Muzzleloader coyote and deer down....
Setup first thing in the morning watching a river bottom. I was sitting for almost an hour when I notice a few turkey about 40 yds away, eating, yapping and carrying on.... I watched them for about 5 minutes or so before I notice movement on the other hilltop... At first I thought it was a deer, but no, it's a coyote and he is eyeing those turkeys.... He moves kind of like a cat moves, sneaking up to some birds, He gets about 30 yds from them, stops, locks on them, after a few seconds, he makes a mad dash to the turkey flock... The birds scatter, some fly, some run but a lot of commotion, loose sight of the coyote and birds so start screaming out with my mouth a dying rabbit sound... After about 30 seconds he re-appears and is heading my way.... He is coming to look for that dying rabbit/animal.... He continues right up the hill toward me and when he steps out from a behind a downed tree I put the crosshairs on his shoulder and shoot him at 10yds.... Once the smoke clears I see him half roll half trying to run up the hill again but he expires pretty quick...
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I sit for another hour but don't see anything, retrieve the coyote, snap some picture and decide to go and do a still hunt for deer as sitting here isn't getting it done plus with the heavy winds it should give me the advantage in the bush.I start off with the wind in my face... I don't make it (still hunting) 100 yds before I see this deer (small spike buck) almost broadside about 20 yds away.I quickly pull the hammer back, the crosshairs get placed behind the front shoulder and I let the muzzleloader do it's job.
Once the smoke clears, I don't see deer nor do I hear deer running/falling.... So as I reload, I wonder if I missed, after all the deer was close I should have heard him crash? Once I reload I make my way to where he was standing and find lots of blood... easy blood trail to follow, he only went about 20 yds or so.......... but I guess with the smoke, strong winds and bush being pretty dense here it was easy to not here him collapse.The view of the bush where he was taken from. Pretty thick bush in some spots as the deer is about 25yds away and I have my orange hat hanging over it yet you still can't see it....
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Even with the sled, I needed to go get some help getting him out.... Farmers are nice people :)
