Aloha Gang!
Just thought I'd share a recent hunt I took last weekend. For some time now, I've been reading much on the shooters forum and powwow while taking ideas from all the trad ganger's writings and incorporating them into my practice. It's just been super encouraging to finally experience progress on my weak areas and this hunt was a nice culmination of that. Thanks TRAD GANG!
Coming from a beginning with compound bows, I've had to humbly learn that traditional bowhunting is really something that engages more than just the body and mind. At 28 years old, maybe I'm too young to understand it all, but there is really something "spiritual" about the whole thing. Aside from carrying a handmade work of art to hunt with, I notice and sense more and different things than ever before. You guys know what it is and know that words alone can't do it justice. We just have to experience it.
All the miles, the hard work, the highs, and the lows give value to the hunt that no amount of inches on a horn or pound of weight could compare to.
If you've ever had an opportunity to pursue old billies, on the Big Island of Hawaii, over the miles and miles of black volcanic lava fields they call home, you know there's nothing easy about it. And anyone that has hunted these guys long enough will learn that even a well placed double lung shot may surprise you hundreds of yards later as you watch your billy just stand there like nothing happened. All that, with efforts to eradicate all game mammals in the islands, make finding and sneaking up on an old billy a low odds proposition.
On the most physically taxing and mentally intense goat hunt I've ever done, I was fortunate enough to catch a break and intercept a bachelor herd of billies within 20 yards for a great shot. In the pandemonium after the shot, the billy ran around me stopping under a ledge. Not leaving anything to chance, I quickly took a second shot on a steep downhill angle for good measure. After a pack back in the dark and pouring rain, I returned home at midnight on a journey that started at 3am.
To give credit where credit is certainly due. I have to thank the Trad Gang website for providing an awesome forum for the traditional community and providing insight that helps young trad hunters like myself. Also, South Cox for building a bow that works amazingly well with my shooting style and shortening my learning curve through his experience.
Topic: Big Island of Hawaii Billy (pic added) (Read 2569 times)
