Ok, I'm back.
In a previous thread, I told the beginning of this tale, wherein Taku, my Jack Russell, had an encounter with a large coyote. That incident was the start of quest for me. Over the last couple of months, I've had numerous encounters with coyotes, but have not been able to take a clean shot. I've had them within a few feet of me more times than I can count, but they were always in a place where I couldn't move or couldn't see them clearly enough.
I was hunting them sporadically, usually a night or two a week. I'd see them every night, sometimes just one, sometimes as many as 5. Last week they killed and ate our neighbor's Jack Russell, Petey. They've also killed a sheep on a nearby farm, and have practically eliminated every rabbit, quail, and fawn deer around. They've become quite a nuisance, to say the least.
Until recently, most of my blinds were of the natural variety. I'd cut a bunch of cedar limbs and make myself some pretty good hides. The only time I was really busted was by a fat old red fox. He caught me as I stood up to stretch my legs. The coyotes, while being insanely close many times, never really figured out what I was, and where for the most part, being the nervous, skittish creatures they always seem to be.
My plan has mostly been to try and have them follow a scent trail to a specific spot and hope they offer a shot. I have been successful getting them to follow a scent trail, but not necessarily at the right time. I've gotten numerous pics of them on trailcams coming to my spots.
I've used a squeaker and a predator call with some success, but they come in on ultra high alert and they seem to know exactly where a noise is coming from. A couple of times, I haven't been able to move at all for fear of being busted. I've used a coyote howl, too, but they come flying in and zoom around looking for the other coyote. They don't stand still enough to get a shot.
I recently bought a blind from LBR. It is fantastic and is big enough for me to draw a 69" longbow in. I set it up the day I got it in a good location. There is enough light from the neighboring property (Dept. of Trans. work yard) the I can see well enough to shoot. It's been set up for a few days now, so the wildlife is used to it.
In other parts of my life, things haven't been going smoothly. I injured my neck at work a couple of weeks ago and ended up with a pinched nerve. I have lost a lot of strength in my left shoulder and it has made it very difficult to pull even my 50# bow to full draw. Ice and ibuprofen have helped, but I've had to go to the chiropractor for relief. It has gotten a lot better, and I'm supposed to not be shooting my bow. I can, however shoot about half a dozen times before my shoulder gives out.
To make matters worse, a couple of nights ago, I hacked my left forefinger with my Sticshooter french trade knife. It hurt and it bled and my wife passed out when she saw it. Fortunately, the bone stopped the knife from cutting my finger off, so I'm fine. It does make gripping a bow a delicate matter.
Anyhoo, aside from all of that, last night, I figured it was time to break the blind in and get my Hill Halfbreed bloody for the first time. I went out at 9:30pm and decided I'd stay all night if I had to. I took the bloody butcher paper from a deer roast and a few pieces of sinewy meat and laid a scent trail. I scraped a little hole in the ground and put a piece of the meat down in it. I figured it would be just enough to cause one to pause for a few seconds.
I used a doe urine cover scent to mask my scent and settled into the blind. Everything was looking good. I just had to wait.
After a couple of hours of seeing nothing, the neighbor's dog started barking. He has a distinct coyote bark, so I knew something was afoot. After a few minutes, I caught a glimpse of something shadowy moving through the garden about 40 yards away. At first I wasn't sure I saw anything, then, a second later, I saw some movement. It wasn't one, but two, very light-colored coyotes. The lead dog was huge and looked like he weighed 60 pounds. He and his mate trotted right past my scent trail and out into to open field in front of me. They continued on over the ridge and into the neighborhood through the woods. After a minute or two, I could hear every dog in the neighborhood raising quite a ruckus. The two didn't come back my way.
After another hour or so, around 1 am, I hear a coyote howl, then another, then another. One sounded like he was within a couple of hundred yards, so I readied myself. Sure enough, about 15 minutes later, I catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. I peek over to my right and there's a coyote bird-dogging my scent trail. I ready myself. I've got a cedar shaft tipped with a 145 grain Eclipse on the string. He passes by the first window at about 8 yards. He's moving too fast to shoot. He slows for a moment and gives the blind a hard stare. Uh oh. Did I make a sound? Will he bolt? I'll have to shift in my seat to make the shot.
Too late, he's back on the scent trail. He's now at 16 yards and about to the bait hole. I shift in my seat and start to draw. He hits the bait hole and pauses. I pick a spot at his left elbow, which is back towards his side. I can't see my arrow, so all I can do is burn a hole on that spot.
I don't remember releasing. I didn't see the arrow in flight. I heard a "whump", and the next thing I see is that coyote moving like his tail was on fire. Low to the ground and running as fast as he could go. At 50 yards, I heard a stick break. I lost sight of him after that.
Holy smokes. That was intense. I sat for a minute or two to catch my breath. After the wait, I got out of the blind and surveyed the situation. I didn't hear anything. I walked over to the site of the shot. Blood. Dark blood. Not a lot of it, but there was some. No arrow.
I could see his trail through the dewy grass. I could see exactly where he ran. I decided I'd slowly follow and shine a red light ahead of me. If I saw eyes, I'd back out and wait a while.
At fifty yards from the hit, I found the arrow. Or 2/3rds of it. The broadhead and 20 inches of shaft, covered in blood. Another fifty yards, and nothing. Another 50 yards, nothing. Another 18 yards, and there he lay. Stone dead. A shot through his heart.
I had hit my spot exactly. His left front leg was tucked up and I shot right through it into his heart. I guess I'm lucky I didn't hit his shoulder bone.
I can't believe that dog ran 168 yards after having his heart cut in two. Tough critters.
I decided to go ahead and skin him. He's destined to be a back quiver. I confess that I suck as a skinner. I'd starve if I had to do that for a living. I screwed up his tail, too. I tried to pull the tailbone out and tore the end of his tail off. Bummer. Oh well, I've got some good fly-tying material.
Question: how much of the cartiledge do you need to take out of the ears? Not all of it, surely.
Anyway, he's salted down. I'm going to send him off to have him tanned. His skeleton is going to be a part of the Furman University Zoological Museum. He's going to be cleaned by dermestid beetles. The next one I get will be a full body mount for the museum.
Oh yeah, he weighed 32 lbs. Still a youngster. The other male around is significantly larger.
Now, I think I'll let my shoulder heal. I've got a new Black Creek Banshee coming and I want to be able to shoot it.
Topic: Finally... Wile E. meets his maker....Story added. (Read 1158 times)
