Rut is just starting here, so I was expecting some action but nothing like this. Yesterday I had a non eventful morning hunt so I had my lunch then started making my way to my pre planned spot for the afternoon. Due to high water I had to walk through an area where does usually come down a hill to cross from my property to the neighbor. I was waking through about a 4-5 ft tall cane break along a creek, I heard a twig snap in the cane break across the creek to my right, as I turned my head to look a large bodied, wide 5pt is emerging from the cane into the creek about 10 yards away, head down staring dead at me and moving with mal-intent. I shouted “hey!” as I was turning to face him and trying to work my safety in a hurry with gloves on (which doesn’t by the way) about the center of this 6 ft wide creek, at speed, he realizes that I’m not whatever he thought I was and breaks off, but stumbled into a deep hole as he was trying to get up on my bank of the creek. I throw up and look through the scope (at the closest range I’ve ever fired a rifle, pull my toes back in my boots just in case), nothing but brown. Pull the trigger, nothing happens. Oh well was probably looking at mud anyway. I thought about just hitting him with the butstock of my daughters new rifle (decided against that) so I look down to try safety again (Thompson center 3 position wing safety thing) finally get it switched to fire, look up he’s already 20 yards away and moving fast. Throw up again, catch sight of tail as he disappears into a cutover and off the property.
I don’t know if he thought he was going to fight me or mate me, but I didn’t want any part of either. Next time I’ll be carrying the short 870 and will be cleaning a deer instead of my pants.
I don’t know if he thought he was going to fight me or mate me, but I didn’t want any part of either. Next time I’ll be carrying the short 870 and will be cleaning a deer instead of my pants.
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