In lieu of getting on my soap box and preaching to the choir. Let us lead by example, ethical hunting is a good start. I learned the hard way, that baiting is not a smiple way to hunt.
Good Luck to you all, we still have 4 months to fill the freezer
A friend of mine told me that I would not be allowed to hunt his property if he learned I passed up on shooting a coyote. This year, my second day of hunting this one crossed my path. On my next day out hunting, the 8 point buck pictured above, came out and gave me a shot. Karma.
I've seen pictures posted on bowsite of coyote's jumping deer while they are at a bait station. Last weekend I had a doe acting very nervous as she approached my bait station. She kept moving up and down through the bush looking into the station. Later on I found from the trail camera at the bait station, two turkey were dining while the doe was pictured in the background.
Normally I've found that whitetail are often at ease with turkey. I have plenty of video footage of whitetail and turkey sharing the same space.
All this has me thinking..... should I close down the bait station just in case the coyote's have learned how to take advantage of the bait situation. I think I'll close out the remainder of the season working pinch points and travel corridors, and not put the white tail (and turkey) at a disadvantage.
There is no quite way in, our out with all the falling leaves, it made the going in real slow. Once at the spot, to hopefully attract anything traveling through I put out buck lure on a wick, and cut some trees down to give me a shooting lane,(Thick forest lots of cover).
After getting situated I had a good 1 1/2 hours before sun set, checked distances all around, and enjoyed the quite evening.
I got the video camera out and learned the batteries were dead, bummer. My back up video camera, was in my day pack back in the truck, (double bummer) Sitting quietly I could hear acorns hitting the floor, Cardinals and Chickadees filled in between light puffs of wind. Moments like these are priceless.
I saw movement from the corner of my eye, slowly turned my head in the direction. 80 yards to my left a turkey, then another, and another. They were moving in my direction, behind me and to my left I could hear something walking through the leaves. A doe was coming into the bottom, I could hear her every step.
The turkeys and doe met at 50 yards, with all the dry leaves, 3 turkeys and one doe I had to chuckle at how much crunching of the leaves was going on. Even more so when the turkeys scratched up leaves.
The doe made it to the Y, I thought it odd a doe is on her own at this time of year. The turkeys were making a lot of noise, as they closed our distance it was easy to see their long beards hanging and nearly dragging on the leaves.
A small 6 point buck showed up following the doe, then melted into the woods.
The buck pictured in this message appeared, (less velvet) he too was following the doe. Being to my left and at 40 yards I was ready. The wind was right he was in perfect alignment to get a whiff of the buck lure. He stood at 40 yards broad side ears pointed to the doe, then the area of the lure, then the turkeys. No shot could be taken through the branches between us all I could do is watch. After standing at 40 yards he didn't like what his nose was telling him, so he moved to the "Y" and again stood for a long time watching, listening. This time he stood for a solid 10 minutes broad side at 50 yards. I gave him a doe in the can call, waited a few and called again. (Yeah my grunt tube is in my pocket, I feared movement would blow him out). The 9 point then continued on following the doe.
In from the same direction as the doe and bucks another buck, a decent 6 point shows up. He kept listening and watching the 9 point. All the while moving towards the buck lure wick. At last light, the buck was 10 yards below me with an easy broadside shot stood shaking his head and watching intently the movements of the 9 point.
Fly up time for the tom's one by one flapping, with the distinct sound of wings flapping hitting branches then silent, each took their turn. The 6 point didn't seem to mind.
The 9 point jumped the creek, which startled the 6 point and he blew out, holding at 40 yards, an owl hooted, (no gobbling), then again another hoot. The 6 point walked off in the direction of the smaller buck. I had to give the area some time to allow the deer to drift further away, hoping they did not bed down. I didn't leave the stand til 8, well into the dark I sat listening, to the silent forest and the occasional owl hoot.
Two months and 4 days to go.............
