fwh14
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A few years ago I was fishing the c&r section of the yellow breeches when I came across a gentlemen bathing were the run dumps in to the yellow breeches. I was shocked at first then remembered that the Appalachian trail runs through the area so just figured it was a hiker needing a bath. I immediately turned and headed back to the allenbarry where my car was parked. As I was walking away I thought to myself, man just my luck, to bad it wasn't a girl in a bikini.
FarmerDave
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Some good stuff on here.
Can't say I have had any encounters while fishing as strange as ones posted here. I have had a few close encounters with wildlife though.
Now, I am not a little guy, so apparently they mistook me for a tree or a gentle Sasquatch.
Had a mink come within a couple feet. It was walking along the edge of a lake looking for food. It likely would have come closer if I didn't get nervous and let it know I was there.
Beaver or the four legged variety have also come close.
Then there was the muskrat that came way too close while I was just relaxing in the water, on a folding recliner. I told that story before, several times.
I have had deer walk right up to me.
A friend once had a grouse attack him while he was walking along a trout stream.
Someone mentioned squirrels falling out of trees. I wasn't fishing, but one day at my last home, I was walking my dog on a leash in my backyard, when one fell and landed between me and the dog.
We had huge fox squirrels that were very fat. It landed with a very loud thud which scared the dog enough that he didn't even take chase.
Our squirrels were very comical. I used to feed them which explained their size, and on occasion that would drop things from the trees. Ears of corn, and once one dropped a potato that just missed me.
The story in the OP. Could have been one tree falling into the other, and if you weren't there, it wouldn't have made a sound. ;-)
Can't say I have had any encounters while fishing as strange as ones posted here. I have had a few close encounters with wildlife though.
Now, I am not a little guy, so apparently they mistook me for a tree or a gentle Sasquatch.
Had a mink come within a couple feet. It was walking along the edge of a lake looking for food. It likely would have come closer if I didn't get nervous and let it know I was there.
Beaver or the four legged variety have also come close.
Then there was the muskrat that came way too close while I was just relaxing in the water, on a folding recliner. I told that story before, several times.
I have had deer walk right up to me.
A friend once had a grouse attack him while he was walking along a trout stream.
Someone mentioned squirrels falling out of trees. I wasn't fishing, but one day at my last home, I was walking my dog on a leash in my backyard, when one fell and landed between me and the dog.
We had huge fox squirrels that were very fat. It landed with a very loud thud which scared the dog enough that he didn't even take chase.
Our squirrels were very comical. I used to feed them which explained their size, and on occasion that would drop things from the trees. Ears of corn, and once one dropped a potato that just missed me.
The story in the OP. Could have been one tree falling into the other, and if you weren't there, it wouldn't have made a sound. ;-)
F
foxfire
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Had a beaver swim to within 3 feet of me with a mouthful of branches. I sort-of panicked (truth be known, I almost crapped my waders) and yelled - he did the classic tail-smack and soaked me with water.
bdfish
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Fishing Penns a few years ago under some overhanging trees when a snake fell or dropped out of a tree above me and landed right in front of me. Scared the s**t out of me. It swam to a rock near by and just stared at me for a while before swimming off. I believe it was done on purpose...
FarmerDave
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I vaguely remember reading a story in an outdoor magazine of a squirrel almost falling on the lap of a guy in a wheel chair before it took off running for the woods.
The problem was, there were no trees, power lined, or anything else nearby that it could have fallen from.
Wouldn't that freak you out?
It was only then that he noticed the hawk flying overhead.
The problem was, there were no trees, power lined, or anything else nearby that it could have fallen from.
Wouldn't that freak you out?
It was only then that he noticed the hawk flying overhead.
CLSports
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Many years ago I was fishing Pickering Creek and heard a loud commotion in the woods upstream from where I was standing. I had no idea what was going on until I see a black lab chase a small deer to the edge of the stream maybe 20 yards from me. He grabbed the fawn by the neck and shook it violently. He then dropped the fawn in the creek after he heard his owner calling for him from a trail maybe 50 yards back. The now dead fawn floated down past me in the stream and the dog ran off towards its owner. I was a bit disturbed by what I just witnessed and I know for a fact the the dog's owner had no clue what happened.
I was fishing on the upper Susquehanna maybe 10 years ago and I saw what looked to be a homemade "Huck Finn" style raft floating towards me. It was exactly that and on it was 4 or 5 young maybe college age kids floating on this wooden raft and looking half baked. We asked them where they were going and where they came from and their response was they started near the NY border and were floating for several days downstream to a town I was not familiar with. Very interesting craft for sure. We wished them luck and went on our way.
I was fishing on the upper Susquehanna maybe 10 years ago and I saw what looked to be a homemade "Huck Finn" style raft floating towards me. It was exactly that and on it was 4 or 5 young maybe college age kids floating on this wooden raft and looking half baked. We asked them where they were going and where they came from and their response was they started near the NY border and were floating for several days downstream to a town I was not familiar with. Very interesting craft for sure. We wished them luck and went on our way.
fly_flinger
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This is pretty common actually. I saw one floating by the Rt 11. bridge in Nanticoke a few years ago so I asked my friend that lives there about it. He said every year there are dudes that build those floating shanties and make the trek down the Susky. Still a head turning when you see that coming down river.
pete41
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In Florida I had a hawk drop a squirrel about 50 feet from me -boy was he vocal-the squirrel-
in Montana since I fished alone and mostly at night I had run ins with just about everything that lives out there--human,half human and four legged,also plenty of rattlesnakes but the one that came closest to change underwear time was fishing around a bend and coming coming eyeball to eye ball with a male grizzly.
That was at skunk island in the Paradise valley-quite well settled,and mid morning--no way he should have been there-didn't argue the point with him though-just keep fishing,he sat on his butt and watched.Gone when I came back.
jacob
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I once stepped on the back of a huge snapping turtle thinking it was a rock until it began to move - luckily didn't lose a toe or two...
Another snapping turtle incident involved seeing a pair of them make turtle love - some of the noises they make are absurd and I could hardly believe what I was hearing haha. I was in my kayak at the time and rowed up fairly close to them. They did NOT care that they had an audience.
We also all probably know how nasty a group of male ducks can be to the female ducks around mating time. I saw a group of 6-8 male ducks "gang up" on a female once. That was a pretty brutal thing to witness and I don't recall seeing the female duck swimming away after the fiasco. I am pretty sure she was drowned.
I once had a muskrat (I am pretty sure it was a muskrat) chase a plug all the way back to the bank - I saw something following it and was saying to myself "come on take it" till I realized it was no fish haha I am very glad that it didn't take it to say the least.
I've also had some similar run ins as others with Beavers - classic tail slap right next to me that scared the crap outta me.
My uncle once had a bum chase him out from under a bridge- luckily it was winter and my uncle simple waded out into the stream beyond reach. Not super strange but freightening when your out for a peaceful day of fishing.
Under the same bridge a couple years later, I almost stepped on a bum who was fast asleep in some tallish grass. Remembering what my uncle had told me I froze in my tracks and slowly backed off.
Not strange, but pretty cool- I witnessed two bucks slamming into eachother about 20yards away from me while I was wading... Heard a ton of noise over the bank and peered my head over to see what was up- I watched for a while but they began to get closer and closer so I got the hell outta dodge.
Another snapping turtle incident involved seeing a pair of them make turtle love - some of the noises they make are absurd and I could hardly believe what I was hearing haha. I was in my kayak at the time and rowed up fairly close to them. They did NOT care that they had an audience.
We also all probably know how nasty a group of male ducks can be to the female ducks around mating time. I saw a group of 6-8 male ducks "gang up" on a female once. That was a pretty brutal thing to witness and I don't recall seeing the female duck swimming away after the fiasco. I am pretty sure she was drowned.
I once had a muskrat (I am pretty sure it was a muskrat) chase a plug all the way back to the bank - I saw something following it and was saying to myself "come on take it" till I realized it was no fish haha I am very glad that it didn't take it to say the least.
I've also had some similar run ins as others with Beavers - classic tail slap right next to me that scared the crap outta me.
My uncle once had a bum chase him out from under a bridge- luckily it was winter and my uncle simple waded out into the stream beyond reach. Not super strange but freightening when your out for a peaceful day of fishing.
Under the same bridge a couple years later, I almost stepped on a bum who was fast asleep in some tallish grass. Remembering what my uncle had told me I froze in my tracks and slowly backed off.
Not strange, but pretty cool- I witnessed two bucks slamming into eachother about 20yards away from me while I was wading... Heard a ton of noise over the bank and peered my head over to see what was up- I watched for a while but they began to get closer and closer so I got the hell outta dodge.
greenghost
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Two strange—actually more scary—incidents happened to me on Dunbar Creek years ago.
One time, I was on the stream fishing when I heard a screech and crash on Dunbar Road close to where my car was parked. Fearing the worst, I scrambled up the bank and ran down the path to the parking area along Dunbar Road. My car was okay, but I noticed an old flatbed truck piled head on into a tree further down the road. I walked towards it thinking someone may be hurt. The truck door opened and a guy literally rolled out of the driver’s side holding a plastic milk jug. I yelled to see if he was okay. He looked at me, jumped to his feet, said he was okay, started to mumble something incoherently, then staggered towards me… all the while swigging his “milk.” Apparently, he was fine, and I’m sure he was feeling much better than me. I walked back to my car and drove away.
Another day, years later, I was done fishing and taking my waders off in the upper parking lot of the Betty Knox section. A dude pulls his car up right behind me, blocking me in. He gets out with a sheath knife in his hand. The guy looked like he’d been on the losing side of way too many fights. I figured I was in trouble. He asked me if I wanted to buy a knife. He pulls it out of the sheath and said something like, “It’s real nice and sharp.” I thanked him, told him I already have one at home. Got in my car, started it up and sat there until he decided to pull away. It took way too long. A buddy of mine who was a state trooper out of Uniontown at the time told me I was lucky. He may have been “sizing me up.” He said the local “growers” of the cash crop up in the gamelands there have been known to be pretty rough at times.
DISCLAIMER: This was many years ago. I have fished Dunbar Creek many, many times since without incident.
One time, I was on the stream fishing when I heard a screech and crash on Dunbar Road close to where my car was parked. Fearing the worst, I scrambled up the bank and ran down the path to the parking area along Dunbar Road. My car was okay, but I noticed an old flatbed truck piled head on into a tree further down the road. I walked towards it thinking someone may be hurt. The truck door opened and a guy literally rolled out of the driver’s side holding a plastic milk jug. I yelled to see if he was okay. He looked at me, jumped to his feet, said he was okay, started to mumble something incoherently, then staggered towards me… all the while swigging his “milk.” Apparently, he was fine, and I’m sure he was feeling much better than me. I walked back to my car and drove away.
Another day, years later, I was done fishing and taking my waders off in the upper parking lot of the Betty Knox section. A dude pulls his car up right behind me, blocking me in. He gets out with a sheath knife in his hand. The guy looked like he’d been on the losing side of way too many fights. I figured I was in trouble. He asked me if I wanted to buy a knife. He pulls it out of the sheath and said something like, “It’s real nice and sharp.” I thanked him, told him I already have one at home. Got in my car, started it up and sat there until he decided to pull away. It took way too long. A buddy of mine who was a state trooper out of Uniontown at the time told me I was lucky. He may have been “sizing me up.” He said the local “growers” of the cash crop up in the gamelands there have been known to be pretty rough at times.
DISCLAIMER: This was many years ago. I have fished Dunbar Creek many, many times since without incident.
FarmerDave
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This isn't fishing, but it happened next to a tiny native stream, part of it originated at Mother-in-Law's spring house. I fished it several times back in the day, but that day I was working in the garden.
I heard tires screech, a crash, then the sound of glass rattling down the road. I knew that sound. Someone hit a deer.
I ran to offer assistance.
Well, as it turned out, it wasn't a deer. A young lady hit a bear that had come out of the swampy elderberry patch right below the garden. I know because I backtracked it to within 50 feet of where I was previously at. It had probably been sleeping in there and my presence woke it up.
That poor girl was unharmed, but very shaken up and crying. She said she hit a bear cub. Well, I saw the tracks, and it wasn't a cub. Not huge, but not a cub.
Car only had about 1000 miles on it and it may have been totaled. It was a mess.
I could see where the bear slid down the road after the impact (fir was wet), then it got up and ran off. Only a very small amount of blood.
I tracked it through the high grass to just inside the woods, and then decided it wouldn't be smart to track it any further, even if I could see the tracks in the woods.
Oh, and when I did fish that crick, you could say I caught my limit.
I heard tires screech, a crash, then the sound of glass rattling down the road. I knew that sound. Someone hit a deer.
I ran to offer assistance.
Well, as it turned out, it wasn't a deer. A young lady hit a bear that had come out of the swampy elderberry patch right below the garden. I know because I backtracked it to within 50 feet of where I was previously at. It had probably been sleeping in there and my presence woke it up.
That poor girl was unharmed, but very shaken up and crying. She said she hit a bear cub. Well, I saw the tracks, and it wasn't a cub. Not huge, but not a cub.
Car only had about 1000 miles on it and it may have been totaled. It was a mess.
I could see where the bear slid down the road after the impact (fir was wet), then it got up and ran off. Only a very small amount of blood.
I tracked it through the high grass to just inside the woods, and then decided it wouldn't be smart to track it any further, even if I could see the tracks in the woods.
Oh, and when I did fish that crick, you could say I caught my limit.
P
PennypackFlyer
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not much to mention here....
I was sitting at my parents garage in MO after my dad's funeral. I saw a small white cloud float behind my car from right to - well it never came out the left side.
Had a dream that FD showed up for the Flyfishing Jam and I actually knew him.
I was sitting at my parents garage in MO after my dad's funeral. I saw a small white cloud float behind my car from right to - well it never came out the left side.
Had a dream that FD showed up for the Flyfishing Jam and I actually knew him.
FarmerDave
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Been to a few. It's possible we met, but as short as you are, I probably never saw you. ;-)
I'll try to make the next one.
I considered wearing a Sasquatch suit to one until I realized some anglers carry guns.
pcray1231
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Brother and i were fishing small stream. Came across 3 college aged females in bathing suits mud wrestling. They were embarrassed upon seeing us and we just gave a polite nod and walked past. Boy were we dumb!
On Tully, i was wading and at midday a raccoon wondered along shore. Saw me, stopped, and snarled and growled. He wasnt getting in water and i wasnt going to shore! I threw a rock or two to try to get it to leave, but it held its ground. So I crossed to other bank and started walking. He stayed right with me whole way on other side of stream, and every time id stop itd growl again. I was quitting anyway, so i walked to car, drove away, and called WCO with story.
I hooked a beaver once. Spin fishing. Musta crossed my line. Rod bent over and drag went steady, didnt see the beaver till already fighting it. It was 4 lb test, i just pointed rod at it, grabbed line, and broke it off. Hope the beaver freed itself. No idea.
Got bit by a black racer. Stepped on it without knowing. Didnt break through waders. Got attacked by a goose (got too close to nest i think). Caught a hellbender once.
On Tully, i was wading and at midday a raccoon wondered along shore. Saw me, stopped, and snarled and growled. He wasnt getting in water and i wasnt going to shore! I threw a rock or two to try to get it to leave, but it held its ground. So I crossed to other bank and started walking. He stayed right with me whole way on other side of stream, and every time id stop itd growl again. I was quitting anyway, so i walked to car, drove away, and called WCO with story.
I hooked a beaver once. Spin fishing. Musta crossed my line. Rod bent over and drag went steady, didnt see the beaver till already fighting it. It was 4 lb test, i just pointed rod at it, grabbed line, and broke it off. Hope the beaver freed itself. No idea.
Got bit by a black racer. Stepped on it without knowing. Didnt break through waders. Got attacked by a goose (got too close to nest i think). Caught a hellbender once.
P
PennypackFlyer
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Actually FD I was being serious.....crazy as it seams. It goes along with a dream about the college that I attended in CA. I knew well in advance how the parking was set up as well as which building was for what.
Just remember FD....only us short people can truly sneak up on a trout that is facing us.
Just remember FD....only us short people can truly sneak up on a trout that is facing us.
Tigereye
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Not fishing but archery hunting a few years back. Patiently sitting 20 ft up in a tree, waiting for day break an owl mistook my shoulder for a squirrel perhaps.
Imagine sitting alone in middle of woods, pitch black out and you are up in a tree. Then without sound something with sharp claws grabs your shoulder. Yes I actually pissed my pants in fright.
Imagine sitting alone in middle of woods, pitch black out and you are up in a tree. Then without sound something with sharp claws grabs your shoulder. Yes I actually pissed my pants in fright.
jacob
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Damn! Great thread btw I love reading these stories.
It seems as though the fishing isn't the only thing that brings us all back out on the water- never know what your gonna experience!
It seems as though the fishing isn't the only thing that brings us all back out on the water- never know what your gonna experience!
ryansheehan
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Wait a minute, not one word about a tree with a tire around it??
FarmerDave
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