wny_hunter

Several years back, while on my annual bear hunting trip to the Adirondacks, luck was going my way and was able to put a bruin in the cross-hairs. Well as my luck goes, I totally missed the bear and did nothing but kick dust up under him belly. Later that day I checked the accuracy of my scope and discovered it was 6" to the left and 18" down at 100 yards!! It wasn't until I returned from the trip that I discovered what happened. About 2 weeks prior to the trip my brother borrowed my .308 for the day... he also took a .22. He had been plinking all afternoon with the .22 and was just resting the stock on his forearm while plinking. When he switched to the .308 he did the same thing... just rested the stock on his forearm. When he fired the first shot it rammed the scope in his forehead, thus knocking it out of alignment. I should of known something was up by the strange circular indent of his forehead at the time. Well anyway I had my chance for a bear but luck wasn't totally on my side that day. Lesson learned... ALWAYS CHECK YOUR SIGHTS BEFORE THE HUNT.

Airborneguy

For me it was this year hunting Chenango County on some really nice private land I had permission for. I stalked a nice sized buck for about an hour, the whole time waiting to get a clear shot (I am a very picky shooter, one shot one kill all the way). I was doingreally good, staying like 40 feet up wind of him the whole time, it was my best stalk.

The buck stepped int oa clearing and I figured if I could get througha little patch of thick stuff that was left between us, I would finally have my shot. I was midstep when I felta breeze on the back of my neck and saw, in slow motion, the bucklift his head and turn in my direction. I probabbly could have taken the shot and seriously wounded him enough to find him the next morning, but I passed it up and watchedhis tail as he bounded away.

Maybe next year....

BuckAlley

My worst day in the woods was a spring turkey hunt several yrs back. I was working my uncles farm all morning. Not a bird was talking, and I was covering alot of ground trying to call one up. I crossed the road into a section of his property I hadn't been into yet. I got a tom to answer, and he was fired up. Gobbled to every call I made on my box. He was coming, I could see his red head coming through the woods. My gun was up, and set on a small opening he was coming too, about 60yds away yet. I hear a loud muffleredvehicle come down the road & stop. Suddenly I hear yelps out on the road. The tom gobbled to them calling from their vehicle. So they kept on calling away. He turned, and headed for the road. I tried using my box to call back, but now he was more interested in their call on the road. Needless to say he went by in front of me at about 50yds with alot of brush inbetween him & I . I found a very narrow opening, and took a shot. He flew off, and I never touched him. Thevehicle then drove off. He appeared to be the nice bird I'd been watching in the fields before season. I was so friggen mad. I can't stand road hunters, idiots!!!!!!!!!

BuckAlley

Opps I hit quote over edit by mistake, sorry guys. I need another cup coffee!

Mike Hill

Back in 2003 I got burned pretty bad at work 2 weeks before hunting season. I missed bow season and shotgun season. Finnialy I got the doctors permission to go outfor the opener ofmuzzle loading season. Well as luck would have it no one had been hunting in my little piece Ihad been scouting before my accident, which pushed deer in there to hide. I hadden't been on stand 20 min. when a huge buck came walking out. I stood and took aim, but there was brush between he and I so I waited. Well he stood there for what seemed eternity and I was afraid to moveto put the gun down so I began shaking trying to hold it up. I made the mistake of taking the shot through the brush. He took off like a bolt of lightning. I went over and checked, sure enough I hit him. I began following the blood trail which led me right into the swamp. The weather had been pretty warm for the past couple of days but I really wanted this huge buck so I followed on the ice. I knew better but big bucks make us do stupid things sometimes. Well after following for about20 min. I fell through the ice. The water was only about 1 1/2 feet deep but the muck was 2 feet deeper. I tried to get back up on the ice but just as my other foot was comming out of the muck I would break through the ice again and that foot got stuck in the muck. I have to tell you after 5 hours of this I was exhausted and was afraid it would get dark and I would freeze to death out there all night. Luckly I had my cell phone with me and I called a friend who called out the police and fire dept. After a couple of hours the coulden't find me and by now I was big news on all the TV channels. You guessed it a local TV channels helo found me and got the fire dept. to me. Also the police and Game Warden with a police dog came in. By the time the dog. cop and warden got to me they were not dressed right the dog was wining and the men were blue. There was no way they or I could walk out so a Cost Guard helo was sent out just before dark to pluck us out of the swamp. Every one was fine thank god. I was treated for hiypo thermia and released as were the other law enforcement officers. But the worst part of the whole ordeal was being hounded by the news and papers. I was suspended form work for 5 days as they said I should have been at work if I could be out hunting. The didn't care that my Doc told me I coulden't go to work. Well that my worst I could on but thats the just of it. Mike

Sylvan

Mine wasn't nearly as bad as all that but it was pretty frustrating. Years ago I took a couple hours off work to drive 40 miles to my dad's property where I planned to hunt. It was a beautiful sunny october afternoon. As I was hurrying I didn't notice the radar trap not 2 miles down the road and wound up getting pulled over. The officer was nice and didn't give me a ticket (I think he was a bow hunter) but I lost valuable time. Anyway, got to my dad's house, as fast as I could changed into my hunting gear grabbed my climbing tree stand and headed up the mountain to the bench I planned to set up on. Of course, there's a guy set up in a tree not 20 yards from where I wanted to set up. O.K. off I go to my second choice. Get to the tree attach my stand pump up 1/2 way. Go back down and attach my rope snap to my bow. Up the tree again, soked with sweat, exhausted I get up into position. Fasten belt, screw in bow hanger and begin to pull up bow. All is well with the world and my exitement is growing for theevening hunt. I guess it was all worth it. Butnot 2 feet before I can take hold of the bow, the snap let's go and my bow drops to the ground. Of course it can't land anywhere but limb tip to rock and immediately flys apart. So there I sat, beautiful october afternoon, 4:30 or so, nicely nestled in 40 miles from home looking down at the parts of my bow spread around the bottom of the tree. Talk about disappointed. The only thing that could have made it worse would have been to have a beauty walk by at that moment. Down the tree, gather the parts,Itake a last look arouind and think of what might have been.Nothing left to do buthang my head, turn away and trudge down the hill. Talk about being defeated!

jf5

The day I had to leavethe woods on opening day to go to court. I was able to hunt two hours and then had to leave. It was like being a kid who had to go to his room on Christmas Morning. []

At least I won my case....

BuckAlley

Wow Mike, that is a seriously crappy day of hunting. Good thing you had the cell phone & the helo's were flying around. I imagine pretty embarrasing too. I wonder one thing though, how in heck did that buck make it through that dang swamp!!!!!!!!!!

DennyF

Coulda been the year I hunted doe all morning in a torrential sleet storm, got thoroughly soaked and near froze to death. But it wasn't, because I eventually crawled into a briar-infested patch of hemlocks and shot a bedded doe as it arose.

Mighta been the time I forgot to remove the peep sight insert from one of my Marlins and managed to miss two chip shots at doe while still hunting in a storm,before realizing some dingbat (me),had put the insert backin the rear sight. Did manage to get one later that day inthe fierce windstorm with the same rifle, insert removed.

Theyear it rained on opening day of both buck and does seasons, got nice and wet, slipped and slid down over a muddy bank in buck, spent an entire week at campand never did get a shot atone, might qualify as the worst day or twoin the woods. Made up for it by shooting a baldy on my way back to the cabin after havingspent all morning with rain running down my neck on opening day.

Spent almost twohours on stand in doe season one year in Tioga Co. when it was about 20º below on opening day. Goodreminder to finally buy apair of real insulated/waterproof boots, so it wasn't a total loss. Up until then I was still wearing Browning greenies. Kept the feet dry, didn't have enough insulation to amount to anything.

I think the worst day ever spent in the woods must still beahead, 'cause I ain't really had one yet.

[8D]

cardeer

TOLD THE STORY BEFORE,JUST REAL QUICK .I AM DISABLED AND USE A X-BOW IN BOW SEASON. 2 BOW HUNTERS SMASHED MY X-BOW KNOCKED ME OFF MY CHAIR AND KICKED ME. ALL BECAUSE I WAS USING A X-BOW