Close encounters of the hunting kind

Dagny · August 16, 2000, 01:33 PM

The previous thread was closed because we hit 100K. Now that the definition of the topic has been thrashed out, perhaps there are more stories of fox and quail at ones feet, or shooting a deer at point blank as it runs by after being spooked likely from its bed.

Personally I've one story of a shooting I regret. After seeing a squirrel duck into a hollow tree, I staked out that tree until it showed. Range: 5 yards, Ammo: 20 gauge #6 birdshot. I got the squirrel. But one: there was a LOT of lead in the meat, and two: I should've backed off another 5 yards.

Turk · August 16, 2000, 02:34 PM

One morning many years ago I was setting in my duck blind and four Bluebills swung low across my decoy spread. They turned a couple 100 yards out and came straight dead center to my spread.

I waited, no calling these guys like what they saw and were barreling in. I waited a little too long and when Auto-5 barked the one didn't drop but tumbled head over tail and came right through the opening of the blind and bunced off the back wall.

I set there and thought boy what an easier retrieve but then it hit me what could of happened if the bill would of hit me going X miles per hour and hit me in the face?

Close encounter is reaching over and picking up the bill.

Have a good day.

Turk

[This message has been edited by Turk (edited August 16, 2000).]

BadMedicine · August 16, 2000, 04:26 PM

My story is like Turk's. We had been canoeing around a marsh shooting fowl all morning and were getting ready to head home. Had already pulled the canoe out and were walking around when my brother saw a green head flying fast and low right for us. He called the shot pulled up, and when it was in good range, shot. The bird continued forward, dead in the air, hit about 2 feet in fron of him and bounced to his foot. Was an awesome shot, albeit an easy one.

mussi · August 16, 2000, 05:17 PM

Two and a half years ago, while hunting, we decided we had a beautiful
boar in our sights. I hit it in the chest, it dropped. Turned out my
.44 Mag on the belt was useful. When the distance dropped below 100
fett, the beast started charging me. Two hits from the revolver, a hit
from a carbine 31 (7.5mm) killed it. My father, despite his old age,
is a good shot, and he usually goes in with open sights (scoping a K31
is a major hassle).

Upon opening up the beast at the butcher's, I was goddamn startled.
Who has seen a .300 Win Mag bullet (some Federal hunting ammo) bounce
off a wild boar sternum, slide below the skin and probably inflict a
shock? Usually, .300 Win Mag should kill if the beast gets a sternum
shot.

At least that's what I believed 'till this day. So now, if it's a day
hunt and not in dusk, I shoot them in the head. No aspirin required
afterwards.

[This message has been edited by mussi (edited August 16, 2000).]

bk40 · August 17, 2000, 12:22 AM

a couple of yrs back, on the last day of deer season, I was out with the intent of taking a gorgeous colored fox squirrel (with a .22rifle) to have it mounted. Squirrel didn't show... just as I was about to call it a day along comes very small 4 point buck. Hehe I had a .357 revolver with me, just in case something like this happened, watched him poke along for 10-15 minutes. Could have taken him at almost any time... decided to yet him go and grow. Hell, I had more fun watching him than I could have ever had killing him.

ps- he passed by me at 5yds and never knew I was there!

I love hunting, being outdoors and the serenity of only mother natures sounds...

Jack Straw · August 17, 2000, 08:44 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dagny:
Personally I've one story of a shooting I regret. After seeing a squirrel duck into a hollow tree, I staked out that tree until it showed. Range: 5 yards, Ammo: 20 gauge #6 birdshot. I got the squirrel. But one: there was a LOT of lead in the meat, and two: I should've backed off another 5 yards.[/quote]

Dagny, that must be one helluva pilot that can keep a helicopter hovering that close to a tree.

Jack

Fisher · August 17, 2000, 09:26 AM

As everyone knows that has hunted behind a dog, you have your good days and your bad. My Brittany and I were hunting pheasants here in Ohio on Saturday afternoon. I had my limit and was walking back through the fields to my truck. I noticed two men and a boy taking a break from hunting along the fence line a little further up in the field I was in. My dog was walking along with me half hunting half relaxing from a hard day’s hunt. All of a sudden he picked up a scent and was off like a shot. The problem was it was in the direction of the other hunters. Nose to the ground and on a dead run he blew right by the two men and stopped on point 5 yards behind the boy. The boy was so surprise that the dog stopped he picked up his gun and started to turn and only took one step. Just then a nice cock pheasant busted out of the cover. The boy pulled up, fired and dropped him with one shot. By the time I got over there my Brittany had retrieved the bird and laid it at the boy’s feet. The boy actually offered the bird to me because it was my dog. We talked a while and come to find out that this was his first bird hunt with his dad and uncle. I told him that it was his shot and his bird and I was more than happy to let him use my dog for his first bird.

As many times as I remember wanting to ring my dogs neck for ranging out or just not paying attention to me. I can remember at least 10 times as many moments just like the one above that I would not trade for anything.

DorGunR · August 17, 2000, 09:33 AM

Fisher,
You made my day!
Thanks....What you did was a class act.

Don't you just love Brittany's.....Had to have mine put down by the Vet last april....sure miss him.
Take care.

------------------
"Lead, follow or get the HELL out of the way."

Fisher · August 17, 2000, 10:05 PM

DorGunR, I had to put my brittany down several years ago too. He had been a faithful hunting companion for 12 years and I hated to see him go. My buddy and I both had Brittany’s and we hunted them together most of the time both for pheasants and grouse. I still have a lot of fond memories of those special days not to mention a few pictures on the wall of us together.

Thanks for the response.

August 16, 2000, 01:33 PM	#1
Dagny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 2000 Location: Galt's Gulch Posts: 390	The previous thread was closed because we hit 100K. Now that the definition of the topic has been thrashed out, perhaps there are more stories of fox and quail at ones feet, or shooting a deer at point blank as it runs by after being spooked likely from its bed. Personally I've one story of a shooting I regret. After seeing a squirrel duck into a hollow tree, I staked out that tree until it showed. Range: 5 yards, Ammo: 20 gauge #6 birdshot. I got the squirrel. But one: there was a LOT of lead in the meat, and two: I should've backed off another 5 yards.

August 16, 2000, 02:34 PM	#2
Turk Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2000 Location: USA Posts: 517	One morning many years ago I was setting in my duck blind and four Bluebills swung low across my decoy spread. They turned a couple 100 yards out and came straight dead center to my spread. I waited, no calling these guys like what they saw and were barreling in. I waited a little too long and when Auto-5 barked the one didn't drop but tumbled head over tail and came right through the opening of the blind and bunced off the back wall. I set there and thought boy what an easier retrieve but then it hit me what could of happened if the bill would of hit me going X miles per hour and hit me in the face? Close encounter is reaching over and picking up the bill. Have a good day. Turk [This message has been edited by Turk (edited August 16, 2000).]

August 16, 2000, 04:26 PM	#3
BadMedicine Junior member Join Date: July 7, 2000 Location: Anchorage Posts: 863	My story is like Turk's. We had been canoeing around a marsh shooting fowl all morning and were getting ready to head home. Had already pulled the canoe out and were walking around when my brother saw a green head flying fast and low right for us. He called the shot pulled up, and when it was in good range, shot. The bird continued forward, dead in the air, hit about 2 feet in fron of him and bounced to his foot. Was an awesome shot, albeit an easy one.

August 16, 2000, 05:17 PM	#4
mussi Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2000 Location: Berne, Switzerland Posts: 757	Two and a half years ago, while hunting, we decided we had a beautiful boar in our sights. I hit it in the chest, it dropped. Turned out my .44 Mag on the belt was useful. When the distance dropped below 100 fett, the beast started charging me. Two hits from the revolver, a hit from a carbine 31 (7.5mm) killed it. My father, despite his old age, is a good shot, and he usually goes in with open sights (scoping a K31 is a major hassle). Upon opening up the beast at the butcher's, I was goddamn startled. Who has seen a .300 Win Mag bullet (some Federal hunting ammo) bounce off a wild boar sternum, slide below the skin and probably inflict a shock? Usually, .300 Win Mag should kill if the beast gets a sternum shot. At least that's what I believed 'till this day. So now, if it's a day hunt and not in dusk, I shoot them in the head. No aspirin required afterwards. [This message has been edited by mussi (edited August 16, 2000).]

August 17, 2000, 12:22 AM	#5
bk40 Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 1999 Location: Mississippi Posts: 1,004	a couple of yrs back, on the last day of deer season, I was out with the intent of taking a gorgeous colored fox squirrel (with a .22rifle) to have it mounted. Squirrel didn't show... just as I was about to call it a day along comes very small 4 point buck. Hehe I had a .357 revolver with me, just in case something like this happened, watched him poke along for 10-15 minutes. Could have taken him at almost any time... decided to yet him go and grow. Hell, I had more fun watching him than I could have ever had killing him. ps- he passed by me at 5yds and never knew I was there! I love hunting, being outdoors and the serenity of only mother natures sounds...

August 17, 2000, 08:44 AM	#6
Jack Straw Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 362	<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dagny: Personally I've one story of a shooting I regret. After seeing a squirrel duck into a hollow tree, I staked out that tree until it showed. Range: 5 yards, Ammo: 20 gauge #6 birdshot. I got the squirrel. But one: there was a LOT of lead in the meat, and two: I should've backed off another 5 yards.[/quote] Dagny, that must be one helluva pilot that can keep a helicopter hovering that close to a tree. Jack

August 17, 2000, 09:26 AM	#7
Fisher Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 1999 Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio Posts: 329	As everyone knows that has hunted behind a dog, you have your good days and your bad. My Brittany and I were hunting pheasants here in Ohio on Saturday afternoon. I had my limit and was walking back through the fields to my truck. I noticed two men and a boy taking a break from hunting along the fence line a little further up in the field I was in. My dog was walking along with me half hunting half relaxing from a hard day’s hunt. All of a sudden he picked up a scent and was off like a shot. The problem was it was in the direction of the other hunters. Nose to the ground and on a dead run he blew right by the two men and stopped on point 5 yards behind the boy. The boy was so surprise that the dog stopped he picked up his gun and started to turn and only took one step. Just then a nice cock pheasant busted out of the cover. The boy pulled up, fired and dropped him with one shot. By the time I got over there my Brittany had retrieved the bird and laid it at the boy’s feet. The boy actually offered the bird to me because it was my dog. We talked a while and come to find out that this was his first bird hunt with his dad and uncle. I told him that it was his shot and his bird and I was more than happy to let him use my dog for his first bird. As many times as I remember wanting to ring my dogs neck for ranging out or just not paying attention to me. I can remember at least 10 times as many moments just like the one above that I would not trade for anything.

August 17, 2000, 09:33 AM	#8
DorGunR Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2000 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,125	Fisher, You made my day! Thanks....What you did was a class act. Don't you just love Brittany's.....Had to have mine put down by the Vet last april....sure miss him. Take care. ------------------ "Lead, follow or get the HELL out of the way."

August 17, 2000, 10:05 PM	#9
Fisher Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 1999 Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio Posts: 329	DorGunR, I had to put my brittany down several years ago too. He had been a faithful hunting companion for 12 years and I hated to see him go. My buddy and I both had Brittany’s and we hunted them together most of the time both for pheasants and grouse. I still have a lot of fond memories of those special days not to mention a few pictures on the wall of us together. Thanks for the response.