First for Me

[westernmas]

I went fishing in the middle branch of the westfield and was attacked by an OWL.  I was fishing at dusk around 8:30 and I saw the owl on my walk in.  I thought it was cool because I don't see many owls.  I fished a couple of spots and was working my way back to the truck when I saw the owl swoop over my head and into trees across the river.  It came back at me from across the river and proceeded to do this two more times.  One of the times I swung my fly rod at it because it was coming right at my head.  At that point I was getting a little nervous and started hiking back to the truck along river.  The owl dive bombed at least 3 more times and it was clicking either its beak or its talons as it flew over me.  It was relatively small but I didn't want to mess with it.  I'm pretty sure it was an eastern screech owl but I'm no ornithologist.  I was worried about bears on the walk in and had my fishing time cut short by an owl!!!

[zwiggles]

Haha that's crazy. Maybe he thought you were a pretty female owl?

[The Jigger]

That story definitely is a hoot.

[bogtrotter]

Wow, that's pretty wild.

What time of day was it?  I thought owls were not active during the daylight hours.

At first, from your description, I thought the owl might be defending its nest nearby.

But that doesn't sound right if the owl kept on attacking you even after you left where you originally saw it.

Very odd.

[CatchAndReleaseColin]

Wicked territorial bird

[lowaccord66]

Thats nuts.  Ive had blad eagles dove bomb me on colebrook but no attacks yet.  They are capable and have attacked people in Alaska.  Perhaps the owl was rabid?

[ICEHOLE]

I have definitely had an owl follow my and my friend for about a quarter mile. Swooping in front of us across the trail every little bit, and hooting at us. But he never got so close I would consider it an attack. Also a couple years ago me and a couple friends were fishing at dusk, and one friend was using a jointed floating rapala. And no lie a owl swooped down in complete silence and plucked the rapala out of the water and into the trees, peeling drag until it snapped. They r not shy!

[stripernut]

With all the time I fish at night and all the owls I have called in, I have never see that... WOW...

[taxid]

My cousin had an owl grab a bass plug out of mid air.