Several times I've had owls swoop down within several feet of me while I was making distressed rodent and rabit sounds. Most times this surprises me to hear their wings and sometimes catch them in my light beam. I've had some incidents where I couldn't get the incoming fox to pause for a shot and had them run within spitting distance of me. Should have been carying my shotgun!
One night I was hunting in Clearfield county on a powerline. I was about 2 minutes into my calling session when suddenly I hear this loud, piercing cat like scream about 200 yards away. I believe this was some kind of cat.... not sure... but it sure made me feel uncomforatable.
I dropped shortmagger off one night right beside a small single wire fence that was about three foot off the ground. I told him this was an awesome huntng spot. He started his calling session and in a few minutes he shot a fox. After the shot he heard a snort and swung around with his red light only to see he was shining at a pretty pissed off bull. He tried to walk parralel with the fence while staying as far away as he could. The bull followed him along the side of the fence for about 80yds. The bull was snorting and pawing the entire time. The gun shot and red light created a pissed off bull that was only being held back by a flimsy single wire fence. I can't believe shortmagger talks to me anymore. This was a spot I've hunted before without having problems with the neighbor's bull.
Night hunting will bring unwanted attention to you by neighbors, passer-byes, and police. I've met some really nice folk that nod their heads and smile after you explain what you are doing. I've also met some arragont types as well. Some people assume you are trying to poach deer.
Twice I had police officers hold me up for about 45 minutes insisting that night hunting was illegal. After checking me out very carfefully and calling the Game Commission, they had to let me go. "Don't tase me bro!"
I ran into a guy who was a neighbor to the farmer whos field I was hunting. He claimed that because he owned a field that was "land joining" to the field I was standing in, he had the right to make me leave. His field was about 400 yards away. I had permission to be hunting in the field I was in. We had a heated debate and after harrassing me for about 10 minutes he left.
This past season one night I was hunting by myself. I had this large, dark aircraft without any lights on, make several low altitude passes over me while I was out calling in a field. It looked like a four engine military prop plane, but it was extremely quiet considering the low altitude. It seemed like they were making passes over me to see what I was doing. They must have had some kind of thermal imaging equipment. It was really weird. I kept feeling like big brother was watching me was about to "SWAT team" me. White boy in a field by himself at night with a rifle... definitely a terrorist. I know this sound a bit far out, but its true.
I live for these nights.
