My first kills - Foggy memories

[Jacko]

Salvaged some first kill photo's this morning that I had decoupaged onto my bowrack years ago , not real clear folks but then again neither is my memory but I have tried not to embelish too much .

First kill ever was a Rabbit , I was bowhunting south of Tenterfield I think in very late 1979 . I remember stalking to around 10 yards ,the arrow passed half way through and prevented the rabbit from escaping down the burrow , I broke it's neck to finish it off . The first photo is of the 2nd Rabbit I ever shot , I hit it front on from about 20 yards with a broadhead .

My first feral pig was this young boar , I think it was easter 1980 we where walking through some Lignum when this fellow trotted off , I followed him up , I remember he hit the toe and I pulled off a freakish 25 yard running shot straight through his heart as the Boar crossed a space between 2 lignum bushes , the young Boar circled around and stood facing me at about 10 yards with his head down glaring at me .

I took a few steps towards him and stepped to one side . My very experienced bowhunting mate was yelling at me - "You missed !!! look out he's going to charge" and he prepared to put an arrow into "MY PIG". I told him to F@$k off he was heart shot and I drove another arrow into the front of his chest out which exited the rear end as he took a few staggered steps at me chopping his teeth . I was pretty pumped and triumphantly stuck a finger in the first arrows entrance and exit holes to put my hunting mate back in his place - Ah the arrogance of youth , the master was looking after rash young grasshopper and I dissed him .

My first Goat kill , I was 17 I think , had just got my drivers licence , stepped out on my own and found my first hunting property , WOW , I didnt have to rely on other members of the Grange Bowhunters club anymore to take me hunting . I had been talking to other hunters in the lead up to my first goat hunt about how to approach them and one old wag Dick Coates told me of how he put his bow over his head when busted by a sentry nanny goat and bleated .

You never could be sure if Dick was having a lend of you . You guessed it the sentry nanny busted me and played the look away , look back game , stamped her foot and snorted and carried on but I was partially hidden and she could not tell what I was .

I remembered Dicks story and thought I'd try it - bugger me the sentry relaxed and settled down with her tail wagging briskly , so from a knelling position I shot the closest goat , I took a back leg and the hide .

Plenty more old photo's and stories but I'll be trying to get some fresh stories over the 2nd weekend in August

regards Jacko

[Datil]

 Thanks Jacko, Enjoyed the Pictures, Show us more when you have time.
 
 Datil, In Texas

[kombi1976]

Geez, that's a great collection of pics and tales.
I really like the bow over your head technique! 

[Jacko]

It stuns me just how thick Goats can seem sometimes Kombi and how switched on they are at others . Plenty of Bowhunters I know have used the bow over the head or bleating trick . One fella I know has good success calling them up , got it on DVD where he is hunting on the property where I shot the nanny in the picture and calls the goats into bow range by bleating .

We also catch suckers and use them to call in pigs . You give them a sqeeze or pull their tails from cover and sooner or later Mum , Dad  or a cousin comes to investigate . This photo is not of the sucker from the following story , it ended up in the pot .

One time down the Mitchell St George Rd one of the funniest things I've seen in the bush was my mate Evil Dave with a sucker sandwiched between his knee's squeezing merry hell out of it with a solid Boar trotting over towards him trying to control the squirming piglet and shoot his bow at the same time . Piglet escaped , Boar spooked and he lost his arrow 

Later on that hunt a Brown snake bailed me up as I stepped over a riverside log and it took me 20 minutes to back off , every step I took backwards the snake followed . I was looking round for help but could not see anyone . Sure enough when the snake lost interest I turned around and there is Evil Dave smiling away leaning against a tree . The bastard said - That'll learn ya for laughing at me ! . Best thing was a few minutes later we where walking across the flood plain and he stepped into the middle of a couple of mating Inland Taipans .

Poor old Evil Dave quite understood that I was looking after him by keeping my distance  . Plenty of folks will tell you Inland Taipans do not live that far East but they are not looking in the right places or speaking to the landowners .

regards Jacko

[kombi1976]

Sounds like Evil Dave isn't perhaps the most sympathetic soul ever.
Revenge is sweet though.