I had stayed in Toowoomba at my cousin Dave's place the night before (and wasn't he pleased to see me off for a week chasing boars while he had to work? Poor Bugger!) so's to make sure I would be in Dalby in time to meet up with “The Boys". Jeff Challacombe, who, being the bowyer behind Gidgee & Stickbow Traditions longbows, plus his contributions to our chosen lifestyle through countless “how to" articles in various publications, needs no introduction to anyone who loves Trad bowhunting, Rod Bagnall- the maker of the famous and much coveted Gringa longbows & general all 'round good bloke, plus one other man I had never met before, Keith Forrester- once the provider of high quality Victorian Ash shafts to a large percentage of those that love Trad gear and still the maker of precision equipment like the V.A. spine gauge & tapering machines. Quite an impressive group...God only knows what I was doing in this collection of keen (long)bowhunting legends! I've never made anything more than a mess!
We met up at the Dalby branch of McDonalds, Jeff introduced me to Keith, we grab a quick feed, or as close as you could get to food, considering the establishment we were in, then head on out to Ol' Spear Chuckers (Darren Amos, a larrikin of a man if ever I've met one, with an easy laugh and always a joke at hand, just waiting for the right opportunity to use it. He's also a very accomplished hunter, as his trophy wall will attest. If you get the chance, watch “Another Boaring Week" and you'll get an idea of just how long Chuckers been flingin' arras! He's also lucky enough to share his life with Letitia, his wife. Heed my advice, if “Tish" offers you her home-made fudge, take it!) so I can leave my, clearly NOT bush worthy, car behind and travel on in Jeff's Land Cruiser. We lost an hour at Chucks but gained a good yarn and laugh, and even better, fudge and bikkies from Tish! I tried to convince Darren to join us, but it wasn't to be. The Capitalist system required his presence more than we did, apparently!
So, many hours and conversations later we arrive back at the place on Earth I love the most- our Cunnamulla hunting grounds. She looked a bit drier than last year and this encouraged us-at least the game will have to come in for water, so this might just tip the balance of chance in our favour. After Keith cooked us all a nice meal we headed of to bed, pictures of grassed boars dancing in our heads.
Next morning, Rod and I elect to try out a cane grass swamp first, and although we didn't do any good, we had a chance to catch up on gossip, news and scuttlebutt as we only see each other once a year, on these trips.
- A great shot of the swamp taken by Ol' Rod
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- The young billy whose meat became Rod's Birthday roast!!!
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- Taking the skin and meat
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- Back at the Cruiser with the skin and meat
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- The Big Fella tucks into his Birthday Roast!
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- Rod's young billy
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Anyway, Rod and I were having a good look around when we came upon a nice, fit young boar out rooting around on the plain. Once again, the Big Fella was good to me and said “He's yours matey, go on" so I did. Now, I'm not silly enough to think it was anything to do with my skill or stealth or anything else...it was by pure luck alone that I found myself close enough to take a shot with confidence that it would drop him...and it did. Honesty compels me to tell you that I fluffed another shot, but got him right in the Jugular anyway! Ever gone from elation to terror in 2 seconds? I have! It was right after the arrow hit him...he spun around, squealed even louder than my daughter can, and took off...right at me! “OH CRIPES,WHAT HAVE I DONE??!!!" My legs were in action long before my brain registered what was going on and I reckon I had taken about five long, running strides before a voice (which sounded just like my long dead & much loved old dad, for some mad reason!) yelled in my head “STOP RUNNIN' YA GIRL! RODS WATCHING!!" so I stopped, took out another arrow, lined up...and dry fired!! What a comedy of errors! It must have been hilarious to witness! Anyway, old mate boar wasn't even after me, in fact I don't think he even saw me in his panic to get away from whatever it was in his neck! He piled up and broke off the arrow, then got up, legs straining to gain traction in the dirt, and bolted for some bushes. I thought we had lost him, but Keith, who had watched the whole thing unbeknownst to me, pointed to him and said “He's here, Craig, come and finish him!", I admit to being City born and bred and I gotta tell ya, I wasn't keen on going anywhere near him while he was still drawing breath! The ethics of trad bowhunting require a quick kill, though, so I had to manage the fear and get in and kill him. A follow up arra and he's gone for good, I'm pumped and everyone is crowding around slapping me on the back, shaking my hand and telling me “That's a bloody good Boar, mate, you should be proud of y'self!" I didn't know how to tell them how it only happened because the Gods of Bowhunting took pity on me so I just accepted the accolades and went with it!
- Stalking the pig on the left (three in the photo)
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- Getting closer
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- The shot!!!
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Ah well, not much I could do so I just endured it until Ol' Stickbow was satisfied with his pictorial record and then spat 'em out and went ahead removing his jaw. I learned how to from “Another Boaring Week", Thanks Chuck! Jeff helped and supervised though. It would have been a bit messy without him to be honest.
- What a set of teeth - the pigs that is!
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Ok, that's gonna have to do ya's for now...but stay tuned, in a couple of days I shall pass down the “Legend of the Cave Boar"...a tale of courage and bravery that all kiddies should hear at least once. Aint that right, Jeff & Rod?
looking forward to the rest. Steve
Congrats on your first Boar, the tale will grow as the years pass. As for your Camo, most of us hunted in the 70's and 80's in Jeans and a Flanno no worries.
