First Trad Buck/ Birthday Buck!

[Jake Scott]

Congrats, sorry about the dern 'yotes.

Very moving story, and the respect you showed him reflects your character as a woodsman.  A very fine animal.

Jake

[NittanyRider]

Great storytelling, David, and sorry about the coyotes.

[Whip]

You did everything right on a great buck David.  Maybe you could have beaten the yotes by continuing the track that night, but maybe you would have pushed him hard enough that you would have never found him.  It's hard to know the answer, but you made the call and did the right thing.  Always a roll of the dice, but it's all we can do.  

So to be honest, I don't know what the lesson to be learned is other than we are just one part of the cycle of life in the wild.  Sometimes we eat, and sometimes the other players in natures cycle do.  You did everything by the book, and I wouldn't have changed a thing.

When all is said and done, even if you beat the others predators to the the meat, it ends up being eaten and all you are left with are memories.  Your history with that buck should hold fond memories in your heart for a long time to come.  

Congratulations on a great deer!

[STL]

Great story, and congratulations!

Thanks for taking the time to share.

[MISSINGINOHIO]

Congrats on buck sorry about meat but it happens.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Great Buck. Bummer about the coyotes but it happens to all. I think you made the right decision to back out.

[Sawpilot 75]

One of the best short stories of a hunt I have ever read. Very well done.. Thank you for taking us along. All we can do is show respect for these great creatures. Unfortunately even when we make the right call nature has a way of handling things we have no control over. Congrats.

[Kip]

David ,having hunted with you and Mike I know you and Mike did everything right to recover this buck.Congrats fine buck and be proud of him.Don't lose sleep on what if.Kip  

[woodchucker]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! and Happy Birthday!!!!!  

I have lost alot of deer over the last 30+ years to coyotes. Some, after only hours... But EVERY deer I have left overnight, was found by them, before I found it. For this reason, I usualy only hunt mornings. Reguardless, Once I'm on a track, I stay on it!!! I usualy give them a 1/2 hour, to an hour, then go investigate. If the shot looks good, I follow it up... SLOWLY!!! If not, I hang around, THINKING... Check & reread the sign, look over the terrain, and try to put myself in the deer's head.(not an easy thing to do!) If it get's dark, we stay on it... SLOWLY!!! I truely believe the human presence around the trail,keeps the yotes away.

Congratulations Again!!!!

[jt85]

Great buck a dandy for sure. Sorry about the coyotes but nothing you can do about that don't let it eat at you.

[pitbull]

Awesome buck and story David, I've fed the yotes before also.    

[KentuckyTJ]

David, first off congrats Brother thats a great deer!

As I have just recently lost another deer to the coyotes I have pondered on this dilemma for a bit and have come up with what I think is a good solution.

The next deer I shoot and deem it best to back out on overnight I plan to park the truck as close as possible and camp out with the window down in hopes of hearing a group of our furry foes on their feeding frenzy if they find my deer before I get a chance to.

If you hear them, we could then rush in. I don't know if this would work but I really think it will.

[Izzy]

Congrats on a mixed reward hunt and happy birthday. Hopefully you fill your freezer up with a doe or three . Your story was told as well as any Ive ever read here,  excellent wording and story structure. Im not a teacher or anything but I know how to read .  

[steadman]

Congrats on the buck! Sorry about the coyotes. That's a kick in the gut for sure. A lot of us have been there, including myself.

[Tsalt]

Great buck.  Sorry about the dang yotes!  I hate that such an awesome moment was tainted by the loss of meat and defilement of the beautiful buck.  Like everyone has said...seems to be unavoidable sometimes.  At any rate... awesome job and great story-telling!  Thanks for sharing.

[varmint101]

Congrats!

[23feetupandhappy]

I hear ya on loosing the meat that was intended for your family.........

My first Trad buck was filled with many of the same highs and lows, he got chewed on a tinny bit but man the reward of hard work and sharing it dedicated friends......... theres nothing better    

Congrats on the first of many  

[Bernie B.]

You write a good story.  Sorry about the loss to the coyotes, but as mentioned numerous times you did everything that we've been taught.  Those yotes seem to be not only expanding their territory, but getting out of control in many areas.  Congratulations!

Good luck with your future fall hunts!  

Bernie

[Kopper1013]

Sorry about the yotes, don't second guess yourself, you never know if he would of kept going if you stayed on him all night or if the yotes would have found him so quickly. Congrats on your first buck he sure is a dandy, now get back out there and put one in the freezer

        congratts! on your first buck trad style, the coyote is just another predator like us, he will eat when he gets the oprotunity, and he did. you cant blame them for doing what they do.