Yesterday morning was colder than days prior since the season started here southern Iowa on October 1st. I wore my Asbell wool Timber Ghost pull over. I decided at the last minute to grab my climber and head to a east-west ridge here on my property.
As I started making my way up the spine of the east west ridge, (not knowing what tree to climb yet), I notice several new buck rubs and scrapes which influenced me to use some doe in estrous as well as some buck urine.
I came to a stand of several mature white oak trees that I wanted to hunt by. There in the darkness of the morning I spot the perfect tree for my climber and me. I hung my climber and then set out to use a drag rag from one of those scrapes up wind about 50 yards from my selected position. But there in the darkness, a set of eyes was glinting back at me so I decided against the drag rag and hang a few scent wicks. I inched wormed my way up the cottonwood ever so slowly. Then there in the darkness I hear a "BRRRAAWWL" soon followed by the distinctive clash of heavy antlers cutting the crisp morning air. My mind was trembling with the possibilities of what can happen once morning light makes its way into the farm lands of southern Iowa. My mind is saying, that's heavy weights clashing antlers in the darkness, about 75, maybe a 100 yards eastward up the ridge from my position. Wind is blowing a steady out of the north west. Then after 3-4 minutes, the clashing of antlers stop. Not another sound but the light rustling of the north west wind blowing through the trees. My mind is still racing with the possibilities.
At first light, I noticed two small figures making their way directly to me. Two fawns was feeding on acorns as the morning light started waking up the world around me. I took noticed that one of the fawns was a button buck. I found it entertaining his curiosity in my scent wicks. Then the little bugger had me chuckle when he started in trying to make a scrape right there under one of my scent wicks. He rubbed his tarsals with an amusing clumsiness that brought an instant smile to my face. Then simultaneously, both fawns come to full alert focusing their attention down the ridge. I look in the direction of the fawns attention and a blurred image is sleeking in a flanking maneuver down wind of the fawns. My mind finally makes out the image coming in fast, coyote, or maybe one of the coywolves that been sighted on my property. As the fawns bounded away, I was in the process of grabbing my Super Diablo. I drawl back reminding myself any noise will just send the yote into high gear. Coyotes never stop though so this shot will be at a trotting target. My surewood shaft tipped with a Simmons Tigershark Launches from my bow with deliberate purpose of halting the coyotes pursuit of its morning bounty. My arrow finds it mark and cuts into the trotting coyote stopping his pursuit right there in front of me at 15 yards from the base of my tree. As I sit there in the early morning light poundering about what just happened one of the two fawns made his way back to me with caution. At a distance the fawn was sniffing the dead coyote and to my amazement the fawn looked directly up at me whether to thank me or just curiosity? Then he wondered off making his way up the ridge.
After things settled down I decided to do some rattling and before I could hang up my antlers I could hear something coming my way fast! Then there at 40 yards, ears pinned to his head was a small year and a half 4 pointer. He was side stepping and grunting in his search for source of the rattling antlers. I decided not to take him and just watch and learn. But as soon as he seen the dead coyote, he became spooked and came to full alert. He immediately made his way off.
I waited about 45 minutes before rattling again. About 5 minutes passed before I noticed another small buck coming in to investigate the source of the rattling. Looked to me to be a 7 pointer but when he came down wind of the dead coyote he became extremely nervous and decided to move on.
With the last two bucks reaction to the dead coyote, I knew that I may have some troubles if another buck comes in.
At 8:35 I decided to rattle again and as soon as I stopped I heard it again, "BRRRAAAWWWL",. So I grunted back at him followed by a snort wheeze to have him answer back with another "BRRRAAAWWL" and a snort wheeze. I knew then that he was coming to me but wasn't prepared on how fast. All I seen was a wide buck coming down the ridge at a trot with his ears pinned to his head. He stops 15 feet from the base of my tree facing me looking side to side for the source of the rattling. Then he takes a few more steps and lets out another snort wheeze. Without warning he jerks his head up staring at the dead coyote. I knew that if I wanted to take this buck, I would have do it now! The buck was literally 7 yards from the base of my tree. I remember drawling back my arrow saying to myself, man, I hate this shot, so please Lord guide my arrow. I release! My surewood shaft buries the Simmons Tigershark deep into the bucks back just to the side of his spine. The buck takes off just under my stand, running over the coyote and down the ridge! He stops around 50 yards, I noticed his tail twitching faster and faster. Come on big boy, "Go down"! He takes off again with his head low, almost on the ground. He runs just out of site and nothing, no noise, no crash.
With a trembling hand I hung my Super Diablo back on the hook trying to regather my thoughts of what just happened. About a half hour goes by and I decided to call the house to let my wife know what happened and tell my dad to bring the four wheeler. I waited about ten more minutes before I seen my dad on the tractor path west of my position. Both of us make our way back to where everything transpired. We started picking up blood immediately heading down the hill. Where he first stopped the blood trail was telling me that it was a significant lung hit. Slowly me made our way to the creek as the blood trail became more evident of a lethal hit. There just a few yards from where I last seen him was a wide 9 pointer piled up. I gave thanks to my Lord for such a harvest before grabbing his antlers. Not my biggest buck but not my smallest either.
I also wanted to thank RMS Gear as well because it was only 3 weeks ago that I purchased the Martin Super Diablo from them. It fits well with my other Martins.
I am also sorry for not posting pictures because I do not know how to do so. I am not tech savy. But I do have pictures.
Thanks for taking the time to read my story.
God bless
Topic: Season ending double,,(Pictures added) (Read 3712 times)
