Years ago, when I hunted, I was after a large buck on snow. I guessed his weight at about 300 pounds. He had 16 ponts. I dislike "trophies", but that will mean something to those who understand what a buck can do with them. I was about a half hour back when I heard the racket. When a buck trumpets, he's really pissed off. I heard some yips and yelps and some nasty howls. About 15 minutes later I heard tremendous en masse howling and I thought the buck may have been taken.

When I got to the scene, the six inches of fresh snow was messed up in a circle 40 fourty feet in diameter. They had come along the edge of the woods near the back of a farmer's field. Nine sets of tracks. The buck had cut across the field. I found no hair. I found a fair bit of fir and blood. The blood was in two spots and two blood trails went into the woods. One was slight and the other was heavy. The buck had continued on in the same direction.

I decided I would end my pursuit out of respect. But the howling... I knew what had happened. I followed the heavy blood trail and saw the body about twenty feet inside the woods. I guessed at about 50 pounds. Might sound harsh but I was pleased. I never went after that buck again and I hope the yotes didn't either.