My worst morning ever in over 45 years of hunting! It was one of those where the inner voice says sleep in, but you ignore it because the deer are in the woods somewhere, right?! The wind was whipping, so I went to a preset close to where I park with the wind hitting me in the face.
I climbed up only to remember I didn't finish cutting all the limbs off this poplar at hunting height when I set this one. First strike - I forgot my saw, so I had to stay lower than planned and had one leg lower than the other on the stick ladder without double sided steps (also decided to leave my platform at home today since this would only be a 2 hour hunt at most...strike two).
After getting tethered in and my muzzleloader pulled up, it all started with a faint whiff. It kept getting stronger - the worst possible smell you can imagine. I looked up the tree expecting to find a dead squirrel, but nothing there. As it started getting light enough to see a bit, there was strike three! I had stepped in extremely fresh coyote crap very near the tree and it was all over my left boot, the stick ladder, and somehow on my right knee pad, and pants leg (strikes four through six). Oh yea, and on my gloves (strike seven). Being such a dedicated, as in stupid, hunter, I thought I would tough it out. After gagging for about 30 mins, I gave up and a spike came by to add insult to injury just as I climbed down. At the bottom of the tree, I realized I also had it on the tag end of my tether (strike eight). I had to drive home with all windows down in 36 degree temp, still gagging the whole way. It was horrible!
On a plus note, there is no way a deer could smell me, this stuff is the ultimate cover scent. The spike definitely only smelled the crap and was looking all around for the poor dog with bad diarrhea! I know the THP boys hear deer coughing alot on their videos, but they have never heard a deer laughing like the spike did this morning at me. Sorry Scent Lok or Ozonics fans, but your gear couldn't stop this stuff, I guarantee it. And if anyone needs some free knee pads and gloves, they will be laying at the base of the tree for a while, come get them!
I climbed up only to remember I didn't finish cutting all the limbs off this poplar at hunting height when I set this one. First strike - I forgot my saw, so I had to stay lower than planned and had one leg lower than the other on the stick ladder without double sided steps (also decided to leave my platform at home today since this would only be a 2 hour hunt at most...strike two).
After getting tethered in and my muzzleloader pulled up, it all started with a faint whiff. It kept getting stronger - the worst possible smell you can imagine. I looked up the tree expecting to find a dead squirrel, but nothing there. As it started getting light enough to see a bit, there was strike three! I had stepped in extremely fresh coyote crap very near the tree and it was all over my left boot, the stick ladder, and somehow on my right knee pad, and pants leg (strikes four through six). Oh yea, and on my gloves (strike seven). Being such a dedicated, as in stupid, hunter, I thought I would tough it out. After gagging for about 30 mins, I gave up and a spike came by to add insult to injury just as I climbed down. At the bottom of the tree, I realized I also had it on the tag end of my tether (strike eight). I had to drive home with all windows down in 36 degree temp, still gagging the whole way. It was horrible!
On a plus note, there is no way a deer could smell me, this stuff is the ultimate cover scent. The spike definitely only smelled the crap and was looking all around for the poor dog with bad diarrhea! I know the THP boys hear deer coughing alot on their videos, but they have never heard a deer laughing like the spike did this morning at me. Sorry Scent Lok or Ozonics fans, but your gear couldn't stop this stuff, I guarantee it. And if anyone needs some free knee pads and gloves, they will be laying at the base of the tree for a while, come get them!
