date
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Watching a couple of fawns nurse was pretty cool. They damn near lift the doe off the ground with their bunting.
Otters are always fun to watch. I think I could watch them for hours.
Having a Marten share my log was exceptional, they are very inquisitive.
Once while walking quietly in to my stand I was surprised by a snow shoe coming 'round the bend straight at me. On sighting me it bounded left. I thought, "Now I wonder what was chasing you". Hadn't any more than thought it, when a Fisher came running down the same track. It went right, so I saved a Snow Shoe that day.
Having moose visit you while deer hunting from the ground (many times over the years) can be spooky, they just stand there and look at you. You're never quite sure what they are thinking.
Then there was the comedy of the first time my beagle spotted a black bear. I watched her stand on her hind legs and stare at that bear, then, still on her hind legs, she out with this weird long howl. The bear ran, so she went in pursuit, slowly, with that same weird howl. One of the guys shot the bear, and she stood her distance and growled at it. Still ate the guts though.
Otters are always fun to watch. I think I could watch them for hours.
Having a Marten share my log was exceptional, they are very inquisitive.
Once while walking quietly in to my stand I was surprised by a snow shoe coming 'round the bend straight at me. On sighting me it bounded left. I thought, "Now I wonder what was chasing you". Hadn't any more than thought it, when a Fisher came running down the same track. It went right, so I saved a Snow Shoe that day.
Having moose visit you while deer hunting from the ground (many times over the years) can be spooky, they just stand there and look at you. You're never quite sure what they are thinking.
Then there was the comedy of the first time my beagle spotted a black bear. I watched her stand on her hind legs and stare at that bear, then, still on her hind legs, she out with this weird long howl. The bear ran, so she went in pursuit, slowly, with that same weird howl. One of the guys shot the bear, and she stood her distance and growled at it. Still ate the guts though.
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Too many to recount in anything short of a book, but a sampling would include; being charged by moose and bears on many occasions is an adrenalin stoked experience. I had a redtail hawk knock the hat off my head when calling coyotes, had a Pileated Woodpecker drum the sole of my hunting boot, had a 300 pound bear stick it's snout in my crotch whilst sitting on a stump waiting for said boar. I survived a flash flood that should not have been survived, watched the side of a mountain collapse before me, been canoe wrecked and wilderness bound for 14 days, put an axe through my knee on day one of a ten day fly-in trip and sewed the wound up with fishing line, watched countless sunrises and sunsets over pristine wilderness mountains, valleys, lake's and rivers. Listened to the sounds of the natural world with tendrils of campfire smoke twisting into the still night air, reaching toward a starlit sky with Northern lights flashing in green waves, to the point where your heart filled to the brim and your soul expanded to its rightful and minuscule place in all of creation.
The only place that I feel fully "right" is in true wilderness.
The only place that I feel fully "right" is in true wilderness.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
One time I was bow hunting deer on friend's rural property. I parked my car about one mile from my tree stand there was no wind with snowfall light fluffy flakes.
I seen an animal walking towards me on the long dirt road driveway and I thought it was thier Labrador.
Then I remembered they were driving to Dryden to meet family and thier dog had to be with thier nieghbors.
Turns out it was a mature cougar and it was not in any rush to get out of my way.
About seventy yards seperated us when it finally walked into the bushline.
I seen an animal walking towards me on the long dirt road driveway and I thought it was thier Labrador.
Then I remembered they were driving to Dryden to meet family and thier dog had to be with thier nieghbors.
Turns out it was a mature cougar and it was not in any rush to get out of my way.
About seventy yards seperated us when it finally walked into the bushline.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
While in my stand during archery deer.
Some rabbits frequently sought accommodation under my stand in the fallen trees and brush.
Something white caught my eyes across the opening I over look , ah, the white weasel that shows up on occasion.
In no time he was near my stand and and wrapped around a rabbits throat, quick end for the rabbit.
I can now tell you for sure if your hare in distress call is accurate.
Most unique thing I've watched.
Some rabbits frequently sought accommodation under my stand in the fallen trees and brush.
Something white caught my eyes across the opening I over look , ah, the white weasel that shows up on occasion.
In no time he was near my stand and and wrapped around a rabbits throat, quick end for the rabbit.
I can now tell you for sure if your hare in distress call is accurate.
Most unique thing I've watched.
I was checking my trail cam in the middle of a swamp in the long grass. Heard something to my left, turned to look and a doe jumped off the trail about 10 feet away and ran, Her poor fawns completely confused, Ran the trail and didnt see momma cut off, they went right between my legs and I put my hand on ones back to help get out of the way, they gave little bawl and continued on. Momma was standing on the other side 20 yards away looking at me in disgust. This was June and I'd say the fawns only a few weeks old.
Had an owl swoop down at first light and grab my rabbit decoy. He sat on top of it looking at the caller than was still screaming. I tried digging for my phone for a pic but he didnt the looks of things and flew off. Completely silent attack, one of the coolest things I've witnessed.
Had an owl swoop down at first light and grab my rabbit decoy. He sat on top of it looking at the caller than was still screaming. I tried digging for my phone for a pic but he didnt the looks of things and flew off. Completely silent attack, one of the coolest things I've witnessed.
A cool memory for me was backpacking in Waterton as a kid, making our way up to Goat Lake. My buddy and I went off way ahead of our fathers. A griz sow walked across the trail in front of us about 25 metres away. We froze. She paused, turned to look at us, and kept walking. Her cub, from the previous year, stepped out of the trees and started clicking his teeth and throwing his head back and forth. The first sham charge scared the crap out of us and the second was even worse. He veered off within arm's reach of us each time. It was tough repeating to myself, "Don't run, stand still, make yourself look bigger."
Another cool one was only two years back while hunting snowshoes north of Redwater, AB. My buddy and I paused to see a clean cougar track in the snow. As we stood there talking about how cool it would be to see a cat, it walked across the cutline about 50 metres away. The timing was amazing. It was halfway across the cutline before turning to see us, then launched into the bush in a blur of movement.
Another cool one was only two years back while hunting snowshoes north of Redwater, AB. My buddy and I paused to see a clean cougar track in the snow. As we stood there talking about how cool it would be to see a cat, it walked across the cutline about 50 metres away. The timing was amazing. It was halfway across the cutline before turning to see us, then launched into the bush in a blur of movement.
In my deer stand once there were 2 blue jays feeding on the deer feed and under the moss I saw a weasel pop his head up for a look. He went under again and before long jumped out and grabbed one of the blue jays. After he killed it he dragged it back under the moss and things returned to quiet.
Moose hunting on the trap line one fall I walked about a mile from the trail to a small lake, tried a quick cow call and across the lake I heard some branches break. Soon enough 2 wolves came out, then two more then two more until 12 wolves were eagerly watching me and my Golden Retriever who was swimming around in the lake. We beat a hasty retreat to the quad.
Moose hunting on the trap line one fall I walked about a mile from the trail to a small lake, tried a quick cow call and across the lake I heard some branches break. Soon enough 2 wolves came out, then two more then two more until 12 wolves were eagerly watching me and my Golden Retriever who was swimming around in the lake. We beat a hasty retreat to the quad.
Seen water go down through a rock and come out about 2 or 3 feet away . Hard to explain , but it was kinda like a natural rock dam . From the small 20 ish foot round pond it looked just like a small pond with a rock at the edge . From the down stream side you couldn't see the pond and it looked like water just coming out of a rock . Like one of those pee,ing Italian statues
While on the mountain sheep hunting, I had a band of ewes and lambs come out of the woods around me.
I slowly sat down, and watched them as they fed around me. The lambs were curious and soon came up and sniffed my outstretched hands, and my pack, which I was still wearing. They were unconcerned and after a few minutes some even bedded around me within touching distance. Over the next half hour, the whole band fed and bedded all around me, with many of the lambs and ewes falling asleep. After awhile, I slowly got up and walked away, and only some of the ewes and lambs got up and moved away from me as I left, while others lay there undisturbed, with me only passing a few feet from them.
Another time while elk hunting I came across a lynx kitten playing in the clover growing on the trail. The mother was only about ten feet away, just watching me. After a bit the kitten went over and tried getting its mother to play. After a bit, it realized that its mother was watching me and became aware of me for the first time. It sat watching me for a bit, until the mother wandered off into the brush, with the kitten in tow.
While hunting with a friend, we each had shot a few grouse in a large flock. As Mike was fetching his birds, a lynx jumped up out of the grass along the edge of the road, grabbed the closest bird to it, and disappeared back into the woods. This happened within a few feet of Mike, who just about jumped out of his skin when he saw the lynx pop up and grab that bird right in front of him! Guess we interrupted his stalk, but he still managed to get his lunch!
I slowly sat down, and watched them as they fed around me. The lambs were curious and soon came up and sniffed my outstretched hands, and my pack, which I was still wearing. They were unconcerned and after a few minutes some even bedded around me within touching distance. Over the next half hour, the whole band fed and bedded all around me, with many of the lambs and ewes falling asleep. After awhile, I slowly got up and walked away, and only some of the ewes and lambs got up and moved away from me as I left, while others lay there undisturbed, with me only passing a few feet from them.
Another time while elk hunting I came across a lynx kitten playing in the clover growing on the trail. The mother was only about ten feet away, just watching me. After a bit the kitten went over and tried getting its mother to play. After a bit, it realized that its mother was watching me and became aware of me for the first time. It sat watching me for a bit, until the mother wandered off into the brush, with the kitten in tow.
While hunting with a friend, we each had shot a few grouse in a large flock. As Mike was fetching his birds, a lynx jumped up out of the grass along the edge of the road, grabbed the closest bird to it, and disappeared back into the woods. This happened within a few feet of Mike, who just about jumped out of his skin when he saw the lynx pop up and grab that bird right in front of him! Guess we interrupted his stalk, but he still managed to get his lunch!
Runningfool
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Coyote hunting last winter and had a great horned owl snatch my fox jack decoy at first light. Happened silently and swiftly...I pulled up the binos to look at my decoy as I couldn’t believe what had happened and sure enough, it was gone. Walked back along the field edge after I was done hunting and sure enough I found the lure and the cable, separated but laying on top of each other. Lucky break for sure as the owl could have dropped it once he got to his tree and I certainly never would have found it.
My first year deer hunting on the western border of Algonquin and I was sitting at the base of a tree on the slope of an old skidder trail with the wind in my face. 5 minutes of legal light left and I can hear something coming towards me (behind and to my left) that sounds like a freight train. The funny thing was, just as it was behind me the sound stopped. I thought to myself, there is no way whatever it was could have stopped so quickly, it must have hit soft ground and that’s why I couldn’t hear it continue by. I looked over my right shoulder and saw nothing but the hill, some trees, and a tall stump that looked about 7 feet high, whitish at the bottom and dark at the top...then the stump moved! Jesus! I quickly looked over my left shoulder and was staring at the face of a very large bull moose. He had caught my wind as he was running up from the lake and stopped dead. Never felt so small in my life. He turned and headed up the log-littered skidder trail like it was nothing. After I stopped shaking and put my rifle in its gun sock I paced it off and he was 12 yards from me. Walked back to camp grinning like a damn fool!
My first year deer hunting on the western border of Algonquin and I was sitting at the base of a tree on the slope of an old skidder trail with the wind in my face. 5 minutes of legal light left and I can hear something coming towards me (behind and to my left) that sounds like a freight train. The funny thing was, just as it was behind me the sound stopped. I thought to myself, there is no way whatever it was could have stopped so quickly, it must have hit soft ground and that’s why I couldn’t hear it continue by. I looked over my right shoulder and saw nothing but the hill, some trees, and a tall stump that looked about 7 feet high, whitish at the bottom and dark at the top...then the stump moved! Jesus! I quickly looked over my left shoulder and was staring at the face of a very large bull moose. He had caught my wind as he was running up from the lake and stopped dead. Never felt so small in my life. He turned and headed up the log-littered skidder trail like it was nothing. After I stopped shaking and put my rifle in its gun sock I paced it off and he was 12 yards from me. Walked back to camp grinning like a damn fool!
- Location
- Port Edward BC
Was sitting at a beaver dam in the spring on a big poplar they had chewed down and a rustling sound from behind me got my attention and I slowly turned my head. A good size weasel was coming down the side and when it got to me it stood up on my rubber boot, hooked it’s claws over the top, took a good look around and went on it’s way. It’s like it was yesterday.
I was duck hunting on Lake Ontario late season, in a place where we wade from shore and pull 10-12 decoys out at a time on main lines. I was doing that is the near dark and had a snowy owl that kept trying to steal a decoy. It would swoop in and grab one, but as it flew away and started lifting up the line with other decoys would lose its grip. It must have tried a half dozen times, flying within a few feet of us several times before giving up and sitting on a rock just down the shore.
My Northern Ontario Lynx encounters.
Bow hunting for moose. Sitting in the dark hollow of a blow down, I'd been there for several hours, it was getting dark just about time to go. Thinking no moose tonight, I reached up and scratched my nose. Suddenly I out of the corner of my eye I see something moving quickly towards me, WTF. As I pulled up the crossbow the Lynx stopped & sat down less than an arrow's length from the stirrup. OMG now what, turned bow to block it and gave it a 'get', it stood up, turned and slowly walked away keeping an evil eye on me until I stood up, then it took off.
That same night Buddy sitting a few hundred metres away further down the lake seen what looked like the classic 'sea monster' coming down the lake, a family of otters. lol
Same area a couple years later bow hunting for moose I was sitting in camp making coffee before heading out for the afternoon hunt when I seen something walk across logging road 100 metres away. Another Lynx, it zig-zagged back and forth across logging road until it was 25m from truck, squatted & had a dump. Curious about the sound of the Coleman stove, it walked past the stove 2-3m from me and disappeared behind truck. I got out of truck, the Lynx came from the back of the truck paused, looked at me, looked around then walked by the tent and into the bush.
That year I had an easy clear 15m shot at a cow standing broadside, it was even looking away, but our group had no cow tag.
Bow hunting for moose, this time in a different area. Sitting 20m from a river crossing on a well used game trail, I watched 2 Lynx swim across the river, shake themselves off and disappear down the game trail a couple 2 hours before dark. Just as I was thinking of packing up for the night, they came back, swam the river and disappeared into the bush.
Years later back in the first area fall bear hunting. The Old JRT was awake when I got back to the truck for lunch. Sitting with the truck door open, 300WM on my lap, sharing my sandwich with the Old Guy, when a Lynx walks out of the bush 10m from truck. I sat there still, the Old Dog just sat there vibrating, staring at the Lynx, I could see he was thinking that's the biggest freaking cat ever. The Lynx proceeded to walk slowly by the open truck door and on down the logging road.
This was the only time I've had a camera handy, I got this crappy shot as it was walking away.
A couple years ago back in the first area spring bear hunting, the snowshoe rabbits where thick as fleas, they where everwhere. The one afternoon as we where bumping along the logging road to our hunting spot, I stopped the truck, wound down my window, turned to Buddy and said "Want a picture of a Lynx?" It was sitting in the sun 5-7m away, Buddy got a couple of pictures as it turned and slowly walked into the bush.
Bow hunting for moose. Sitting in the dark hollow of a blow down, I'd been there for several hours, it was getting dark just about time to go. Thinking no moose tonight, I reached up and scratched my nose. Suddenly I out of the corner of my eye I see something moving quickly towards me, WTF. As I pulled up the crossbow the Lynx stopped & sat down less than an arrow's length from the stirrup. OMG now what, turned bow to block it and gave it a 'get', it stood up, turned and slowly walked away keeping an evil eye on me until I stood up, then it took off.
That same night Buddy sitting a few hundred metres away further down the lake seen what looked like the classic 'sea monster' coming down the lake, a family of otters. lol
Same area a couple years later bow hunting for moose I was sitting in camp making coffee before heading out for the afternoon hunt when I seen something walk across logging road 100 metres away. Another Lynx, it zig-zagged back and forth across logging road until it was 25m from truck, squatted & had a dump. Curious about the sound of the Coleman stove, it walked past the stove 2-3m from me and disappeared behind truck. I got out of truck, the Lynx came from the back of the truck paused, looked at me, looked around then walked by the tent and into the bush.
That year I had an easy clear 15m shot at a cow standing broadside, it was even looking away, but our group had no cow tag
.Bow hunting for moose, this time in a different area. Sitting 20m from a river crossing on a well used game trail, I watched 2 Lynx swim across the river, shake themselves off and disappear down the game trail a couple 2 hours before dark. Just as I was thinking of packing up for the night, they came back, swam the river and disappeared into the bush.
Years later back in the first area fall bear hunting. The Old JRT was awake when I got back to the truck for lunch. Sitting with the truck door open, 300WM on my lap, sharing my sandwich with the Old Guy, when a Lynx walks out of the bush 10m from truck. I sat there still, the Old Dog just sat there vibrating, staring at the Lynx, I could see he was thinking that's the biggest freaking cat ever. The Lynx proceeded to walk slowly by the open truck door and on down the logging road.
This was the only time I've had a camera handy, I got this crappy shot as it was walking away.
A couple years ago back in the first area spring bear hunting, the snowshoe rabbits where thick as fleas, they where everwhere. The one afternoon as we where bumping along the logging road to our hunting spot, I stopped the truck, wound down my window, turned to Buddy and said "Want a picture of a Lynx?" It was sitting in the sun 5-7m away, Buddy got a couple of pictures as it turned and slowly walked into the bush.
Chuckbuster
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
One of the most memorable experiences for me...and kind of funny, but doesn't involve any actual interaction with wildlife.
Many moons ago, friends and I were out on a small island in Georgian Bay for the waterfowl opener. As legal light approached, we saw a bright light out in the distance over the open water. As it got closer, we realized it was a helicopter. It kept coming towards us and then at low altitude stopped, hovered right over us, and hit us with the searchlight. We had our own "Fire in the Sky" moment and then it finally departed. After we had limited out and had gone in for the day, we found out that a couple of teens had taken a boat and disappeared into Georgian Bay. So, the SAR helicopter happened upon us, and looked us over to determine if we were who they were looking for: but nope, just a few duck hunters waiting for legal light.
And in terms of wildlife...one of the neatest things I've had happen was while working in Algonquin Park. I was out howling at night to locate a wolf pack for the public wolf howl, and much to my surprise, found myself surrounded by several wolves who came out of the dark in answer to my howling. They were so close I could have touched a couple of them. They milled around me for a few minutes and then faded into the darkness again.
Many moons ago, friends and I were out on a small island in Georgian Bay for the waterfowl opener. As legal light approached, we saw a bright light out in the distance over the open water. As it got closer, we realized it was a helicopter. It kept coming towards us and then at low altitude stopped, hovered right over us, and hit us with the searchlight. We had our own "Fire in the Sky" moment and then it finally departed. After we had limited out and had gone in for the day, we found out that a couple of teens had taken a boat and disappeared into Georgian Bay. So, the SAR helicopter happened upon us, and looked us over to determine if we were who they were looking for: but nope, just a few duck hunters waiting for legal light.
And in terms of wildlife...one of the neatest things I've had happen was while working in Algonquin Park. I was out howling at night to locate a wolf pack for the public wolf howl, and much to my surprise, found myself surrounded by several wolves who came out of the dark in answer to my howling. They were so close I could have touched a couple of them. They milled around me for a few minutes and then faded into the darkness again.
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- Location
- Port Edward BC
Pure white with a black tipped tail. It was big one. It’s head was over the top of my boot when it was looking around. Cool experience.
