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[Sparhawk]

This isn’t about crossbow hunting but I feel like telling the tale just the same.  I was invited to go on a hunting trip with a good friend of mine back in 2001 up in the Berkshire Mountains.   My friend, Glenn, had obtained permission to bow hunt on a 600-acre tract of land that bordered an apple orchard in the foothills of the mountains.  Glenn had been telling me about this hot spot since July and November hunting season couldn’t arrive soon enough.  I’d saved my money for the trip, purchased a new recurve and spent three days making a dozen grain matched port orford cedar arrows.  Hours upon hours were spent shooting that new bow, adjusting the brace height and finding the characteristics of each arrow and how several broadheads flew from my bow shelf.  I also dropped a ton of dough on scent lock, two new camo suits, a Screaming Eagle tree stand and a new ground blind plus a new portable tent and sleeping bag for camping.  This was going to be a week of the best hunting ever and an opportunity to make all kinds of memories.  

The time for the hunt arrived and Glenn and I made the four-hour trek out to western Mass.  I had visions of eight point bucks and does dancing in my head all the way up there.  As we drove, I had a topographical map of the area and carefully studied potential areas Glenn had highlighted.  The Berkshires weren’t the wildest of mountains in the country but I still wanted to be as familiar with the lay of the land as possible prior to setting foot on it.  Glenn knew the area intimately and knew where the hotspots were.  The closer we go our destination the more excited we became.  We pulled into Tower Mountain Lodge around 5:50pm and it was already well past dusk.  We were going to meet up with two other hunting groups that also had been given permission to hunt the land.

I noticed a large amount of vehicles around the lodge and shared my observation with Glenn.
“Probably the Audubon birdwatchers or some apple pickers,” Glenn remarked.  

I thought nothing more of it until the following morning.  After a big breakfast spent getting acquainted with the other hunters we gathered up our packs, our stands and our bows and headed out to do a preliminary scouting and set up some stands.  It was about a four-mile hike up some pretty steep land to get to the first area.  We made our way outside and were greeted by about a dozen people.   We didn’t pay them too much attention until they followed us down the long driveway and into the woods.  As our groups split up they split into groups of four and proceeded to follow us into the woodlands.   They were talking loudly and making a huge racket.  One of them produced a steel pot and began banging on it with a metal spoon.  The sound could have wakened the dead let alone spook every deer for a mile around.  I cursed aloud and turned toward them.  They retreated about forty feet all the while banging that stupid pot and shouting anti hunting slogans at the top of their lungs.
“Just ignore ‘em,” Glenn said as I suggested we use them for target practice.

Glenn and I set up our stands and did some preliminary scouting but saw no deer the entire morning.  Everywhere we went the “Anti’s” followed behind making a racket.  We spent another few hours glassing a plowed area cut into the mountainside, this looked like a real promising spot, one of the honey zones Glenn had spoken of earlier in the summer.  We didn’t need binoculars to see the deer trails coming in and out of the woods.  The thrill at this find was diminished as one of our tormentors shouted that they’d be following us as long as we were in the woods.  Glenn and I had both had about enough and turned to square off against these fools.   We asked them to please move on and they refused claiming that they had just as much right to be in the woods as we did.  Nothing we said seemed to sink in so we headed back to the lodge with the anti’s forty or so feet behind is laughing and mocking us with every step.

As we approached the lodge the anti’s applauded and congratulated each other.  At dinner we sat with the other two hunting parties while the anti’s occupied two tables near us.  We tired to engage them in some friendly conversation but all they said was that they’d see us tomorrow.   I was furious, I’d invested a lot of time and money for this hunt and I said so.  The “too bad” reply was more than I could tolerate.  I told that particular lunatic that the woods were deep and many bad things could happen, I added that there were lots of places to bury a body up there.  I admit it was juvenile, but the look of concern on his pimply face was priceless.  

Glenn and I retired early to our room and planned out hunt.  I confess to having difficulty focusing on our plan due to the potential disruption we’d inevitably experience tomorrow.  Glenn and I talked about our unwelcome tails and he said he had an idea but it would cost us another day hunting, if I was willing to go along.  I agreed and Glenn just said to pack our overnight gear in our packs and carry only our bows and arrows.   The following morning Glenn disappeared into the kitchen for about fifteen minutes, he and the lodge owner, Art, shared a few laughs and then we were on our way.  As we expected, the anti’s were up early and waiting to hassle us again.  Glenn had a nasty smirk on his face as he gestured me to follow him.  I fell in behind him as he walked in a straight line up the mountain.  Three of the four antis that had followed us yesterday were back on the trail, I noted with some satisfaction that the pimply faced weasel was absent from our group; it was a small personal victory and I took some small satisfaction in the triumph.

Glenn and I walked through some of the nastiest scrub and thickest foliage I’d ever encountered.  After about two hours of hard hiking up the mountain we took a brief rest.  Glenn glanced back over his shoulder and smiled,
“They don’t look too happy now do they?  Just wait ‘til we cross Mills Creek.”

I nodded having absolutely no clue what my friend had in store for these hapless idiots.  After a brief rest we continued our trek up the mountain.  Glenn told me that we’d be moving quickly and it was important that we moved fast and force them to rush.  We covered another two miles at times almost running like madmen through groves of pine saplings and thick underbrush.  The sounds of cursing and swearing behind us warmed the cockles of my heart as the antis struggled to keep up with us and were stumbling over themselves in their rabid pursuit.   Another few hours had passed and Glenn and I took another brief rest.  Our four guests looked battered and exhausted.  Glenn’s grin was wicked and I did my best to muffle my laughter.
“I’ve just begun,” he mumbled standing up adjusting his large pack.  We continued to move on up the mountain and I glanced down at my watch, it was well past three in the afternoon.  The sun would start setting in less than an hour, I suddenly figured out Glenn’s plan and started laughing hysterically.  Glenn must have read my mind because he turned around and gave me a wink.  I responded with a quick thumbs up gesture almost feeling sorry for our four shadows.

[Sparhawk]

As it began to get dark we stopped in a small clearing and I began to dig a fire pit.  Glenn opened my pack and with and had our tents set up in under fifteen minutes.  The antis watched in dismay and one shouted,
“Hey, what are you doing?  Why aren’t you going back?”

“We’re camping out tonight?” Glenn hollered back with glee.

At that point it was too dark to see the long faces, but I could imagine the looks of horror on their faces.   I gathered some dry wood and had a nice fire going, Glenn tossed ma a pack of hot dogs and some beans and canned brown bread that he’d liberated from the kitchen earlier in the morning.  He also produced a can opener and some cookware that Art had provided him for this caper.   It was now nearly pitch black and barely above freezing.  Glenn and I had two tents pitched, a roaring campfire and a pot full of boiling beans and hot dogs.  I had opened the can of spiced brown bread and was toasting the entire contents over the fire on a small spigot.  The aromas were heavenly and I was starving from the days long hike.  As the woods were totally engulfed in darkness the four antis sheepishly made their way into our campsite.  Glenn, to my surprise, grabbed his bow and said we didn’t welcome visitors in our camp.  Taking his cue I grabbed my trail machete lying next to my gear.  
“You guys aren’t so smart now, are you?” I said gleefully.

They were done for and they knew it.  IT would dip below freezing and these idiots would probably freeze to death.   “You’re done hassling us, aren’t you?” Glenn said.  They nodded, reluctantly.  “If we share our camp you’ll leave us alone?” Again they nodded yes as I tended to the bubbling beans and hotdogs.

Glenn gestured toward a large log he’d dragged over, “Sit down and warm up then.”

We fed our unwelcome guests and gave them Glenn’s large tent, his sleeping bag and a few space blankets.  Glenn and I kept the fire going through the night and took turns sleeping in my sleeping bag while one kept the fire going for warmth.  At first light we broke camp and I prepared for a long brutal hike home.  To my surprise Glenn headed in a different direction.  After about twenty minutes we came to a clearing and an old dirt road.  
“This road will take up back to the lodge,” Glenn muttered.  What had taken nearly all day to hike; we managed to walk back in three short hours.  Glenn had led us in circles disorienting both our unwelcome guests and me.  By the time darkness settled upon us only Glenn knew where we were.   He had planned his revenge masterfully. On the way back Glenn lectured our four anti’s on winter deer kills and the agony of starvation occurring in the deer population up here throughout the winter months.  Glenn waxed on about wildlife management and herd control, he was the master passing on real knowledge to heads that had been filled with propaganda.  They debated and discussed back and forth and the three-hour walk seemed to fly by.  We didn’t change their minds, but maybe we gave them a decent understating of why we hunted.  Hopefully they’ll think twice about following hunters into the woods.

[Guide Girl]

Awesome! Thanks for the laugh. I had to read it outloud at the dinner table since everyone wanted to know what I was laughing about. I take it they don't have any laws against harrassing people hunting and fishing there like we do?
Thanks again. We all enjoyed it and I will have to read it again.

[jkcerda]

Guide Girl said:

Awesome! Thanks for the laugh. I had to read it outloud at the dinner table since everyone wanted to know what I was laughing about. I take it they don't have any laws against harrassing people hunting and fishing there like we do?
Thanks again. We all enjoyed it and I will have to read it again.

there are laws here in CA too, but the anits dont care, by the time DFG gets there your hunt is kind of ruined & the antis split after they have harrased you for a while:mad:

[buckeye dan]

Hunting in CA must be excruciating. Do like they did in the story and march on! Go beyond their bottle of water and energy bars then take a convoluted path home leaving them in the dust. Park them in bear, wolf, coyote, wild cat country and leave them there. Those tree hugging hippies don't eat enough animal protein to be a threat. When their veggie shake drink wears off in the first leg ...Trail the hard cores into predator county. If they want to oppose the skills that have kept mankind alive for 10's of thousands of years let them.
While they pick berries and eat toasted pine nuts over a salad the predators with very real killing tools like teeth, speed, claws, weight, endurance will smack them around proper.

[davydtune]

Very awesome! That is the best way to handle that situation.

Now how did you guys do after all that? Any kills?

[saxman]

Great story,I enjoyed that
Sometimes it's hard to take the high road when pushed like that but that's the thing to do
If they can get us to loose it then they have won

[909bowsniper]

jkcerda said:

there are laws here in CA too, but the anits dont care, by the time DFG gets there your hunt is kind of ruined & the antis split after they have harrased you for a while:mad:

I have had it happen here in Ca (2 years ago)....and to my advantage when it did happen DFG was only 15 minutes away...there was four of them, and all four recieved tickets that ended up costing them $375 each. The wardens also let them know that if he seen them in the area ever...there would be more than tickets....this time DFG came through:):)

[awshucks]

I had a squirrel hunting spot in Illinois on the edge of town a mile or so out.  There were dog walkers on the road I used to park on alot.  One or another used to put road kill on the hood of my truck.  Could never catch them but knew iot was dog walkers.  I put an empty antifreeze container up w/ a chunk of sponge duct taped to it, end of problem, lol.  I'd NEVER use that combo btw, but they didn't know that.

[jkcerda]

targethogs said:

I have had it happen here in Ca (2 years ago)....and to my advantage when it did happen DFG was only 15 minutes away...there was four of them, and all four recieved tickets that ended up costing them $375 each. The wardens also let them know that if he seen them in the area ever...there would be more than tickets....this time DFG came through:):)

awesome:), Hope the DFG was more often in our area:D

[Mountainman]

Awesome story.  I don't know what I would do if I were in that situation.

[conductorguy]

That is a great story and has a happy ending

[dmznimrod]

i know alot of real big swamps in my neck of the woods and they would never make it out without a full blown rescue. i would leave them in there and never look back. if they did get out you can bet the next time they saw a swamp their a**** would turn around and say seeya. one thing i can tell you from  personal experience is that fear, real fear, gives you a whole new outlook on life. 95BRAVO/CHARLIE 1972-74

[Rev300]

GREAT story, I read it twice. I enjoyed it both times..........

LOL

Rev............

[Buckhunter]

You gentleman showed great control.  I can only hope for the same if I ever encounter this.  

P.S.  At the very least, I would have let them freeze & starve for at least a couple hours.....

[DaveHawk]

Now that is the way to do it. Great story.
We had them damping out hunts in the 80's and would lead them back to the swamps in the evenings but it was only a mile a then cut the flash lights and get out of there. The crying was awesome in the dark. A mile , mile and a half and they acted like they were dieing.

[Ranger]

We also had some anti's around here too for a short time trying to hassle hunters back in the 80's.  A news crew was on a section of Jefferson National Forest reporting on a group that had shown up to follow hunters around in the woods.  
Each one was picking out a hunter to tail, and the news crew was speaking with this woman who was preparing to follow a certain man.  She explained how she was going to shout and make lots of noise to scare away any deer.  The reporter asked the hunter what he thought about this woman following him.  He said, "Well, she can come if she wants to, but she might not come back."  He turned and headed into the woods.  The camera went back to the woman who had a very worried look on her face.  She did not follow.  I would not advocate doing that, but I have to say it tickled me.  

Thankfully the movement was short lived in our area.  It is illegal to harass hunters in Virginia too.

[huntingal]

Great Story. Enjoyed every word.

[cal45]

Excellent story. Here in CT there are laws protecting the hunter against this sort of behavior. I personally have never run into it. I was prepaired one year. The anti's were supposed to be at the check station on opening day of black powder season. I was ready but since the temp out was below zero and the wind was blowing they only stayed about 30 minutes and left. Too bad. I had a nice fat six pointer to show them.

[Buck Buster]

I've just read your wonderful story. I think that is the proper way of dealing with anti hunters. But we have the responsebility to behave and hunt with some common sense. Hunting incidents/accidents are just the things the anti hunting lobbists are looking for to make there claim at the goverment, to ban all gun and bow hunting activity everywere around the world. I like to discuss with anybody about hunting, but some people can't be reason with. They think they have there point and we have ours. I don't need to explain myself with does people, but we, as hunters can contribute to a better understanding of what do. Acting or behaving stupid doesn't help. See all the news about hunting deaths every year.