| Through
The Eyes Of A Young Hunter
I want to take the opportunity in this column to talk about the importance
of predator control. Just a few years ago there were a limited number of
coyotes in our area. In just the last couple of years we have had unusually
warm winters and the population of coyotes has exploded. It went from rarely
seeing a coyote, to seeing numerous coyotes every time I was sitting in
a treestand.
 With
the increasing population of coyotes, small game such as rabbits and quail
have been impacted and are beginning to be a rare sight. Even turkeys,
with their keen senses, are no match for these perfect predators.
The most amazing encounter I have had was when I was stalking deer.
I saw a coyote chasing 3 mature whitetails and while he was in pursuit,
he was actually barking, yelping and calling for help. I already knew that
coyotes claimed many fawns but I never realized they would take down a
mature, healthy whitetail. They do this by hunting in packs.
With the growing coyote population, they are also attacking and killing
people's pets and livestock. Small pigs and lambs are defenseless, easy
prey. A friend of mine lost 5 calves last spring to these vicious predators.
As an outdoor-writer, outdoorsman and good conservationist, I believe
that everyone and everything has a right to share this earth. When a population
goes unchecked however, they become a dominant species. With a lost interest
in coyote hunting and low fur prices these predators have caused an imbalance
of nature.
On Oct.7, 2001 I was sitting in a treestand deer hunting, when suddenly
three does came running past my stand. I grunted and stopped one of the
does. I noticed that she was looking back at something. I looked
back in the direction she was, thinking I was going to see a buck, when
I saw the coyote. The coyote also heard me grunt, looked up and saw me.
He then quietly slipped over the hill, out of sight.
 The
doe walked right in underneath my stand and stopped at 11 yards. I drew
back as she gave me a perfect broadside shot. I had just harvested my first
doe of the 2001 deer season.
Thirteen days later I was hunting the same stand. I heard something
with my Walker's Game Ear, turned around and there was a coyote. I had
used some Cannon Country Dominant Buck Lure under my stand and the coyote
followed the scent trail right into it. At 13 yards I drew my Mathews and
squeezed off the shot. Talk about your close encounters, not only did I
take my first coyote with a bow, but I took him at 13 yards.
I always wanted to take a coyote with my bow and the MUZZY 4-Blade certainly
did the trick on one of God's perfect predators. They have good eyesight
and like most predators, an incredible sense of smell. I know by using
my Walls Realtree camo with Scent-Lok Odor-Eliminating lining I was able
to avoid both of this coyotes senses.
I certainly have nothing against gun hunting at 200-300 yards, but one
on one with a whitetail deer and coyote at less than 20 yards with a bow,
is the heart pounding experience of a lifetime.
Randy
 Randy
Oitker, age 14, is an avid bowhunter and outdoor sports writer. Randy is
also a professional archer who hails from Plainville, IL. He competes in
the 3-D archery circuits and is a two time NABH World Champion and a three
time NABH Shooter of the Year. He holds 17 national titles.
Randy Oitker is sponsored
by:
Mathews Solo-Cam Bows, Walls
Outdoor Wear, Bushnell Sport Optics, Muzzy Products, Walker's Game Ear,
Scent-Lok Odor-Eliminating Suits, Carbon Express Arrows, Realtree Camo,
Toxonics World Class Bowsights, Shrewd Archery Products, Feather Visions
lenses, Rinehart 3-D targets, Rock-It Outdoors, Morrell Archery Range Bags,
Cannon Country Game Calls, Bolle eyewear, Bushnell's Secrets of the Hunt,
Carter Releases, Outdoor Edge Knives, SKB Bowcases, BCY Bowstrings, Treelounge,
Duravanes, Knight Rifles, Ithaca Guns, Harpole's Heartland Lodge, and local
sponsors from Quincy, IL.: Gem City Ford and McDonalds Restaurants. |
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