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Funny but interesting close encounters that happen while deer hunting

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BowEd:
As the title says and I'd be interested in anyone elses.
Just a few to begin with.I had a chickadee once come and land right on my broadhead on my lap.Fluff up and settle in on it's haunches to stay a while.It stayed there quite a while until I finally moved the broadhead.It flew into a tree next door and scolded the heck out of me.....ha ha.
Once a squirrel climbed up a small tree about 6' in front of me to my head height.While clinging to the side of the tree he was right in front of my face and could see by his body language he was eye balling to jump onto my tree for some reason.I mumbled in a low tone don't even think about it....ha ha.In that next instant he sprung right onto the top of my head.Sprung from there on up the tree I was in above me.
Two coon once  climbed down the side of the tree I was in above me.Made me wonder in the beginning where the noise was coming from.I seen them poking their heads around the corner of the trunk keeping an eye on me.
A barred owl came and sat within 10' of me for a bit too.Good close up look at him.
A robin once sat on the end of my muzzle loader barrel quite a while hunting once too.
We've got all kinds of hawks here it seems.This one in paticular is a medium sized type hawk.Bigger than a sparrow hawk but not as big as a red tailed hawk.Closer in size to the sparrow hawk though.I call them falcons.I've seen them rocket through the woods with amazing agility swerving and diving.Think they were after the squirrels or small birds.
Oh yea....A possum came into to my blind once.I tapped him on the head with my bow and he left....ha ha.

bjrogg:
Yup there certainly is a lot more to hunting than just watching for deer.

I’ve had those little chipmunks climb right up my leg to my knee before. Didn’t move until I did. Their so funny. They sound like a herd of cattle bulldozing their way under the leaves. Of course they aren’t as funny when they are scolding you and everything within 200 yards can hear it.

I’m alway amazed how many birds come to roost in the trees I planted in my fence rows. Just before dark those trees come alive. Literally thousands of them. Like you Ed I have had them land or almost land in some pretty funny places.

Had a little spike horn lay down right under my tree stand once. Laid there for at least a hour.

Had some pretty exciting moments with mice in my gun blind before to.

Bjrogg

WhistlingBadger:

--- Quote from: BowEd on November 22, 2021, 11:31:56 am ---This one in paticular is a medium sized type hawk.Bigger than a sparrow hawk but not as big as a red tailed hawk.Closer in size to the sparrow hawk though.I call them falcons.I've seen them rocket through the woods with amazing agility swerving and diving.Think they were after the squirrels or small birds.

--- End quote ---
Sounds like a sharp-shinned hawk, or maybe a cooper's.  I had one fly in to my cow calls once, land on a tree branch right above my head, and give me the eye for a few minutes before losing interest and moving on.  Watching those things hunt is amazing, the way they weave in and out of the trees without clotheslining themselves or breaking a wing.

This isn't exactly what you're asking for, Ed, but here you go, anyway.  One time I was sneaking around in the canyon country when I got in front of a herd of mulies, maybe six or seven of them.  It was all does and fawns, and I had a buck tag, but you never who might show up, so I let them come.  I was hunkered down behind a tiny bush, in terrible position to shoot anyway, and worst of all, the lead doe had me pegged.  She didn't know what I was, and she wasn't scared, but she knew something was not quite right about me.  (my wife will tell you the same thing, but that's another story)  She kept popping her head up to gaze at me, then she'd go back to feeding. 

They kept feeding in my direction, though, getting closer and closer.  Finally, the lead doe was within about 15 feet (still popping looks at me every few seconds), my neck was cramping up, and no bucks were forthcoming, so I decided I'd had enough fun.  I waited until she looked at me again, then I lifted up my head and, in a normal talking tone, said, "Boo."

Have you ever seen a deer explode?   ;D ;D ;D  She went about ten feet straight up in the air, legs pinwheeling every which way, and hit the ground going about 80 mph the other way.  The other does followed her, with absolutely no idea what she was so freaked out about.  I came home empty but highly amused.

BowEd:
Yep I get a kick out of seeing and hearing that stuff.
Climbed into a stand once early in the bow season.Got settled in.Looked over and 2 yearlings were standing there less than 50 yards looking at me.I went to waiting cause whenever I can get natural decoys near me the better.The 2 deer just walked a little [less than 10 yards] bit and they both laid down in the slew grass.Figured they were siblings and mom put them there and was gone playing games with a buck somewhere.Sure enough in a couple of hours here she came.The yearlings seem to instantly know she was coming and stood up.I did'nt hear any bleating at all.Never did get a shot at that old doe.
In a stand once about 12 to 13 foot up and a nice 8 point came up from behind me at the base of the tree.Seen his shadow coming.He smelled the climbing stick and looked right up at me through the screen on the platform.Just like an old bear.He walked out slowly in front of me but always keeping his perriferall vision yet.As soon as I raised my bow arm he stepped the pace up.I did'nt want to snap shoot at him.Enough that he went out of range and on his way.
Next morning early I went into same stand in the dark.As the light came I see horns through the brush 30 yards out.Seems he was standing there the whole time I climbed into the tree as I did'nt hear any deer move the whole time.Quite the smart old buck.Never did get a shot at him.

JW_Halverson:

--- Quote from: WhistlingBadger on November 22, 2021, 01:43:32 pm ---
--- Quote from: BowEd on November 22, 2021, 11:31:56 am ---This one in paticular is a medium sized type hawk.Bigger than a sparrow hawk but not as big as a red tailed hawk.Closer in size to the sparrow hawk though.I call them falcons.I've seen them rocket through the woods with amazing agility swerving and diving.Think they were after the squirrels or small birds.

--- End quote ---
Sounds like a sharp-shinned hawk, or maybe a cooper's.  I had one fly in to my cow calls once, land on a tree branch right above my head, and give me the eye for a few minutes before losing interest and moving on.  Watching those things hunt is amazing, the way they weave in and out of the trees without clotheslining themselves or breaking a wing.

This isn't exactly what you're asking for, Ed, but here you go, anyway.  One time I was sneaking around in the canyon country when I got in front of a herd of mulies, maybe six or seven of them.  It was all does and fawns, and I had a buck tag, but you never who might show up, so I let them come.  I was hunkered down behind a tiny bush, in terrible position to shoot anyway, and worst of all, the lead doe had me pegged.  She didn't know what I was, and she wasn't scared, but she knew something was not quite right about me.  (my wife will tell you the same thing, but that's another story)  She kept popping her head up to gaze at me, then she'd go back to feeding. 

They kept feeding in my direction, though, getting closer and closer.  Finally, the lead doe was within about 15 feet (still popping looks at me every few seconds), my neck was cramping up, and no bucks were forthcoming, so I decided I'd had enough fun.  I waited until she looked at me again, then I lifted up my head and, in a normal talking tone, said, "Boo."

Have you ever seen a deer explode?   ;D ;D ;D  She went about ten feet straight up in the air, legs pinwheeling every which way, and hit the ground going about 80 mph the other way.  The other does followed her, with absolutely no idea what she was so freaked out about.  I came home empty but highly amused.

--- End quote ---

I was sitting under a big ponderosa pine tree late one morning, half napping. I'd been turkey hunting in the woods and it was the late morning lull. I could hear a deer behind me slowly coming up on my position so I froze. She snuffled at my shoulder and was confused as a deer could get. Eventually my lack of movement bored her and she stepped around the tree and walked over my legs lying flat on the ground. When I poked her in the butt with my shotgun, she proceeded to flail the living heck outa my shins as she did a drag strip burnout! The bruises were worth the laugh.

Another time turkey hunting I was sitting between two large ponderosa pine tree blow downs that were very decomposed. There were half a dozen tiny shrews chasing each other around in and out of that one rotted tree trunk. The high-pitched squeaks were barely audible, but I imagined if I were their size they would have sounded like the roar of a lion.

Whenever you are out there, wherever there happens to be, just be fully present in the moment. Your presence paid for the show, soak it all in and get your moneys worth!

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