Just got up about a hour ago hehe but did hang for about two hours after getting home early this morning to dress out the critter and do some tuning work. I was back on location last night around 9:00pm and was happy to see that the standing water from all the rain had receded and left my hide kinda muddy. I strapped the lamps to several tree trunks on the main game trail lit the lamp's and with some adjustments was ready to go. I settled back into my hide back off the trail at the 25yrd mark and was primed for some action. My ammo had arrived from PA and included were the FTS pellet's that the Trail NP loves so she was back in the game and ready to do some critter getting. It wasn't several hours into the hunt when the resident Skunk appeared on the trail and as usual I just sit real still and let him go about his nightly rounds as he moved along the trail and out of sight. I poured a cup of java to power up for the evening and sipped it as I kept a sharp eye on the lit trail in the distance. Nothing presented itself for the next four hours except for something rustling in the tree's out in the darkness which kept me on high alert, night critters climb very well.
I suddenly heard the sound of brush and downed branch's being disturbed from out behind my furthest lamp and whatever it was wasn't using the trail. I had no idea what was moving in but didn't waste any time settling in behind the glass and peaking just above it scanning the darkness for any movement. Out from behind the tree that the lamp was strapped to appeared a head and there was no mistaking that masked critter. He was acting very cautious and it hit me this could be the Bandit from the other night when two showed, on was dropped and the other beat it out of here. This Bandit would not move onto the trail but hang close to the tree and sniffing the air and ground trying to detect any danger. He kept presenting me with a nice side profile shot so I rested the cross hairs between ear and eye and waited for him to give me a still shot, FTS away. The sound of a solid impact followed shortly after then the Bandit leaped onto the trail then onto his side and right into a death dance. It was a short death dance and he rolled right onto his back with leg's in the air but as always I reloaded and put the glass back on him. I could clearly see blood flowing from his wound so I climbed out of the hide and moved in for a closer inspection. I arrived at the Bandit then gave him a poke for safety sake and was assured that he was down. I gloved up and rolled him to his side to inspect the wound, right in the sweetspot so I then snagged him up and hauled him back to the hide. I placed him in the game bag de-gloved and poured myself another cup of java since it will be light soon and if nothing else I can just relax and enjoy another sunrise. The wood's were getting bathed in light so I gathered up the gear stowed the NP in her soft case gloved back up and pulled the Bandit out for some pic's. With the pic's finished up I placed him back into the game bag and hauled game and gear out of the wood's across the field and to my rig. I could feethe energy in me fading fast so I scooted home and got him dressed out for the icebox, will haul the hide down to my taxidermist buddy later. I spent some time working on a tune until the yawn factor was too much lol and had to hit the hay to recharge, it ain't easy hanging with these critters hehe. The Bandit was dropped at 26yrd's with a Beeman FTS to the side of the fusebox. Ed
