Enjoy reading about old hunting stories

[noodle one]

I enjoy hearing and reading about pass stories of old hunts with interesting twist. If you have one,please let us read about it.

I wrote this story on the old Empire site last year and thougth maybe some of you would to read it here. My story takes place in the late 60's.

When I was young man, my life revolved around deer hunting. I would eat, sleep, and think about it all day if I could. At the time of this hunt I was working at SUNY-Binghamton (state job) . I retired from there after 35 years as a plumber. Back then the state did not pay for over time work, but compensated workers with time off. I would work all the over time I could get during late winter, spring ,and summer to have time off for deer hunting. At the time I hunted (2) two states (NY and PA). This hunt took place in PA. . It was the third day of the season, late Nov or early Dec. year 67 or 68. The night before the hunt there was a snow fall of 5 to 6 ins. and calling for more the next day. When I awoke the next morning to head down to were I hunted in PA., there was a good (10) ten ins. on the ground and still snowing. At the time I was driving a Red VW Beetle, a great little car in the snow and would go anywheres. I headed out at 4:30am to drive the 60 miles south. I got to my hunting spot around 7 am. When I got there the snow had let up a little and there was a good foot on the ground. When I started my walk into the woods there were no others hunter or cars in sight, I had the woods all to myself. I walked a good half a mile in and never cut or saw a track all the ways in,just white snow. I got to the spot that I wanted to watch and sat for a hour and a half without seeing a thing. During that time it snowed off and on. and when it did snow it came big and side ways. After sitting there I got to thinking I needed to get of the wind and snow and headed out to my car for some coffee and head to a swamp that I knew of. I was less than a hundred yards of my car when I cut a track coming from down low. I knew the deer had just came through a head of me because of all the snow that had been falling. Fotget the coffee, I have a deer track to follow. I hadn't gone 50 yards ,when a nice buck jumped up in front of me , no time for a shot. He headed out with me on his track. It started snowing again and his tracks were filling in fast, that's how hard it was snowing and coming side ways. I was headed for a tree top that was down and when I came around the other side there he was , not (10) ten yards looking at me. A big ( eight point. He was as surprised to see me as I was seeing him. Off he went without getting a shot at him. In (3) three or (4) four jumps he was gone in the whiteout. Off I went again with his tracks filling  fast. If you looked at the tracks with no snow falling you would think that were a day old. He took me down off the hill and into woods that I had never been in before and into a big swamp. Around and around we went until he kicked up (4) four other deer. He stayed in there tracks for a while and I had all I could do to figure out his tracks. I wanted to stay on him because I knew it was just a matter of time. He finally headed out of the swamp and up a hill in to big woods again. It had stoped snowing and things were starting to look good for me. He took me up the hill to a big field with a old barn in the middle of it. He headed across the open field with me on his tracks. When I got the middle of the field ,I stop and looked around and I could see a main road and said to myself, I have no idea where I am. I will figure the way to get out after I get the deer. That is the way I hunt. So on across the field I went. The buck took me down over a bank into a gully and then turned and headed up the gully back towards the big woods. He went up the gully for about a hundred yards and then cut back up the bank to the woods. I knew this was my time to get my shot. I knew that he would go up in the woods and stand to see what was following him. I took off running another hundred yards up the gully and stopped. I got down low and worked my way up the (20) foot bank of the gully. I sat next to a tree and started looking up in the woods to see if I could spot him. At the time I was carrying a 30/06 with a redfield 3x9,a great gun that I hand loaded for and could drive a thumb  tack with. After a few min. I spotted him up under some smaal pines. One little problem. He had met up with the (4) other deer . I could see his head ,but could not which one was his body , they were all close together and I didn't want to hit a doe. All this time I was looking through my scope. After a little bit I picked him out and put the cross hairs on his shoulder and started to squeeze off the shot. I squeezed and squeezed and nothig happened ,the gun would not firer. What was wrong? Had the gun froze up on me with all the wind and snow. I looked down and saw that I never took the safe off all this time while looking at the deer. I took the safe off and was being the gun up when the buck turned and walked over the top and out of sight. I said to my self that he had won this day, because I didn't know where I was or how to get back to my car. It was 3:00 pm and I had to find my way back to my car. There was a good 18 ins. of snow on the ground and I needed to get going. I headed back down the gully toward the main road I saw from the field. I came out about 500 yards from the road and there was a small clearing heading toward it . I had gone about 20 yards when someone blew their horn at me from behind. I turned around and there sat (2) two PA game wardens in their car. I had been walking on a dirt road and didn't know because of all the snow. They asked me where I came and I told then. They asked if I was driving a red VW beetle and I said yes, they both looked me and asked? "How the hell did I get over here. I told then about the buck and tracking it. They told me that I was 15 miles from my car . They said I needed to go back down the road that they just came out from for 7 miles and turn at the first left and go another 7 or so miles to the cross road and make another left to my car. Thankyou. As the crow fries about 6 or 7 miles. I started out down the road and cussing those game warden for not offering to give me a ride. I had gone about 5 miles down this road when it started snowing hard and blowing side ways. I had to turn my head sideways to keep the snow out of my eyes. While walking this way and looking off to the side I see a deer and it is a nice buck.  I quickly slip down the bank before the deer sees me for a shot. When the deer comes into a opening I take my shot. Oh no I missed , an easy shot and I missed.  The deer turns and starts running away ,I look for a another opening and find one out ahead him .I put the cross hairs there and wait for him to fill the scope. He is in the the scope and I take the shot and down he goes. I walk out to him and he is done . I gut him and start for the road. When I get to the bank I set my gun against a tree and start up the bank with him. I had not pulled him a yard when someone behind me said "nice buck". I never heard this father and son pull up in their Jeep. They asked me if I just got him. and I said yes. They told that they knew he was crossing there everyday and that was why they were out there.  They asked where my car was and when i told then and about buck I tracked. They asked if I was the one up by the old barn and I told then yes. Then they asked "how the hell  did I get here. I told then the whole story and they laughed and said come on ,we will give you a ride back to your car,Thank god. They helped me tie the deer on top of my car  and scend me on my way. The deer that I got was a big 7 point. and thanks to that father and son for helping or I would still be draging

I got home about 8:00pm, A long day, but a good day.

[nyantler]

Now that is what I call hunting.. GREAT story Noodle!

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Great story and that would be a great time but if you try that today you will end up in jail.With land posted up the way it is today you couldnt go a mile without seein a boat load of posted signs.That must have been the days when a guy could walk anywhere they wanted and not have any worries!!

[outdoorstom]

Great hunt and great story!  Thanks for taking the time to type it all out!

[Larry]

here's one remember it is for a lit. class i was taking but the story is true

            Best day in the woods as a deer hunter.

            As I drove up the hill on this brisk November Saturday, I thought about what my wife Terri said “you can stay till Wednesday”. Turning into the drive way of the camp, I stopped when reach the trailer that would be my home for the next five days. As I unlocked the door I looked at the thermometer it read 30 degrease. When I walked in I thought it colder in here then outside, I turn on the heat and finished unloading the car. I got back into the car and started down the rut filled road to where I would park for the day. After I parked I removed my bow from the case and ready it along with my pack and tree stand.

            5am about two hours before sun rise. I started walking down to the trail I would take into the woods, when I reached the trail; looking into the dark abyss I turn on my flash light. The light pushed away the darkness, reflecting off the frost giving off eerie glow. Thinking of the gnomes and fairies that inhabited the forest of my childhood as I walked, the sound of the trees above me exploding with a flock of turkeys shook me back to adulthood. Reaching the tree I would be hunting from. I attached my bow to the pull up rope and removed my pack and tree stand.

            Seeing hints of orange above the hill on the other side of the valley, I went to work. Hanging the stand in the tree then putting on my safety harness and attaching it to the tree. I pulled up my bow hung it on the hook I sat waiting for sun rise. The woods started to come alive the birds started singing. Hearing movement; I turned to see what could be making the noise, it’s a squirrel. Thinking it’s early for him to be out scurrying around, I sat there watching him. Then on silent wings an owl talons out stretched snatched up the squirrel. Flew to a nearby tree and consumed all but the tail, in less than five minutes.

            The events that just accrued made me realize that Mother Nature is not kind but can be quite cruel. You are ether the hunter or the hunted, there is no middle ground. Glancing down at my watch I needed to finish getting ready; taking my bow off the hook I knocked an arrow and place the release on the string. Looking down the hill, I spot three deer feeding on acorns as they move up the old logging road that passes my sand at 20 yards. Thinking (now that’s a mistake) this could be over soon I ready for the shot. If the deer kept to the logging road, they will pass by a tree; when the first deer a doe got to the tree. Her head went behind the tree; I drew my bow back and settled the 20 yard pin where she would step out. As she came out from behind the tree she turned her head and looked back over her shoulder. Turning my head I could see another deer coming up the logging road. A buck and a big one, it took about a second to decide to let the doe walk pass. Hoping the three does would lead the buck pass me. That didn’t happen all four deer went off the logging road and down the gulley. Turning to sit down I see another deer, already in side 20 yards to my right. Coming straight at the stand the deer stopped right under my stand. I started to laugh the deer looked up at me stomped its front feet, and took off like being shot out of a cannon.

            Sitting and thinking of the owl from this morning; weather you believe in creation or evolution. You can’t be anything but amazed and how well built the owl is a perfect hunter. At about 9:00 I hear what sounds like someone fooling around with a deer call or maybe it could be Bigfoot. Just then a doe goes running pass with three bucks chasing her. All I can think about is a bar in a one girl town. Its last call and they all want to go home with her.

            Seeing another buck coming up the hill to my right, I blow on my grunt call the buck starts coming in my direction. Reading my bow I wait for him to come into range. He comes in range drawing the string back I settle the 20 yard pin behind his shoulder. Making a blat noise stops the buck at 10 yards. I send the arrow on its way, seeing the arrow striking the deer behind the shoulder. I now this will be over in less than 10 seconds. The deer doesn’t run it walk away and goes fifty yards and lays down it’s over. I clime down and find my arrow stuck in the ground covered in blood. Even though I can see the deer on the ground I always follow the blood trail. When I reach the deer sadness comes over me, as I kneel to pay to god for letting me take this deer. Also paying to the god of hunters Orin thanking him for letting my shot be true.

[noodle one]

Larry,

Enjoied reading your story. It took me back to many morning waiting for the sun to come up and seeing what mother nature has to share. Thankyou for sharing.

[noodle one]

I wish some others here  would step up to the plate and tell us their hunting stories. When I started this post, it was to read others interesting stories, not hogging the page with my stories. But, I was  thinking back about some hunts that I had and this one came to me. I haven"t thought about  this hunt for many years.

  This hunt took place in the mid 60"s. I don't remember the exact year, but I do remember that I was on a party doe permit with (3) three others. In our group, was my brother in law, his son,my nephew and a friend of our's and myself. At the time I lived next to the Susquehanna River and my brother in law and nephew lived just up the road from me. The side that we lived on was shotgun and the other side of the river was rifle and still is. Our doe permit was for rifle country that ran from the other side of the river , out to the other side of Deposit, (20) Twenty miles away. I liked and hunted shotgun. My brother in law and nephew and our friend all liked and hunted rifle country.  So when it came time to get the permit , I got voted down for shotgun and we got it for rifle. At that time the only person who could shoot a doe had to be carring the permit. We also set a rule that we all had to be hunting together for that person to shoot a doe. We draw cards to set the order for who could shoot the doe. Lucky me, I was no.#4 in line. The (3) of them liked to hunt the state land in Stilesville, north of Deposit. I couldn't blame them because they always got their bucks down there. I hated hunting there. I went down there with then three times so one of them could get a shot at a doe and as it always happen the one carring the permit didn't see any deer.

  It was my turn to carry the permit and hopefully get a doe. That morning over coffee, they were talking about going to Stilesville and I said no way ,that I was not hunting Stilesville. They were not happy with me and asked where I wanted to hunt. I told them that I wanted to hunt the mountain just across the river and I knew that there was a nice buck running over there. They were not very happy ,but they agreed. When we started out that morning we had 6 ins. of new snow on the ground. Good tracking snow. My brother in law dropped my nephew and myself off on the far side of the mountain to work our way down the ridge, still hunting, not driving. My nephew's rifle was not shooting right, so I told to take mine and I would hunt with my shotgun.  I had a Ithaca Mod.37 12 ga. deer slayer with a redfield 1x4 scope. and it would shoot like a rifle out to a hundred yards.

My nephew said he was heading right up to the top and I said ok I would work the front side, and off he went. As I was working my way along the front side .I cut (5) five sets of  fresh tracks. I set out to see were they would take me. After a while they headed for the top and I stayed with them. When I was amost to the top I notice that there was only (4) sets of tracks going up ,so I got down and really started studying the tracks.and notice that (1) big track was moving down hill staying in the other tracks. I follow the track for about 60 or 70 yards down hill and then no tracks going down hill anymore. Moving real slow I started back up looking off to the sides and about (10)-ten yards back I could see where a deer have jumped off the side. I moved very slowly following this track. I had gone about a hundred yards and looked to my left up the hill and there about 30 yards laid a (6) six point buck looking at me. I couldn't move. I didn't move and he stayed there looking at me for (2) two min. and then got up real slow and turned and walked up over the top. I waited a couple of min. and got down low and moved very slow up to the top. There was some nice big woods to see all around and there he was standing a little over a hundred yards looking straight away with his tail facing me. I put the crosshairs on the back of his head ,thinking with the drop it would hit him in the neck or if it dropped more it would be right up his pooper which is a good  shot, a little messy but still a good killing shot. At the shot he flipped up in the air and over backwards  and never moved. I figured I hit him in the middle back of the neck. By the time I got up to him , my nephew was calling me on the walky talky to see if it was me who had shot and I told him that I had shot a (6) six point. He said he would be heading over to me to help. It took a good (10) min for him to get to me and then we stood talking for another (5) five and the deer never moved. all this time my gun was up against a tree about five feet away. My nephew said come on lets get him cleaned out and I said  at I didn't know where I hit him and to make sure he was dead. About that time the deer started to get up like a drunken sailor. and my nephew put one in his neck to put him down for good. When we pulled his head up out of the snow my nephew said ,"I though you said you shot a (6) six point." There was only one antler with (3) three points and the base on the side. We looked at the base and could see where the slug had hit just above the base. We have to look around for a little bit before we found the other side in the snow. I had only knocked the buck out with my shot. No I did not get a doe that day, but the next day my nephew got one.