I almost had my first Trad kill under my belt yesterday evening. I found a new spot that looked good to me so I did what I always do and build myself a nice cozy little ground cubby out of natural surrounding materials.
There are so many acorns this year that it's hard to find the exact trees they are feeding on, so you just have to get in an area that has lots to chose from, lots of deer tracks around, then put your time in and hope for the best.
The trails leading into and away from this area tell me the deer are using it, but once the deer enter this buffet of acorns O'Plenty, the trails turn to meandering tracks that are randomly scattered throughout this ridge adjacent the river bottom.
It was about 6pm yesterday evening and the squirrels went nuts about 40 yards right behind me. I tensed up and started glancing over my right shoulder expecting to see a deer coming and there was nothing. Then I made a full scan all the way around to my left shoulder and nothing. The squirrels were still barking and screaming bloody murder on the little ridge behind me, and I knew something was on it's way so I just sat tight making as little movement as possible.
After about 5 min. of waiting and listening to the squirrels bark their guts out, I made another full sweep from my right to left and all out across this ridge I'm sitting on and there it was! A big Coyote cruising across the ridge about 50 yards out! I watched as it slipped past me thinking that it had to have came from behind where the squirrels were raising cain and circled me from around my left side. As it began to disappear forever, I sat watching the last opening that I had to my extreme right waiting for the coyote to pass through that opening, but it didn't. Minutes passed and the coyote never hit that opening that it was head straight toward...hmmmm interesting. As I sat there staring intently in that direction I last saw the coyote I daydreamed about how great it would be that my first Trad kill would be a coyote, that would be sooo awesome! Then I was suddenly snapped back to reality when here it comes!! It must have made a U-turn and that's why I didn't see it hit the opening, but it didn't matter cause this big boy is coming and angling right straight toward my cubby blind!! Keep coming....oh yeah that's it....keep coming....another 40yards....oh yeah keep coming......and suddenly I realize that this is going to happen. I'm going to get my first shot at a coyote. When it disappeared behind a big oak, I raised my bow and drew.....when the coyote stepped out from behind and stopped, nose down smelling something at 25 steps!!!! I kept telling myself over and over....remember your anchor....pick a spot....remember your anchor....pick a spot......then I let er fly.........Right over it's back just like I planned it!!
But Man what a Rush!! I think my heart was pounding harder than any deer I've ever put an arrow through before in my life, except for maybe my first one. Something about having that coyote in close range with bow in hand just gave me an adrenaline high like I haven't felt for years!
WOW ...is the only way to explain the feeling.
Topic: Almost Coyote (Read 598 times)
