My first traditional animal.

[TEX]

Well I finally did it.
I christened the recurve this weekend.
This is the first game to be taken with my recurve and it's also is the first traditional shot animal I have made.
I saw this old guy sneaking through the bush and I managed to sneak up on him.
I could see him sniffing around the base of a tree as I crept through the undergrowth. The dry leaves on the ground made it hard but I didn't have much time to waste as he was moving from tree to tree making his way towards the thicker bush. I knew once he got into there I had no chance of getting him. The under growth was up to my shoulders and that thick stuff always grabs your bow and holds you back. Wedging itself between your lower limb and your string.
I used the tree trunks for cover as much as I could and used the rocks as stepping stones to avoid the crunchy leaves. As I stepped onto a large rock I could see him walking bellow me. I stood dead still as he made his way around the rock formation. My thoughts were maybe I should let this guy go and I was more blown away that I was so close to a wild dog and he had no idea that I was right there above him.
The old guy then started to walk straight towards me. His head was down as he sniffed the ground. At five meters he turned to his left and started to walk along a large flat rock at about 35 degrees below me to my right. That's when the hunter in me took over. I drew back and put an arrow behind his top right shoulder and the arrow excited out the lower front of his chest on the opposite side. He swung around and tried to bite what ever it was that hit him but he saw nothing and he bolted off through the thick scrub. The arrow was still sticking out off his shoulder as he took off. I could here him lower down in the bush for a second but the sound of him running through the bush stopped. I made my way around to the area where I last heard him. The bush was so thick I thought I will never find him. I was crossing a rock face when I came across his blood trail. There was a good amount of blood on the ground so I knew he was hit well. I followed the blood for about 3 meters but it had stopped. I tried to find what direction he had gone but the blood stopped here. I walked in circles around the last sign and still nothing. I decided to make my way back to where I shot him so I could follow the trail from the start and that's when I noticed him lying on the ground in a thick grassy patch under a bush. He back tracked a few meters from the last sign of blood and died. He made it about 20 meters before he dropped. I carried him back to where I first shot him. On the way I found the end of my arrow. When I put him down at the spot I found the other end of my arrow. The carbon arrow was broken in half and the broad head was bent and broken from the insert. Due to the steep angle I had to shoot at the arrow must have passed through the dog and smashed into the rock he was standing on. I remember thinking for a split second after the shot why did the arrow not pass right through. Now I knew why.
Afterwards I had mixed emotions at what had just taken place. The hunter in me thought it was great to take a wild dog so close and so quick but the other part of me thought about the old guy who has probably been hunting this spot for so many years and this tall skinny guy just put an end to it. I suppose part of me is getting softer as I get older. I noticed that the dogs teeth were yellow and quite worn and rotten. So he was probably finding it harder to survive anyway. He was skinny. Maybe I should have just taken a photo of him but I know what it feels like to have a bad tooth the pain is unbearable. Well that's my way of feeling better about it anyway.
Tex

[Gringa Bows]

congrats on the first trad kill mate,good shot

[TEX]

Thanks Rod

[kerrille]

well done mate and hears to many more


...nev...

[TEX]

Thanks Nev

[longbowinfected]

Gooodanya Tex......sure that is you in the picture?....hard to recognize you without your hat.....or other trade mark clothing!!!

Kevin

[TEX]

Yeah it's me.
I don't know if you know but my new pup chewed up the white cowboy hat.
I think my wife thought it was for the better.
Thanks mate.

[Lindsay]

Good on ya mate well done.

[rossy]

top effort mate, WELL DONE .First of many, i'm sure

Happy Hunting
Dickie

[kerrille]

as i was gunna say earlyer takeing the old and injured is the humane and right thing to do and often do it myself.


...nev...

[longbow steve]

Congrats Mark. Steve

[Coach]

Congrats on your first Trad animal Tex It certainly is a good feeling , isnt it ?

[piggy]

congrats mate well done

[TEX]

Yeah Coach.
But I have mixed feelings when I hunt.
I feel good as a hunter but there is a softer side in me which keeps popping up.
I think it's because he was such a nice looking dog.
I recon it's a great first trad animal though.

[TEX]

Thanks Piggy

[Jaydo]

Congrats Tex, Great animal to get as your first with the recurve,

heres to many many more

Jaydo

[jape]

Mark, that is a great story and thanks for explaining your emotions as well. No decent hunter lacks empathy for his prey or else he is just a killer. I think that traditional hunting emphasises the real reasons we hunt, because hunting is part of us and it gets us closer. We are part of nature too, all connected and we are part of the cycles of life and death. Your thoughts do you credit, and your skill and ability do the same! Well done mate.
ps I love the camo!

[TEX]

Thanks Jaydo
I think the camo is being as skinny as a sappling and thats what the old dog thought I was.
No seriously though thanks again mate.

[Hilly]

Good on ya Tex you done well I still waiting to get a fox

[Coach]

Yeah Coach.
But I have mixed feelings when I hunt.
I feel good as a hunter but there is a softer side in me which keeps popping up.
I think it's because he was such a nice looking dog.
I recon it's a great first trad animal though.

My wife keeps telling me , that empathy is a good thing ,, only when I cry at movies etc

[TEX]

oh no Coach I didn't cry.
but I have at movies especially in fast and the furious when they smashed the dodge.
No only kidding mate. I think our wives like to see we can be soft at times.
I did get upset when the dodge rolled over though.

[jamie]

is that the dog you saw not long ago.you're getting softer by the day, soon you will be out hunting in a pink skirt which is ok cause you do have the legs for it

[Alex]

Good on ya Tex.
nice stalk.
Nice first game.
Nice bow as well.

[Tommo]

Good one Tex. Nice start to the bow's career.
Tommo

[TEX]

Thanks Fellas
Yes Jamie.
I only shoot in a dress on special occasions.
I think my knees are a little too knobbly for a short skirt. But thanks for the compliment.

[Nephew]

Onya Tex!! Wont be long now and I'll be able to join ya in posting my first! Congrats and I hope it's the first of many.

[TEX]

Thanks Moreton
I hope you will. Good luck.
Reg Tex

[Jeffro]

Good onya Tex thats a great result mate.

[TEX]

Thanks Jeffro
It's funny I was thinking of naming my bow after the first animal I shot with it. Due to the bow being a one off. Part Graeme K and part Mark (Tex)
I am so glad it was not a rabbit. Not saying shooting rabbits with a bow is not an achievement. I still am yet to grass a cotton tail. The sneaky little critters are hard to get. But calling the bow the wild dog is a cool name. What do you guys think.

[gundy]

Tex, well bloody done mate! First TRAD harvest!

As for the emotion.... I guess your human after all!

I would be concerned if you didn't show any!

Great stuff mate, now where is the high res photo for the eMag?