Originally Posted by RickJ

How about turning to go back to the table with the star charts, eyepieces etc. and running right into the antlers of a large buck during rut. He seemed to think I was a threat to his parenthood efforts. It was all I could do to get the scope into the shed and back up the stairs. Coat was torn beyond repair but the ribs were only bruised. Sure didn't feel like it. They killed me for several weeks after that. I was just glad I was wearing a thick, wool filled, winter coat even if it was only late October. If it had been a warmer night the outcome may have been a lot worse. A mad buck isn't something you want to deal with.

Then there was the night I stepped on a skunk's head... That didn't end my session however as I took off running the opposite way his tail was pointed. He never sprayed and was gone when I got up nerve to return and continue.

Another night a I heard a sound I didn't recognize. I should have but wasn't really paying attention. Suddenly a huge aspen was falling my direction. I took off running. Fortunately it was about 10 feet shorter than the distance from the trunk to my scope. But it did send branches and leaves everywhere so you couldn't walk safely at night so I packed it in and left the beaver to his "dinner".

Then there was the night a sparrow flew into my mouth. Guess I talk too much. Again, it didn't stop the viewing just gave the rest of the guys a big laugh.

Another time I took a neighbor single mother and her daughter and boyfriend out to our viewing site so the girl could learn constellations and see a few major objects needed for some project. We got out of the car just as a pack of coyotes were passing by. We never saw them but they were likely just on the other side of a tree line, about 30 feet away. They howled and yipped in protest of having been invaded. Mom and daughter wouldn't leave the car after that. Boyfriend and I looked at a few things while the women cowered in the car. When it was obvious they'd not get out we headed home again.

Rick