"Freeze" right there!

[WapitiTalk1]

Although you have the wind, relatively decent cover, it seems that we're always required by situation to become "the human statue" at least a few times every year It is normally salad snacking cows, sometimes a wayfaring satellite or rag horn but it always seems to happen. One leg on each side over a 3 foot downed log, one hand slowly moving the bow over the log, and the other hand in a pile of mountain milk duds (or banana slug if you live in WA state) as we creep ever so slowly towards the feeding herd is when it seems to happen a lot. You look up at the precise moment she or he moves into a position to see you and the beast locks on as if playing the "who blinks first" game. One of my most memorable "hey I see you but have no idea what the heck you are" moments was when a very tall spike came from my side and stood, looking "down" on me as I lay on my belly on a huckleberry trail. His front hooves were perhaps three feet from me. I think his curious gaze, and, nervous looking away and then back down at me again tactic, went on for what seemed like minutes. He won this one as I finally purposely twitched and he nearly soiled himself crashing off in the opposite direction. The herd was on their way to bed and my morning hunt was pretty much over anyway.

Please, share one of your memorable stare down moments with Mr. or Ms. Wapiti.

[welka]

In a blizzard in a rut fest. I was watching 3 different bulls, two of which were raking trees. The herd was passing through and going back to the calls behind be. I let a small 4x4 pass and another odd looking rack didn't offer a shot. I was watching the 3rd bull in the snow about 100 yards away, when all of the sudden a 6x6 steps up a hill about 20 yards in front of me and gives me the "what the h___ are you doing here" look. Seemed like we were locked for 5 minutes. Wind swirled in the blizzard and he bolted along with the herd. Pretty cool stare down and the snow made it even more memorable. Probably should have shot the 4x4!

[Trophyhill]

i thought i was going to hear a "Nervous Grunt" when i read the title of the thread

[WapitiTalk1]

i thought i was going to hear a "Nervous Grunt" when i read the title of the thread

LOL. It would certainly be a good title for a "post up your nervous/popping grunt" thread.

[easeup]

a few years back I decided to sit an evening on the edge of a small meadow near the N slope and wait. One side of me was blocked by dense spruce. after an hours or so m aybe my attention span wasnt what it should have been, but lets just say I was sitting and watching and my bow was on the ground with a shaft knocked. I just happen to look up toward that dense tree and there was a cow grazing contentedly. I would say she was maybe 6 yds from me with the big brown eye clearly in my sight. we now what. I dare not move as there are probably more coing up and out my way, but this is too close for comfort. and my feet are going to sleep and I need to adjust my weight a bit.
there was lots of good grass for her and she had no idea to leave while others began to appear a little farther out and after about1/2 hour....you guessed it, there is a bull. He is about 80 yds out and too far for me in low light, but that dang cow is still got me pinned.

it got dark.

[Lefty]

I think I have had those moments with just about every animal out there.
So far none have creeped me out,.. well maybe the 600 lb black bear on the other end of the log. But it wasnt like my brothers expieriece with a wolf at 6 feet.
Ive had some really cool expieriences mink, fox, coyote, deer,beaver, coon, bear, skunk at my feet Ok I guess the skunks have been the most freaky.

While not my fisrt encounter with game but the secound elk I ever saw rifle elk hunting was 40-60 yards away. I knew he was an elk, he was in heavy cover , I could see legs, then horn then ears or eye for 10 muinutes I looked for a shot and he was trying to figure me out, head moving more like a white tail,. up down over, hoof stomping . I got too sore and thought mybe I could move in. I slowly stood up and there was nothing but dust

[elkmtngear]

Several years back, we were out as a threesome when we heard a bull go off about 80 yards uphill through the timber. One of my buddies dropped off the edge of the hill and got down to call, and my other friend and I split out at a 45 degree angle ahead about 50 yards. We had a good steady crosswind.

I had set up with a small, but thick and bushy spruce tree between me and the bull's position. My "caller" buddy started ripping into some aggressive cow calls, and almost immediately, a first year cow came running full bore downhill, and stopped about 5 yards in front of me, staring right at me. I'd decided I wasn't going to shoot her since we had bulls working, so all I could do was stare back. After 30seconds or so, she continued downhill and popped over the edge.

I could see the bull moving closer from the direction the cow came (raghorn 5x5) , but suddenly I looked straight ahead, and saw antlers. A nice 6 point was standing back in the timber looking my direction. It seemed he was looking "through" me to where the calls were coming from. I was pretty much pinned, I had no cover from the direction he was coming in from.

He started coming straight to me at a steady pace. I thought the only chance I would have would be to attempt to draw after he went past, and try to slip in a quartering away shot, since he was headed directly to the caller, and I would have been unable to shoot that direction if I let him go much further.

Well, he walked past me at about 3 yards, and I am here to tell you that a bull will spot motion behind him; he was steeply quartered away at about 10 yards, and I actually saw his eyeball twist back and bust me when I twisted around and came to full draw. He was over the hill in a hearbeat.

It was a very cool (yet unsuccessful) encounter.