The infamous dreaded “Click of the safety”

My buddy learned about the safety click while archery hunting, he had two coyotes come out in front of him @ about 15 yds, safety off "CLICK" and you would have thought an M- 80 went off, they were in high gear instantly!
His archery gear has a safety? Lol…

I think at 15 yards a coyote hears you blink! I know the safety click can and will scare them off. That’s why I just try to do it quietly.
 
I dont think coyotes hear as well when they are running. If they stop and triangulate their ears, they hear very good. I fire a shot and then cycle my bolt as fast as i can without any concern of its noise, and still get many of the runners to stop for a shot. I also have them running in and almost have to shout at the top of my lungs to get some to stop.

I often wonder how the coyote perceive the world verse humans. their hearing and sight is different than ours, and we often assign or assume they are perceiving the situation just as we are.
 
I dont think coyotes hear as well when they are running. If they stop and triangulate their ears, they hear very good. I fire a shot and then cycle my bolt as fast as i can without any concern of its noise, and still get many of the runners to stop for a shot. I also have them running in and almost have to shout at the top of my lungs to get some to stop.

I often wonder how the coyote perceive the world verse humans. their hearing and sight is different than ours, and we often assign or assume they are perceiving the situation just as we are.

Maybe they think it's thunder?

Animals are like us too. They get used to things. I can be shooting my rifle in my yard and have my "yard deer" 100 yards across the field eating like nothing is going on.

As you said, curiosity kills a lot of coyotes when they stop and look back. Same with deer. A lot of times they will wind you, but still stick around trying to find out what you are for a minute or so.

The only animal that I've personally hunted that does not show any sign of "hey what is that" when they wind you or you spook them is a hog. They flat out haul ass.
 
Yes, crossbow!
I would think that all modern crossbows have a safety, his is a Center Point, and my Excalibur Matrix 380 also has a safety.
Gotcha! When I think archery I don’t think crossbow. But I understand. I have a Wicked ridge crossbow so I could hunt after a shoulder surgery. Now that is a safety that is tough to make quiet. Thanks for clarifying that makes sense now.
 
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I only take the safety off after I’ve spotted the coyote and I’m on the rifle. And when I finish a stand, I take the shell out of the chamber, until I’m ready to walk to next stand.
 
This just falls into the category I'd call "woodsmanship." It's knowing how to act in the woods. Are you running around? Thunking stomping when you walk? Brushing your clothes all over the place? Fiddling with too many gadgets? Snapping branches? Etc.

I can't recall a single weapon with a safety that I own and/or have used which can't be turned off quietly.

That said, I always have the safety on when entering the woods and when I get to my location I turn it off. When I move, I turn it on. I usually have a cartridge in the chamber before I enter the woods but even when I don't have one in the chamber (for safety reasons or if I forget) I could usually chamber one very quietly as well. It just takes practice and being aware of your surroundings.
 
This just falls into the category I'd call "woodsmanship." It's knowing how to act in the woods. Are you running around? Thunking stomping when you walk? Brushing your clothes all over the place? Fiddling with too many gadgets? Snapping branches? Etc.

I can't recall a single weapon with a safety that I own and/or have used which can't be turned off quietly.

That said, I always have the safety on when entering the woods and when I get to my location I turn it off. When I move, I turn it on. I usually have a cartridge in the chamber before I enter the woods but even when I don't have one in the chamber (for safety reasons or if I forget) I could usually chamber one very quietly as well. It just takes practice and being aware of your surroundings.
Thanks for your input on the subject sir. I agree with everything you said, with exception of taking your firearm off safe when on stand. Mine is on until I’m ready to shoot my intended target. I see no advantage to removing a firearm from safe while I’m sitting or standing around waiting for an opportunity to arise. To each their own, but what is the benefit of this, when in your own words you stated… “I can't recall a single weapon with a safety that I own and/or have used which can't be turned off quietly.”
 
Some food for thought… I have mentored youth turkey and youth goose hunts for my gun club for years. One year, a friend of mine volunteered to mentor as well. He was a police officer at the time. He was paired up with a second mentor and the youth was a 13 year old with no prior experience hunting other than the safety course and range days at the club where we work with the kids and actually shoot.

Opening morning of the youth turkey hunt, they get setup before shooting time with the kid. The other mentor tells the kid it’s okay to take his shotgun off safe now that they were setup. My friend said he almost lost his mind! He told the kid, (and the other mentor) absolutely not, the Safety stays on until you’re ready to shoot.

So I ask you folks that take your guns off safe when on stand, in the same situation with a youth or inexperienced hunter, which stance would you have taken as a mentor?

By the way, the kid got a nice bird that morning.
 
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So I ask you folks that take your guns off safe when on stand, in the same situation with a youth or inexperienced hunter, which stance would you have taken as a mentor?

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With a child or inexperienced hunter I would instruct them to not even load a cartridge in the chamber until they're setup. Then to load one in the chamber after being setup. Then keep it on safety the entire time until they're ready to shoot.

Edit: To add I would also instruct them to unload when they're ready to leave their post to either move to another post or leave the woods.
 
If you ever watch any of my videos when I’m with someone, it’s always “safe or clear” after the shot, I don’t care who it is. Two of my boys are grown men and they still tell me “safe” after shooting. Just something I instilled in them growing up.
 


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