LESSON LEARNT by Jeff Sheyn
Well the first night we were running late, and I got dropped off at my hunting spot about 5:30, which is about an hour later then I would like. I quickly started setting up about 10 yards of the road, pruning and making a ground blind out of the nearby brush. I hadnt even put on my shooting glove yet. I was sweating like crazy and just when I looked up I saw a large sow about 150lbs and a smaller sow maybe 80lb followed by about 25 piglets. Along with them was the largest freaking boar I had ever seen. I could see his teeth from 30 yards. He was a red and black hog and one of those shaggy ones. I wanted him bad, but he got about 5 yards from my shooting lane and I got some of the worst buck fever I have ever encountered. My breathing was that of a prank phone caller. I was holding my bow straight out waiting for him to enter my poorly prepared lane. He was coming and I could here him. By now the piglets and the smaller sow had just crossed my lane. My breathing getting heavier and my arm now tired from being held out. His nose enters my lane and I begin my draw on this brute. I figured I could sustain full draw long enough for him to enter the lane completely. Just as I hit anchor he stopped and turns his head looks me straight in the eyes. Now Im face to face with a boar in the 250lb range at 10 yards. First thing that crossed my mind, why didnt I pick a place farther from the road, to late for that now. He stared at me what seemed like eternity my breathing and heart rate must have been through the roof. I know because I got that metallic taste in my mouth. The same one I get when the adrenaline overpowers. Thinking back Im not sure what I did was right or not. I had a face shot on this huge boar. I didnt shoot and he bolted out of there taking all the piglets and the 2 sows with him. They were gone in a thunderous stampede like fashion. It took me a good couple of hours to calm down from that encounter. I finally got situated in my chair and finished building my ground blind. I sat there until pitch black. I got to watch several white tails walk around and play. That particular moment will be embedded in my mind for ever. I could replay that scenario in my mind 1000 times over and over. It was a beautiful balance between fear, paranoia, and hope.
The next night I sat in a tree stand about 15ft up. It was my first time ever in a tree stand. I saw lots of hogs, but they all cut the corner of the road and went around my shooting lane, however I got to watch two axis bucks bearing impressive horns only on their right side walk around a bit with 20-30 white tail. All this whitetail and axis fun was about 20 yards from my stand. I sat super quiet and relaxed enjoying the scenery. Here is a pic I took while sitting in the stand.
The next night I decided to sit on the ground and got out there about 5:00, which is a pretty good time according to the guide. The spot I was sitting in was picked out for me as the guide is a friend, and wanted to see me get my first hog. The spot he put me in was awesome to say the least. I guess I didnt learn the first morning because I set up this blind 12 yards of the road, but this blind was had me well hidden. The only bad part: it had only one shooting lane, and it was hard to see out. Within 20 minutes of me getting situated the hogs came in. they were probably in the 100lb range, which is still very large in my book. One of the larger ones stopped perfectly broadside 12-14 yards right smack dab in the middle of my shooting lane. I drew steady and shot. Everything I had ever worked on at the range flew right out the window. I didnt get full draw, nor did I leave my bow hand loose, and to top things off I snap shot it, which put the arrow right over his back. After this poor display of marksmanship I sat there and sulked over what I thought was my only chance ever. While there sulking I assured god and myself that if he ever presented me with the opportunity with a similar shot I would concentrate heavily on making it perfect. 15 minutes had passed and I sat there sulking when the same hog came right in front of my shooting lane. He stood there as if he was waiting for me. I drew steady and let the arrow fly in the same manor I did the first time. I again did not hit full draw, nor did I loosen up my grip with my bow hand, and again I snap shot at this poor pig. This time I drew blood, as the arrow skipped of the ground and deflected penetrating his underside just barely enough. He ran breaking my arrow and leaving me with 3 drops of blood on the broken end of the shaft. Ranch policy is to track every wounded animal. So the guide brought dogs out who never picked up a blood trail.
I went out the next morning only to watch the most beautiful animal on the earth feed 10 yard in front of me. It was an immature black buck. She had the most incredible golden body and whitest of white bellies. I marveled in her beauty, but at ten yards it didnt last long. She saw me blink and was out of there so fast that on the second blink she was no where in sight.
Its now the last night, and my confidence in my shooting ability is now as big as a flea. One of the other hunters, the guy I rode down with, had offered up his spare compound up as an alternative. Looking back on it I shouldnt have accepted, but I did, and I shot a pig that night. It was a small pig and I feel I didnt even deserve that one, but I learned a lot of valuable lessons on this trip. I had some superb experiences and found out who your real friends are. There were some exquisite acts of kindness dealt to me by two of the fellow hunters in camp, one of which I had never met before. Even though my kill was with a compound I have been changed for the better. My character has been altered(for the better I think), and I plan on going back to that ranch with my recurve and making a dead on kill using the method and style of bow which I love.
Topic: LESSON LEARNT by Jeff Sheyn (Read 3224 times)
