It has been a very long season for me with the trad bow.  I have only had 2 shots at animals all season and one of those was a doe with a fawn who I chose to let walk, the other was a yearling that was trained in the art of arrow dodging..      


Yesterday morning I was hunting some local public land.  After sitting the morning sit I decided to get down and go scout, something I obviously SUCK at!  I was walking along searching for some oak trees that might still be producing, to my surprise I found a striped oak that was loaded to the gills.  I started searching for any sign around it and heard a grunt to the north; it sounded like around 50 or so yards away.  In the thick palmetto's they might as well have been a mile! I knew they were within 40 yards, but i could not see the location of them.  I could hear that they were moving the palmettos, but I couldn't see this, it is just THAT thick here!  

I start my stalk on animals that I have no idea where they are or exactly how far, that's the sure makings for success, right?!  I finally see the first palmetto shake at around 20 yards.. then another, there are obviously a lot more pigs there that I thought.  Though they are all within 30 yards, I can't see anything.  Finally, I spot a hole that one is headed towards.  I see her head hit the hole, but there are sooo many palmetto's in the way, I did not really wnat to take the shot.  I see that she is actually quartering towards me and I decide to wait to see how close she will get.  I did not know exactly how my arrow would respond to hitting a palmetto and then having to travel a couple more yards to hit her.  In my mind, I thought i'd rather shoot through palmetto's at 10 yards than 20.  When she got to around 10 yards she turned back to my left and hit the only shootable hole there was(thank you lord).  I watched her head enter the hole, I begin to draw, she must have caught some of the movement and paused for a second.  I am now stuck at half draw.  Thankfully she doesn't make me hold it very long.  When her shoulder hit the hole, I was at full draw waiting on her.  I watch the arrow as it burried up to the nock and all heck broke loose.  There must have been 20 pigs around, and I did not know this until after the shot.  

I thought of trying to pursue the other pigs there, but I did not want to lose this one, or to have to pack 2 out.  This particular piece of land does not let you bring in a wheeler.  You have to cart or carry it out.  I began my tracking job and managed to get it all on video, so i'll stop typing.  Post tracking thoughts, I have never seen a blood trail that easy to follow, especially in the palmettos.  IT was just unreal!  


 

Here is fist blood at the sight of impact.  


 

the second location of blood.  

now the video begins..

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWuzwXXGMF8  


I was shooting a Simmons Interceptor original.  needless to say, I wont have anything else in my quiver any time soon.  

how I found her..

 


here is all that stopped it from passing through..
 


I think the feathers are actually what kept the arrow in it.  All 3 of the fletchings were peeled back on the shaft from the shoulder blade.  I would have believed that it would have been a complete pass through at that close, but i'm not sure what happened.  Either way, it had the right result.  

Hero Pic:
 


In this particular part of the state you can't bring anything in to get the game so you have to either cart or carry it out.  I opted to carry it.  This was my first time ever quartering a packing out an animal.  






I think I want to invest in a pack with a meat sack but the ones I have seen are a little out of my range.

Great job, Daniel.

   

Congrats

Congrats Daniel.  I love the original interceptors .

Great job, Daniel.  Love those interceptors.

Jake

Awesome...congrats on the hog and great shot!!

Congratulations, great shot    

Hats off to anyone that can stalk in Palmettos. You'll have a pile of pulled pork samiches!

Great pics buddy!  Congrats!

Nice work Daniel!

Great blood trail..... I think things could get pretty dicey with the palmetto as thick as that!

Great job!
Congrats

God bless,

Rodd

Good work all around. Nice pics.

Great job Daniel,CONGRATS  

Congrats Daniel!!!

Nice shot!  Way to go.

Congrats!

       

Good job brother...!!!

Congrats Daniel!!!