Nope. I have never been to war. But, I can't ever remember as an adult being in fear.

Before 3toe gets on here and calls me a liar. I was once chased by some hogs in Bullock County. He and outback claim they heard me scream like a girl. I don't believe them, but they have not wavered from there story.

Only 2 thinks come to mind. Walking in bow season in the morning a tree was across the road so I had to cut around just inside the edge of the woods. Was pretty thick so had my light and eyes in the ground. Just as I almost get out there was a growl and I look up and see a 3 sets of eyes. 1 big yote and 2 pups. I think holy shnit. I slowly pulled an arrow out. I was standing in some water about ankle deep. After a 2 min stare off I finally just kicked quarter at them and made the loudest noise I could and ran at them. Luckily they took off. I was shaking so bad I couldn't walk. After that i always had a pistol with me. Legal or not I didn't care. I was about 16.

Few years ago walking out at night a flock of turkey decided to make a roost on a low tree over hanging the road. As I proceeded to walk out without a light the helocopters start taking off. I swear it sounded like a herd of bison coming down on me. I bowed up ready for impact. After they got out of the trees I could hear the wings flapping. I had to set on the ground to let my heart find its rightful place.

I got up in my climber real early one morning during bow season. It was still pitch black outside. The woods were silent and dead so I decided to close my eyes for minute or so. I was in that half asleep, half awake phase when a dang owl (Barred Owl I think) made the loudest screaming/siren noise in the tree next to me about 4 feet away. Loudest racket I had ever heard in the woods. Glad my Ol'Man was steady because I about lost it Scared the piss out of me! Still don't know why the owl didn't fly off when I climbed the tree.

Climbing in my climber, in the dark, and having a turkey fly out of the same tree when I was about 15' up.

Scared?

A couple weeks ago I was walking in to get a trail cam, noticed some huge walnuts and reached down & picked one up, then saw the 40" timber rattler coiled about a foot from my hand. As I called out to my Savior in a loud voice, Mr. No-shoulders came apart & lost his ability to do me harm.

I was scared. Fear can keep you alive.

The property I grew up hunting in central florida was terrifying for me to walk around at when I was a teenager. We had Florida panthers, black bears, gators, hogs, tons of poisonous snakes. It felt like a death trap walking all alone in the dark to a stand. Not to mention the covey of quail and turkey roost spooks. I really only ever had a stand off with a bear which seemed to be a lot more scared of me than I was of it. When he saw each other I put my hands up and tried to look as big as possible and it ran up a tree and started jaw slapping at me.

With all this said it was a sportsmans paradise, a huge diversity of wildlife and habitat, and just about every game animal you could hunt. Super bass fishing as well!

Most scared I've been outside of that property was in georgia. First time at a buddy's place and he just pointed and said go that way and pick a tree. I was coming out after dark and hear a lot of commotion so I shine my flash light up and see hundreds of eyes. I tuck in as close to the biggest tree I could find and wait. After sitting there shaking in my britches for what seemed like forever with these eyes getting closer and closer I hear moooooo. Damn herd of cows. I feel like that something you should mention to a friend when your sending them off into the unknown. Oh yeah buddy there might be some cows in there!

I had a screech owl in the tree above me let out a yell before daylight once. Another time I was hunting on the edge of a swamp when I was about to climb down for the evening and head home. Just as I stood up I heard the loudest roar I have ever heard. Looking back it had to of been a bear. I sat back down and scanned my surroundings just knowing it was right on tip of me as loud as it was. After about 20 minutes I decided to get down while I still had enough light to see. I don't think my feet touched the ground for the first 15' as I made my way to the truck. I get to the truck and the 4 wheel drive wouldn't engage so I'm stuck in this now pitch back hollow. I back the truck up and get a running start and come out of that hollow like I was riding a rocket. Literally had the truck airborne at times.

I had a stand made from 2X4 and plywood nailed in an old swamp pine tree. I used a 5 gallon bucket and a boat throw cushion for a seat. When I would leave the stand I would take the seat cushion and stuff it up under the stand to keep it dry and frost of of it.

Opening morning I arrive at my stand, on a 5 acre island a 1/4 mile thru a huge swamp, well before daylight, climb the 18 feet to the stand using the 60d nails for steps, holding on with one hand I use the other to grab the cushion to throw onto the top of the stand. Suddenly I am covered with flying squirrels. They are squealing, barking and running all over me head to toe. I heard a girl screaming from somewhere as I tossed the cushion somewhere into the woods and began flailing about like a flag in a hurricane and I think that scared them off of me.
After I gathered my composure I climbed back down and fell out on the cold, frosty ground heart pounding a mile a minute with 3 flying squirrels in the tree raising cain at me. I went back to the truck, cleaned my drawers out and drank some coffee and ate a honey bun.
I wasn't scared, just...uhhhh.....surprised for a second.

I hunt a tract of property that is an old Indian mound. Once the shadows start to fall, it gets eerie on that tract. Kinda like the spirits of my ancestors start to stir again. Spookiest place I have ever been in my life.

I put my climber on pine one morning well before daylight and climbed until I thought I was high enough. As it started getting light I could tell something wasn't right and then noticed the pine was broken off about 6 ft above where I had stopped. It shook me up pretty good.

Another time, I was using an old amaker climber and went WAY up a tall pine. About 30 min before dark I shot a small buck and went to climb down. I then noticed I had forgotten to put the wing nut on one of the bolts on the top piece. It was inserted from the bottom of the bar and I have no idea how the bolt didn't drop out while I was climbing up.

I've had no trouble checking for those two items every time since then.

Bump. Does anyone have any new stories?

I see dead people

A few years ago I leave the house walking up to my favorite ridge and hear something walking behind me. I wait and see it's an old orange house cat we have. I throw some rocks at him and he heads back toward the house. So I go on climb my tree and about 8 the sun is starting to shine and I'm just waiting to catch a buck slipping back to his bed bow onthe hanger ready to go. I am in the zone ready for that buck. About that time something comes from behind in between my legs on the old summit platform. We'll my killer instinct strikes and I grab this beast and fling it. As I look it's the old orange tom cat with all 4s spread out like a parachute making a 25 foot drop from my tree. He hit the ground on all fours rolled and made a break to the house. Needless to say he never followed me in the woods again.

Took this ol gal I met at the bar out riding after we were done visiting I noticed the rubber had broke. You talking about terrified.

X2

About 25 years ago going in before daylight my flashlight died on me, had a moon but over cast, so I could make out where I was going. Got to the tree my climber was hanging on, I notice something white about 2" diameter laying next to the tree. (Piece of paper maybe?? Who has been messing around my stand??) I decide to pick it up and put in my pocket and check it out after daylight. When my hand is about 6" from it, it moves and I jump back then I can see the sillouette of it.....a damn skunk with a white spot on it head. Lucky I didn't get sprayed.

Coming out after coyote hunting, stayed too long, got dark. Wasn't going too far so I hadn't taken out my flashlight or anything. While crossing an open field stepped all over a big snake. It rolled under my feet. Couldn't see it, too dark, was about a foot tall grass, it was pissed and hissing, I didn't know which way to move. Was a pond near by. No idea what kind it was. I eased my rifle off my shoulder and started poking around to find the snake. hit it about a foot to my left. Felt it strike the barrel. I moved the other way, got a light out and found it. Big copperhead. I bashed his head with my rifle stock, picked him up and tossed him in the back of my truck with my stuff. Got home and he was gone, took some careful looking but he'd crawled up in my back pack. Killed him again but better. Have him stretched on the wall, 39".