Close encounters scouting?

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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headgear
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Close encounters scouting?

Unread postby headgear » Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:41 pm

Lets here some stories of close encounters while scouting.

I headed out behind my house today to just get out in the woods and maybe I would stumble upon a shed or two. We have had a lot of warm weather recently and lost about a foot or more of snow so I thought the odds might be good to find something.

I didn't find anything and I was in the home strech, my home was just 150 yards away when suddenly I hear a crash behind me. We had some high winds today so this doe was right on top of me by the time I heard anything. I gave her a good look over just to make sure it wasn't a buck when suddenly a noticed two bucks standing right behind me 20 feet away, I think we were all a little shocked to bump into each other. They looked like two 2.5 year olds sport 8 point racks although one might have been younger.

We had a fun little stare down for 5 minutes before they finally got nervous. I decided to push them a little and see if I could talk them into dropping an antler or two, I tracked them back to a bedding area without much luck and decided to let them be. I normally have a camera with me but I figured eh its just a quick walk behind the house so I was a little upset at myself but it was still a fun little encounter.


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Re: Close encounters scouting?

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Tue Feb 22, 2011 2:13 pm

Cool encounter, headgear-

here's a couple close encounters with something a little different while scouting for whitetail:

In Michigan's UP I decided to combine some whitetail scouting and trout fishing in September- I followed a trout stream down to where I suspected I might find some good deer crossings with a trout fishing ultra-light rod and spinner in hand. I walked up to a hole in the stream that definitely required a cast or two... I ended up on the deep side of the hole, with a tall bank at my immediate backside that rose a few feet above my head. I made a couple of unsuccessful casts while enjoying the solitude... which is when it happened. Unknown to me, a forty pound beaver was on the bank above me and panicked when he waddled up and saw me. I had no idea he was there... he leaped off the bank and crashed into the river directly over my head- couldn't have missed my head by more than a foot. All I saw was this animal drop in front of my face into the river with an incredible splash... :lol:

Another September encounter: I was scouting DIY for a whitetail hunt in Ontario, Canada. I was walking along the base of a steep bluff that rose up 350 feet above me on the west side. As I walked along, I was surprised to see what appeared to be a great looking deer trail going directly away from the bluff and right at a swamp and beaver ponds. The swamp was fronted by head high maples with bright red leaves, and it was very thick. I was completely quiet as it had rained a couple of hours earlier and my walking was almost silent. I walked along the trail toward the swamp, and then it happened- all broke loose. With no warning, a bedded and very large bull moose jumped up less than six feet in front of me. He exploded past my left shoulder, and the thick saplings behind me somehow kept me from falling down. He ran at the bluff and disappeared. His bed was over six feet in length, and I realized how fortunate I had been that he hadn't considered me a threat like a wolf.
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Re: Close encounters scouting?

Unread postby wappkid » Tue Feb 22, 2011 4:49 pm

I saw about 60 turkeys the other day while out.
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headgear
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Re: Close encounters scouting?

Unread postby headgear » Wed Feb 23, 2011 6:29 am

Wow SB cool stories.

I just remembered one when I was a "lil" hunter. My dad and I were out in the woods checking out our stands and clearing some shooting lanes, sort of scouting but not really. I decided to head down to a salt block I had in an opening about 80 yards away. It must have been bird season too because I had my trusty single shot 4-10 on me. Well I get down there and start assessing the sign when a see a big black casually walking away from me at 15 feet or so.

I immediatly panic and start yelling screaming BEAR BEAR BEAR!!! Should I shoot it!!! Should I shoot it!!! A 10 year old with a 4-10 vs a bear, probably not a good idea, but I keep asking should I shoot it? My dad casually yells back what is it doing? I say walking away, so he tells me na don't shoot. So still panicing and pretty much frozen stiff with fear I yell now what do I do? He says you can either stay there or come back over here, I coudln't take more then 4-5 steps without turning around to make sure the bear wasn't after me.
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Re: Close encounters scouting?

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Wed Feb 23, 2011 8:07 am

headgear wrote:Wow SB cool stories.

I just remembered one when I was a "lil" hunter. My dad and I were out in the woods checking out our stands and clearing some shooting lanes, sort of scouting but not really. I decided to head down to a salt block I had in an opening about 80 yards away. It must have been bird season too because I had my trusty single shot 4-10 on me. Well I get down there and start assessing the sign when a see a big black casually walking away from me at 15 feet or so.

I immediatly panic and start yelling screaming BEAR BEAR BEAR!!! Should I shoot it!!! Should I shoot it!!! A 10 year old with a 4-10 vs a bear, probably not a good idea, but I keep asking should I shoot it? My dad casually yells back what is it doing? I say walking away, so he tells me na don't shoot. So still panicing and pretty much frozen stiff with fear I yell now what do I do? He says you can either stay there or come back over here, I coudln't take more then 4-5 steps without turning around to make sure the bear wasn't after me.

LOL :lol:
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Re: Close encounters scouting?

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Tue Mar 01, 2011 8:52 am

last spring, I was scouting a new marsh that I had never been to before. It was pretty big, and some areas obviously had deep water but it was still iced over. I scouted for several hours, and got my gps out several times from the waterproof ziplock... except I got lazy the last time I had it out and just put it back in my pack. I was on my way to a thicket in the marsh and crossing some ice- it looked a few feet deep but I WAY underestimated its six foot plus depth. One of my boots broke through the ice at an angle and I fell hard on my backside, crashed through the ice upside down and found myself looking for the hole in the ice so I could resurface (crap like this happens to me at least once a year). Visibility in the muck water was zero, but I found my way out. The Lowrance GPS fried from the water, including the mapping chip I had in it... the interior was charred black. :? :x


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