Charging animals.

[Lloyd Smale]

had a couple pigs die at me feet when i was helping guide for a buddys pig hunting operation and had to go after pigs shot with bows. Both killed instantly with a 500 linebaugh. Had one racoon charge me that was blinded buy a load of fineshot too if that counts

[The Terminator]

MLeake,
That moose story had me in stitches. Thanks.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

er... well kinda...

was deer hunting in north central Minnesota many years ago, with my ( then ) new father in law... I was in my tree stand on a fire break in the middle of the woods... decked out in orange with my blaze orange & rabbit fur mad bomber hat on m head, & some new doe in heat cover scent...

middle of the morning about 1/2 way through the week... I was slowly munching on an apple, & watching the squirrels rustle around the leaves below, when suddenly the other squirrels all bolted out of sight, & here came one a bit larger... hopping down the fire break... he stopped suddenly, on the forrest floor, maybe 30 ft from the tree I was in, & looked right at me, & started chewing me out loudly... I though "oh great... scare off any deer close by"... so he continued to stare at me, chewing constantly, for several minutes, until suddenly he ran into the tree on the opposite side of the fire break & got eye to eye with me, maybe 20 ft away, & was making the most shreakish racket you ever heard from a squirrel... this went on for probably 3-4 minutes ( though it seemed like a 1/2 hour ) I actually put him in the scope several times, & simulated pulling the trigger on my deer rifle... again, suddenly the craized animal bolted up to the top of the tree he was in, jumped to the upper branches of the tree I was in, & began to race down the trunk of the tree towards me...

this was MN deer season, I had full coveralls on, but it was warmer, & had some zippers loose on my coveralls... I was stunned, when in the matter of seconds, the squirrel covered the distance from across the fire break, to just several feet above me, & showed no signs of slowing down... now too close to use my rifle on a target that size, at least for anything more than a club... I reached through my open zipper of my coveralls, & drew my GP-100 ( 4" 357 ) I had holstered on my belt... the squirrel jumped from the trunk of the tree towards me... ( my head was his next stop )... I raise the revolver up, catching him in the middle, & pulled the trigger...

WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED ???

my 1st thought was that it surely must be rabid... thinking about it later... my mad bomber hat had a patch of grey fur on the forehead... maybe he though it was another squirrel & was going to fight it... maybe it thought the patch of grey fur coupled with the doe in heat cover scrent was a squirrel in heat & he had plans to make hot love to my hat

no matter what, I was so visibly shaken at the time of "having to" shoot something that day, that I went in early...

... of course a hollow point at point blank range from a 357 magnum, left me nothing but the tail as proof of my tale... & of course I was the laughing stock of the deer camp that night, relating my tale to the rest of the hunters... I'm just glad it was warm enough that my zipper was down enough to pull the revolver... LORD knows I wouldn't want that squirrel to have his way with me...

[Willie Lowman]

^ Now that's funny right there ^

[Inhimwelive]

I have been charged by moose twice in Quebec.. 1st we were camping and heard something coming down to the lake that sounded like a bulldozer. We went to check it out..We were in the marsh at the head of the lake and I had a very dim flashlight. We got about 20 feet away from a very big bull.. He charged and we ran for our lives... The next time my car broke down and I was attempting repair when I felt I was being watched. I looked up and there was a cow moose 20 yards ahead of me checking me out.. I got my camera and started taking pics.. She started to move away so I whistled at her..Well she thought I was a bit to forward and charged.. I got behind the car and she stopped short..

[markj]

On our honeymoon we went to yellowstone via wyo. We found a track went back into the mountains. I saw a moose down the way so I got out of the truck with my trusty video cam recorder. I got very close then the thing came after me. Barely got back to the truck in time.

When we was kids, we went to our cousins hog farm to help move them into the summer fields as they were free range (didnt know it at the time as nobody used that expression) what we had to do was grab a baby piglet and take it out of the barn and go 1/2 way into the field let baby go and get to the other side and over before momma hog gets ya. A foot race with dire results if you was caught by a momma. We took turns and would have them all moved in an afternoon. Well there was the meanest hog we ever saw, she was huge and mean, upset over the whole thing and ready to get me as I was her mover. Dad had some metal gates he tried to use to get momma hon to run out to the field. Well she had a go at Dad first, hooked her nose under the gate and flipped him up to the roof. Then she set her sights on me as I was running away with baby. She let out a huge hog squel and red eyed as hell came after me. I let baby go at the right time, she didnt care, she wanted me. I ran faster, she was on my heals. I leaped over the barbed wire fence, she ran into it and it went streeeeetc and snapped her back into the field. She went to her baby and the others were out by then, they all went to their mommas and all was well, till next spring....

I worked in the pig palace here in Omaha one summer. Them boars got real big, real mean, had one come after me, I held my ground I was 15 and invincible. He got close at a run, I swung the sledghammer I was holding. I had to buy a dead pig that day.

[Alaska444]

I was charged by a large German Shepherd once, not exactly bear stuff, but I do know the adrenalin rush of having a large animal with fangs run towards me. I was out walking and saw a crow in the light pole ahead. I shouted at the crow and clapped my hands saying, Get out of her crow! All of a sudden, I noticed a very large German Shepherd sitting at the bottom of the light pole very intently staring at me.

I stopped in my tracks and noted a small 2x4 right next to me from the last house being built in the tract. I slowing picked it up with the dog starting to circle me very nervously. I started to back up slowly and get some more space between us and then my neighbor shows up with his little cocker spaniel.

The German Shepherd immediately charged. I picked up the 2x4 to swing over my head and charged back at the dog. With the adrenalin rush, I never saw the dog run away and by the time I came back out of my adrenalin "white out" he was long gone. Only had an adrenalin "white out" one other time in my life when a car ran a red light and knocked my 7000 pound Sequoia over and literally into the air in a full gainer and then landed on my wheels heads up. That adrenalin surge takes over and the mind goes into slow motion and everything whites out.

Hope I never get a third adrenalin rush like that.

[aarondhgraham]

Just how fast an animal can close distance between you and it.

I always chuckle when people say they will,,,
Just make a head shot on that charging grizzly bear.

The quote I always remember is,,,
Can you hit a bouncing softball thrown fast at 25 yards?

I've been charged by dogs, cattle, pigs, and an angry raccoon,,,
All of those animals got close real quick like.

What is the name of the scenario where a guy with a knife can close 21 feet before most people can draw?

Why do people think animals will be slower than a human?

Aarond

[aaalaska]

Yes moose can be a bit much,since we have some in the yard most winter days, we are very careful around them, but they can be surprising,I've been charged a few times. The first time a shot over her head with a 22 was enough to turn her,the second time it took two, and the bead was on her head by the time she turned.The third took one round from a 44 to stop ,but she didn't spook off she just stopped till a calf I didn't see spooked off and she followed.The third time was last spring a moose had been feeding around the yard all morning, and finally fed over the hill and into the woods that border our place, I poured a cup of coffee and went our ,sitting on the step I saw her lift her head the rest of her was out of sight over the hill, she began feeding back up the hill , and reached the edge of the yard, a distance of 30 yrds from me, I was thinking if she came any closer I would go inside when she layed her ears back and came,I stood throwing the coffee cup,it hit her and I went through the door, she came right to to steps and stomped around for a couple minutes, she had been around a couple weeks so I no there was no calf involved.Yes moose can be a bit much.
Alex

[Art Eatman]

I've read more than one article, through the years, about some bull moose in rut losing out when arguing with an oncoming train.

I don't weigh nearly as much as a train.

So: The only moose I've seen was during a trip through Yellowstone Park. I stopped the truck, dug out the camera, and walked a short way toward him for the picture.

I didn't walk very far. I definitely used maximum zoom. After that, I watched from inside the truck, "In case of in case."

I've noticed that vicarious learning about potential harm beats heck out of first-hand experience. Condition White is a bad thing, no matter where you are. It's not about fear; it's about judicious observation and preparedness.

[Inhimwelive]

I just remembered this incident. About 10 years ago I was turkey hunting on some new property...I walked into a large fenced pasture in the dark.. I found a small patch of cover inside the fence line where I set up.. When I was able to see I started calling.. I heard turkeys talking and was getting some response. It was a great setup or so I thought.. What I didn't know was I was sharing the pasture with cattle. Well pretty soon they all came charging down the hill towards me.. They all stopped about 15 yards away, all that is except the bull.. He was not happy about whatever this was that was making the noise in his pasture.. He was getting closer and closer.. The worst part was that I couldn't even get up and run.. I was totally surrounded by pricker bushes. The only direction I could move was the one the bull was cutting off.. At this point I'm thinking that I am going to have to pepper this bull to get out of there..But try explaining that to a farmer? He kept getting closer till he was a few feet from my face.. But at the last second he lost his nerve and ran off.. At which point I hastily made my retreat..

[Daryl]

The quote I always remember is,,,
Can you hit a bouncing softball thrown fast at 25 yards?

I dunno, since I've never tried it. Might be sorta dangerous for the thrower, though.

Many's the loping/running coyote I've shot coming straight at me. Granted, it's no grizzly, and the adrenaline rush is sure to be less.

I believe a charging griz is something most of us hope to never face. If we face it, and stop it, we should get on our knees and offer thanks to whoever sent the awesome luck.

Daryl

[the blur]

Been charged by a pit bull twice, same dog, same neighbor who can't control the dog. for whatever reason, it was just a charge. luckily for me.

[Keg]

I have never hunted anywhere else but Texas.........Here..we have a serious problem with hogs..........This is statewide...They are truly taking over..........They breed like rabbits and can go full nocturnal..........They destroy pastures and take over good deer habitat............Actually there is no stopping them............I hunt the Trinity River bottoms...Most of ours have a Russian boar influence...Some look nearly full Russian..others a smaller amount.........Some are trapped..others are shot......We make BBQ out of some and others(oh well...the yotes and buzzards gotta eat too)..........
But anyway........I have killed hundreds of these things......Never been charged..............Their eyesight is not very good...I think..sometimes they happen to run that direction and it is mistaken for a charge........Ever watch Pigman the Series????? At the beginning of every show.. he draws down on one..with a large caliber handgun.........The pig had been wounded by another hunter and he was going to dispatch it at close range......By the way..he is from a small town just down the road..............A wounded animal or one stirred up by dogs will act different..............Normally I see them headed to the thickest brush they can find and in high gear.........

[Keg]

I guess it would have sounded cool..If I had said.."This 500 pound Boar charged me and I shoved my 44 mag in his mouth and pulled the trigger." hahaaaa

[aarondhgraham]

A trainer here in Okieland made a set-up that will drop a basketball sized toy ball towards you,,,
A Lady I know can hit it at least one shot most every time,,,
I have yet to hit it once.

At my outdoor range we have no moving targets,,,
But this one member rigs one that rolls a target towards the shooter.

it's quite an elaborate set-up with two wires and some self standing poles,,,
People who shoot very small rapid-fire groups at 25 yards,,,
Have trouble hitting a target coming towards them,,,
The target is advancing at a quick walking pace.

He let me try it a couple of times,,,
My performance was only slightly better than dismal,,,
Were it a charging bear I would have been bear-chow very quickly.

Aarond

[MLeake]

... ok, I was only a toddler for this one, but as I've heard the story from both my parents, I tend to believe it's true.

My father had just been RIF'ed from the Navy, and we were driving from Long Beach to New England in the old Ford pickup my father had converted into a camper. I was around 18 months old at this time.... I believe this was the same trip where, during the Las Vegas stop, I nearly got my father slapped by a waitress, because I apparently had a thing for patting women's behinds. The waitress thought my dad had goosed her, and was apparently quite irate, especially when he tried to blame the sweet, innocent toddler.

Luckily for my dad, just as the waitress was about to let him have it, I goosed her again. At that point, she thought it was just adorable, and my parents received a discount on their bill. Go figure...

But shortly after that, my parents opted to drive through Yellowstone. Here's where the critter part comes into play.

Instead of telling the whole story, I'll just hit the salient points.

You know those signs that say, "Don't Feed the Bears,"? There's a reason for those.

But, if you decide to feed the bears, it's best not to get out of the truck to do it, thinking you'll get better pictures on your Nikon that way.

Of course, if you do decide to get out of the truck, with food and camera, it's probably best to check the type of food you bring.

For example, if the bears are uphill from your truck, it might not be the best idea to throw them foods such as apples and oranges.

Those foods being round, they might just roll right back to your feet, with the bears in pursuit....

In which case, it's probably best if the truck door was left open, since one would hate to have to drop the Nikon to make a getaway....

Cheers,

M

[wyobohunter]

Gave me a few snorts & at least one laugh out loud. That's no good cause I'll get in major trouble if I wake up the kids & boss lady.

Arctic Terns are mean little @!#&***! when nesting. They don't charge... they dive bomb. It's amazing how a bird that doesn't even weigh 2 lbs can make a grown man run, hide, duck for cover and maybe (not me) even shudder at the thought of them.

I just started working at a new facility that is located on a wildlife refuge. Lots of birds nesting. I wasn't really in the know about these vicious little critters so I thought it strange when the guy I was working with pulled up to the wellhouse and parked strategically near the door. I thought it was even weirder when he jumped out of the truck and ran into the wellhouse. Hmm (I thought as I casually strolled along) that there is a real go getter, yes sir he really wants to get some stuff do... BAP my hardhad nearly flies off and I have now been introduced to Mr. Arctic Tern. Those guys should be allowed to carry shotguns for self defense.

I've also been charged by a wild cow while hunting the Savage Run wilderness in Wyoming. I was hunting during the archery season and came upon some cows. Me thinkin' they'd just moove on over kept walking directly at them. Miss boss cow was really staring me down so I press on thinking she'll spook into the woods... she stomps her foot and I brandish the bow once more. Yadduh yadduh I had to hide behind a tree.

Disclaimer:
Encounters with wild and dangerous creature like the man crushing cow and man eating Tern can render a persons senses to fuzz. You can imagine what this does to the memory.

[Art Eatman]

Seagulls aren't typical bank customers, but they have been known to deliberately make deposits.

[markj]

Dad used to tease me about the killer pheasant. We were hunting an open area moving towards their hidey place. As we got closer a rooster pheasant busted out wings back beak open and aimed right at me. He charged me as if he was going to kill me and eat me. I had those same intentions but was laffing so hard Icouldnt get a shot off. He got as close as my feet so I booted him and watched him run off. Dad didnt get any shots that day, he couldnt stop laffing and crowing at me

[hooligan1]

An old woman charged me once at the local beer-barn, I stuck my leg out, she hit her face on the counter, I told her I sure was sorry,,,,,that she had to TRY me No really, at the age of ten, I was stomped into the mud by a Crazy Sow that had three piglets that I was trying to capture and give shots to. My Pappy's old collie dog saved me from getting killed That's the only animal that ever TRIED me...

[FrontSight]

Got charged by a boar that I shot at a preserve. Snarling, snapping, growling, nastiest, meanest thing in the whole wide world.

Started from 60 yards, and he made it to 30 yards before I could finally drop him, using a 30-30 lever action. Blew off his right bottom tusk in the process, which stopped him and turned him sideways, and then I spined him.

Walked up to him to finish him off and man oh man was he an ornery one, trying to get up and get to me still...snarlng & snapping and growling continued till I put one in his heart.

It was my last round that dropped him, too, and there were no trees to climb for protection, so I don't know WHAT I would have done if he had gotten to me. Rifle had a soft butt pad, so no use there. I tell you, a bayonet mount would have been most severely appreciated at that moment. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you don't NEED a bayonet on a lever action, because I guarantee you that you may indeed need one one day.

Next time I went back there, I was certain to have a .45 at my side as a backup!

[kraigwy]

I've had bears "faint" a charge, or critters run to me thinking they are running away from danger instead of toward it. I've had dogs chase me.

But

Without a doubt, I think the most dangerous animal in North America is a Cow Moose. They will attack, they will kill and when they kill the kill. We found a lady in her back yard one time that looked like she had been beaten' to death with a base ball bat. She was un-recognizable. We started the whole crime seen procedure until we were called by the pathologist informing us the suspect was a moose.

I've had a cow moose kick the crap out of my pickup when I slowed down to let it and its calf cross the road.

I've been around bears, Black, Brown, and Polar, they are nothing like a cow moose.

The problem is cow moose hang around town. Many times I've had to go to school bus stops to protect kids because there was a cow moose in the area. They also get uppity if in a back yard with a barking dog. They can do some damage.

And they are quick. Don't care how fast you are I don't see one having the ability to draw fire and stop one of those suckers.

Range Cows w/Calves are just about as bad, but they aren't as fast or agile as moose. Besides you use horses to work range cows. They are afraid of horses. Buffalo are bad also, but again, I don't think they are as fast or agile as a cow moose.

[Double Naught Spy]

I've had bears "faint" a charge

I believe opossums "faint" charge. Bears, bulls, and many other animals will feint charge.

[MLeake]

Or there are fainting goats... the fainting tends to mess up their charges.