Nightshade falls asleep

[shadow]

First off the wife likes the hunt nickname " Nightshade" but last night in the hide it was sleeping beauty.  We settled into the hide around 10:00pm with the Killlight on and dinner scrap's ready below. An hour had passed and I was so focused on the bait under lamp 25yrds away that I hadn't noticed that the wife had fell asleep hehe. She's a hard worker and really wanted to double shift it and hunt with me but the sleeping bug bit her good. I decided not to wake her as she laid back in her lounge chair with her shooter resting on her legs. I carefully moved her shooter of her legs and put it back in the softcase since I didn't want her to awake abuptly and have the shooter fall.  It's going on midnight with nothing but the night bugs circling the Killlight in the distance when out of the darkness the first customer appeared. The Quest .177 was dropped into the rest and I dropped behind the glass and acquired the Bandit. It looked like another youngster as it found it's way to the bait. I took a quick glance over at nightshade sleeping peacefully then back behind the glass to wait for a shot. The Bandit presented a front profile with it's head down consuming the goodies so I locked the cross hairs on the sweetspot and let a Polymag fly. The Poly mag found it's mark and the Bandit dropped onto the bait then went into the usual flip flop and fly death dance which was over quickly. To my surprise the wife wasn't awaken by the shot didn't even move lol so I had to nudge her to awake my sleeping beauty. She awoke and started to grab for a shooter that wasn't there hehe and I told her that I put it away. I asked her if she wanted to go and look at the Bandit and she said what Bandit? then after rubbing her eyes looked down at the bait pile. Why didn't you wake me? I wanted to shoot one! I told her that I couldn't wake her since she was sleeping so peacefully and that she didn't hear the shot that I took. The wife grumbled something hehe but was excited to see the downed Bandit so we crawled out of the hide and made our way down to where the Bandit lay. It ended up on it's back and paw's up about 8ft from where it was hit and the polymag made a mess of things. I gloved up then gave the Bandit a nudge for safety sake then inspected the entery wound which was pushing out fusebox matter which is a good sign along with blood coming out of every breathing or hearing holes.  Nightshade went back to gather up the gear as I grabbed some pics then I guided my lady out of the dark wood's as always and headed for the ranch. I had pounding head when we got home and they come on just like that so I took my med's and went to work on dressing the Bandit out as the wife prepared a pan to soke it in. She want's to try a sweet and sour recipe on it so I will debone it and cube the meat up later. Tonight were sticking close to home and will hunt a small section of wood's that I haven't hunted in a long time. I scouted the area out this morning and found a ton of fresh critter track's along the swampy area. Nightshade will get first shot if one present's itself and I was told to keep her awake, taking very strong java tonight. The shot came to 25yrds Predator Polymag 8.0g with the Turbo Tune Crosman Quest.177 in Trail NP coat. Ed

[jusanothajoe]

good story and pics

[jonnnyboy]

Once again, that's a great story and pictures.  You make it look so easy.  I think the name for the wife is going to stick.  It Sounds like she's a keeper bro.  Better wake her next time.  Lol!

Joe

[dk1677]

Great  shooting and story Bro. Ed!

[VAFarmer]

Gloved up?

Please tell me you use a shovel..........AND gloves.   A shovel works wonders for disposal of coons.... will lift him/roll him into a bag easily with minimal contact, works great for the "are ya good and dead yet?" nudge, and if he ain't good and dead, does a fine job of helping him get there quicker in a pinch.

Just dont step in it in the dark, not pretty, and don't ask how I know...... 

Good to see the little Quest working out.....I love these platforms (Quest, B-19, Gamo multiples) In fact, its the only spring platform I still have.   Down to 2 spring guns now, a Hunter 440 and a spare shadow for parts.
I wish they still made these like the old ones, ya know?   Metal trigger group/blade...decent metal and bluing, decent stocks, REALLY light.   Dont know if alot of people know it, but a properly tuned b-19 derivitive gives up very little to an R9 in firing behavior/accuracy, but they are close to the lightest spring gun out there, and get very good velocity to weight ratio.   Good choice for a hunter...

God bless,

Farmer


PS....Do the bandits in your area seem to have rabies alot more?    We have had a bad run of rabies in ours around here..........

[shadow]

Thanks brothers and I always handle Bandit's carefully and have been skinning em out and consuming the meat for many moon's now. The only time I will toss a Bandit is if it's sick, deseased and then ash it in a burn barrel that I've made for just that purpose. No need to waste good meat and hide when all can be used or turned for a profit or trade. Ed

[VAFarmer]

Good that you use them for sure, not just kill'em to be kill'em.

We only shoot them when they cause a problem.  They just seem to have rabies more lately, been seeing TONS of them out during the day.  Staggering. 

One day when I feel like writing a long story, I'll tell you about the first time MY wife encountered a coon.

What does the meat compare to? 

Taste like chicken?

God bless,

Farmer

[jonnnyboy]

Farmer, here in Tennessee we have been plagued with canine distemper in our coons. Looks just like rabies and is cyclical in nature. Maybe that's what your seeing. It's unsettling to see a coon staggering around in the daylight.

http://www.tn.gov/twra/distemper.html

[Nate the airgunner]

Nice kill and story bro Ed! Glad the wifey like the nickname.

[only1harry]

Excellent shooting and story Ed!  Too bad the wife was sleeping on the job and missed all the action! hehehe

[ogre8472]

Nice shooting Ed! Im sure Nightshade will be determined next time to take the shot.  What an awesome Mrs you have there!

[thekid]

Great shooting and hunt story.
Love the pics.
You definitely make a tough job look easy.
Great name for your lady hunter.

[shadow]

Thanks brothers and hunting is a labor of love. Ed

[shadow]

The Bandit meat is a darker meat and if prepared right can taste alittle like pork but alittle greasy. I think the best meat is in the back legs. Ed

[jimmie lee]

You are a fortunate son to have Nightshade go on hunts with you Ed. That's about as perfect a scenario as there can be in the world of matrimony. Every hunting account you share with us is like reading a Hardy Boy's or Tom Sawyer adventure. Well done...

[aack73]

nice shooting as always.  

[shadow]

Thanks again brothers and I'm feeling pretty good tonight so we'll be heading out shortly. Were sticking closer to home and will be doing some pest control about a stones throw away. There's a swampy area so we'll need to double up on the Skeeter fans and we'll be using my outhouse pop up blind. The wife is doing some quick target practice  right now so she'll be sharp and ready to get after em. Ed

[Trackmyer]

Dont forget the hot coffee, and plenty of bug dope.  I figure Nightshades 'bout due for a big fat ol' coon.  Good luck to the both of you on tonights adventure.

And as usual great story and pics.  Just great.

[topwaterjim]

Good luck tonight for the Mrs hope you guys have a good one

[Mr. Sumatra22]

Good shooting as usual and great story.  Your lady hunter is a heaven send.  Keep up the good team work and I love the stopping power of the poly mag.