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Even number of coyote and trespassers tonight

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  • Bowhntr6pt

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    Stopped off at a field I've not coyote hunted in a while to see if this big gobbler I've been watching was out and about. I'm not a turkey hunter but this guy has me thinking hard about trying to get him, I saw a fairly big coyote pacing along the edge of the woods about 450-500 yards out so I figured I set up and try the field. Good thing I did.

    I was set up and about 8:20 pm I had a coyote slowly working towards me at my 1:00 as I played one of favorite sounds... LIGHTNING JACK. I panned to my right to make sure nothing was slipping up behind me only to see there was... FOUR GUYS with three dogs. They were trespassing looking to catch hogs and were coming right towards me, I can't believe they didn't hear my caller.

    I got down out of my truck and as they got close I confronted and detained them as I already was on the phone with dispatch and had guys headed to me. This makes eleven trespassers and twice my hunt has been mucked up. I called the property owner and he insisted on prosecution so they were cited and released. I went back to hunting as I was already set up and figured the night was early.

    All in all I knocked down five but one must have got up and wandered off. The grass and briars were thick in the field in some places and even with thermal finding a couple was difficult. The action was steady with a coyote coming to the call about every forty-five minutes I'd guess, called it a night at about 2am.

    Group photo... one looks to be in bad shape.

     

    DAS HUGH!

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    Man that looks like some good fun, all while keeping the critters in check. That sucks about the trespassing. I'm sure larger groups of armed strangers will make anyone nervous. Glad it turned out OK. Glad to see it didn't ruin the hunt also!
     

    Bowhntr6pt

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    Damm jerks. What was their "story"? Also put 2 hours on your time card for the week!

    Just good ole' boys doing good ole' boy stuff I suppose. One guy did have a considerable amount of marijuana but it's common everywhere.

    This county is nick-named "Hog County". Running Bay and catch dogs is a long-standing tradition down here as well as other places in central and south Florida. It's quite the hobby... PROBLEM IS... development has significantly reduced the acres available for such pastime.

    With that said, the ranch has had serious issues in the past (wasted wildlife, damaged fences, damaged gates, burglary) and I've been determined to slow it down, which I have done in the past seven years. The owners have ZERO TOLLERANCE for trespassing and after what they have been through, I don't blame them one bit.

    I told them to simply ride the county roads, get out of your truck, knock on a door, shake a man's hand, and ask for permission to run your dogs. No weapons, no drugs, no alcohol, no killing, etc. and just maybe you will get a yes... that's how I cultivated my relationship with the ranch owner over ten years ago.

    It's worse September through January as that's hunting season. How would you like to be sitting in your stand all morning not knowing just a few hours earlier several guys and a pack of dogs were running amuck?

    After last night, I've decided to toss my plate carrier, radio, and three or four flex-cuffs in a bag and keep it in the bed of the truck with me while hunting. A few years ago a murder victim was dumped just a few hundred yards from the gate, I was actually hunting several nights during the timeframe the body was dumped... you never know what you will encounter while night hunting.
     

    Jester896

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    a lot of people believe that running hogs will mess up deer hunting. I have dropped a box of dogs on a corn pile that deer were on. We ran the hogs and when we came back there were deer back on the pile. tends to make me believe it may not matter. I have also seen deer and hogs in a peanut field and as we approached the hogs to shoot the deer moved away and gave us plenty of room. Leaving the field and scanning one more time before leaving we see the deer moved back into the field. No means conclusive...but it will make you wonder.

    give me a shout and I'll come call that turkey in for you one morning ;) been a minute since I have

    IMG_1493.jpg
     

    Bowhntr6pt

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    a lot of people believe that running hogs will mess up deer hunting. I have dropped a box of dogs on a corn pile that deer were on. We ran the hogs and when we came back there were deer back on the pile. tends to make me believe it may not matter. I have also seen deer and hogs in a peanut field and as we approached the hogs to shoot the deer moved away and gave us plenty of room. Leaving the field and scanning one more time before leaving we see the deer moved back into the field. No means conclusive...but it will make you wonder.

    give me a shout and I'll come call that turkey in for you one morning ;) been a minute since I have

    View attachment 215571

    I know and have made the same similar observations while night hunting. Shoot a coyote or hog with deer nearby and they scatter but return a short while later. With that said, I prefer to have the woods as undisturbed as possible when I'm trying to get a really nice buck I've seen on camera, even if not for just the "mental aspect".

    While doe and immature bucks will most certainly return to an area after a disruption, the odds of a nice woods-wise buck returning in short order are less IMO. While nice bucks have returned withing minutes after being missed giving the hunter a second chance, it's quite the exception.

    As for the Tom, I might try for him tomorrow if I don't go coyote hunting again tonight.
     
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