Bushfires and Boars the Cape York grunter hunters return

LEOPARD · October 01, 2009, 02:10:00 AM

I was the last person in the group to get something on the ground this trip, but I ended pretty well dropping 3 pigs in the last 2 days. Here's the story of my first pig of the trip...

Andy and I were hunting together, walking along one of the bigger creeks on the station. Andy was in front of me while we were walking on the edge of this rock cliff over-hanging the river when he suddenly froze head still having just seen a big boar lying in the water facing him. The pig hadn't seen him yet, but Andy didn't want to risk moving and spooking the pig. I was a couple of meters behind Andy and he signaled for me to stay low and move back and around slowly.
The wind was right, and I moved in very slowly and quietly. I hadn't seen the pig yet, only the back of Andy so was going in blind. I knew that if I got a shot opportunity, it would be close range i.e. under 8 meters. So I knew I had to be very quiet. I stalked in quietly and slowly, when I found myself on the top of a bank above the pig. He was about 5 meters away from me when I drew my 68# Wolverine longbow. I anchored, aimed and let loose watching my arrow penetrate to the fletch just to the side of the pigs spine, between the shoulders into the engine room.
The pig exploded out of the water, stumbling straight up the bank towards me snapping his jaws. I am pretty sure he was very angry with me and wanted to eat me, so I didn't want to wait around to find out. I proceeded to knock another arrow and wacked the pig again, at a quartering towards angle, as he was coming up the bank - this time at about 3 yards... After seeing that this second shot hit him good through the shoulder and right into the engine room again, I turned and high tailed it for some trees leaving him time to die, shouting to Andy to shoot if he got a shot! I turned after running about 30 meters and watched the pig collapse and fall down the bank. He rolled back down the bank until he hit a tree, where he stopped dead. It was an incredibly thrilling hunt, and it was an absolute pleasure to share this with my long time hunting partner/ cousin - Andy!

Nice hole created by the Magnus I 2 blade!

LEOPARD · October 01, 2009, 02:19:00 AM

Sunset

The infamous fire...

Typical picture of the bush up in that area - very flat and similar looking with few high land marks making navigation without GPS tricky.

Discussing the days hunting around the "Deluxe".

LEOPARD · October 01, 2009, 02:23:00 AM

I am still in Australia. I fly back home tomorrow night so more pictures and stories to follow when I get home!

DesertDude · October 01, 2009, 02:39:00 AM

This is way to cool guys.......

excelpoint · October 01, 2009, 03:15:00 AM

Great read guys, sounds like you had a blast over here in Aussie land.

saumensch · October 01, 2009, 04:27:00 AM

absolutegreat thread!
a dream hunt for sure

Benny Nganabbarru · October 01, 2009, 06:19:00 AM

Very cool shooting under pressure, Nige! And an excellent adventure to have under your hat! Well-done!

Littlefeather · October 01, 2009, 07:25:00 AM

Allen has a brother?

I can't be around Allen for long. I laugh till I can't breath. Allen's a wordsmith.

DHR · October 01, 2009, 07:44:00 AM

this thread is awesome! Good work you guys, and thanks for sharing the stories.

Dan

hunt it · October 01, 2009, 08:18:00 AM

Good to hear from you Roger! Welcome to Trad Gang and congrats again on your first trad trophy! It was a pleasure to spend time with you and those fine boys of yours. Safe travels home.

hunt it · October 01, 2009, 08:26:00 AM

More fire pictures. Mel and I sat watching this one real close for a few hours. We had stalked a monster boar on this water hole first thing that morning. He eluded us but headed off in direction of fire and we were hoping that once his tail started to smell like bacon he'd head back to water to cool off. No such luck, these fires burn slower than faster. We did have to drive through the fire to get back to camp.

hunt it · October 01, 2009, 08:27:00 AM

The fire as we approached in truck.

hunt it · October 01, 2009, 08:28:00 AM

Up close.

hunt it · October 01, 2009, 08:37:00 AM

During our hunt a number of Dingo's where sighted. Much like trying to get a coyote after he has made you. One day Mel and I got lucky and stumbled upon a pack of them. The arrows flew in a few directions but Mel and I doubled up on this one. Not the biggest one in the bunch but a Dingo none the less.

hunt it · October 01, 2009, 08:38:00 AM

Mel and the Dingo.

zipper bowss · October 01, 2009, 08:47:00 AM

Man!!What an adventure!I have lost count of the total on skewered pork.Keep the pictures and stories coming.Im sure the evenings spent at camp were just as great as the hunting.
Great work!
Bill

hunt it · October 01, 2009, 11:05:00 AM

Nigel,

Safe trip home. Great sharing camp with you and fantastic pics and story of your charging hog. The sparkle in your eye when you were telling us that day said it all. That's what we live for my friend! Looking forward to rest of your stories and pictures once you get back home.

LEOPARD · October 01, 2009, 11:14:00 AM

Thanks Dave! It was an absolute pleasure meeting, hunting, and sharing camp with you!

Here's my dad cooking up some mean tasting fresh water prawns!

And a few pics of the Cape York bush...

More stories and pics when I get home....

tradtusker · October 01, 2009, 11:16:00 AM

Safe trip back Bro

hunt it · October 01, 2009, 11:25:00 AM

Here is another one of my hogs. This was taken on yet another evenig hunt with Mel close to camp. Mel and I had spotted a group of 15 to 20 hogs feeding and moved in. We both tried to flank the group on opposite sides to see if we could both get shooting. The pigs moved in my direction and then in Mel's. As I tried to get closer they all turned and headed my way. As they fed by I spotted the biggest boar in the bunch and waited for him. When he presented his best angle the arrow was on it's way. The hit was a little further back than I liked but was angled forward slightly. The hog made a mad dash and then slowed up quickly. Mel made a wide circle and tried to cut the boar off as I followed up behind boar. Mel got another arrow into the hog followed quickly by my second arrow. This hog was dead but he did not and was not going to admit that. He took off with myself and Mel on his tail. As Mel got closer for another shot this boar got pissed and charged Mel! As Mel retreated, I shouted - head for tree as that boar was alot closer to Mel's heels than I liked. Mel realizing this took matters into his own hands and spun around and let the boar have it over the head with his widow!While Mel had him distracted I was able to get another arrow into the boar followed by another one of Mel's arrows. When the hog finally gave up Mel ran over and gave him a few boots in the head. That was enough fun for one day.