Most interesting non-turkey sight/experience of 2013?

Hey all,

The first 4 days of this season I hunted hard and had plenty of rewarding and thrilling experiences regarding the turkeys. However, i know we all often have wildlife or nature experiences that have nothing to do with the game we're hunting.

What was the coolest for you so far this turkey season?

For me it was a close-up fly-by from a Northern Harrier. I've never seen one before and had no idea they were even in my hometown area.
Fri night I was sitting over a sunny little meadow, surrounded by 50-80 robins who suddenly spazzed out, fled for the treeline and went completely silent once hidden. 4 or 5 seconds later the harrier came winging over a hill, skimming just 5-10 ft off the ground and blasting over the fence i was sitting against about 10ft to my right.
It GLIDED 250 yards in SECONDS; talk about fast!

Here's a pic (not mine as he was way too fast for me to snap one) if you don't know what they look like.

http://featheredphotography.com/blog...rrier-6049.jpg

Opening morning I had 3 young deer 15 yards from me. That was really cool.

the neighbours of the property I hunt on walkin thru their bush right on the property line of the 2 propertys ......mom, dad, young son all dressed in orange..........standing there staring over and pointing at me in my ground blind with decoy spread in front...............and I can't figure out why i cant get any birds to come in on this property after seeing 3 nice toms while pre scouting!!!!!!lol

Had a single coyote followed shortly after by 3 other coyotes 20 yards single file come out where I was expecting my tom to come from. Never see that when coyote hunting.

That sucks Twostroke. Hopefully that family has a rabid Tom lay into them someday. lol

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Originally Posted by Oddmott

That sucks Twostroke. Hopefully that family has a rabid Tom lay into them someday. lol

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worse part is ........I just got permission on the property last yr so I spent alot of time scouting for deer and unfortunately for me....these people just bought the neighbouring place and just so happens they appear to be hikers and their trail just happens to be where all the big bucks were coming from last year and entering into the property I can hunt on ...so heres hoping that doesnt change now........and hope their orange get ups are just for walking and not for hunting lmao

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

had a single coyote followed shortly after by 3 other coyotes 20 yards single file come out where i was expecting my tom to come from. Never see that when coyote hunting.

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and why didn't you shoot them?????????

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Originally Posted by Big Gunner

and why didn't you shoot them?????????

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Thats what I was thinking also....unless he's in a WMU with different seasons and limits.....

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Originally Posted by 3Wheelerdude

Thats what I was thinking also....unless he's in a WMU with different seasons and limits.....

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Didn't shoot as was sharing the property with a couple of unknow guys that also had permission to hunt there.
Didn't want to unduly disturb thier hunt as it was right at sunrise. Had I know them or was bymyself different story.

My turkey season was very short this year – I was tagged out by April 27 at 6:00 a.m. after a total of about 4 hours of hunting, but I did get to see some pretty cool stuff.
On opening morning as I was driving to my hunting area in the pitch black, my way was lit by a low hanging, nearly full moon hovering just above the clouds on the horizon. Because it was low on the horizon, it looked huge, and the clouds looked like a large mountain range (I can dream can’t I?).
On the second morning right around legal light, I saw a large skunk waddling through the bush towards me. I let him approach undisturbed until he started to get too close for comfort, at which point I stood up from my seat and stomped on the ground (just like a deer). He left temporarily then returned a couple of minutes later. I ended up throwing a corn cob in his direction and he finally turned and took off with his tail all the way up.

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

Didn't shoot as was sharing the property with a couple of unknow guys that also had permission to hunt there.
Didn't want to unduly disturb thier hunt as it was right at sunrise. Had I know them or was bymyself different story.

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It could be contested that numerous coyotes running around are just as disturbing - possibly more-so than - a gunshot or two to eliminate them.

Had I been in their shoes I would have either assumed you got your bird, in which case how could i be very upset at you? Or, found out you dropped a couple coyotes, in which case I'd have to thank you.

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Originally Posted by Oddmott

It could be contested that numerous coyotes running around are just as disturbing - possibly more-so than - a gunshot or two to eliminate them.

Had I been in their shoes I would have either assumed you got your bird, in which case how could i be very upset at you? Or, found out you dropped a couple coyotes, in which case I'd have to thank you.

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You are probably right but they were already grumbling that my father(who had open heart surgergy last year) was to close and he should walk further away from them. By the way we were walking they had a four wheeler you just never know with people these days.

Yeah, two different sets of seasons for wolf/coyote:

"In WMUs 1A, 1C, 1D, 2-42, 46-50 and 53-58, the following regulations apply: The wolf/coyote hunting season is closed from April 1 to September 14."

Everywhere else appears to be wide open.

Darn.

I think I've got this one locked up. Although I didn't get a picture a friend of mine and I watched a Hawk fly down and attack my hen decoy last Saturday right in front of B Mobile.. The hawk stopped as soon as it Realised rubber tasted like crap lol.

I still couldn't believe a bird 1/3 the size of a turkey would take it on. I can see Hawks goin for a poult.. But a hen you would think in real life the hen would lay a whooping on the hawk.

Hey Monster,

This'll give you a run.

Get set up today in a pasture, cows are there somewhere, don't know where. Well, around daybreak they announce themselves by coming into my set up. One of my decoys must have looked lonely because one of the bovines started licking and nuzzling the thing. Funny for a minute or two, then I remembered I was turkey hunting not cow watching. Chased them off a couple of times, but they kept coming back so ended up relocating altogether.

No gobbles or birds, wonder why? Just hope the real turkeys could outrun these affectionate bossies,

Turkey John

Set up last Sat morning first time out with my wife.
Had my tom decoy behind a sitting hen. Just as the gogbbling got started and I knew he was on the ground moving around I hear the flap flap flap of wings then the hollow sound of my hen decoy.
Owl had picked her up and dropped it ten feet away. Second time this decoy has been attacked.
First time was a young hawk mid afternoon. Managed to get everything set up again, have an arguement with a hen and call in the biggest tom in four years. She missed clean GRRR LOL I think she is lifting her head up to look at the bird cause in our afternoon set up she missed again when a jake came running in less than 20 mins after we set up and stood still in front of her at 15 yds . Had not even called yet he just spied the dekes and came in to check it out. Sigh* Oh well clean misses both times have to get her out for more practice. Will likely be on my own once she gets to experience the first hatch of mosquitoes LOL

I had an owl pick up a duck decoy once but that would be hijacking the thread.

Day after opening day, sitting in blind with my Dad, had 6 deer come in to field about 60 yards away. One looked a little weird, with closer inspection she only had 3 legs!! We quickly named her tripod and well see if she makes it to Deer season as there is alot of Coyotes around the area. But I may help her out with the Coyote problem as well!!

T.O.

I once had a hen come and jump up on my branches i made as a blind and sat there no further than 1 foot from my boots. She sat there for about 5 min. then wandered off not even knowing i was there. That was close up and personal. Also had a jack rabbit sit 5 ft. from me in front off my feet while sitting on the ground. It,s all about movement with these animals.

Lasy year I was sitting against a tree bedide a field and a small ground hog came at about 10feet of me, I didn't move at all and he just past by...It was pretty cool seeing one that close