A Very Disturbing Encounter.

[stka]

My friend that owns the property I've got my trail cameras on went coyote hunting last night. He had his 11 year old daughter in the stand with him for the first time, she's really taken an interest which is great. He ran his coyote call periodically for a while and never saw anything. Around 8:30-9:00 they get ready to head back to the house, so he lowers his rifle and just as he starts down the ladder something growls at him from behind the stand. Back in the stand he shines a flashlight into the brush right behind the stand and there are eyes fixed on him, more growling. He tried yelling at it to scare it off, but it only made a small movement around the base of the tree and continued to stare at him and growl. He eventually fired his 223 into the ground in the open field from the stand to finally get it to leave. The first question I asked him was how far apart the eyes were, and it basically sounds like it was a coyote. The only other thing in the area it could possibly be is the fisher, and I really doubt that's what it was. My fear now is that there might be a rabid coyote there, I didn't tell him that yet. Unfortunately he never got a decent look at what it was, but said the growling sounded lower than a coyotes. Any healthy animal should have bolted. I told him he should have shot it right between the eyes, because no matter what it was it wasn't good. I wish I was there because the story would have ended with my 30-06. What do you guys make of this encounter, I've never experienced anything like that. This is the property I do most of my hunting and walk out in the dark regularly. For the first time in my hunting career, I'm actually a little nervous about walking through there in the dark. Man I wish I finished getting my pistol permit now.

[bogmanjr]

I'm with you stka, if it was me we would know what it was.

[fly-in]

Interesting story, your right he probably should have just shot it, a wild animal should run. Could it have been a dog?

[brace]

Anything that growls at me when I'm in my tree stand (specially with my 11 yr old daughter) has made a very bad decision...

[stka]

If it was a dog it was hundreds of yards into private property from any direction and would have no reason to be there. If it was a dog acting like that I would probably shoot it any way if it wasn't tagged, but I wouldn't feel good about it. He has an 11 year old daughter and an 8 year old son that play out there.

[drobertsinMaryland]

He should of let it have it.

[fly-in]

Might be worth going back and trying the coyote call again, if it comes back you'll be ready, and it will give you some peace of mind.

[stka]

We actually work together, again. I was just talking to him and he said his daughter wasn't even put off by the encounter. She said "next time we know to just shoot it". He's already talking about going back out during the week. The one bonus for me is that the buddy stand we use for coyotes is 500 yards from my deer stands.

In case anyone is going to bring it up, yes I believe it is generally illegal to hunt coyotes with a rifle during bow season. He has gotten permission from the DEC to shoot them all year, any time. They are truly a nuisance there, eating his ducks and his neighbors chickens.

[slt]

Could have been a coyote. A number of years ago I was coon hunting. I was alone and only had one dog with me. The hound took off and in short order was trailing hard. As I stood listening to the chase, a coyote howled behind me, immediately the surrounding woods howled in response, I don't care who you are, It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and made me a bit nervous. Pretty soon the dog was barking tree and right after I could hear a hell of a fight break out between my dog and the coyotes. I ran in to the dog yelling and screaming for all that I was worth. When I reached to dog he was a bit bloody, but none the worse for wear but stood with his back to a big pine growling into the darkness. The darkness was growling back at us. I could pick up eyes with my light, lots of them as they milled around. At that time coon hunters were restricted to .22 handguns and that was what I had......and it was a single shot. I put the dog on the leash and started back for the truck, still yelling and throwing sticks and rocks into the darkness at the sounds of the coyotes as they followed us back to the truck. This went on  for better than three hundred yards. As we neared the truck my dog broke free and hauled you know what and gave a leap into the bed of the truck. He looked back at me as if to say " Hurry up man,,,,they are right behind us!" I got the heck out of there pronto. I went back there several time after that but never alone and never with just a single dog. I'll admit to being a bit rattled over the incident and it still remains the only time I can remember being truly frightened while hunting.

[brace]

Could have been a coyote. A number of years ago I was coon hunting. I was alone and only had one dog with me. The hound took off and in short order was trailing hard. As I stood listening to the chase, a coyote howled behind me, immediately the surrounding woods howled in response, I don't care who you are, It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and made me a bit nervous. Pretty soon the dog was barking tree and right after I could hear a hell of a fight break out between my dog and the coyotes. I ran in to the dog yelling and screaming for all that I was worth. When I reached to dog he was a bit bloody, but none the worse for wear but stood with his back to a big pine growling into the darkness. The darkness was growling back at us. I could pick up eyes with my light, lots of them as they milled around. At that time coon hunters were restricted to .22 handguns and that was what I had......and it was a single shot. I put the dog on the leash and started back for the truck, still yelling and throwing sticks and rocks into the darkness at the sounds of the coyotes as they followed us back to the truck. This went on  for better than three hundred yards. As we neared the truck my dog broke free and hauled you know what and gave a leap into the bed of the truck. He looked back at me as if to say " Hurry up man,,,,they are right behind us!" I got the heck out of there pronto. I went back there several time after that but never alone and never with just a single dog. I'll admit to being a bit rattled over the incident and it still remains the only time I can remember being truly frightened while hunting.

WOW, that must have been something!!  Kudos to your dog - Sounds like acquitted himself nicely against long odds. 

[upstatehunter]

Well, it may have been a domestic dog(more probable from the growling) Running deer. That's not that far from houses to think a dog would be there.
I've seen them running deer miles from home. For that reason, easy to say it was, and end the situation.
It is also not beyond possibility that he may have startled a large coyote. With the light in it's face it didn't know what he was. Again that's what he was hunting.
As for carrying a pistol, don't get caught during bow season. Even if you have a permit is is not legal to have in your possesion or be in the company of anyone that has a firearm, or handgun.

[stka]

It is a real unnerving feeling. We were set up in the middle of the pasture one night for coyotes. As soon as I started the electronic call sequence the entire wood line erupted with howling and barking, even with two high powered rifles that makes you feel a bit nervous in the dark.

[stka]

I left out that he was also banging the metal flashlight against the treestand before he started yelling. I don't have the pistol permit any way.

[aquaassassin]

I would have smoked it, if I knew it was  100% no way a human and its growling at me with my little girl im sorry but its dying no ?s asked. I dont care coyote or dog. A lot of states it is legal to kill dogs anyways if you catch them in the act of chasing or harassing wildlife. Dont get me wrong im not looking to hurt somebodys pet in any way, but that would push me over the edge.

[fly-in]

I would have smoked it, if I knew it was  100% no way a human and its growling at me with my little girl im sorry but its dying

LOL, if it was a human growling at you, you might be doing them a big favor