What are the two most dangerous things that has happened to you while hunting ?

[Andy L]

I had two really scary ones to me.....

1. We were making a deer drive. We were driving out a steep, brushy ravine and the shooters were on a open saddle on one side. I was at the very end of the line, being youngest and that being the longest walk. I came out and started toward the meeting place when a very nice 10pt came out about 25 yards in front of me, loping across the saddle. I could see the shooters from their elevated position at the other end of the saddle. The grass was pretty tall and they couldnt see me, obviously. I was waiting for the buck to clear them so I could kill it. Easy shot, he hadnt seen me and was not running hard. Then, I heard two bullets whiz by my head, a sound you wont forget. I hit the deck and continued to hear bullets go by for probably a split second that seemed like an eternity. My uncle killed the buck, but he also about had heart failure when he saw me stand up out of the grass as he walked out to it.

2. I was elk hunting south of Gunnison CO. I had hunted my way back about 4 miles that morning, from the nearest road. I had no idea anyone else was in the area, as most wont get over a mile from a road. It was first season and was about 80 degrees by noon and I was working up a logging road (no vehicles allowed) to the dark timber to try and find a bedding bull. It had been about 20 deg that morning, so I had some clothes on. I stopped by a downed tree over the road and took off my pack, laid down my gun and started taking off clothes to adjust. Of course, this meant taking off my orange first and laying it on the tree in front of me. In just a few seconds, I heard what sounded like a bottle rocket taking off and a tree about 3 feet from me exploded in a small area, a bullet had hit and then I heard the shot soon after, about a half mile down the mountain from me. I really dont think the guy was shooting at me, I dont think, I think he shot at something and the bullet travelled past and happened to land there. Spooky though.

This wasnt while hunting, but still scary. My family has alot of land that borders Ft Leonard Wood MO. Sometimes we have cattle get out on the fort and we call to see what areas have what activities before we go in horseback to get them back. My uncle, same one as above, failed to do so one time. We were coming up on the back of a firing range that he said they never use, looking for the cattle. The trees were dead and riddled with holes, well above our heads from bullets clearing the dirt banks at the targets. We were on our way out when the shooting started. It went on forever, it seemed. The horses were going nuts, we were trying to hold them down while keeping on the ground ourselves and I think doing alot of praying.

I always hated going on post after that.....

Andy