Greatest Hunt Ever

[Bowhuntingboy]

All right guys, let's hear about your greatest or most exciting hunt ever. Everyone's got at least one hunt that sticks out above all their others.

I'll start things off with my greatest, most exciting hunt I have ever had. This hunt didn't even involve taking a shot or anything but provided me with one of the biggest adrenaline rushes I've ever had. It was late season bow hunting here in Minnesota 3 years years ago with about a foot of snow on the ground. I was on may way out to the deer stand and before I even got near it I heard something. I stood still, standing there on the ground only five feet away from a huge snow trench deer trail and the noise I heard was the huge deer herd coming my way down this snow carved trail right towards me. Every one of the 20+ antlerless deer walked within five feet of me. I swear they could hear my heart pounding. Their foggy breath would hit me in the face as they walked by. There aren't too many things neater than standing on ground level staring a deer in the eyes. All I have to say is wow, deer hunting isn't all about getting a trophy.

Alright guys, let's hear some of your most exciting or greatest hunts you've ever had

 

[lxshooter]

Mine has to be this year. We had gotten into the timber late and decided not to hunt our normal stands. Instead we opted to sit on the ground by a picked bean field. The field is surrounded by a huge CRP field. Well after sitting for 30 mins. I saw a coyote run across the field at a angle towards me. I was in the mind set that I was going to stick this coyote I didn't pay attention to my friend sitting behind me trying to tell me that there was a buck walking to the bean field from the CRP. After the coyote didn't give me a chance to shoot I turned to look at my buddy to see if he saw it. He had a look of anger/panic in his face. He slowly pointed to the edge of the CRP and I saw the buck making a scrap. I calmed myself down took my time, pulled my bow back, eased my 30 pin right on his vitals and slowly squeezed the trigger on my release. Slow motion my arrow flies right at him and takes a tuft of hair off his back. I could had have been hit by a truck and not have known. He was only 24 yrds away. He was in a little dip and I thought he was farther. That's what I get for using my brain! Well as I'm getting another arrow out of my quiver my friend is hitting the bleat call. 3 times of this and the buck turns around and comes up a diffrent trail, stops behind a tree long enough for me to pull my bow back then proceeds up the trail and stops in the only opening I have to shoot through. I let the steelhead broad head eat. He went 60 yrds and fell over. That was my first deer with a bow. 8yrds and on the ground. What a rush.

 

[Bob J]

The first two stories makes a guy want to learn bowhunting. Very cool.

 

[Kat]

It’s really hard to pinpoint one greatest hunt. For me the little things that happen mean a lot. Like the mother fox that led her pups right under my tree. The owl that flew by so close that I could feel the air from his wings on my face. Calling in hen turkeys to within a few feet. The hawks I see and hear everyday, along with the occasional eagle. The way a buck in the field glows in the setting sun. Sitting in your stand feeling like you’re in a snow globe as you watch the flakes gently fall and it’s so quiet you can hear them. Feeling the excitement and energy in the air during the rut and seeing bucks you never even knew existed walking around in broad daylight…

Making a perfect heart shot and hearing and or seeing the crash and then the silence that follows. Having four or five Toms start fighting over you. Listening to bucks grunt when they’re walking. I had one grunt at me from a few yards away once as I was walking through the woods in the dark. The rush when a buck or tom comes in to your calls. The chills you get when you see the years first rubs and scrapes. I love it all.

I’m willing to take a lot more risks while turkey hunting as I’m not worried about making them go nocturnal or educate them to me like deer. The last two toms I’ve killed have been by stalking them when they won’t come in to calls or I have to change my position. That’s been the biggest rush ever: belly crawling to within thirty yards of a big tom, and having him raise his head right into the crosshairs as I watched him through the scope. That’s awesome!

 

[FurDog]

Nice post Kat, that about sums it up.
Every hunt is exciting. I still remember the time a squirrel ran right up the tree my stand was in, and stopped right on my boot.

 

[fishorhunt]

I agree with Kat and FurDog. Its the little things outside of the kill that make it such a neat experience. My favorite though was a small Screech Owl that sat 6 feet from me in a tree for about 20 minutes. My sitting still for that long was a personal best and it didn't take him long to get out of there when I moved.

 

[Lioness]

It is hard to pick a certain hunt that is my favorite, but I would have to choose the last day of bow season this year right before first season shot gun opened. I went to my treestand and sat for about 10 minutes when the first deer came in, a little button buck that obviously had a cold because he was coughing and sneezing constantly. He was so cute and decided after eating for a little while that he would take a nap under my stand. There goes the idea of doing any rattling that I had so I just watched him sleep and listened to him cough and sneeze. He was there for an hour until two other fawns came out and he gave a little grunt of glee and ran over to see them. They hung around until 10 minutes were left of shooting light so as soon as they were out of sight I gave a couple of grunts and raked my antlers on the tree above me and waited for something to happen. It only took around 5 minutes and there he was, a big 10 pt that probably scored around 150 and he was mad raking a tree about 50 yards away and was working his way towards me. I got my bow ready and gave him a little soft grunt, he responded as he stiffened up and made the journey that was hopefully his last. Then as he stepped a little closer he stopped and changed his gaze, I couldn't believe it here came a real nice 8pt with real heavy mass that was just as impressive. What to do, I decided which ever one came close enough was going to be the one. But, the 10pt thought the 8pt was the one causing the rucus so he stared him down and showed him his antlers, there goes the idea of him coming right in to me so I waited, and waited, it was almost dark and shooting light was getting low. It ended up that the only shot I ended up having was around 35yds at the heavy 8pt but for my comfort level I decided not to risk the shot because I don't want to wound a beautiful buck with an unsure shot. I still haven't filled my bow tag yet but it was one of the best hunts I have ever had. It is the experience to me and the joy of seeing the deer so close you can touch. They are amazing creatures and every hunt I go on I learn a little more about their behavior and personalities. If you don't bow hunt you should really try it.