The last few days has seen me with more time on my hands than usual. So with that time I took Alcibie from her corner where she had waited patiently and went back to practice. Tonight I felt confident in my abilities, so Strung her and set of on an adventure. I climbed about 200 meters with a plan that didn't eventuate, so decided to head off on a wander and see what I could see. As I emerged from a patch of bush, I spied a couple of rabbits sitting close to a gate. I crept forward until 10 meters from them. It meant a shot through the bars of the gate, but I recon'd that even with the arc, I could do it, so drew back and released.
I was, I admit a touch surprised when the rabbit,a fat doe, was knocked sideways with a big puff of fur. Seven hundred grains will do that though I guess. feeling good I set off again, tomorrow nights dinner hanging from my belt. Away across the valley I set my eyes on some black shapes. The binos revealed a small mob of pigs. It was too late for me to chase them though, I didn't have the time even at a run to get there. Instead I sat and watched as a good size boar joined them..... tomorrow maybe.
My atention was diverted by a couple of goats that walked out of a patch of bush. Hmmm should I? I wanted something else. Wellll.... Just as I made up my mind to chase them, further movement caught my eye. Six pigs and a heap of little ones came running across a clearing beside the goats. Now I was on. I nocked an arrow, and slipped off the hill toward the trees. Slow now, I had a feeling they should head my way.
I proceeded slow into the cover and onto a game trail. Sure enough a sow broke over the hill and nosed its way toward me on the same trail. Bugger! she had week olds. I wanted a kill with Alcibie, but not like this, I slipped back and off the trail. Above me I heard a noise, another sow and clearly with little ones poked her head into view 4 meters from me. I was in my leaf suit and stood stock still. She looked me up and down, decided I wasn't quite right and walked off. I followed. On and down we went, pigs all over. A couple of non mum's were with this sow, and It was them I wanted.
15 miniutes of staying on their trail before a shot offered. It was a bitch. 25 meters and steep down hill, but the light was nearly gone. I drew back with not alot of confidence, I haven't practiced angles yet, and released. A miss. I shouldn't have shot.
The pig jumped forward, but not too scared and walked 50 meters and started feeding again. Jeez but it was now in a good position. I took a risk and dropped fast between it and the mum pigs. The wind seemed right, they never smelt me anyway. Fast now with the last light i used low ground and came up on her, I could see everything but the ground 10 meters in front. Bow raised, I stepped forward. There was her back. Draw and anchor, step up, sight, release. Man that arrow is slow! Did she jump it?
no she's staggering, shes down... I think, its too dark to tell for sure. I walk to the arrow, its covered in blood from front to back, I look down, about 30 meters away lies a black shape. The lightning starts. How fitting. Someones happy.
Topic: An evening hunt in NZ (Read 272 times)
