Fun Hunting Stories... what's yours?

[Peace]

Alright, I'll kick us off.

 

When I was a teenager, we used to rabbit hunt with a dog breeder and a whole cadre of his friends and family.  At one point, the dogs were running the rabbits away from my brother and I, so we just started walking down the edge of a field right off the ditch line - knowing the rabbits would eventually turn back towards us.  

 

A few minutes later, they turned (but we didn't know it) - far, far ahead of the dogs, a rabbit busted out of the ditch line and bolted right in front of us about 10-15 feet away.  It was close enough that there would've been nothing left had we fired.  We were just letting him run.

 

All of the sudden we hear "Boom, boom, boom"... and the Rabbit tumbles to a stop right in front of us.  Stunned we look back behind us - up the hill.  Dr. "x", our neighbor chuckled and shouted at us, "Don't worry boys, if I shoot you, I'll sew you up!  Pick that up for me, will you?"  I think I shook the rest of the day.  He was obviously joking,... but he also meant it.

Edited September 14, 2014 by Peace

[Patton]

Not all that funny but it is the best story that I have. I didn't have much luck my first couple of years of deer hunting. On about my fourth time in the woods I was eleven and was throwing up sick after sitting there for about three hours. My dad and I decided to leave when then out of nowhere three does walked right up to me. I took the first one. Edited September 14, 2014 by Patton

[bersaguy]

I have killed probably over 100 deer in my life because our ranch was full of them so getting one was not really a hunt but more and evening or morning walk through the woods. Well, I had not hunted in about 6 years during the time I was dedicating to my son after his accident and because I was never a trophy hunter I seldom took a big deer because smaller ones tasted better and we more tender so choice of 10 point or spike and I would shoot the spike. Anyway after my son passed away my youngest son asked me to go hunting with his down on his place.

 

 

I didn't think that much about it but since I had not spent much time with him because his brother required most of my time for 5 years I agreed to go just to spend some quality time with him. He kept talking about this 14 pointer he had wandering around on his place that he had been hunting for two years but could never get a good shot at him. We got in the woods early that morning and e put me up in a camo ladder stand and right behind the stand was about 10 Persimmon trees in full fruit and ground was covered. My son was about 350 yards away up in another stand and he was far enough away he could see me through binoculars and about good sunrise I saw a deer slowly approaching me through a thicket. As it got closer my son could also see it and it was the 14 pointer. He just knew I was gonna kill his big buck.

 

 

 

I watched as that old man eased up to with in about 25 yards and putting his nose in the air I new he scented me. He came about 10 yards closer and nosed the air again and then all at once he just looked up at me and we stared at each other for about a good minute or two. He moved even closer and was probably 25 feet from the tree when he stopped that last time and looked up at me. Then he preceded to go eat his fill of Persimmons and was joined by 3 does. After he ate his fill and he and his ladies left the same way they came it was getting close to mid morning when my son came over to meet up with me and walk back to the house. On the walk back my son said "Dad, I think you need to get new glasses," in a joking way. I said "why son, because you don't think I saw that 14 pointer walk under the stand and eat fruits". He said "why didn't you take him?" and I said "son you know I am not a trophy hunter and I know that you want that deer so he is still here waiting for you to bag him.".............. :up: 

 

 

 

  In all honesty I don't think I would have shot a spike that morning. I watched my oldest Son fight for life and every breath for 5 years and to take somethings life for sport and of course food I didn't know if I would ever be able to hunt again and to this day I have not. I'm sure if it came to food or starvation I could hunt and kill but that is what it would take. As for anyone else I say go for it and enjoy it as I did for many years. My son still does it when he can find time and if he bags one I always get some deer burger which is all I want from one. I can do a lot with burger. I use to have 4 or 5 folks that gave me deer burger and a few guys gave me whole deer if I paid for the processing which I would get the back strips and Tenderloins out and maybe 1 or two roasts and the rest burger. I don't get much deer meat any more these days.

 

 

 

Part of that is because a few of my old friends have quit hunting and others don't kill as many because you cannot find many folks processing deer anymore and if you do you can't afford them. I use to pay 50.00 to get one processed then it went to $60.00. Last year I had a guy give me a deer and I am glad it was a big deer and got is processed into Burger except for the Tenderloins and back Strip and it cost me $95.00. If it had been a small deer it would have ended up costing me more for deer burger the hamburger in stores. A lot of processors have either got to high for people to pay or shut down. I know a lot of guys now are taking their deer up to the mini nites and having deer summer sausage made and some have their make the deer jerky and when they get it home they vacuum seal the jerky............... :up: :up:

Edited September 14, 2014 by bersaguy

[RC3]

I  tore down half of the house looking for my bottle of scotch that I hid from my old man. Worst three hour hunt of booze that I ever had. 

[Omega]

Well, not fun but I can laugh about it now. I joined the military out of Denver, CO so hunted mulies and elk. When I started hunting at my first permanent duty station at Ft Bragg, NC. I was recommended a 30/30 so went with it. My first few outings I let a few 8 pointers go by because I thought they were too small. My buddies laughed their butts off when I told them and they clued me in on easter whitetails and the rest is history.