Got a chance to go out yesterday evening after work for a short hunt. All settled in on edge of thicket with a perfect wind. Listening to a flock of birds regroup after I had busted them from my entrance to the stand when all of the sudden a chicken hawk swarmed in front of me about 10 yards away. Cool I thought and admired how silently they sway through the woods when I caught something out of the corner of my eye and wammm!! another hawk flew right into my boots. Scared the dickens out of me, bought dropped bow, and warped me a good time or two as it retreated. Now I have had avian critters perch next to me in the same tree or close by limb, or come close where I thought they were going to hit me but this is a first for me. I was about 18 feet up in a 18 inch DBH beech tree, with limbs all behind me and it cleared out in front of me. Well hidden from stuff from ground level, but should have stuck out like a sore thumb to a hawk. Anyone else ever have this happen? Glad I had a harness on also. One of these birds glide into a mans head, i think would have a good chance of knocking him out. Anyways thought I would share this experience.
Twice. Ain't fun.
I had a liitle kestrel come for my face when I was in a tree stand on the edge of a field.He must have seen my eyes moving and thought it was food.
I was squirrel hunting with my buddy and his redtailed hawk one day. It was my first time out with that bird.She was up in a tree and staring at me with "the look". Launched off the tree and headed right for my face.I ducked and turned and caught her right on my shoulder.She was leaning out and trying to look at my face. He called her to the glove and put her back up and she hunted for squirrels and never gave me another look.We figured she thought my beard was a squirrel.Good incentive to dye the gray out of it!
Lots of times with owls swooping at my face when I used to wear glasses. Never got hit, however. I once had to fight off a Saw-et owl that seemed intent on tearing my face off. He even landed on a branch about 5 feet away, got his breath and gave it one last try. I suppose the noise and movement of my swatting at him with my bow is why I didn't see any other game that evening. I bet it's happened at least 1/2 dozen times...hard to convince me camo doesn't work.
I dont hunt from trees, for when predator calling it is wise to keep your alert sense.
I have been bombed by owls and hawks. I have also lost a rabbit decoy to a red-tail. Kinda funny watching it fly away.
Two hawks and an Owl,scared the Bejesus out of me,Tried to land on my head,Took my hat off all three times.
I've been dive bombed by owls a few times. One of them
tried (unsuccessfully) to remove my knit hat, left some nice
scratches on my bald head! I don't like owls anymore
Had an owl come across the woods at my face once. I rolled at the last second and it flared off once it realized I wasn't the food it thought I was. Scared me pretty good. Owls have some big ole talons that I don't think would look good digging in my eye balls. I'm with Bill hard to say camo don't work.
I had a young owl try to take my hat off. Then he landed in a tree just out of reach and stared at me. It was kind of funny.
Funny thing is I wasn't wearing any camo. Tree had plenty of natural cover and I had on a pair of green carhart britches and a brownish gray carhart type shirt jacket. Quiver fletched with yeller feathers. No face mask no hat or nothing. I think it was in flight to catch up with the earlier bird and must have had it interest on it. Wasn't coming in for the catch, i probably scared it more than it scared me. I have had owls and hawks catch squirrels, chimpmunks, etc right near me before, and that was pretty neat. I was hunting a field edge one morning and a cotton tail rabbit was about 10 yards in front of me picking on clover and a great horned owl perched on a limb eye level in the tree I was hung in then dropped in on the rabbit right in front of me. It was amazing the silence at which it all took place.
Camo definately works. If you doubt its effectiveness spend some time trying to fool public land gobblers without wearing it.
I had a bald eagle come over me so low on Monday that I heard him before I saw him. He wasn't after me and I'm glad of it! He wasn't five yards over my head when he passed over. Sounded like a jet!
Another time I was hunting out of a homemade ladder stand that was sixteen feet tall. There was an eight inch pine that was topped off right at eye level to me about eight feet to the side of my stand. I heard a noise in the predawn and turned to see a big owl flare as he landed on that "stump". I jumped so much that I have no idea how I managed to stay in that tree!
I once was sitting on a ridge line, watching 3 bucks come up the hill towards me. I was out in the open wearing a leafy suit. I was looking for bears, had no dear tag... It was an easy shot on those deer btw.
About 30 yards away I saw my brother frantically waving, as I looked over I saw a Peregrine Falcon fly 8 inches from my face. Apparently It thought I was a bush and tried to perch on my head. My bro said it came once, tried to land, hovering inches over my head and was coming in second time when I saw his waving.
I tell ya what 3d camo works wonders.
Those are some cool bird stories.
I had a red tailed hawk fly past me from behind close enough to grab a wing, if I knew he was coming. He glided out and landed in a scrub oak just a little ways from two bucks, which were passing through about 80 yards away as the sun set behind them. That was almost 30 years ago, but I'll never forget it.
While in Germany, I was walking back to the car from a tree stand when I saw a rabbit coming straight at my down the lane. I don't think he ever saw me as he went between my legs, trying to get away from the owl that was hot on his heels. The owl flared a bit and just cleared my shoulder and they both disappeared around a curve in the lane. I ran back, but no sign of either of them. Sure was exciting for a second!
Walking to my deer stand before light,my fedora type hat was hit by a owl and knocked off my head.Since then I always walked to my stand holding my bow straight up. :scared:
I had a hawk, not sure what kind, come straight for the uncamouflaged eye area on my face once. That was the only part of my body without camo that day.
I was sitting there watching him in a tree out in the middle of the field. When he hopped off the branch and took flight I though it was pretty cool. As he flew my way, I was thinking he would fly right past and I would get a good look at him. I didn't realize I was his intended target!
I had to wave him off at about 4 feet or he would have slammed right into my face. It completely threw me off guard. I just kept watching him thinking he would go right past me. As he got closer I kept telling myself "No way, he isn't coming for me." I kept saying that until it was apparent that he was going to tag me. I waved my arms and he hung a sharp left. I could have smacked him out of the air. Cool experience!
While sitting at the base of a tree, had a young hawk perch on a limb in a nearby tree and take notice of me in my ASAT camo; he just kept staring and bobbing his head, trying to make sense of me. At one point, he took flight and came right at me, turning on his side and flying right past my face within 5 feet or so with one wingtip pointed at the sky and the other at the ground, his eyes locked on mine. He zipped around my tree and right back to his perch. He did this 3 or 4 times before finally leaving. It's one of my most favorite memories of nature.
My last hunt two weeks ago, I'm sitting in my ground blind on the edge of a field and these squirrels are moving around in the trees directly behind me. I turned around to watch them a bit. Just as I turn around to check the field, an owl was coming in straight at me, saw my movement, pulled up and banked away about 10 feet from my face. I almost needed a change of shorts.
Another time in a ground blind between some short cedar trees, I had some small animals all around the cedar trees in my area. Suddenly every hair on my neck stood up and I heard this "whoooosh" sound. A hawk flew just arm's length over my head, gliding straight into the base of a large cedar tree in front of me. It was like someone fired a gun in a night club: jack rabbits, cotton tails, birds, squirrels, you name it -- they all came running out of there going every direction. It was eerie, awesome and hilarious all at the same time.
I frequently have an issue while wearing my ASAT leafy suit with buzzards coming low to the ground and trying to check me out any time I'm out in the open. Have had a number of close encounters with them, but thankfully just swatting the air with a free hand or my bow gets them to go away; I think they're just curious to see what in the world I am.
Had a single goose down feather tied to my bow's top limb with a piece of thread to keep the breeze in mind. One morning just as the sun was ready to rise, this huge white owl swept down and grabbed the tip of my bow ( I think he was trying to land). He flapped his wings several times in my face and tried to fly away with my bow. I wish I had seen it happen to someone else but I never want another owl in my face.
It was an afternoon hunt, sitting in my tree stand thinking to myself how quiet it was. There was'nt a stitch of wind. All of a sudden right directly in front of me maybe thirty yards out there materialized a Redtailed hawk, wings stretched out, on a direct path to my head. I remember pushing my back against the tree wondering how much this was going to hurt. Maybe about ten yards before impact he decended hitting the ground behind me. I turned to see him mantaling over something. He gave me one of those sideways glances and took off. That's when I saw the tail of the little field mouse clutched in his talons.
When I lived in Ohio I was attacked by a Blue Jay one day while shoveling snow in my driveway. The bird attacked the tobogan I was wearing and actually tried to follow me into my house. Still not sure what his problem was.
Owls yes, multiple times, multiple states (owlbait). I had a red tail land on a branch on the other side of a tree from me. I started scratching the bark with my fingers reaching toward the other side when I suddenly realized he had bad intent in his eyes and was about to grab my fingers. Some of the best things happen to keep us really alive when we are hunting!
Had an owl in the dark try to take my hat off but my scariest bird story happened this summer. I was showing my 5 yo grandaughter some bluebird babies and when I opened the box the fledglings all flew out. I guess they were ready to go because they all could fly. Momma and daddy bluebird just about killed me dive bombing me. I couldn't get away from them fast enough.
I was sitting in a pine tree just before sundown a number of years ago. I heard what I thought was antlers being tickled together. I got a good grip on my bow, all senses on edge, moving only my etes looking for the deer. Suddenly, a screech owl let loose rght behind me. Unlike Bill, I scared off every animal within a mile when I yelled!!! I immediately realized what the noise was, and turned to see the owl an arm's length away. Had I not been wearing my safety belt, I probably would have launched myself.
I've had close calls with "hawks" on 2 occasions and my son has had a close call from an owl. We hunt from the ground and have also had visits from fox inside our natural ground blinds. Pretty cool if you can fool their sharp eyes!
I had a Great Horned Owl try and take a duck decoy 10 feet from me one morning before sunup; and a songbird perch on my elbow for a couple of minutes. Also, small critters run across my feet.
It's fun sitting still sometimes. :D
Dave.
Had an owl take my hat off when I was varmint hunting one night.
A lot, especially when I used to sit just ten or so yards inside a field edge. Once I heard a tiny tick (wing hitting twigs) and turned in time to see a danged Barred owl coming at my face. Boy did I ever move. Another time a big red tail landed in the same big oak, maybe 7 yards away and he was watching. Being the smart &$$ that I am I started wiggling a finger. Bam. . he was locked on visually. Then I thought " How stupid is that !" and I took my face mask off ending the stand off.
ChuckC
Lots of owls and hawks, nothing has made contact, but many near misses over the years!
One early morning before first light I was standing on the edge of a gas line overlooking the woods below I notice movement about 10 feet away its a rabbit. About a min later an owl flew in its wingtip brushed my shoulder no more rabbit. It killed it what seemed like instantly. I left to let him enjoy his breakfast.
Never had it happen to me but my dad who has a thick head of hair, which at the time was about half gray, half black, had a big owl grab his head one morning ripping the toboggin off of it while in his treestand. He was about 18-20 feet up, pre-dawn, etc... I got a kick outta it.
Only thing that worries me is it appears to be much more common than I thought and when ever I have a moment of laughter at somone elses' expense, the Lord seems to remind me of my questions by ensuring I expierence it firsthand. God Bless
As I was reading some of these accounts I remember one incident where a great horned owl landed near me and kept watching me until dark when I departed. He wasn't very close, maybe 20 yards and in the treetops. At the time I had some white fletched arrows in my quiver. When I got down from my treestand and was walking out the owl would fly over me and land in a tree on the trail I was on. He followed me all the way out from the hardwoods to the field where he stopped stalking me. All I could imagine was that he/she was interested in my white fletching.
We used to make ground blinds, basicaly a 3 X 3 roof with 2 poles holding up the front and the back wired to a tree trunk, and pile brush around us, just something to keep the rain off us. One day my Dad heard the rumble of a Partridge taking flight, he looked straight ahead and said it looked like a baseball coming at him, he jerked his head to the side (near miss) that Pat went flying straight through his blind about 45MPH.
Eric
I had one land on a limb next to me when I was on a stand. It keeped looking at me then glided off the limb and took a swoop at my face. when I ducked out of the way I could tell it was a little surprized when I moved. I think it could see my eye movement but didn't know what I was.
I also seen one freak out a deer once I had been watching one morning. I was watching a doe in my binos when I seen a streak flash through the binos to the deers feet. The deer jump straight up in the air then the deer circle around scared half to death only to see a hawk at it feet, it was pretty funny to watch. The hawk had got a mouse that the deer had kicked up.
That happens all the time to me.
Never had it happened to me before, but the next time I'm in the stand I bet I'm constantly looking above me instead of below me! Lol!
I did have a bald eagle steal a mallard that I had shot while duck hunting. Just plain cool to watch, although I wanted that duck for dinner.
I was hunting for deer while standing on the ground next to a tree. A Red Tailed Hawk came in and landed on a tree limb about 15 feet away from me and about 10 feet above me. The hawk was looking right in my eyes. The next thing I knew was seeing him take off and swoop down at me. I dropped on the ground and the hawk must have changed his mine about me as Prey for dinner. It was an amazing experience.
Tonight on my tree stand I had a doe come in. Since I have already filled my archery doe tag all I could do was watch. As I hung my bow back up a barred owl tried to take my face off. I saw it just as I hung my bow back up and the owl veered off and landed in a tree about 20 yards away. The doe didn't know anything was going on and the owl just perched for about 10 minutes watching both me and the deer. The owl finally left and 2 more does showed up. It was a good night.
It all happened so fast I just had time to intuitively block my face. I was wearing a new set of Ultimate camo fleece.....all I can say is I highly recommend it...you disappear in it and it is as quiet as anything I have ever worn in the woods.
I had a hummingbird buzzing right at my ear hole. I about turned inside out trying to get that thing away from me before he plunged his beak into my brain!
After it was gone and I finished my break dance I realized it was probably just checking out my bright colored fletching sticking out of my back quiver.
Not in the woods but a couple of weeks ago I had a large trash barrel out on the sidewalk cleaning out my front flower bed and bam a bird hit the barrel, feathers going everywhere and wham another one hit the barrel. I was holding on to it and scared the tar out of me. A dove had used me and the barrel to try to escape a large coopers hawk/. both hit the barrel hard/.
The dove got up and flew between me and the barrel and the hawk followed it./ Caught the dove in the neighbors driveway and tore it apart and ate it. Awsome thing to happen in the middle of the city.
I have had a lot of owls and hawks come in when I was coyote calling . some came real close to taking my hat but none ever really hit me. Sure got me looking around a lot though.
God bless you all, Steve
My son and I were pheasant hunting, shotguns, and he shot his first bird ever. Cool. We were close to the pickup so we laid it on the tailgate and continued hunting. A couple of hundred yards from the truck my son looked back and said "Dad, something's in the truck". Sure nuff' there was a big old hawk sitting on his bird chowing down. Brian headed that way in a dead run and the dang bird flew off with his pheasant. Took me a bit to convince him he'd just seen a one in a million thing but he was pissed for a long time. At least he didn't shoot at the hawk!!!!
Owls are the worst. You can't hear them coming.
Does anybody remeber when a tree stand was a single notched board wedged into the fork of a tree? I had a hawk land on the limb my stand was wedged into once. Pretty scary, and I nearly fell out of the tree, especially considering that at that time, I don't think anyone even marketed a safety harness for hunters.
I have have many tweety birds land on me, but this was the only predatory encounter I have had.
Was on the Mermentau River coming in from a duck hunt in a 12' aluminum boat. Owl came from behind and smacked me in the head, took my cap off, flew 50 yards down the bayou in front of the boat and dropped my cap in the water. He knocked the tar out of me! :eek: I could not believe it. I'm running a small outboard motor and he smacks me.I will never forget that. I had mallard curl feathers in the back of my cap so I fogured that's what he keyed in on.
I am a licensed falconer and have hunted with and trained hawks for years. Goshawks will come at your head to protect their nests in the spring.
I had a big Female Coopers hawk come at my face while in a tree stand hunting in Canada a number of years ago They are intimidated by the eyes .
In one reference above the hawk that took the pheasant away had to be B I G hawk . Probably a large female Red Tail . I have had my birds take pheasants a number of times but NONE of them could ever take off with the pheasant just too big.
Owls will go after you hats especially grey hats . Looks like moving game Owls will take possums and other large animals like that .
Wow, this is much more common than I would have thought.
I had a red tail nearly nail me in the head once while in the stand. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye just in time to turn my head. He veered off before making contact.
I'm also a licensed falconer. My first bird, also a red tailed hawk, nailed me in the side of the face last year. My phone rang. I took it out of my pocket to answer it, and my hawk, sitting 15 feet away, saw the red phone I guess, and slammed into my head. I had a nice scar on my cheek and a pretty good scratch right under my left eye.
QuoteOriginally posted by Red Beastmaster:
I had a hummingbird buzzing right at my ear hole. I about turned inside out trying to get that thing away from me before he plunged his beak into my brain!
After it was gone and I finished my break dance I realized it was probably just checking out my bright colored fletching sticking out of my back quiver.
I'm guessing even the hummingbirds just know how "sweet" a fella ya really are, Beastie!
Or they were released from some Zombie movie!
Doc, I'm going with "sweet".
In the mid-80's I was elk hunting near Kremmling, Colorado. I was in a makeshift ground blind wearing a knit cap. I was being very still when I saw a Goshawk coming right at my head. I moved to dodge and the bird realized it's mistake. I just about had a cold head!
Another time in Northern Indiana I was in a tree stand. It was about 40 minutes before light. I was hit in the left shoulder by a bird. I'm assuming it was a screech owl -- I didn't hear or see it, just felt a blow on the shoulder.
All of these are better than jumping a ruffed grouse while walking in the dark!
Never had a problem with hawks just bears climbing up in the tree with me. This happened to me on my first bear hunt I went on many years ago. Now it doesn't bother me :archer2: Don
I just came across this thread, but I too had an encounter with a chicken hawk recently. It left me wondering how often this happens to other hunters. October 10 I was in my treestand, and was looking over my left shoulder toward a cornfield. For no reason at all, I turned my head toward the right, and to my surprise, a giant ball of white wings was only 10 yards away, coming straight for me. My sudden movement caught him off guard and we both shared frantic faces. He turned quickly and soared away. I was surprised how quietly he was coming in. I never knew he was there. Makes me wonder what would have happened if I had not turned my head back around in his direction.