2005, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
I was bowhunting for deer yesterday (September 17th, 2005) in the swamp bottoms of West River in Churcton, Maryland when I heard what I can only describe as gibberish hollering coming from behind the deer blind that I was in at about 100 yards or so. It moved east to west hollering gibberish and moving closer and closer to where I was. I unzipped the back of the deer blind to try and see with my field glasses what was making all that noise and scaring the deer away. I saw nothing. The sound was getting closer and I began to feel nervous even though I had permission to hunt there. That is when the smell of damp musty roadkill mixed with dirty diapers hit me. I had to exit the deer blind for fresh air and an overwhelming sense of fear gripped me.
It was more of a safety issue that made me exit the deer blind and nock an arrow in my bow and leave the area as fast as I could before I came in contact with whatever was making the noise. I was unnerved by the aggressive tone in the gibberish and hollering.
The fact that it was close by and I could not see it coupled with the smell and the tone of its voice, made me realize that I had best leave the area, and quickly. As I exited the woods, I walked briskly towards my vehicle and was approximately twenty five yards from my truck when I heard more loud gibberish coming parallel from me about twenty yards in the woods. Whatever it was was following me and that unnerved me even more and I headed straight for my truck with my bow fully drawn and ready to fire at whatever was stalking me. Again, I saw nothing.
No movement in the woods and I made my way to my truck and released my draw without shooting my arrow. I put my bow in the back seat of my Suburban and cranked up my truck and left immediately. I have never felt that way in the woods in my entire life. I have hunted bear, wild pig and deer all of my life and never have I ever felt the need to flee the woods. Until now.
Becca E
Instinct at work.