WOW what a rush! Not sure how to begin!
I am new to the crossbow and this is the first time we can use it in Michigan. What a way to start!
I was sitting in my tree waiting for a decent buck to arrive. My stand is on the top of a very high hard woods ridge between two lakes and a large creek bottom. Some directions I cannot see past 40 yards. In the right line I can see the top of another ridge over 200 yards away.
I had had not seen anything I want to shoot...until now. I saw a coyote heading down the other ridge. I quickly took out the Death Cry call from my pocket and started calling. Only a minute passed and the coyote appeared on my ridge and passed me not getting within 40 yards and not breaking the ground covering lope it was in.
I called again only much quieter and at a higher pitch. I could see the coyote now swinging to get behind me. It had already passed down wind of me. I kept calling an now the coyote was circling up to me. It was now on an old logging trail. I had my Defender up and ready. SUDDENLY a low flying Bush plane came over head. The coyote turned and ran back to the ridge. I was NOT a happy camper at this point.
I decided to call again figuring the plane had spooked the coyote. To my surprise the coyote appeared on top of the ridge and a little closer to me. I again gave a few high pitch calls on the Death Cry. The coyote looks my direction and comes my way at a fast walk. The coyote is closing fast. The coyote paused around 30 yards out behind a tree I called softly...Movement caught my attention on top of the ridge again. IT was a second coyote now coming my way.
The closer coyote was now closing on me. This is all now taking place down wind of me. I was getting nervous as to how close the first coyote was and it was not stopping. The back coyote was now about 60 yards out.
The lead coyote now stopped right at 20 yards quartering slightly to me. I centered the cross hair and squeezed the trigger. I heard the arrow hit and the coyote let out a yip. In a flash the coyote was running towards the trailing coyote. It was running alongside a large down ash. When it came to the opening I chainsawed in, the coyote crossed through it. The coyote looked to be going down as it topped the ridge. A split second later I Heard a lot of brush breaking and I figured it was down. To my amazement the second coyote was still standing there looking to where the first coyote ran.
I attached my rope cocker to the crossbow and pulled as quietly and smoothly as I could. MAN I was just hoping to get a shot at the second. I got the bow cocked and now needed to retrieve an arrow to load. I got the arrow and placed it onto the crossbow. THIS was not an easy task.
The remaining coyote had now moved over to the ridge passing where the first had gone down. Just as I was hoping to get a shot the coyote disappeared over the top of the ridge. I quickly grabbed my call and softly called. The coyote reappeared on the ridge and was walking to my left.
The coyote was now just a tad skittish ( don't know why lol) or acted like it, but never looked my way. The coyote now stopped slight quartering away at 40 yards. I centered my 40 yard mark on it's chest and squeezed the trigger once more.
I didn't hear the impact but the coyote was on the run. It entered the valley below me looking as it had been hit. I lost sight of it about 80 yards out in the raspberry bushes.
I waited 45 minutes before climbing down. Following the bloodtrail to the first coyote was easy. I carried it out to the two track after admiring her a bit. Then I went to see if the second was hit.
I could find no hair or blood where I Though the coyote stood. The back drop was a large creek bottom full of tag alder and marsh grass. About two stories below the ridge line. MY arrow is out there and will remain.
I walked over to where I saw the coyote enter the valley. I looked down and there was the blood. I took up the track and lost it for second in the think raspberries. I now wondered if I lost my chance at a crossbow double. I though now way, I gotta find it. I circled and finally found more blood. It had turned 90 in the thick stuff. I had a decent trail and followed it. A few broken raspberry branches help point the way. I had now gone about 130 to 150 yards. Now I saw about three really nice splotches of blood. I stood up and looked around as the vegetation was getting sparse. I saw the tan colored furry hump from where I was about 15 feet from the downed coyote. To say I was pumped would be an understatement. I just had to tell somebody so I called Yellerdog (My partner) on my cell phone and told him the whole story!
I had accomplished what I didn't really think could be done. I had called in a pair of coyotes to the bow, shot one, reloaded and re cocked the crossbow without spooking the second and then called it closer for the attempt for a double. Made the attempt and succeeded.
Skinner
I am new to the crossbow and this is the first time we can use it in Michigan. What a way to start!
I was sitting in my tree waiting for a decent buck to arrive. My stand is on the top of a very high hard woods ridge between two lakes and a large creek bottom. Some directions I cannot see past 40 yards. In the right line I can see the top of another ridge over 200 yards away.
I had had not seen anything I want to shoot...until now. I saw a coyote heading down the other ridge. I quickly took out the Death Cry call from my pocket and started calling. Only a minute passed and the coyote appeared on my ridge and passed me not getting within 40 yards and not breaking the ground covering lope it was in.
I called again only much quieter and at a higher pitch. I could see the coyote now swinging to get behind me. It had already passed down wind of me. I kept calling an now the coyote was circling up to me. It was now on an old logging trail. I had my Defender up and ready. SUDDENLY a low flying Bush plane came over head. The coyote turned and ran back to the ridge. I was NOT a happy camper at this point.
I decided to call again figuring the plane had spooked the coyote. To my surprise the coyote appeared on top of the ridge and a little closer to me. I again gave a few high pitch calls on the Death Cry. The coyote looks my direction and comes my way at a fast walk. The coyote is closing fast. The coyote paused around 30 yards out behind a tree I called softly...Movement caught my attention on top of the ridge again. IT was a second coyote now coming my way.
The closer coyote was now closing on me. This is all now taking place down wind of me. I was getting nervous as to how close the first coyote was and it was not stopping. The back coyote was now about 60 yards out.
The lead coyote now stopped right at 20 yards quartering slightly to me. I centered the cross hair and squeezed the trigger. I heard the arrow hit and the coyote let out a yip. In a flash the coyote was running towards the trailing coyote. It was running alongside a large down ash. When it came to the opening I chainsawed in, the coyote crossed through it. The coyote looked to be going down as it topped the ridge. A split second later I Heard a lot of brush breaking and I figured it was down. To my amazement the second coyote was still standing there looking to where the first coyote ran.
I attached my rope cocker to the crossbow and pulled as quietly and smoothly as I could. MAN I was just hoping to get a shot at the second. I got the bow cocked and now needed to retrieve an arrow to load. I got the arrow and placed it onto the crossbow. THIS was not an easy task.
The remaining coyote had now moved over to the ridge passing where the first had gone down. Just as I was hoping to get a shot the coyote disappeared over the top of the ridge. I quickly grabbed my call and softly called. The coyote reappeared on the ridge and was walking to my left.
The coyote was now just a tad skittish ( don't know why lol) or acted like it, but never looked my way. The coyote now stopped slight quartering away at 40 yards. I centered my 40 yard mark on it's chest and squeezed the trigger once more.
I didn't hear the impact but the coyote was on the run. It entered the valley below me looking as it had been hit. I lost sight of it about 80 yards out in the raspberry bushes.
I waited 45 minutes before climbing down. Following the bloodtrail to the first coyote was easy. I carried it out to the two track after admiring her a bit. Then I went to see if the second was hit.
I could find no hair or blood where I Though the coyote stood. The back drop was a large creek bottom full of tag alder and marsh grass. About two stories below the ridge line. MY arrow is out there and will remain.
I walked over to where I saw the coyote enter the valley. I looked down and there was the blood. I took up the track and lost it for second in the think raspberries. I now wondered if I lost my chance at a crossbow double. I though now way, I gotta find it. I circled and finally found more blood. It had turned 90 in the thick stuff. I had a decent trail and followed it. A few broken raspberry branches help point the way. I had now gone about 130 to 150 yards. Now I saw about three really nice splotches of blood. I stood up and looked around as the vegetation was getting sparse. I saw the tan colored furry hump from where I was about 15 feet from the downed coyote. To say I was pumped would be an understatement. I just had to tell somebody so I called Yellerdog (My partner) on my cell phone and told him the whole story!
I had accomplished what I didn't really think could be done. I had called in a pair of coyotes to the bow, shot one, reloaded and re cocked the crossbow without spooking the second and then called it closer for the attempt for a double. Made the attempt and succeeded.
Skinner
Last edited by a moderator:
...nice to hear that crossbow is working for you...keep us updated on how it does on the deer
