Hey fellas.
It has been a long time between drinks. It has been 15 years since i've been bowhunting. When I say it out loud I can't believe it, but it's true. I was right into bowhunting but then got into football, work, drinking, chasing girls and a hundred other excuses that weren't good enough. I've been using the rifle to provide food for the table, but have found myself reluctant to shoot anything latley and found myself taking more pictures and video than venison.
My regular hunting mate said before this trip, "Are you going to bring the bow along?" and I thought about it and thought, 'Yeah, I think I might'. When he picked me up late friday and saw me put in the longbow, he looked at me and said "Is that all you're taking?". I said 'Yep, it's all or nothing'. And with that we were off to the foothills of the Snowy Mountains in SE New South Wales, Australia for the chance of a Fallow, Sambar or maybe a wild goat.
Arrive late, set up the gear in the hay shed, and get the gear ready for the morning. Up early and quick bite to eat and we head our seperate ways in the morning fog and frost.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/082-Copy.jpg)
The small creek we usually cross was running about 2 feet higher due to the rain early in the week. So a shimmy across a frosty log across got the result, not too gracefully, but it worked.
A bit further along, I noticed the water in the wallows looked a bit strange. Closer inspection revealed that they had frozen overnight. Maybe not a shock to you guys in North America, but it seemed pretty cold to this little Aussie.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/013-Copy.jpg)
Creeping along now where I had missed a good Fallow buck in April with the rifle, I saw a rabbit crouched. Took the judo out of the bow quiver and had a shot. I released before I got to full draw and the arrow landed a few inches short, right on line. He ran around in an arc, and propped at the base of a blackberry bush at around the same distance. I told myself to get to full draw as I shot again, that was close! He ran for the sanctuary of his burrow and I realised that he was being stopped by the arrow in him. I got him! Ran over to grab him, but it was all over when I got there.
I was stoked! My first trad kill, and my first bowkill for 15 years. The monkey was off my back, and it had also given me a lot of confidence shooting the bow.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/016.jpg)
I quickly dressed him and put him away, and with a spring in my step, moved along searching for some bigger game.....
Welcome home! Fill your cup to the brim and have another sip! 2 years without a "drink" for me, which is a long dry spell it seems.
cheers !
:campfire: :archer2:
nice shot
Very nice!
Good shot.
Thanks for the story and the nice pictures.
I didn't know water could even freeze over there!
Great story and pics..
I have a heat index of 39C here today.. Hot!
John III
Share some more stories and picts as you continue your success. Congratulations!
Thank yo for sharing. The pics and story were excellent. Welcome or welcome back and I hope to see more.
Welcome back to the addiction.... Fantastic story and shooting. :thumbsup:
Great story, super pictures, and welcome back!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper: Atta boy. Good shot. Now that you're warmed up, go get 'em. :archer2:
Great shot!! :notworthy: and some fine eating too.
:clapper: :archer2: Thanks for taking us along.
Tracy
:thumbsup:
Welcome back! What a great way to get back into it. :thumbsup:
sweet shootin,welcome back brother.
:thumbsup: Sweet :thumbsup:
I poked along the creekline, looking for more rabbits, and then crossed the swollen creek again. A much bigger log this time made for a more graceful crossing. There was a group of Fallow does feeding on the open paddock, but the fog rolled in and swallowed them up.
Another rabbit was seen, so i moved closer and let rip from about 25m. Just missed, another four unseen rabbits ran and propped. I proceeded to empty my bow quiver at them. No hits but I couldn't have got any closer if I tried.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/021.jpg)
I decided to work along the paddock, 50 metres inside the treeline, and try to peer into the fog with the binos, move ten metres and repeat the process.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/022.jpg)
After an hour or so without any luck, I decided for a change of tactics. The fog was giving way to beautiful winter sunshine. I headed straight uphill to a good height, and sidled along the hill glassing looking for deer bedded in the sun, chewing their cud.
No deer had been seen, but plenty of Kangaroos sunbaking.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/024.jpg)
I then heard a sound that stopped me in my tracks. It was the sound of antlers clashing. It went for about ten seconds, and sounded close. I thought that the sound came from in the same gully I was just entering. Moving slowly, two steps, stop glass, repeat. Every stick and shadow was scrutinised for the shape of an antler, or the flick of an ear. The senses were on full alert......
Awe man you are killing me.............
Top notch story telling. Keep it coming.
I'm visualizing, i'm visualizing , I'm there! this is good stuff!
great story. glad you are back...James
They had to be here somewhere. The binos revealed a bunch of about five 'roos. Damn! I moved downhill in a bid to circle around them without spooking them. By now I was in the middle of the gully, and no sign of the deer. I reasoned that the sound must have travelled well in the morning air, and they must be in the next gully.
Slowly moving forward, two steps, stop, slowly raise binos, glass, move two steps....
More Kangaroos ahead, and this time I was busted. They couldn't quite make me out but were onto me. They tentativley moved on after a few minutes over to the next gully, right where I thought the deer were.
As I moved over the crest, I saw no deer or roos. Whether the deer were spooked or were gone before I got there, I don't know but after about an hour and a half of sneaking through the scrub I needed a break, mentally and physically.
I cut straight up the hill to the top to see if I could find the wild goats that live here. Once I got up to the plateau, I had a drink and some food and walked around the goats usual haunts listening and looking but without too much luck.
As I walked through some promising country, I noticed the flick of movement. Binos revealed a fox sleeping in the midday sun.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/029.jpg)
He lay there, an occasional twitch of his tail the only movement. 50 metres was too far for a shot, and I didn't think I could stalk him with all the dead eucalypt leaves on the ground, so I moved over to a bit of cover to break up my outline, and tried to call him in.
Well, he hopped up, looked at my direction and casually jumped off the rock and walked away.
Well that wasn't meant to happen. Ah well, thems the breaks.
It was getting on now, so I headed back to camp. Another search through the area where I thought the goats would be proved fruitless, so I kept walking in the direction of the hay shed.
I was probably two gullies further along than where I was earlier, whan as I came to the edge of the treeline. I froze. Dropped down and couldn't beleive it. I found the bachelor herd of Fallow bucks I was looking for......
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/030-Copy.jpg)
Thanks for sharing :thumbsup:
:coffee: :coffee:
Margly
Thats what I call a great hunt. Love the pictures. Thanks for sharing. :thumbsup:
Cool pics! Thanks for sharing.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: cool mate , good write up , what bow are you using ?
Cheers
Very good stuff. Thanks for taking us along.
With the bucks out in the open, there was no chance to get any closer than the 300m I was at, so I was content to just take some video and photos and the knowledge that I actually did hear them clash antlers and wasn't going crazy.
As I stood to walk out, they quickly jumped the fence with ridiculous ease and ran off to the cover of the eucalypt forest. I was happy with my rabbit, and my shooting form, but couldn't help but feel that it was meant to be my lucky day. Guess it wasn't meant to be.
I made it back to the hay shed and looked out in to paddocks and saw what I thought were cattle feeding. I put up the binos, and saw that they were the goats! Far out, I'd been all over the thickest and steepest parts of the property, and the buggers were out in the open feeding! The hill was a "J" shape and they were at the bottom tip of they "J" of you like and I was looking all over the straight part, they were around the corner, hidden from view.
They were feeding back to the treeline on the hills I threw the pack back on and took off in a big circle to come at them from above in the cover. No time to muck around, the suns' last rays were on the hilltop. I jogged the whole way to the treeline which was about 2km. Once I was there, I stripped off a jumper as I'd worked up a sweat running that far uphill, put on my faceveil and moved in.
They were in two groups, the closer one only had about a dozen in it, and the second one had about thirty. As I moved into the closer group, they were just that bit quicker than me, and made it above me and into the thick caprosma (which is like thornbush) and dissapeared. There was a good billy with them that would have gone close to the magic 40" benchmark, and because of this I thought of chasing them, but decided not to push them.
A qiuck scan of the other group showed a big dirty white shaggy billy, and a turn of his head showed him to be the one we had called "The Longhorn".
He was a real trophy animal, easily over 40 inches in spread and huge in the body. Could my luck turn? One way to find out, I pushed hard to gain elevation and just made it in front of them. They were feeding uphill, directly past where I was. There was no chance to shoot as it was too thick, so I backed off a few yards and moved uphill to a spot where I had two shooting lanes.
As they fed past, a couple had already gone past me. I knew the longhorn was up the front, but had he already moved through? I was starting to second guess myself, as I could see goats feeding uphill, but couldn't see their horns in the bushes. A brown and black billy that was about level with the big fella, came into view, so I stayed put and not ten seconds later he moved through the first lane.
Fingers on the string, he ambled into the second at ten yards.
Concentrating hard on his armpit, I chanted to myself "GET TO FULL DRAW, GET TO FULL DRAW"
Drew back, anchored and released.
The arrow hit him tight on his crease, a quater of the way up his barrel chest. He paused for two seconds, let out a bleat and spun and tore off downhill. He only ran ten yards and stood there. I took another shot and it went over his shoulders. Damn.
He moved to where I couldn't get a clear shot, only twenty yards away and stood there, hard hit. The other goats had no idea what had happened, one was looking at me and let out a few alarm sneezes, but was unsure as I had gloves, faceveil and 3D top on, and didn't move a muscle. They kept feeding past me, and when the last one had gone past, I slowly moved down to him. He was bedded against a tree, panting. I had to get to two yards before I could get a clear shot, and fired the finisher. At the shot he slumped his head and it was all over.
I moved around to his head and squatted beside him,looked him in they eye and said thanks and patted him on the chest. He was a magnificent specimen. His horns were incredibly wide and with heavy bases. I looked at all his scars in the hard skin under his horns from fighting, and his shaggy coat that displayed his cashmere bloodlines. It was a moment I won't forget.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/036-Copy2.jpg)
With the sun almost gone I set up the tripod, and began to a photo session that lasted about half an hour.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/042.jpg)
It had been a long time between drinks, but I think I had just made up for it with what is likley to be the best trophy i'll take.
He measured an amazing 46" spread and scored 132 2/8 on the Douglas score and sits at about 25th on the all time bowshot list.
It was a great day, and a helluva way to break my drought. The beers sure tasted good that night.
For the record, the bow is a Fox longbow, Arctic fox 2pce takedown 53# @28, with juniper veneers.
Arrows were 5/16 Australian Ash with 190 Ribteks.
Thanks for all the words of encouragement and congratulations, it makes Tradgang a good place to be.
Good luck to you all on your upcoming hunts,
Memo
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/trad/068.jpg)
excellent
Magnificent animal!!
Thanks for letting us follow along.
Congrats,nice pics and story.Welcome back where you belong.P.S. chasing girls is no so wrong anyway.LOL
That was about as sweet as caramel on a english donut! Nice animal I often thought I would like to go somewhere like Hawaii and hunt them ol "stink sheep"!
Congrats on the hunt! Those are some great photos. <>< del
Oh my! What a great read! Congradulations to you and welcome back to the world that we love! Thank you..Thank you...Thank you!
Good stuff! Nice shooting and fine telling.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
That is how you break a drought. :thumbsup: Thanks and welcome back.
:saywhat: you may want to do a better job of covering up your leotards before you take your next picture. :biglaugh:
That is so cool...
What a great hunt!!!!! Great pics and storytelling too!!!!
:clapper:
That is awsome, what a great trophy too.
QuoteOriginally posted by COOCH:
That is how you break a drought. :thumbsup: Thanks and welcome back.
My thoughts exactly! A fine trophy there, and well deserved!
memo, thanks for the story and the pics. WELL DONE :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Absolutely stunning animal and story. Well done and congrats on ending the dry spell.
Cool! Hunter's Heaven for sure :)
I like to know more about them Australian Ash Arrows!
Good shootin, Steve
My hats off to you!
Excellent story, thanks for taking us allong.
Very Nice. What did your hunting partner say to that?
That was a great story.
Thanks for the excellent writing and all the photos.
Keep it up!
Kirk
Great goat and story. You done good. What is the meat like on those critters? :thumbsup:
:clapper: Great story and photos!
It was like we were there with you. Congrats.
How's the meat?
Will you mount it?
GREAT STUFF !!!!!!!
Awesome story!
Wow that is incredible. thank you very much for sharing! :thumbsup:
Incredible story, ending with an incredible animal! Congrats!
Certainly one of the best stories I've ever read and great photos. Nice work!!
That was fun. Thanks, Gary
P.S. Nice goat
Now that's cool! Thanks for sharing!
Congrats on the hunt! Those are some great photos :campfire:
Thanks for the story and pics. Congrats!!!
Very enjoyable read and great pictures.
Thank you for sharing with us.
Welcome back to the world of fun(trad-archery)
God bless,Mudd
wow, beautiful. congrats on a memorable hunt!
Thankyou guys for all the responses, it's quite humbling to have some of your compliments. Now to answer a few questions;
Frank Bullit-The wood for the arrows is known locally as Ash or Mountain Ash, and is a dense wood found in the high country in Victoria. It makes heavier arrows and can also be use for bows.
Talondale-My hunting partner told me to go and get him with the bow on the drive up. He hasn't shot a trophy goat, and we had earmarked this fellow for him. He told me "if you see the longhorn, you get him with the bow". He told me after I had him measured him that he deserved to be taken with the bow. He is a good man and generous, that's why we hunt together. No conmpetitions, just a genuine want to help each other acheive our goals.
Cacciatore- I don't think there is anything wrong with chasing girls, but my wife tends to disagree :biglaugh:
Gatekeeper- Don't knock the leggings and shorts combo until you try it. :biglaugh: It is actually very practical and comfy. It is better than having wet trousers from walking through wet vegetation and crossing creeks. I'll send you some . lol.
Turner/ Too may hobbies- The meat from goat is the best game meat I have had. I love fallow deer, but young goat beats it easily. It is a very underated meat, not as lean as venison so it doesn't dry out easily, but still not a fatty meat like lamb, with great taste and texture. I reccomend you try it if you can get a hold of some.
I didn't take his cape for a mount, but am regretting it now. I did however take his skull for a european mount, as I thought he deserved something apart from the usual skull cap mount. I have a different presentation in mind, so I'll post it when i've finished it.
Thanks again guys,
Memo
Top stuff, Steven, and brilliant photography! Thanks for sharing, and many happy returns of the day to you!
Thanks so much for sharing.I really enjoyed the read.
Congrats
I sure enjoyed the adventure, I know that had to be fun,
The statement of why you and your friend hunt together makes it great
Thanks
Absolutely fantastic story telling and the pictures are equally as good.
Always enjoy and good story from "down under."
Congrats all the way around!!!
:thumbsup: :campfire:
:thumbsup: Man your a great story teller and from the looks of things a great shot to boot keep up the good work man and welcome back.
Reading this made my day!
Welcome, and great story telling. Congrats on 2 fine animals!! :thumbsup:
What a great story! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
Hey fellas,
Here's a bit of video I took that day of thee Fallow bucks and the billy. Something you guys don't see too often. Sorry for the shaky footage of the goats, but it was taken at full zoom without the tripod. Hope it works,
Memo
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/Videos/th_TheLonghorn_0001.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v667/memo48/Videos/?action=view¤t=TheLonghorn_0001.mp4)