TheBanyanTree: My last 22 hours

[Sheri Baity]

It was 12:15 a.m. when I heard the ballad of ‘Setting at a bar” blaring from my cell phones alarm clock. Oh boy, I did not want to believe my ears. Last time I looked at the clock was 8:35 p.m. which meant only one thing… not much sleep at all! Not time to feel sorry for myself, it was get’r done mode now. I looked out the window to a beautiful shining moon lighting up the hay fields and a canvas of a million stars glistening.
 
Coffee was done and my cup was filled as I got all of my layers of hunting clothes on. Thank goodness I packed the truck the afternoon before. All I had to do was get me, out the door and on my way. Done, 1:15 a.m. and I was rolling down the highway with the country station playing my favorite songs. The face of the Old Man in the Moon was crystal clear showing every detail. There was not one cloud in the nighttime canvas.
 
Halfway through the drive a thought came over me as I burst out laughing. Here I am all donned out in camo along with my medicine bag in full view tied to my waist. I’m saying my prayers along the way and thinking about whom I was going to meet up with. Thanksgiving quickly filled my brain cells, what few I have working these days. I felt like the Native going down to meet up with the pilgrims to teach them the way of the land and hunting. Have you guessed it yet? I was asked to take some Amish out coyote hunting.
 
I was asked by Sam, the one Amish man that hired me, to please not take any pictures, which I knew that anyway, because of their culture. And then he asked me if it was alright if his sister went along. So, I said, “Of course it is, we need to get more women involved in hunting.” Now tell me right there, that wasn’t a dumb statement to an Amish man?? I still couldn’t get my head around the fact that the Amish men were going to be allowed to be taught by a woman and two… I couldn’t believe an Amish woman was allowed to go hunting? I guess things have changed in their culture to some degree. Either way, it was alright with me.
 
It was 2:35 a.m. when I pulled into the driveway lit up only by the moon. I could hear the whinnies of the horses in the barn. As I looked up to the house I could see a lone flashlight making its way through the darkened house. I wasn’t about to go up to the door of fear of waking everyone up, so I waited in my truck for Sam to come outside, which didn’t take him long as he greeted me with a firm handshake.
 
He said the rest would be here shortly. He was headed out to put the horses in the pasture, I had asked him if he needed any help with anything and he declined. It was incredibly beautiful, calm skies, moonlight, stars, a lone flashlight strapped to his wool hat and then the symphony started. Clip Clop Clip Clop Clip Clop Clip Clop as one by one, the work horses left the barn for the pasture. Then as if cued in, came the peepers starting up with brilliance. The dog, Satie came running over with a jingle in her collar. Everyone was in their places for Nature’s Orchestra and I was at center stage to hear it all, see it all, take it all in to my deepest soul and no other option but to enjoy and savor every note.
 
About five minutes had passed when a single light seemed to dance it’s way down the gravel road. It was long before I figured out what that was. It was Aquilla on his scooter type device with a small head light attached to his wool hat as well. A few minutes later and Clip Clop Clip Clop was heard again, but this time with wheels spinning and grinding over the gravel. Kate, Sam’s sister, and her husband, also another Sam had arrived. After meeting and being introduced to everyone, we were ready to head out and call some coyotes.
 
We were headed down to the local gas station first in my truck, so that the men could fill up on coffee. Back down the gravel road we went as we pulled into another farm to go back behind his barn into the fields. I had to stop for a minute to greet and talk with this beautiful collie that came out to make sure I was alright. I said, “Awe, Lassie Dog.” Kate smiled and giggled as she said, “That is her name.” Of course then, I had to proceed to tell them about my Gi-Gi girl who is a collie and waiting for me back home. I told Lassie to stay at the house and not to follow us, as we made our way out the farm lane to the hedgerow. She just sat right down and watched as we disappeared off into the fields.
 
Sam and Aquilla were off into another hedgerow while Kate and her husband stayed back with me. Kate decided to set in the truck with me and Sam was to be watching the fields behind us setting on a chair behind the truck. About20 minutes had passed when I started into my calling. Off in the way distance was a lone howl answering back to me. Since I had no gun, I felt the men could keep up with scoping the fields as I just focused on my calling. More howling was heard and some distant barking, as well. Kate was getting cold wearing her dress and then I remembered that I had a quilt stuffed behind my truck seat for just these occasions. She was extremely happy to find some warmth while being out there in the night time air. 
 
I got quiet for awhile and thought this was a good time to talk with Kate and see just how she got to come along on this coyote hunt. With low whispers, she proceeded to tell me the story. “Well we butcher hogs every year. Two years ago, we had butchered 12 hogs. Sam then tells me that I am to put the guts of these 12 hogs in burlap bags to use for coyote bait. I told Sam that I was not going to do this. He then told, me, oh yes you are Kate. I told him then, ok, I will do this but you owe me a coyote hunt. He agreed and here I am, as promised.” She smiled proudly and I laughed and thought, wow, even in Amish customs, they barter just like us average American couples do!
 
Quite some time had passed as the truck began to shake. Both Kate and I looked through the back window and see Sam, her husband, crawling in the back and laying down. We laughed and agreed that he had had enough of watching. Sam J and Aquilla were still over in the other field though. I called for another 15 minutes and then started playing taps on my open reed call. That is how I call off every stand when it’s time to come in. It’s so much better than hollering or anything like that. Twenty more minutes had gone by and no sign of Sam J or Aquilla, so Kate’s Sam walked out to get them.
 
Kate and Sam were going to have a full day, training horses, so they were ready to head back to their house. Sam had also mentioned that his coffee didn’t last very long and he was in need of some more.
 
We were loaded up and back to Sam J’s house to drop off his sister and brother in-law and then we were going to head out to another set up. But first I had to make a quick stop and give Lassie a beef stick that I had in my truck and tell her what a good girl she was to stay at home.  She was a happy puppy.  Kate and her husband were talking up a storm about all of the sounds I did and how interesting it was and how they would like to go again sometime. I promised them, there would be another time. With them on their way, daylight was just starting to peek up and pull the nighttime shades. We had made it to Aquilla’s farm and headed back beyond their horse pasture in the back fields.
 
Got up to the top of the field and the men got set up as I heard 2 coyotes bark once about 150 yards out just inside a small woodlot. Sam and Aquilla heard this as well and came to tell me later, that they couldn’t understand why I didn’t give them time to set up before I started calling. I had to tell them that it wasn’t me, it was 2 coyotes. Being the practical joker that I am, they at first didn’t believe me, until my hand went over my heart and I said, I swore to God.
 
Anyway, after hearing those coyotes bark and knowing they were not far at all, I immediately went into a rabbit distress call. The turkeys just gobbled over in the next pasture and a flock of crows flew over kawing. It took maybe 3 minutes or so and those coyotes were in the woodlot just behind my truck and then winded me and took off without a chance of a shot. I did some more calling with the crow call, and coyote vocalizations but those coyotes had already busted us and was not coming back for another round.
 
It was reaching 7:30 a.m. and the men were ready to call the set and start their day of work details. I dropped Sam off at his house and took Aquilla to his work place which was on my way home. No coyotes down, but they want me back and I must say, they are my kind of people to hunt with. I look forward to our next adventure. 
　

Sheri L Baity

American Predator Federation
"Where Predator Hunters Are Forming A Pack"
http://www.huntapf.org

A woman is like a tea bag, you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water~~Eleanor Roosevelt