Yesterday morning, my husband shot a nice doe. He had to drag her quite a ways and load her into the back of his pickup, which meant getting his clothes rather smelly.
But he decided to stick around and hunt the rest of the afternoon. About 4:30pm he calls me with this story.
He is hunting along the Missouri River, just south of Chamberlain, SD. The river is in a valley with steep tree filled ravines, the high flat areas between the ravines are grassy. The ravines come out like fingers from the river, and get shallower as they get father away until they level off with the grass prairie.
Hubby found one that looked promising, lot of trees and heavy underbrush. He got out of the truck and started to walk down the grass just outside of the treeline. He went a bit and found an opening in the trees, and headed in. He didn't get too far in, and heard something moving fast through the brush ahead of him. He assumed it was deer, and started after. He could hear more noise, but it was getting farther ahead of him and heading east. So he got the idea that he could cut through the trees to the other side of the ravine, and maybe see the deer as they came out ahead of him.
So he started heading into the heavier cover, and heard a deep growl. He stopped in his tracks and heard a bit of movement somewhere ahead of him.
He said his blood ran cold, and he shouldered the rifle and pulled out his large frame .357 revovler. Then he hollered and made noise, hoping what ever it was would realize he was human and leave.
Hubby slowly retraced his steps, keeping an eye on the underbrush and made it back out to the grassy area. He got about 20 feet away from the trees, and while still watching carefully, he started back towards the truck.
Thinking what ever had growled at him had stayed behind, he started to relax a bit, and heard some noise in the treeline parrellel to him, so he stopped and listened. And heard another low growl from the trees. He said he has never been so scared while out hunting. He walked farther out into the open and as he got closer to the truck, he could smell the dead deer in the back. Then he realized he had blood on his pants and probably smelled like an injured animal himself.
He said he was never so happy to get himself safely in the truck. It's a totally different feeling to think you may be the hunted while out in the woods.
Here is an article of something that happened earlier this year, about 30 - 40 miles farther south from where DH was hunting.
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/arti...e900483ff5.txt
Cathy
Another time,different friend and he was carrying the 22 by the sling on his shoulder. Well the dogs were treed and we stopped about a hundred foot from the tree and shined a light up the tree. Lord have mercy there was three bears up the tree. A moma and two cubs. Well that moma bear was as bout as mad as she could get. She was popping her mouth and walking around up there in the tree. All of a sudden she jumped out and the dogs were hollering and the brush was tearing straight toward us. I hollered and told my friend if he was ever planning on taking that dang rifle off his shoulder and get ready,now would be a pretty good time.lol Well the bear passed by one side and we caught the dogs and went home.I have had many experiences over my life in the woods and I love reading about those others have had as well. Thanks Eddie
