Why I shoot a longbow

[Pat B.]

I hunt hard, put in lots of time and effort. It seems like it's taken its toll and I feel in need of a rest.

   I had a spot that needed visiting before I took a break. While the weather had turned warmer the wind was favorable for the area I wanted to hunt.
   About 4 this afternoon I grabbed my bow, my other gear was already in the truck. Being in the midst of a drought I'm able to drive pretty much where I choose. I stopped the truck about a mile from the spot I wanted to hunt and slipped my daypack on.Taking a leisurely walk is always relaxing to me and by the time the hunting area was reached I was in the right frame of mind.
   After I tied my bow onto my pull rope I climbed the tree and settled in. Well after sundown and approaching dark I heard something coming. From the sound of the steps through the ground litter I suspected it might be a pig. When it came into sight I saw that it was a fair sized male hog.
    He messed around under an adjacent oak not giving me a shot and I was loosing light rapidly.
Just as last light was upon me he got broadside the turned away slightly, it was now or never. I pulled the Mohawk to a full 29" and released the arrow. Everything was right, I just love it when that happens! I had three 5" yellow feather on the CE 150 and I watched the ball of feathers spin all the way to the pig.
    I knew I had a good hit as he took off. I carefully listened as he ran through the brush trying to make sure I had a good direction on him.. When I lost any sound of him I took out my compass and took a bearing on the last area I heard him in, it was a 160' heading.
    After gathering my gear I got down and went over to where he was standing, I didn't find any blood. Since I thought I knew where he was I made a rookie mistake and instead of looking for the blood just walked out into the brush going on that 160' bearing and looked for the pig.. After circling for 30 minutes or so and getting nowhere I went back to the tree he was under when I shot him.  I spent a bit of time there and finally picked up the trail.. From that point on it was fairly straight forward. However, it did take me a half hour or so to follow the trail. I'm guessing but he probably made 150-175 yards before giving up the ghost..
    Why do I shoot the longbow -- because it works! Plus it's got a little magic in it, grin.

[steadman]

Great pig again Pat! Congrats!  

[NBK]

Awesome.  I love "hero" shots as much as anyone, but I have to admit that I love the hero shots with a bare longbow in it a little bit more!  Nice work and good story.

[Tater]

Wow another great Hog.!!

   Nice shooting

[TxAg]

Big pig.  Congrats!

[GRINCH]

Fair size hog,now thats funny,good shot again.          

[Rob W.]

Wow! great story and pig.

[BowHunterGA]

Very nice! Congrats!
     

[pdk25]

Keep it up, Pat. Great job.

[rastaman]

Very nice hog sir!      

[Bob B.]

Good Grief Pat, you got any pigs left down there?    

Bob.

[lunchbucket]

Nice hog!

[Mudd]

[Exit Felix]

That is a huge pig!  Congrats!

[Bjorn]

Not another Pig Pat!! That's a good 'un!          

[Austin Brown]

That thing looks like a monster, way to go!!!!

Ooh, that's another BIG one, for sure! I got one this evening too but she was not nearly that big.

Congrats,

Bisch

[Jerry Jeffer]

Nice bow, and hefty pig.    

[Green]

Wow...another huge hog Pat.  No rest for the weary...lol.

[RC]

Great job Pat!! Gotta love those Mohawks. RC