2009.10.27
Jason Nicholson doubles on a buck and coyote
Jason Nicholson didn't have much time after work on Oct. 21, especially since he promised his wife he would be home early and wouldn't hunt. But he wanted to run out and pull the memory card from one of his trail cameras. Not wanting to take any chances he took along his bow. I'll let him take it from here:
"I made all kinds of noise because I was in a hurry. I got to the camera and took the memory card out and started viewing what was on there with my digital camera while sitting in my tree stand. It wasn’t five minutes and nine deer were under me, all does and there little ones. They hung around for a few minutes until this coyote scared them off. I shot him at 20 yards (first coyote).
Then 15 minutes later a six-pointer which I have on the trail camera showed up with this good eight-pointer trailing him. This is the first time seeing this eight-pointer. He is more than likely a 2 ½-year-old but he looked pretty good and he was hard to pass so I stuck him. (With a 100-grain Thunderhead, same as the coyote).
What did I learn? I learned no matter how much you try to sneak in the woods you may or may not see deer. I made too much noise if I were going to hunt. I had my dress pants on with my green rubber boots and only my camo jacket, no hood, no mask, no gloves, no cover scent. Basically all the tricks I’ve learned over the past 20 years were out the door on this venture. All the stars must have been aligned for me yesterday because it was a perfect hunting evening! The buck weighed in at 170 pounds field dressed and sported a 16 ½-inch spread."
Wow! Maybe Jason can weigh in here and tell us what kind of area he was hunting. Whatever it was it sure was a hot spot.
Congrats Jason! If you tell us your scent was blowing the direction that the deer and coyote came from then I know the stars were just right! Right place, right time. Meant to be. However you want to look at it, you scored and you scored big. Hope your wife wasn't upset.
Comment by Jim Basham — October 27, 2009 @ 4:12 pm
Jim - the wind was actually swirling that evening but it kind of reminded me of a camp fire...ya know how no matter where you walk the smoke follows? Well, the wind would blew the opposite way from the Coyote and Buck so I believe the stars were aligned and the man upstairs wanted to bless me with a great hunt. I was hunting the edge of a powerline; if you have any property that has a powerline on it I suggest putting up a stand.
Comment by Jason — October 27, 2009 @ 7:16 pm
Dude this is an awsome story! I used to get caught up in the whole scent prevention and ground masking scents.I've learned over the years that you can do all the preperations of coving your scent, but deer will smell you if they wind you no matter what. I do what I can to be "scent-free" but do not go to the extremes anymore. As a bowhunter, I know now that wind is of upmost importance period!!!
You got yourself a very fine looking buck and at least you had a good reason to be late coming home. I would say the couch would be a fair trade for such a awsome deer!
Comment by J.R. — October 27, 2009 @ 7:21 pm
Nice story, congrats! Reminds me of my first turkey- I had hunted several times prior with no luck in different places, full camo, etc. Last fall at the begining of the gun season I had just come home from work, in a dress shirt and tie, to see a gang of turkeys in the woods behind the house. Grabbed the shotgun and snuck out to a tree undetected, still in white dress shirt and tie and got a shot at 10 yards. Sometimes things just fall into place!
Comment by J.T. — October 28, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
I once climbed up a ridge hauling a stand, and made tons of noise and got sweaty as heck hanging it, which I didn't finish until about an hour before sunset.
I had just settled in for a very short bowhunt when the adjacent and very close property owner started shooting his muzzleloader (sighting-in) every five minutes for the next hour.
He finally finished and five minutes later a great shooter buck walked right in and gave me a 20-yard broadside shot. Which I missed.
Comment by Mark Taylor — October 28, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
Great story! Great Hunt! great animals!
What else can I say?!!!
Congratulations Jason!
Comment by Ralph Barton — October 28, 2009 @ 2:22 pm