Good week away Day 3,4 added
Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:01 pm
A couple good mates and I spent a week or so in the bush between Stanthorpe and a private property near the QLD, NSW border.
The week started with me knocking off night shift at 6am on the Friday morning and jumping straight in the Cruiser with the wife and kids and down to Brissie to pick up Glenn who had flown in from Weipa the day before, I was pretty knackered but the anticipation of what was ahead made it hard to sleep on the way down while the wife drove.
This was to be Glenn and My first trad hunt so I was super excited. I even made the tough decision to leave the wheely bow at home. I had been practicing hard with my new Raven TD recurve and really wanted to blood it.
I quickly dropped the wife and kids off at the outlaws and picked up Glenn before fueling the 80 up and hitting the road to Stanthorpe.
The plan was to get to Clint's place around mid arvo and fling a few arrows at Clint's target boar before having an early night and belting a few rabbits around Stanthorpe before heading south to hunt goats.
Everything went to plan and after a great feed and an even better sleep it was Saturday morning. We ripped into town to stock up on supplies before hitting the rabbit property.
Clint had worded us up that this was his favorite rabbit property and we certainly weren't disappointed. We had only walked 200 meters before Glenn was stalking a fat bunny sunning himself near his burrow. Glenn made a good stalk to get within 20 yards but the shot was just off.
We kept making our way slowly into the wind and there were rabbits everywhere, a few missed shots before Clinton put one on the money. It was beautiful country to be in, nice and cool with rabbits everywhere. We had hunted about 300 meters and I had a great stalk on a fat bunny only to send my home made rabbit smasher just over his back. Glenn and Clint were watching from 30m back and the sound of the shot spooked a cat from behind a granite boulder. I didn't see the cat but Glenn snuck over the rise where he saw it last. What happened next was a good lesson learnt.
We couldn't find the moggy so I thought a quick blow on my home made tenterfield style fox whistle might get him to poke his head out. None of us had an arrow on the string as we all thought the cat was long gone.
A few blows on the whistle and we had 2 dingoes flying in from a small gully about 200m away. I couldn't believe it and Clint later told us that you never see dingoes in this area.
So here we all are fumbling to get an arrow on the string before the dingoes step on our toes. The dog must have picked up movement as he stopped about 40 yards out and sat there. The bitch was a bit smarter and stayed out wider, circling into the wind before making an approach. I kept blowing on the whistle but neither would come any closer. The dog was losing interest so Clint had a shot, narrowly missing the dog and sending him back from where he came from. The bitch nearly came close enough for Glenn to get a shot but eventually the wind changed and she was gone.
We all stood around shaking our heads and saying we will never whistle again without being set up.
We kept hunting and it wasn't long before Glenn smacked his first critter with his beautiful custom made Flatline TD recurve. This young one stayed out a bit too long and a great shot from Glenn had him dead in the entrance to his burrow. A few more shots were had that arvo but with no success, first blood for my recurve would have to wait.
Glenn putting in a difficult stalk in open country The 3 amigo's Day 3
Sunday dawned beautiful and clear and after a bit of final packing we were on our way to the Goat property near the Qld/NSW border.
The hour and a bit trip went quickly as we spoke and joked of what the rest of the week might bring.
We pulled into the house and caught up with owner and his wife who were very welcoming before heading down to the creek to set up the camper trailer.
We had been out of the car about 1 minute before we quickly realized that the thongs and footy shorts would have to stay in the bag, there were stinging nettles everywhere. Nothing was going to dampen our spirits though and after a few good stings to the legs we were ready to hit the hills for our first hunt.
A big hike over the back of some hills to make sure we were above the goats as they headed back up the slopes after feeding on the flats and it wasn't long before the bleating of kids could be heard. I had taken a couple billies from this property previously with the compound so Glenn was first up.
We soon picked up a good billy feeding in our direction and Glenn made his way across a gully and down toward the billy. Another white goat could be seen which sported a pretty good spread and a black billy with a good head also.
Clint and I stayed put and after half an hour the sound of an arrow being released and the "thwack" of the arrow finding flesh could be heard in the still afternoon. A few minutes passed before the sound of Glenn yahhoooing signaled that the goat was on the deck.
Glenn had made his way slowly down the hill to about 15 yards, as the Billy knelt to get at some green pick he opened up the triangle and Glenn sent the arrow on its way. The shot was a little far forward but put the Goat's lights out quickly. He ended up being an old billy and was starting to lose his coat. Glenn was stoked with his first big critter with the recurve and a few beers round the fire that night made a good celebration. More to come, hope your enjoying.
The week started with me knocking off night shift at 6am on the Friday morning and jumping straight in the Cruiser with the wife and kids and down to Brissie to pick up Glenn who had flown in from Weipa the day before, I was pretty knackered but the anticipation of what was ahead made it hard to sleep on the way down while the wife drove.
This was to be Glenn and My first trad hunt so I was super excited. I even made the tough decision to leave the wheely bow at home. I had been practicing hard with my new Raven TD recurve and really wanted to blood it.
I quickly dropped the wife and kids off at the outlaws and picked up Glenn before fueling the 80 up and hitting the road to Stanthorpe.
The plan was to get to Clint's place around mid arvo and fling a few arrows at Clint's target boar before having an early night and belting a few rabbits around Stanthorpe before heading south to hunt goats.
Everything went to plan and after a great feed and an even better sleep it was Saturday morning. We ripped into town to stock up on supplies before hitting the rabbit property.
Clint had worded us up that this was his favorite rabbit property and we certainly weren't disappointed. We had only walked 200 meters before Glenn was stalking a fat bunny sunning himself near his burrow. Glenn made a good stalk to get within 20 yards but the shot was just off.
We kept making our way slowly into the wind and there were rabbits everywhere, a few missed shots before Clinton put one on the money. It was beautiful country to be in, nice and cool with rabbits everywhere. We had hunted about 300 meters and I had a great stalk on a fat bunny only to send my home made rabbit smasher just over his back. Glenn and Clint were watching from 30m back and the sound of the shot spooked a cat from behind a granite boulder. I didn't see the cat but Glenn snuck over the rise where he saw it last. What happened next was a good lesson learnt.
We couldn't find the moggy so I thought a quick blow on my home made tenterfield style fox whistle might get him to poke his head out. None of us had an arrow on the string as we all thought the cat was long gone.
A few blows on the whistle and we had 2 dingoes flying in from a small gully about 200m away. I couldn't believe it and Clint later told us that you never see dingoes in this area.
So here we all are fumbling to get an arrow on the string before the dingoes step on our toes. The dog must have picked up movement as he stopped about 40 yards out and sat there. The bitch was a bit smarter and stayed out wider, circling into the wind before making an approach. I kept blowing on the whistle but neither would come any closer. The dog was losing interest so Clint had a shot, narrowly missing the dog and sending him back from where he came from. The bitch nearly came close enough for Glenn to get a shot but eventually the wind changed and she was gone.
We all stood around shaking our heads and saying we will never whistle again without being set up.
We kept hunting and it wasn't long before Glenn smacked his first critter with his beautiful custom made Flatline TD recurve. This young one stayed out a bit too long and a great shot from Glenn had him dead in the entrance to his burrow. A few more shots were had that arvo but with no success, first blood for my recurve would have to wait.
Glenn putting in a difficult stalk in open country The 3 amigo's Day 3
Sunday dawned beautiful and clear and after a bit of final packing we were on our way to the Goat property near the Qld/NSW border.
The hour and a bit trip went quickly as we spoke and joked of what the rest of the week might bring.
We pulled into the house and caught up with owner and his wife who were very welcoming before heading down to the creek to set up the camper trailer.
We had been out of the car about 1 minute before we quickly realized that the thongs and footy shorts would have to stay in the bag, there were stinging nettles everywhere. Nothing was going to dampen our spirits though and after a few good stings to the legs we were ready to hit the hills for our first hunt.
A big hike over the back of some hills to make sure we were above the goats as they headed back up the slopes after feeding on the flats and it wasn't long before the bleating of kids could be heard. I had taken a couple billies from this property previously with the compound so Glenn was first up.
We soon picked up a good billy feeding in our direction and Glenn made his way across a gully and down toward the billy. Another white goat could be seen which sported a pretty good spread and a black billy with a good head also.
Clint and I stayed put and after half an hour the sound of an arrow being released and the "thwack" of the arrow finding flesh could be heard in the still afternoon. A few minutes passed before the sound of Glenn yahhoooing signaled that the goat was on the deck.
Glenn had made his way slowly down the hill to about 15 yards, as the Billy knelt to get at some green pick he opened up the triangle and Glenn sent the arrow on its way. The shot was a little far forward but put the Goat's lights out quickly. He ended up being an old billy and was starting to lose his coat. Glenn was stoked with his first big critter with the recurve and a few beers round the fire that night made a good celebration. More to come, hope your enjoying.