DMP 25-06, glad to have you back and hope all is well. Indeed this world needs more folks like your folks. And ALL the rest of the fine contributors to this thread for that matter! I have been swamped last week or so so haven't had time to post but have been following the adventures. I literally been going since about 6 AM and just now calling it a day. No rest for the wicked I guess lol.
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Ramblings and Such From Hunting Coyote
- Thread starter DSheetz
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DMP25-06
Well-Known Member
The year was 1964 , I was 14 years old , and my brothers and I wanted to go deer hunting . Public land is nearly non-existent in Texas , and if you don't own land , you either leased property from a landowner , or you would look in the newspaper's classified listings for ranches that allowed day-hunting on their property for a nominal fee of $10.00 per day per hunter .
Well Dad and Pop found a day lease in the Texas hill country that had large a-frame ( outfitter-style ) tents with cots and a table for our group of 6 people . Just bring your sleeping bags ,
Coleman cook-stove , food , personal items , and rifle , and your group was assigned it's own exclusive pasture to hunt in .
Pop did the cooking , as usual , and after breakfast , Dad took each of us youngsters out to our blinds before dawn , and there we stayed until nearly noon . Then we were picked up and returned back to camp for lunch that Pop had prepared . Then back out in the afternoon where we stayed in our blinds until dark . return back to camp for another meal prepared by Pop .
Late that night i was awakened by a lack of sound , TOTAL QUIET , no snoring , scratching , or farting noises , just an eerie silence . I looked to the opposite end of the tent and there was Pop , shining a flashlight on the ground , making slow movements of the beam-spot on the ground in strange patterns . I started to say something , when I saw Dad laying in his cot , with his finger in front of his mouth to let me know to be quiet .
I became scared , just knowing that we had a rattlesnake inside our tent .
The TERROR inside our tent was much worse than a snake !
In the perimeter glow of the flashlight , I saw a very large skunk , tail lifted and curved , ready to spray everything . Pop was using the flashlight to make the spot of the light beam dance on the floor in front of the skunk , hoping to entice it to follow the spot outside and away from the tent . Slowly advancing , inch by inch , the skunk finally exited the tent , after what seemed to be an hour , but was probably only a few minutes .
Pop led the skunk on down the way , to over 100 yards from camp , before returning .
Pop told us at breakfast that if we saw that skunk while in our deer blinds , to shoot it , which one of my brothers did .
We did not get a deer , but we had a great time , as always .
DMP25-06
Well Dad and Pop found a day lease in the Texas hill country that had large a-frame ( outfitter-style ) tents with cots and a table for our group of 6 people . Just bring your sleeping bags ,
Coleman cook-stove , food , personal items , and rifle , and your group was assigned it's own exclusive pasture to hunt in .
Pop did the cooking , as usual , and after breakfast , Dad took each of us youngsters out to our blinds before dawn , and there we stayed until nearly noon . Then we were picked up and returned back to camp for lunch that Pop had prepared . Then back out in the afternoon where we stayed in our blinds until dark . return back to camp for another meal prepared by Pop .
Late that night i was awakened by a lack of sound , TOTAL QUIET , no snoring , scratching , or farting noises , just an eerie silence . I looked to the opposite end of the tent and there was Pop , shining a flashlight on the ground , making slow movements of the beam-spot on the ground in strange patterns . I started to say something , when I saw Dad laying in his cot , with his finger in front of his mouth to let me know to be quiet .
I became scared , just knowing that we had a rattlesnake inside our tent .
The TERROR inside our tent was much worse than a snake !
In the perimeter glow of the flashlight , I saw a very large skunk , tail lifted and curved , ready to spray everything . Pop was using the flashlight to make the spot of the light beam dance on the floor in front of the skunk , hoping to entice it to follow the spot outside and away from the tent . Slowly advancing , inch by inch , the skunk finally exited the tent , after what seemed to be an hour , but was probably only a few minutes .
Pop led the skunk on down the way , to over 100 yards from camp , before returning .
Pop told us at breakfast that if we saw that skunk while in our deer blinds , to shoot it , which one of my brothers did .
We did not get a deer , but we had a great time , as always .
DMP25-06
As kids we do not always realize at the time, sacrifices grown ups make so we can have
'life experiences"............you realize it when your older, and that is the example for you to pass on to other young people, boys and girls. I have three girls and anyone of them is a good rifle and shotgun shot, spent some quality time with them on deer, coyotes, lions, gophers.......when they were in high school I usually hunted with who ever their Bo happen to be at that time..... thank the LORD for the wonderful small things that are some of the most important things and money cannot buy memories!!
'life experiences"............you realize it when your older, and that is the example for you to pass on to other young people, boys and girls. I have three girls and anyone of them is a good rifle and shotgun shot, spent some quality time with them on deer, coyotes, lions, gophers.......when they were in high school I usually hunted with who ever their Bo happen to be at that time..... thank the LORD for the wonderful small things that are some of the most important things and money cannot buy memories!!
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DMP25-06
Well-Known Member
straightshot , How was your experience at coyote days ? It was a pleasure to meet you on your way there .
DSheetz ,
What is Coyote Days ?
Is it a gathering of coyote hunters , similar to the Rendezvous that was held each year for Mountain Men , Fur Trappers , and Fur Traders back in the early 1800's , the true pioneers who explored the Rocky Mountain Wilderness , before the westward expansion of the United States ?
DMP25-06
DMP25-06
Well-Known Member
DMP25-06 It is and it's held in Lusk Wy put on by John Graham .
DSheetz ,
First question : Is it open to the public ?
What dates does it take place , and are reservations needed ?
Do you have any contact information for John Graham ?
Thank You ,
DMP25-06
Straight Shooter
Well-Known Member
Dave, it was great getting to meet a lot of like minded people. Salt of the earth type people. Just regular people, not the type you see on tv every day. It was great visiting with you. Keep the thread going.
I was up on the mountain one nice fall day at around 8000 feet to do some coyote work for a guy when I saw a golden eagle circling it dove and hit a nice antelope buck on it's shoulders . The buck ran a couple of hundred yards then stopped . The eagle hit it again and again it ran a couple hundred yards . It was bleeding and panting I'm not sure how long this had been going on when I first saw it happening but I watched it for at least half an hour untill the buck just stood there when the eagle would hit him . The eagle then lit on his back then started picking at his ribs and opened his side after awhile more the buck fell down and the eagle was feasting on him . It isn't always so nice and peaceful in the natural world and death comes to all at some point in time so that others my eat , we as humans like to put a gentler twist on life and death .
DMP25-06
Well-Known Member
I was up on the mountain one nice fall day at around 8000 feet to do some coyote work for a guy when I saw a golden eagle circling it dove and hit a nice antelope buck on it's shoulders . The buck ran a couple of hundred yards then stopped . The eagle hit it again and again it ran a couple hundred yards . It was bleeding and panting I'm not sure how long this had been going on when I first saw it happening but I watched it for at least half an hour untill the buck just stood there when the eagle would hit him . The eagle then lit on his back then started picking at his ribs and opened his side after awhile more the buck fell down and the eagle was feasting on him . It isn't always so nice and peaceful in the natural world and death comes to all at some point in time so that others my eat , we as humans like to put a gentler twist on life and death .
Great story !!!!
All of your hours , days , months , and years spent in the outdoors , in sparsely populated areas , has allowed you to witness events that most people can't imagine .
I read your posts , and it is easy for me to imagine that I am there beside you , watching these events unfold .
I once saw a Golden Eagle miss , in an attack on a Mule Deer fawn/yearling , back in 1982 .
I was sitting just under the rim of a flat-top mesa , when I heard rocks clattering just above me . I slowly turned my head to see a mule deer doe and fawn come over the edge , and down off the flat above . Just as the fawn dropped off from the flat-top , a Golden Eagle streaked down from above , wings flared to stop it's dive , and talons open to strike the fawn , but it missed . I am rather certain that when the 2 deer dropped over the edge , that the eagle could not correct it's angle of attack , causing the miss .
There was no sound from the eagle until it's wing feathers were flared , and then I could hear the wind whizzing through the feathers .
I was within 50 feet of the deer and eagle when it happened , in a brief period of 15 - 30 seconds .
It was well worth the price of admission ...
Golden Eagles are truly awe-inspiring predators .
DMP25-06
