Well, it wasn't meant to happen last night. I started at 7:30pm and I didn't quit till 2:30am... It was the worst night to pick to do this coyote hunt because it was windy as hell and cold as Eskimo's ass. I began the night with lots of enthusiasm and excitement with the new shooting spot up high from the loft. I guess I was too eager to succeed and ended up failing miserably tonight. Wind was howling all day and continued into the night.
Upon my arrival, I quickly scanned the area for rats to use as bait. The Hades found two rats at 21 yards and that was all I could get as the rats were not coming out with the storm Stirling in the horizon. Realizing I wasn't going to get anymore rats, I turned on the trail cam and placed these bodies at the bait station 25 yards from my elevated shooting spot. My Impact, lazy chair and tripod was already up on the loft so I brought only my backpack filled with snacks and hot coffee. And I brought a blanket as well just in case. Well, I wished I would have brought a thick wool blanket or better yet, a heating blanket as I soon found out I needed the latter.
Wind was gusting thru the opening and blowing to my face as I settled into my chair. My first thought was, "this is great as the coyotes would not be able to smell my scent". Ya, the cold gusting wind didn't stop for 6-1/2 hours straight with increasing speed and coldness to boot. But I was too excited and didn't care about the strong wind blowing at my face in the first hour of sitting there. My eyes were glued to the field below, scanning left to right and anticipation of spotting a coyote.
An hour gone by and nothing happened. I was being patience and optimistic that the coyotes would come soon or later. I was planning to stay as long as it takes to get my chance at a coyote.
Second hour gone by and still nothing but howling wind getting stronger and stronger. Roof tins were flapping loudly and some of the sidings of the barn were loose and banging with each onslaught of the wind. It wasn't a quiet night. By now I was feeling the cold and being uncomfortable as my adrenaline has subsided somewhat with no sign of any coyotes. My eyes continued to monitor the trail cam mounted on the fence pole 38 yards in front of me. I tried to encourage myself and prey that any moment those IR red lights would come on. Nothing...
Coming up to 11pm and I got a bit excited again as that was the time the coyote showed up the night before. I was hoping these are creatures of habit and that they would return the same time. Well, you guessed it right. Nothing but more pounding wind and some light rain blanketing the area. Having nothing else to do but to keep myself warm, I began to wrap the blanket around me like a giant sushi roll. No matter how much I wrapped the blanket, the cold air still find ways to knife thru and sending sharp cold breeze into my body. Ya, I wasn't happy with the situation I was in. I told myself that I am tough, patience and definitely not a quitter. So suck it up and continue to stalk these bloody coyotes. Ha, easily said than done. I was getting tired, cold and sleepy. But I didn't want to close my eyes for too long as any moment the coyotes might just showed up and feast on the two rats. I wasn't going to miss that chance, especially after 3-1/2 hours already.
12am came rather quickly so it seem. Perhaps my mind was in denial and have lost in time. Not only I was getting more exhausted and cold but my brain also began to act up. I was beginning to see objects moving and shifting around in the field. I think I was beginning to hallucinate and seeing things that I wanted to see, like coyotes coming thru the fence going for the bait. Again, no such thing. So I tried to combat the cold by wrapping the blanket around me as if I was in a cocoon. It stopped the wind hitting my face but the cold was still there. Of course I didn't want to miss my chance of a coyote encounter so the blanket never covered my face for more than 30 seconds or was that 30mins? I don't remember...
I know I have a lot of patience but I think I was just insane to torture myself tonight to hunt in this weather condition. Even the coyotes were smart enough to not go searching for food in this stormy night. Ya, I am a nut case who got the "coyote fever" syndrome.
I don't know what happened to 1am but I know there were still no sign of coyotes. 2am came around and my senses finally kicked in. I accepted the defeat and I will find the battle another day so I gradually packed up my gear and carefully climbed down the vertical ladder to make sure I didn't fall down the hole. At least I was still sane to be safe and drive myself home safe.
Yes it was a wrong choice to do the hunt tonight. It was a waste of 7-1/2 hours of my life, but heck what else would I be doing at home anywhere? Watching Youtube or reading AGN forums? LOL.
The saga continues.... maybe next Saturday will yield a fruitful night.
Thank you for reading.
