The one thing that gets me the most success, is also the one thing I continually have to relearn and remember. That one thing, or lack of it at times is the biggest factor when I fail or stuff up.
That one thing is patience and this little report is about the last few nights and success because I had patience.
Two to three weeks ago I was out for an evening stroll and saw a very nice boar. You could tell he was old by his shape, you could see his tusks from a distance, could see his scars and the bald spots on his shield where he had rubbed away the hair.
On that occasion he was alert, some birds had warned him something was not right, and I sat and watched as he made his way quickly to the forest.
A week later I watched from a hill as a friend of mine, Jethro, stalked him half a mile away. Jethro did really well, and the two came together and i was sure Jethro would loose and arrow. However he didnt and when we talked later he said "well, he was just at the distance where I knew I could hit him, but didnt know I could hit him just right." So he choose not to shoot, not to risk a mistake and not to scare the boar off knowing we might get another chance.
Friday night comes around And Im up the back and who should I see but the boar again. he is very cautious and its close to dark before Im getting close, but as I come close another 6 or 7 good pigs join him. There is only one I want, the old one, but in the gloom, even though Im only 7 yards from them, I can not be sure which one he is until its too dark to pick a spot with reliability. I know patience is needed, and slowly crawl may way away from them to try again another night.
Last night Jethro and I are back at the same spot. A large black and tan boar slowly emerges from the forest and carefully and slowly makes his way to the paddock to feed. We commence a stalk. Its Jethros shot and he sneaks in on the boar. I decide i cant help him and can only stuff it, so sneak off in the direction I think his pig might run in case it needs another arrow or something else happens. I watch jethro get to 5 meters of the boar and stand behind a bush waiting for it to turn side on. Stubbornly it doesn't!
Then out of nowhere the old boar appears and heads my way. I crouch and get ready. He makes his way along a trail until hes 25 yards from me, and pauses head in the air sniffing and listening, checking whats happening in front. He is perfectly silhouetted against the grass behind him. I feel no sense of unconfidence. I draw and release. There is a loud smack of arrow against shield and he spins and runs. i can tell from his run its fatal, but there is a rise ahead and I want to see where he gos over that so start running as well. I don't need to, 40 yards from the shot he lunges and crashes too the ground.
Topic: That simplest of lessons. (Read 577 times)
