Close encounter with an F-22 fighter jet

[bigbuckfever]

I have hunted an area in unit 23 on and off for years and have seen fighter jets come roaring just above the tree tops and following some of the canyons that are in the area. There are usually two, or sometimes three of them doing practice runs, following each other.  Always cool to see and hear as it sounds like a freight train is just about to hit you. This past week I was walking on one of the open grass covered mesas next to a long canyon.  I looked up and saw , then heard, a fighter jet coming my direction, low and fast.  I guess he was about 200 to 300 yards above the tree tops. (It's hard to judge the actual distance of something moving that fast, but he was low)  I started waving my arrow above my head at him to say "Hi".  He must have noticed me because, in one swift movement he turned sideways for a split second, then as he was over top of me , he went inverted for a split second and then he rolled upright again and then finished off with a little waggle of the wings , as if to say "how 'bout that".  Then he was gone from sight.  I was left standing there in amazement at what just happened.  An F-22 fighter jet just flew over top of me, INVERTED, and shook his wings at me.  Truly one of the most awesome experiences I have ever had while deer hunting.  And , no I didn't get a deer on this trip, but I didn't really mind.

[ctafoya]

Saw them in 37B a few weeks ago. We were on a hill and level with them when they went by. Pretty cool.

The G&F helicopter was also down there dive bombing everywhere doing another "survey" as well. The same one i saw push 100+ elk from 1 to 27 the day before the hunt. 

[Big Tub]

Long ago I had an F4 come over and go inverted just over me and straight up ... I was on the ground from the noise!  He was going so fast and so close to the ground that there was no way for him to have seen me.  It, indeed, left an impression!  

 

[Outdoor Writer]

I've had them fly over a couple times while I was fishing on Lake Pleasant, but they were usually a few hundred yards up. Still, the roar of the engines rattled my guts. 

My granddad and I hunted doves a lot in the 1960s right near the east side of Luke. Almost every morning about the same time, the jets would begin taking off. One morning we saw one lift off and then it suddenly went quiet. A second later the canopy went skyward and the pilot followed it, only a couple hundred feet off the deck.  The jet kept climbing for a bit, tho, and finally crashed in a huge fireball somewhere in the desert near Van Buren. We could easily see the smoke from where we were. Later read in the newspaper that the pilot broke a leg when he landed because his chute hadn't fully deployed. 

[Delw]

Thats cool, we used to see them on the north rim all the time in certain canyons. youd hear one then look and see one or to more coming with out sound until it passed you then BOOM. coolest feeling ever.

theres a canyon north of wickenburg they fly low too

[muledeerarea33?]

Had a couple break the windows in the house when I was a kid. I guess a lot of houses in the area had broken windows that day. Cool to see them and hear the sound of freedom.

[lefty]

Just after Christmas on my wife's deer hunt in unit 21 we were stalking the buck she shot, we were within about 500 yards when I heard a helicopter coming, that thing came right over the mountain top, right over the deer......I thought...well that couldn't have happened at a worse time. We kept working towards the deer and finally I could see them, it didn't even affect them they were in the same spot

[450Dakota]

"Waggle of the wings" that is their way of waving. I'm retired Air Force. 

[AZbowhntr]

I was elk hunting in 23 this last Dec and had a couple come through the canyon we were in.  We were actually above them when they came through.  I am an ex avionics tech in the AF and still get the goose bumps when I see them out.  We see them down in 36b quite a bit also.

[bigorange]

Used to see them all the time out on the TO Rez west of Tucson. Always flying low and fast between the mountain ranges. I’ve always wondered how many times I’ve been locked on as a “target” while driving govt vehicles on the highway out there. 

[DUG]

Opening a gate one year in 23 and had an Apache come down off Armer Mtn. We waved and he did his tilt thing. Just last week had the G&F helicopter fly thru our area we were glassing. Had a decent buck bedded and he never moved when the chopper came by.

[Swivelhead]

Always cool to watch military hardware operate.   Low level C-130's are one of my favorites.  Had a camp in New Mexico that C-130's buzzed @ treetop every couple days.  Very cool.

[More D]

36C about ten years ago. A10 really low and slow. I felt like I could have hit him with a rock! He was so low that I saw him turn his head toward me and that is when he gave me the wing waggle. SO COOL!

[Edge]

F 35 on top is a Luke bird. F 22 below it, Langley. Langley's VA AFB is the nearest F-22 base but they will visit AZ.

Nothing like getting buzzed by A-10s in a remote canyon while on a green horse.

[Delw]

I sure do miss living on a base close to a runway., Always told my Daughter that when she was growing up. over the years it was ya I know dad you lived close to a runway.

now she calls me and goes Dad listen to this.. marine F35's tacking off or landing and always the Helo's since shes on the runway almost everyday. couple of weeks before Christmas they took her out on one of her Hueys she works on. She's hooked talking about going to school to become and officer and maybe a huey pilot.