I finally got to get out and chase critters a couple weeks ago. My friend has been losing chickens regularly and asked me to see if I could shoot anything that would kill a chicken, so I was happy to oblige. Earlier in the evening, I was watching a feeder and pasture when a corn thief showed up. I stalked in from about 150 yds to within 50 when I slipped and bumped my tripod. The coon was spooky enough to vacate the area. I returned to my position sitting in the "ranger" and continued watching when I looked on my side of the pasture and spotted a coyote only 15 yds away and coming towards me. Needless to say he escaped unharmed. So far I'm 0 for 2. I watched a whitetail wander around the pasture for a while when another coon showed up at the feeder. This time I was much more careful not to make any unnatural sounds and at 50 yds, dropped the coon under the feeder. I didn't remember to turn on the video, (haven't been night hunting in a loooong time) so no documentation of this one. Curiously, the deer didn't pay any attention to me walking around and shooting the trash panda. I watched for a little while and decided to get the coon tossed in the bone pit and go check the barn area for any intruders. After making the rounds, I was about to go back to the other pasture when I noticed a single hog down the hill from the barn. He kept moving around some big trees so a shot from where I was would have been difficult. I slowly closed the distance picking my way down a steep hill in the total darkness feeling my way one step at a time. I stopped about 30 yds from him and waited for him to give me a good shot.
As it turned out, he was rooting in a sloppy nasty drainage and that's where he dropped. When I tried to get to him, I left my shooting sticks where I was and just after crossing the water, I spotted a coyote sitting in the open watching me. I hastily set up on a fence post that turned out to be wobbly and tried to make a shot. I missed, but couldn't figure out why until I played the video one frame at a time and saw that I pulled the crosshairs off the left side just one frame before the shot broke. I gave up after that and ended the night at only 2 for 5. I really need to get out more often.
As it turned out, he was rooting in a sloppy nasty drainage and that's where he dropped. When I tried to get to him, I left my shooting sticks where I was and just after crossing the water, I spotted a coyote sitting in the open watching me. I hastily set up on a fence post that turned out to be wobbly and tried to make a shot. I missed, but couldn't figure out why until I played the video one frame at a time and saw that I pulled the crosshairs off the left side just one frame before the shot broke. I gave up after that and ended the night at only 2 for 5. I really need to get out more often.
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