Mike Belt
Well-Known Member
I thoroughly enjoyed the walk in this morning; no wind, 28 degrees, a full moon through fields of frosty diamonds, and all the while being serenaded by distant song dogs and close by owls. I made my way through a series of pastures to where I dropped off the ridge on an old road that lead through the woods to the lower pastures. I stopped to check a couple of scrapes on top before heading down. Clean but not recently worked. I got down to the lower pastures. There are 2 narrow pastures; each 500 yards long separated by a treed fence line. The deer like to cross them from timber to timber on each side. There are about a dozen scrapes along the far side and a few decent sized rubs. In my Texas tripod 1/2 hour before light and then I was open for business after sunrise. My first customer was a huge bobcat. I wouldn't be surprised if it went 40 pounds. Next was a coyote crossing below me followed by another 15 minutes later. I sat there mentally going through the same thing I do every year about this time and that is stand pulling for the season. To me there's something about when to pull a stand towards the end of the season that makes that last hunt there bittersweet. It was placed there in anticipation, rather real or perceived. I will forever see those bucks that crossed in front of it and those that should have. A 132" buck did pass without harm but his 128" cohort was not so lucky. A collage of does and fawns and smaller bucks also provided visual entertainment. Those scenes all provide me with a never ending story that I recall and replay throughout the year that only serve to rebuild the fever and anticipation for the following year. Taking a productive stand down is like saying goodbye to an old friend and partner but that friendship is effortlessly rekindled come next Autumn. I will miss him until then.
The morning passed without further ado. Just about the time I was ready to climb down a doe and fawn crossed over in front of me into the far side timber. Fifteen minutes later they came busting back out sprinting back across the field. I counted on them having encountered my buck and he would also come charging out any second. Instead 3 coyotes came out on the run and were right on the heels of the 2 deer. The first one dropped at 101 yards. At the shot the other 2 took off headed to the other end of the pasture. I started barking like a dog and low and behold they stopped to look back. The second one hit the dirt at 183 yards. The third one was in high gear and I missed at 250 yards. He's probably still running. I climbed down and readied my old friend for the trip home. On the way out I checked the top scrapes again. They had been reworked while I sat below. Anticipation....
The morning passed without further ado. Just about the time I was ready to climb down a doe and fawn crossed over in front of me into the far side timber. Fifteen minutes later they came busting back out sprinting back across the field. I counted on them having encountered my buck and he would also come charging out any second. Instead 3 coyotes came out on the run and were right on the heels of the 2 deer. The first one dropped at 101 yards. At the shot the other 2 took off headed to the other end of the pasture. I started barking like a dog and low and behold they stopped to look back. The second one hit the dirt at 183 yards. The third one was in high gear and I missed at 250 yards. He's probably still running. I climbed down and readied my old friend for the trip home. On the way out I checked the top scrapes again. They had been reworked while I sat below. Anticipation....
