Other scary things

[poledark]

Not one of those "bump in the night" thingys, but rather a "tap tap" during the day.

 

Some of the swims on my local are "dugouts" about 4ft deep. I was huddled up in one of them yesterday with my back against the back wall, and my hood on. My head was just above the parapet, and I suddenly felt this little "tap tap tap" on my head. I started to turn around (thinking it was one of the local dogs) when the air "exploded"..... it was a hen pheasant pecking at my hood!

 

Certainly put the wind up me :)

 

Den

[lutra]

I remember as a teenager fishing my way up a stream that went through an army camp, a nice stream with zero fishing pressure and some nice trout. I was well aware that there could be some serious consequences for fishing it (shot or worse still dragged back to face the music of mother), but being such a rewarding stream it seemed worth having a go once or twice a year, i just needed to be a little careful.

 

On one such trip things seemed to be going well as i happily worked my way up the stream bed with head down when my senses were alerted by the sound of something coming nearer through the bracken infested woods that accompanied the stream. i tucked myself in under the over hanging bank of tree roots and bracken freezing motionless trying not to even breathe. With visions of a big nasty Sargent major the noise just kept coming closer and closer until the twigs next to my head moved.

 

i don't know who was the most frightened me or this stupid fox cub that had sniffed out a human to the point of noses all most touching.

[ayjay]

I use to fish a part of the R. Lea after dark, the swims were very similar to your dugouts Den, with only one way in or out. There was a mad cat there which would quietly sit behind anglers without them being aware of it's presence waiting for them to land a gudgeon and it would then launch itself onto your back and then over your head in an attempt to grab the gudgeon, now that was scary.

[poledark]

Nearly as bad as the time I was poaching a pool in Kent, pitch dark, I looked up to see 2 Nuns motionless......just looking..................

 

Cats are creepy little bu''ers aren't they

 

Den

[Andy Macfarlane]

i don't know who was the most frightened me or this stupid fox cub that had sniffed out a human to the point of noses all most touching.

 

I had a similar experience digging lobworms one day. I had my head down, picking lobs out of a big lump of soil and I heard a twig crack a few feet away. I turned and no more than 8 feet away, there was a rather stupefied looking fox, sitting on it's hind quarters, watching me digging FOOD. I don't know who got the bigger fright, me or the fox. I put a hand out with a worm and it it did that head swaying, "I'm not sure if this is the wise thing to do" thing, whilst taking 2 steps forward and one step back. I felt like I had been holding my breath forever, when it finally decided enough was enough and stretched it's neck as far as possible, before snatching a lobworm, dangling from my fingers and scampered off but not quite out of sight. I don't know who was more surprised, me or him. I decided to try again but I think the fox thought better of it but it stayed to watch. I thought I'd throw a worm this time but the action was just too much and he fled. Ah well, it was good while it lasted.

[pikergonecarpin]

I was fishing Loch Awe for a weekend all bivvied up in a farmers field.

 

In the morning my alarm went off. I usually do this so i can get the rods cast out a few hours before the sun comes up. Well half asleep i unzipped the door on the titan and stumbled out into absolute chaos as dark shapes flew everywhere screeming.....

 

Bloody sheep were using my bivvy as a wind break for the night

 

Paul.