Here's the definition of feeling helpless..........forget your climbing stand and hunt from the ground anyway. 1/2hr after first light an honest 500lb black bear walks to within5 yardsand then makes a complete 360 degree circle around you at that distance the whole time giving you the "Hairy Eyeball".[:-]
My mind was racing between draw the bow, make some noise, don't make noise, maybe if I move? Oh god nevermind don't move he'll think your prey, maybe if I stab him with the arrow........ultimately I probably would have decided on "curl up in the fetal position and cry like a little girl"


That's about as sexy of an encounter as I ever hope to have. Everything else is pretty mild, Turkeys trying to land on my treestand platform, and the usual squirrels, chickdees and one cardinal that landed 6 inches from my face almost flipping me over.

Oh and I almost forgot the FAMILY of skunks (like 6 of them) that camped out at the base of my tree at last light and had me trapped there for well over 1hr until they left.
I was sitting up there in the pitch dark thinking "This stinks"