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wildest wildlife encounter while saddlehunting?

Nutterbuster said:
Best stories aren't saddlehunting, but here goes.

Stalking hogs in a beaver marsh on a cold January day. Hopping from firm ground to firm ground. Hopped to one patch of ground that was actually a 5-6ft Gator. He was too cold to do much but hiss and squirm. Scared me good.

I've had a Gator take a duck I shot.

I've watched a Gator stalk piglets at the edge of a lake. Neither of us got an opportunity that day.

I shot a bobcat as it was stalking a flock of turkeys.

I've had several raccoons practically crawl into my lap.

I've been the unfortunate witness of several cottonmouth orgies.
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We routinely lose ducks to bald eagles on open water hunts. I’ve lost as many as three in one hunt.
 
I got to see what i can only describe as a chipmunk gang fight...setting in a tree i hear all kinds of chirping and leaves rattling. 9 or 10 chipmunks come busting out of the woods into a small rocky clearing. As many or more busted in from the other side. 30 seconds of angry chirping leaves rustling little brown critters flopping, then they all went separate ways.
 
Yesterday had a flock of hen turkeys come in. The one climbed up a falling tree limb into the tree. Watched as she danced around the tree and chased bugs. She was about 40yrds away eye level. I shortly after shot at her friend. Missed just high.
Also have had owls at 10' or so.
Had coyote come in on me turkey hunting at 10yrds twice.
Had a chicadee perch on my crossbow for a minute.
 
2 years ago I made a midday switch on an all day sit. I climbed up my new tree and was sitting tight for just a few minutes. All the sudden (luckily in the direction I was looking) I hear this giant flapping and crashing and then lots of squealing. A hawk must have been sitting tight in a tree that I'm assuming it chased a squirrel into. I had no idea it was there and the squirrel must have come out thinking the hawk had flown away. The noise I heard was the hawk dive bombing the squirrel and knocking it off the tree. Somehow the squirrel got going quick enough and maneuvered to another tree and up and around it and was able to escape the hawk. I was feeling drowsy after being awake for 12 hours but that worked quicker than any cup of coffee.

Before saddle hunting I was walking into a new piece of public before sunrise with giant pines one time. Walking down a trail and I heard giant crashing again. I thought one of those trees were coming down and I ducked for cover. Turns out I had just scared the piss out of a flock of turkeys and they all took flight. Again, worked better than coffee.
 
I've had lots of fun encounters including being swiped at multiple times by hawks and having squirrels (and one flying squirrel) pop up from the other side of the tree in front of my face, but one encounter takes the cake. About 5 years ago I shot a doe on opening morning. I hit her good and knew she didn't go far but she went over a hump on the side of the mountain so I gave her a little time and started tracking. As I'm tracking I watch a bear walk by and eventually walk right up to where I shot her where I left my bow and pack. He finally walked off and I continued to find my doe. As I'm sitting there taking a selfie with the deer I see him come walking back right down the blood trail. I backed away and he walked right up to her. He grabbed her by the neck and started pulling tossing her around. This was a really nice mature doe and it was amazing how easily he could move her around with her neck in his jaws. At that point I was pissed because that was my deer. In particular it was earn a buck and I needed that head for proof of the kill. I decided to go home and get my bear spray to shoot that sucker in the face. When I got back he was still there munching away. I had never actually sprayed bear spray so I decided to do a test spray. Well wouldn't you know it, it goes out in a line and mists up pretty quickly. There was no way I was walking up to that bear close enough to spray him. So with bear spray in hand I started picking up good sized sticks/logs and tossing them at him to try to scare him off. Around 20 logs later he finally took off running. I ended up just cutting the head off and tagging the deer. He had been all in eating the neck and the rump and I didn't really want to mess with the meat after that point. I didn't film the second part of the encounter but I have the first part where he goes and grabs the deer on film.
 
redsquirrel said:
I've had lots of fun encounters including being swiped at multiple times by hawks and having squirrels (and one flying squirrel) pop up from the other side of the tree in front of my face, but one encounter takes the cake. About 5 years ago I shot a doe on opening morning. I hit her good and knew she didn't go far but she went over a hump on the side of the mountain so I gave her a little time and started tracking. As I'm tracking I watch a bear walk by and eventually walk right up to where I shot her where I left my bow and pack. He finally walked off and I continued to find my doe. As I'm sitting there taking a selfie with the deer I see him come walking back right down the blood trail. I backed away and he walked right up to her. He grabbed her by the neck and started pulling tossing her around. This was a really nice mature doe and it was amazing how easily he could move her around with her neck in his jaws. At that point I was pissed because that was my deer. In particular it was earn a buck and I needed that head for proof of the kill. I decided to go home and get my bear spray to shoot that sucker in the face. When I got back he was still there munching away. I had never actually sprayed bear spray so I decided to do a test spray. Well wouldn't you know it, it goes out in a line and mists up pretty quickly. There was no way I was walking up to that bear close enough to spray him. So with bear spray in hand I started picking up good sized sticks/logs and tossing them at him to try to scare him off. Around 20 logs later he finally took off running. I ended up just cutting the head off and tagging the deer. He had been all in eating the neck and the rump and I didn't really want to mess with the meat after that point. I didn't film the second part of the encounter but I have the first part where he goes and grabs the deer on film.
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Let's see it!!!!!
 
I was bear hunting N of Timmins Ont. on a bait. A 12.5 yr old boar sat at the bait looking up at me for awhile. He stood and walked slowly to my tree. Then it took him about a split second to make the 12' to the bottom of my stand. His nose was at my feet. Not sure what he intended, I kicked at him and when he got down to the bait I put 165 Grn. Snuffer through him. He'll not do that again. The DNR said he was 12.5
 
Blacksmith said:
I was bear hunting N of Timmins Ont. on a bait. A 12.5 yr old boar sat at the bait looking up at me for awhile. He stood and walked slowly to my tree. Then it took him about a split second to make the 12' to the bottom of my stand. His nose was at my feet. Not sure what he intended, I kicked at him and when he got down to the bait I put 165 Grn. Snuffer through him. He'll not do that again. The DNR said he was 12.5
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He was trying to show you who's the Boss. Guess that backfired on him huh! :tearsofjoy:
 
Empostarr said:
Not in a saddle, but I had an owl swoop in and hang out with me just before dark. He even moved closer to me eventually and just chilled above about 10 feet away. He must have just woke up, because his first "hoot" sounded horrible, like he was clearing his throat. The second sounded better, and I felt like we were kindred hunters that evening.
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Yep same. He stood right above me in a tree once and took a pic of him through my Swarovskis Screenshot_20221025-174423.jpg
 
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