From The "You Can't Make This Up" Department

bohunr said:
wonder if that ever happened to a bowhunter, high up in the tree, strapped in so he wouldnt fall. then the tree falls instead :eek:
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About five years ago, my adult son and I went bowhunting in the national forest on a windy morning. It was cold, and the wind was blowing 15-20 mph with higher gusts possible. We walked in just before daylight and split up, both of us going down spur ridges about a 1/2 mile apart. Feeling the deer would be staying lower in the bottoms and knowing there was a game trail that skirted along the base of the ridge, I set up about 20 yards from that trail. I used a Summit climbing stand, chose a tree about 24" around, and scooted up about 16', where I had a good angle to shoot from and a bit of back drop cover. The wind was blowing hard enough that the tree I was in was occasionally swaying around. After being in the tree about an hour, I heard a sharp "pop" and what sounded like canvas tearing just behind me. I swung around and looked and watched a giant oak tree crash to the ground. Fortunately, the tree fell away from me. If that tree had fallen in my direction, it would most likely have swiped me clean off the tree I was hunting from. I always wear a safety harness and rope strap on the tree, but certainly, it would have been a rough experience. Even on a tree that big, the root ball is only about 6'-8' around and maybe 4' deep. The rocky soil doesn't give a tree much ground to grab onto. I stayed put and hunted until about 11:00 and then got the heck outta that tree.
 
GC said:
About five years ago, my adult son and I went bowhunting in the national forest on a windy morning. It was cold, and the wind was blowing 15-20 mph with higher gusts possible. We walked in just before daylight and split up, both of us going down spur ridges about a 1/2 mile apart. Feeling the deer would be staying lower in the bottoms and knowing there was a game trail that skirted along the base of the ridge, I set up about 20 yards from that trail. I used a Summit climbing stand, chose a tree about 24" around, and scooted up about 16', where I had a good angle to shoot from and a bit of back drop cover. The wind was blowing hard enough that the tree I was in was occasionally swaying around. After being in the tree about an hour, I heard a sharp "pop" and what sounded like canvas tearing just behind me. I swung around and looked and watched a giant oak tree crash to the ground. Fortunately, the tree fell away from me. If that tree had fallen in my direction, it would most likely have swiped me clean off the tree I was hunting from. I always wear a safety harness and rope strap on the tree, but certainly, that would have been a rough experience. Even on a tree that big, the root ball is only about 6'-8' around and maybe 4' deep. The rocky soil doesn't give a tree much ground to grab onto. I stayed put and hunted until about 11:00 and then got the heck outta that tree.
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That's a serious close call you had! I've been in some sketchy situations myself, but hearing a tree come down that close would have me reconsidering my life choices real fast. Those gusty days are the absolute worst for treestand hunting - you're trying to stay still and focus while the whole world is swaying around you. It's crazy how shallow those root systems can be, especially in rocky soil like you mentioned. Makes you wonder how many other trees are just one good gust away from tipping over! My buddy had something similar happen last season, except the tree fell right across his access path rather than near his stand, and he ended up taking a mile-long detour in the dark to get back to his truck. Smart move getting out of there when you did - no deer is worth becoming a cautionary tale. Stay safe out there, brother - Mother Nature always gets the final vote on how our hunting days turn out.
 
While turkey hunting one spring I parked at a dead-end gated off forest service road and went hunting. In Missouri, we can only hunt until 1 PM during turkey season. After the deadline, I worked my way back to the truck. I was pretty tired, it had been a good hunt but after working two separate birds I wasn't able to close the deal and had walked up down over and around 5-6 miles of rough Ozark terrain. I turned the truck around and headed for home to discover a tree had fallen across the forest road completely blocking the road. Fortunately, I carry tools and a couple of pull straps, and with a little axe and saw work, I could pull the tree out of the road enough to squeeze my truck past. That was a huge relief because there is no cell service in most of the places I hunt; in this case, the nearest home is 14 miles from that spot. That is a long hike after the miles already walked.

And then there was the time when coyote calling my son and I nearly got trapped in a forest fire... :)
 
So in 2002 I bought a new Saturn for Mrs. We drove it for years, eventually gave it to Flounder (our daughter). She drove it for years.

Replaced the engine, did lots of things

Several years ago she sold it to a friend of hers. A few weeks later it crapped out. The starter died.

They did not fix it, they abandonded it

She works with a guy who hunts cheap cars. Last week he showed her pictures of a Staurn he just bought. It's been parked inside someones garage for years. Husband died, widow wanted to sell it. Duct tape oj the bumper where it got hit, the headliner is black (she did that),l a dent on th back door.

It's our car

Never been fixed. She offered him $200 for it
 
If they don’t understand that this is a bad idea by the time they’re big enough to kick in a door, I would say the parents have already failed, or the kid is already destined for a troubled future. It’s just the sad truth these days. I don’t wish harm on anyone, but with common sense at an all time low, easily preventable bad things are going to happen. I completely agree with Sprinkman.
 
I can't find the article, but a while back I read a story about a burglar who broke into a house but was overpowered by the home owner, tied up and repeatedly assaulted for days by home owner. I can't remember where it happened.
 
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