LBL Near Death Experience

weedwalker · February 05, 2008, 01:58:30 AM

Saturday afternoon, Straycat and I decided to make a stand in area 5 south of The Trace. We parked in an empty picnic area and walked down a trail into the woods. We went out to the end of a ridge overlooking a hollow that forked out in front of us. Straycat was watching the right side and I was watching left. Down the hill in front of me was a brushy creekbed with a stand of pines on the left side of it. I started out with a rabbit distress hand call I got from Jimmie. About 2 minutes into the stand I see the dogs legs coming thru the pines from left to right. When it cleared the pines about 80 yards straight out in front of me I took the saftey off of my rifle and put the crosshairs on its heart. I was prepared to let go with a .243 100 gr SP and starting to apply pressure to my 2 lb trigger. I caught movement in the left edge of my scope. It was a leg with bluejeans on it!!! It scared the crap out of me. I pulled the gun away and watched a man and 2 women with a dog that looked a whole lot like a coyote walking thru the woods. I almost smoked their dog right in front of them. I couldn't belive they were out there walking in the woods with that dog while coyote hunters were everywhere. After a couple of seconds it hit me. I better warn Straycat so he dosen't shoot because they were heading his way. We had a prearranged signal to end the stand, but after only being there a couple minutes, Straycat thought I just hit a sour note on the call. So I got up and went over to get him. It scared me so bad about what almost happened that my hands were shaking for a 1/2 hour. I hope I never get in that position again. It could have turned out to be a real bad day.

wv_yoter · February 05, 2008, 02:09:24 AM

Ed, I'm glad you recognized something strange in the scope. That could have been a disaster if you hadn't seen their legs.

Silencer · February 05, 2008, 02:47:26 AM

That woulda scaret the hell out of me !! You did well under them circumstances.

canine · February 05, 2008, 05:14:22 AM

Whoa, close call. Glad for all of ya the dog wasn't way out ahead of them.

JD

FinsnFur · February 05, 2008, 05:31:50 AM

I thought he was gonna say something about being stuck in the vehicle with Bill! :roflmao:

I've been there WW...not as close of a call as you but it still freaks ya out. Luckily all went well for ya.

HaMeR · February 05, 2008, 07:09:39 AM

I thought he was gonna say Bopeye damn near shot a coyote down there!!

:roflmao: :roflmao:

I've never been in that position before & if I am I hope I handle it the same way you did!! That woulda made me fill my scent blockers!! Very Good job of pulling off the dog!!

KySongDog · February 05, 2008, 07:43:20 AM

I understand how ya felt, weedwalker. I came within a heart beat of accidentally pulling the trigger on a trespassing turkey hunter several years ago. Never forgot that experience.

Glad it turned out OK for ya.

Semp

songdog · February 05, 2008, 10:29:28 AM

I know its hard not to shoot especially when you see dog legs coming at you... That a way to hold off and call off the hunt... Thats exactly the reason why we have to be sure of what we are shooting at before we shoot.. Especially on public land.. Good job

Jimmie in Ky · February 05, 2008, 11:47:43 AM

I have heard of others making the mistake instead of holding off to be sure. Due to Ed's years of experience he waited for th target when others would not. This is a great lesson for the newbies. Stuff happens, make damn sure it's not you making it happen !!!!!!!! It makes for poor relations with the non hunting public no matter where it happens

Jimmie

Frogman · February 05, 2008, 11:54:51 AM

Wow! I heard you guys discussing this. Great job avoiding what could have been a tragedy. Be sure of your target and what lays beyond it!!!! You did good!

Jim

possumal · February 05, 2008, 04:37:14 PM

Considering how light that trigger is on Ed's rifle, I'd say everybody came out extra lucky on that deal. Thank God for Ed making absolutely sure.

securpro · February 05, 2008, 07:40:48 PM

WW, I remember you telling me about that and I'm glad it turned out for the better

However, just maybe the man new that there were lots of coyote hunters in the area and it was his intentions to have that dog eliminated due to the dogs interference between himself and his girlfriend

I have a buddy that could not even get close to his girlfriend while her dog was around and he confronted her about it and she said that her relationship with was much stronger with the dog than him and he would have to move on :shck: A few days later the dog came up missing and they ended up getting married. She still dont know what happened to the dog

But I do

songdog · February 05, 2008, 08:38:23 PM

Were those tamales good Secur??? :roflmao:

securpro · February 05, 2008, 08:54:32 PM

ohiobob · February 20, 2008, 10:35:35 AM

Ed
I Think I would have to of had a talk with DR. Kevorkian and his GF, I think I would of at least fired a Shot into the Ground
was the People Young and didn't know any better or was they Old and just absent minded?
I did something close to that before, but had it not been for Trigger Discipline, it may have ended up Badly also
Good Job on Holding off, and you were right, this WAS a hell of a close call
Bob