TRICK OR TREAT

First, Savage Lynch's "DEER REPORT"- Young Bob Rowe shot 175 lb. 8 pointer. I think he got it on his new property, that backs up to the family farm. A kid shot a coyote across the river. The coyote was chasing a big group of deer through the woods when the kid stopped it with a bleat call and arrowed him. Osti missed an 8 pointer down on GNJohn's place. He missed it twice. He shot over it, then under it. I've seen four does and I kicked them out getting to the stand. I haven't hunted hard.

   After my miss I have hunted hard. I saw the buck once more and that was it. Since then I've seen only spikes and does, along with four turkeys in three different spots, two coyotes,  three eagles, a porcupine, and one rabbit. This morning I was going to try to shoot a doe behind Elijah's trailer, if I got a good shot. I didn't want to foul the river stand by shooting a doe there. I jumped a half dozen deer going in and never saw another one all morning.

   In the late afternoon I went back in the river stand. Nothing was in either GNJohn's jungle of golden rod or Gilkey's mowed pasture. About 5pm I caught sight of something coming across Gilky's field from the ridge. It was a dark coyote. Then another one- a light red shouldered one. After hearing Savage's story I had begun carrying the bleat call. I let out a soft Baaaaaaaaaaaa. They paid no attention. The lighter one pounced on a mouse and the dark one peeled off, slinking it's way towards me in the stream bed. The light one laid so flat it disappeared and I lost sight of the dark one. Then I remembered I had a turkey call on me. I did a series of yelps, trying to roust the one in the field. He didn't move. I'd no sooner sat down and the dark one stepped into a grassy opening, not 15 yards in front of me. He looked straight at me. When I slowly tried to raise the bow, he bolted, joining the light one in the field. They both flattened themselves out like dust spots and laid in wait until dark.

   During the coyote show a single doe crossed GNJohn's field and was now within range. I had that little angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. The angel, with a voice not unlike Shewho's daughter said "You better not fucking shoot that doe. (the kid's got a mouth on her) That could be Daffodil. You said you weren't going to shoot a doe down here. REMEMBER?" On the other shoulder all I heard was stomach gurgling hunger pangs and lip smacking slobber. "Ooooooh, with a little ginger, and mushrooms......." Then I saw a horn. It was that tiny spike that had been in the orchard the night I missed the big one. Phew! He better grow those horns a little faster if he wants to make it through the season.