One very Happy Dad
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One very Happy Dad
I took both my sons, Jesse and Mike out to Central Queensland on Friday and we did a bit of bowhunting. The boys spent half the first night stalking elusive feral cats around the homestead so we got a late start on Saturday. That was OK because we didn't have a lot to do until the heat got up there and the hogs made camp in the shade along the channels. It turned out to be the best hunting trip I have ever been on, seeing both my sons bring to ground their first game with the trad gear we made ourselves (both young boars) within an hour or so of each other.
Mike was up first and I saw a young spotty boar walk down into the channel ahead of us into what looked like an ideal camp. I signalled Mike to come over my way and guided him to where I thought he could take a few more steps and shoot the young boar from immediately above on the high bank. Well it didn't quite work out like that, Mike was only maybe 3 metres from the bank concentrating to see the boar before it saw him and it appeared on the top of the bank under a big horizontal branch 4 metres to Mikes left. The pig was as shocked to see Mike as was I to see it. Mike was rock solid and just turned to the pig, came to full draw and hit right on the spot from quartering on. Mike thought the pig was going to run all the way back to the east coast but I assured Mike his shot was good and the boar expired about 40 m away. To begin with Mike was going to use the new 42#@28" D/R bow I made last week but when I told him he would be restricted to small game only he found the strength to start using my 47#@28" stick bow. Jesso was up next and it took a bit of effort to find him a pig. Both the boys were a bit excited and not paying full attention. We stumbled across 3 pigs sleeping under trees that heard us before we saw them )running off into the distance ). Next we spotted 3 pigs camping under a small log pile up in the bend of the creek. Mike and I retired and called Jesse across to have his shot. The wind changed and when Jesse peered over the edge of the channel the pigs were seen trotting off in the distance. Next we spotted a fair lump of a boar under another log pile and we set up so Mike and I could get a shot in if it spooked away from Jesse at any less than full throttle. Jess successfully crossed a fair stretch of open country to be bout 7 m from the pig when it got wary. It didn't do any more than lift it head and turn it in Jesse's general direction, but it kept an eye open for him. Jesse stood like stone for about 15 minutes and by then the pig had spotted Mike's movement in the opposite direction and turned its head that way. I was hiding behind a large tree straight ahead of the pig about 5 m away gesturing to Jesse to take the shot. What I couldn't see was that two branches crossed over right over the kill zone and so he had no shot. I urged Jesse on and eventually the pig busted him and took off (later we discussed a method to communicate that no shot is available so one of the others may take the shot).
As it got later we came across a small mob of pigs under a tree on the bank of the channel pushing each other around or just standing and watching. Jesse went down into the channel and got into about 8 m downwind of the mob. He popped up just enough to locate the biggest boar then stood up and drew on the boar as he was doing so. The closer small pigs saw Jesse first and ran for the hills. Unfortunately a small boar got between Jesse and the big boar as he released. The shot was not all bad as it went in just in the front of the back leg from about 7 o'clock towards the opposite shoulder, and I thought it would have to have done some mortal damage. Jesse was quite distraught to have caused a non-fatal injury so I set about showing him how to track the animal and finish it off. About 300m and 10 minutes away Jesse dispatched the small boar with a second arrow but was still not feeling the best about it. It took a bit of doing to convince him it was just bad luck but he had done a good job. I was proud that he stuck to the chase and finished the job. Jesse was using his 57#@28" DR bow we made together. He draws it to about 30" now. We packed up and came home Sunday after I found out Jesse has a mid-term exam on Tuesday that he said was "in the bag", and I said he should study for it As I said, my favourite hunting trip to date. I hope to have many more with my sons in the future. Thanks for looking.
Cheers........ Rod
Mike was up first and I saw a young spotty boar walk down into the channel ahead of us into what looked like an ideal camp. I signalled Mike to come over my way and guided him to where I thought he could take a few more steps and shoot the young boar from immediately above on the high bank. Well it didn't quite work out like that, Mike was only maybe 3 metres from the bank concentrating to see the boar before it saw him and it appeared on the top of the bank under a big horizontal branch 4 metres to Mikes left. The pig was as shocked to see Mike as was I to see it. Mike was rock solid and just turned to the pig, came to full draw and hit right on the spot from quartering on. Mike thought the pig was going to run all the way back to the east coast but I assured Mike his shot was good and the boar expired about 40 m away. To begin with Mike was going to use the new 42#@28" D/R bow I made last week but when I told him he would be restricted to small game only he found the strength to start using my 47#@28" stick bow. Jesso was up next and it took a bit of effort to find him a pig. Both the boys were a bit excited and not paying full attention. We stumbled across 3 pigs sleeping under trees that heard us before we saw them )running off into the distance ). Next we spotted 3 pigs camping under a small log pile up in the bend of the creek. Mike and I retired and called Jesse across to have his shot. The wind changed and when Jesse peered over the edge of the channel the pigs were seen trotting off in the distance. Next we spotted a fair lump of a boar under another log pile and we set up so Mike and I could get a shot in if it spooked away from Jesse at any less than full throttle. Jess successfully crossed a fair stretch of open country to be bout 7 m from the pig when it got wary. It didn't do any more than lift it head and turn it in Jesse's general direction, but it kept an eye open for him. Jesse stood like stone for about 15 minutes and by then the pig had spotted Mike's movement in the opposite direction and turned its head that way. I was hiding behind a large tree straight ahead of the pig about 5 m away gesturing to Jesse to take the shot. What I couldn't see was that two branches crossed over right over the kill zone and so he had no shot. I urged Jesse on and eventually the pig busted him and took off (later we discussed a method to communicate that no shot is available so one of the others may take the shot).
As it got later we came across a small mob of pigs under a tree on the bank of the channel pushing each other around or just standing and watching. Jesse went down into the channel and got into about 8 m downwind of the mob. He popped up just enough to locate the biggest boar then stood up and drew on the boar as he was doing so. The closer small pigs saw Jesse first and ran for the hills. Unfortunately a small boar got between Jesse and the big boar as he released. The shot was not all bad as it went in just in the front of the back leg from about 7 o'clock towards the opposite shoulder, and I thought it would have to have done some mortal damage. Jesse was quite distraught to have caused a non-fatal injury so I set about showing him how to track the animal and finish it off. About 300m and 10 minutes away Jesse dispatched the small boar with a second arrow but was still not feeling the best about it. It took a bit of doing to convince him it was just bad luck but he had done a good job. I was proud that he stuck to the chase and finished the job. Jesse was using his 57#@28" DR bow we made together. He draws it to about 30" now. We packed up and came home Sunday after I found out Jesse has a mid-term exam on Tuesday that he said was "in the bag", and I said he should study for it As I said, my favourite hunting trip to date. I hope to have many more with my sons in the future. Thanks for looking.
Cheers........ Rod
Last edited by rodlonq on Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: One very Happy Dad
Good to see and read, the boys should be chuffed. Well done Dad. Cheers Roadie.
Re: One very Happy Dad
Fantastic Rod! I envy you, mate.
Lately, if life were treating me any better, I'd be suspicious of it's motives!
Re: One very Happy Dad
Quality time Well done Lads!
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Re: One very Happy Dad
Well done Jesse and Mike! Thanks Rod for the story. Steve
Re: One very Happy Dad
Congrats to the boys Rod, great trip and fantastic memories togeather
Re: One very Happy Dad
Terrific stuff Rod, and best of luck in many more family hunts.
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Re: One very Happy Dad
Loved the story Rod,the Boy's did really well for their first trad kills ,would love to take my boy hunting,i asked him a couple of years ago if he wanted to go ,but he said if it bleeds red blood he doesn't want to kill it ,so i left it at that
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Re: One very Happy Dad
Awesome!
It's the great, big, broad land 'way up yonder,
It's the forests where silence has lease;
It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It's the stillness that fills me with peace.
It's the forests where silence has lease;
It's the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It's the stillness that fills me with peace.
Re: One very Happy Dad
That's fantastic mate. We should all be so lucky. (Lucky as parents I mean, not suggesting you were lucky hunters )
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Re: One very Happy Dad
Quality times, Well done boys.
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Re: One very Happy Dad
Top stuff lads , congrats all round
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Assenheimer T/D recurve 64" 65#@28
Internature Hunter T/D recurve 58" 60#@28
Bear Tigercat recurve 56" 58#@28
York Cadet recurve 62" 20#@28 ( first ever bow 1984)
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Re: One very Happy Dad
Absolutely excellent stuff Rod!!! A big congrats to the boys and to you also. I'm sure it will be something you all will remember for the rest of your lives. Thanks for sharing the trip with us.
Jeff
Jeff
Re: One very Happy Dad
Thanks for your comments fellas. A week later I am still excited about this hunt.
It came at a very opportune time too, I can tell you. We have a "use it or loose it" policy at our place and my Landcruiser was looking very close to being replaced with a much cheaper little work ute if it didn't get out for a trip soon . Cant let this happen again so I am already planning another trip when both of the lads are not studying over the mid-year break .
Cheers..... Rod
It came at a very opportune time too, I can tell you. We have a "use it or loose it" policy at our place and my Landcruiser was looking very close to being replaced with a much cheaper little work ute if it didn't get out for a trip soon . Cant let this happen again so I am already planning another trip when both of the lads are not studying over the mid-year break .
Cheers..... Rod
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Re: One very Happy Dad
Sounds like a great plan to me mate.rodlonq wrote:I am already planning another trip when both of the lads are not studying over the mid-year break .
Jeff
Re: One very Happy Dad
Rod dosn't get any better then hunting with the family, especially using home made gear mate.
The boys should be keen as next time.
Cheers Wayno
The boys should be keen as next time.
Cheers Wayno
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Re: One very Happy Dad
Yeah...... It was a great day Wayno. The boys are keen as mustard mate, my everyday thoughts are preoccupied with the next hunt with them. One day we'll get together and you can show them how to get the big fellas. Hows that big bore goin', would like to see it at least by photos if not in action. All the best with it mate.......
Cheers....... Rod
Cheers....... Rod