Well, as today is the closing of PA's archery season, I'm in from the woods yet again with a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart. I know I haven't been here much during the month of Oct, Nov but this time of year is when I become the bowhunter I prepare myself for all year either through shooting, through magazines or spending my evenings here with my brothers and sisters in blood through HNI.
Before I go into my lengthy season in a nutshell, yesterday was one of my best memories afield.
I was on stand well before light as I have been all week. This is the week I live to take off work and spend as much time in the woods as possible. Up to this day, I've passed on a dozen or more bucks, countless yearling does, button bucks and many mature does looking for yet another wall hanger for my log home. As I passed a real decent 7 pt twice at 10 yards on Monday, Friday (today) I was hoping he'd offer me one of those gimmy shots again, I wouldn't pass him now. I sat, as it was getting light I could hear some ruckus in the golden rod field in front of me but yet was unable to make out forms. Then the grunting persisted and I knew a buck was playing a cat/mouse game with the local doe herd. As light grew across the field I could make out several deer and upon glassing them, they turned into several doe and a good buck above his ears but not as wide as and I knew immediately he wasn't a shooter, as least not today, for me.
The sunrise gave way to no more activity. That was until I heard it....a pitter patter you might say coming from behind me. It didn't sound like a deer, dare I look....yes, as I suspected (saw one Monday) a coyote was coming fast sneaking in behind along the corn/golden rod field edges. At this rate a 25 yard shot would be quick....I stood and grabbed the bow in one motion....not easy to do on coyotes because not only do they have the nose and ears of a deer but better vision. I turned and drew as the yote stopped 25 yards out only revealing the neck and head. We've debated this shot on a coyote here before and all the wanes of the antis crossed my mind as I settled the pin in behind the ear and release......the dog whirled at the shot and the arrow hit it's mark only to be void of the yote that had stood there a second ago. I said to myself verbally, no way did that yote just dodge that arrow but as it stopped just out in the cut corn I quickly nocked a second arrow. I thought another shot might happen which is again rare on any animal let alone a coyote. He headed straight at me into the golden rod field destined to go where it intended and not knowing the danger that lurked above. I drew as he passed at 20 yards and I drew with such earnest that I overdrew the arrow and the ping of broadhead hitting rest stopped the yote cold offering again, only a head/neck shot in the brush. I settled the pin and released. In a blurr of vegitation and fur the yote headed into the brush of the hedgerow which held my stand, it slowed, spun and collapsed in seconds and only 35 yards layed dead. My first coyote..... and taken with a bow... now proudly rests at the taxidermist for a life mount to be displayed in my log home.
The arrow entered just behind the ear in the neck and exited the same on the opposite side. The Rocky Mountain Snyper put a big gash in the entrance side and typical exit wound. The arrow bedded into the dirt and came out unscathed and ready for blade changes and to be used again. The first arrow also came out free of damage other than dull blades.
20 minutes later, I heard some noise in the brush and saw two Ringnecked pheasants approaching, I turned and pinned one to the ground with an arrow at 20 yards. Being legal game I thought what a tasty finish to this mornings hunt and I could mount the yote catching the pheasant in a scene mount. I watched the bird lay motionless for about 20 minutes and got down to gather both the bird and the yote and head to the taxidermist...but while breaking brush to get the bird I heard one run off thinking it was the other one. I found my arrow void of bird and nothing more than blood and feathers. I seached but to no avail.....
I found the yote lying where he fell and backtracked the blood for experience and couldn't believe the amount this fellow left.
I have only this afternoon hunt to collect on a whitetail buck but if I do or I don't, this coyote makes my whole season. Again, I've passed enough bucks to know I could have tagged out but knowing these bucks might be next years monsters, I'm happy with my season.
Pictures to follow.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>
Rob</font id=red>
Edited by - Matt / PA on 11/17/2002 12:23:55