While hunting this past weekend a young hunter that joined us on one of our annual deer drive was telling us about something that had happened to him on a muzzle loader hunt, earlier that month. He is an experienced hunter that had taken numerous local deer, antelope and even an elk from out west.
It started early in the morning on a new piece of property that they had just started hunting. His uncle had set up on one side of a field and he crossed the field and set up against the boundary fence. While getting ready he could hear something walking on the other side of the fence. Thinking it my be a deer he was in a hurry to get his gun loaded, but before he could he heard what sounded like a growl followed by the animal running towards him while still making the growling noises. He started heading back to his uncle to get some kind of insurance that it was nothing to be afraid of. Still hearing the animal approaching he decided to pick up the pace to a run. He decides to call his uncle on the cell phone and let him know that he was coming. This was a relief to his uncle because he was not sure why there was a light traveling towards him at a high rate of speed. After he caught his breath he told his uncle what had happened. After loading their muzzle loaders, they both headed across the field to the fence to see what was going on. After hearing the noise and not being able to identify what was making the growling they decided to sit down and what till daylight. While waiting they discussed what it could be and the suggestion varied from coyote to a bear.
Daylight came and to both of their surprises there in the adjacent field stood a donkey, eyeing both of them. For the rest of that trip, anytime we could add growling or donkey to our conservation it was done.
Take someone hunting, Greg