5th set of a so far uneventful evening/night. I made the 1st set daylight to dark with the scattergun in the woods. Next came 3 properties with the last productive.
The call was 50-60y to my 12;00 with the wind from my 3;00. Started with 6-7 min of rat and bird then silence. Next I single howled and played a pair howl into it. Got an answer from a single about 800-1000y at my 5:00 and from the ridge behind me. Now I am thinking "do I move or stay" as normally around here they won't come that far. I sat in silence for ~10-12min then ran a short, deep male howl. He answered from the bottom around my 3:30 and had cut the distance in half.
I need to move about 20yds to the fence corner because of the corral fence I am sitting against blocks any shooting past 3:00. That done (I am now facing my original 3:00) I wait and watch. He has to be around the cattle I can partially see over the roll in the ground. I catch a glimpse of white to my right and stand up to see over the roll, sit back down as it emerges, get in the gun, then id it as a barn cat-chit!
I scan back counterclockwise and there he is inside 100 closing towards the silent call quickly. I get in the gun, bark, he looks but don't stop, repeat with the same result. Next I say the "Korey hey"-it takes 2 of them to stop him. I squeeze. NOTHING-the trigger comes all the way back! CHIT!!! I reach for the bolt and realize the handle is UP. I lower it and bang (I neck size, so my brass fit the chamber tight and normally the bolt won't fall back when shouldering). About 50yds and a rushed shot. Adult male. 29min into set and 12:28am 3-29-2024, my 73rd.
The double gate into this pasture is in disrepair on one side and very noisy when opening so I climbed over the good side at the hinges. When I do this, I raise the bolt handle and forgot to lower it. senior moment #1 at 73.
The call was 50-60y to my 12;00 with the wind from my 3;00. Started with 6-7 min of rat and bird then silence. Next I single howled and played a pair howl into it. Got an answer from a single about 800-1000y at my 5:00 and from the ridge behind me. Now I am thinking "do I move or stay" as normally around here they won't come that far. I sat in silence for ~10-12min then ran a short, deep male howl. He answered from the bottom around my 3:30 and had cut the distance in half.
I need to move about 20yds to the fence corner because of the corral fence I am sitting against blocks any shooting past 3:00. That done (I am now facing my original 3:00) I wait and watch. He has to be around the cattle I can partially see over the roll in the ground. I catch a glimpse of white to my right and stand up to see over the roll, sit back down as it emerges, get in the gun, then id it as a barn cat-chit!
I scan back counterclockwise and there he is inside 100 closing towards the silent call quickly. I get in the gun, bark, he looks but don't stop, repeat with the same result. Next I say the "Korey hey"-it takes 2 of them to stop him. I squeeze. NOTHING-the trigger comes all the way back! CHIT!!! I reach for the bolt and realize the handle is UP. I lower it and bang (I neck size, so my brass fit the chamber tight and normally the bolt won't fall back when shouldering). About 50yds and a rushed shot. Adult male. 29min into set and 12:28am 3-29-2024, my 73rd.
The double gate into this pasture is in disrepair on one side and very noisy when opening so I climbed over the good side at the hinges. When I do this, I raise the bolt handle and forgot to lower it. senior moment #1 at 73.
