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A few here might know about my addiction in bowhunting. It's a sickness that I want no cure for. Even fewer might know about my episodes with connecting on a big Bushpig with my bow.
I am very lucky to have feet on the ground, and can travel to any sighting of any "once in a lifetime animals" that show up. Should it fall in between hunts, which is not often.
We saw a boar that had pushed out a younger boar, out of the sounder. He was an absolute train. This was another opportunity at a big Bushpig boar. A species that had eluded me with the bow, for the past two years. I have drawn on a few boars over the last couple of years, only for the wind to turn, a Kudu bark about 200 yards behind me, pigs simply walking off, you name it. I've seen it.
The boar that had taken over, was a once in a life time pig. We always maintain, that in hunting, these type of animals, if meant to be, will cross your path, at the right time, on the right day of your entire life.
I had been preoccupied with a wounded Cape Buffalo for the last 5 days. This might be a report in itself.
I arrived at my friend's house by 18:00. There was a nice fire going, so we settled down with some beverages, waiting for the MMS trail camera to send us the photo, informing us that they were in. The pigs were coming in around 19:30 every night. Around 18:50, the first photo came in. It was go time. I got my bow out, quickly fitted the broadheads to my selected shafts, fitted Illuminated nocks and added them to my quiver.
We drove and stopped roughly 500 yards away from the bait. The bait was situated below a dam wall, and with some good stalking , the shot would be a mere 20 yards. We walked along the cattle trail, and got to the waterhole. I could see the glow of the light where the feeder was.
We stalked a further 50 yards, and decided to get rid of our shoes half way up the bank. We quietly proceeded, and as we came over the crest, we could hear them feeding below. There were three of them. The Sow, her piglet and the boar. Once we laid eyes on them, the sow was standing closest to us, followed by piglet, and the boar furthest away, but still only 20 yards away. At the first opportunity where the boar showed himself, I drew my bow, but could not get a clear shot, since the piglet was standing in front of him. For the shot to be good, I would need to skim it just over the piglet's back. The risk was just too big.
I had to let the bow down quietly. As the night went on, I drew and let my bow down another 3 times.
The light went off for a bit, due to the positioning of the pigs. Once it came back on again, the boar had moved to the front. He was in the clear for a shot. About 3 seconds after the light came on, a bird flew from about 200 yards behind us, making a racket, flying straight over the bait. This unsettled the boar, and he ran about 15 yards and stopped. Not again. You have got to be kidding me.
We watched the boar walk off into the darkness. The sow stayed behind, and kept feeding for another 5 minutes, stopping her chewing every now and so often, just to listen. Eventually she walked off as well. I was sure that they would come back.
We retreated about 20 yards, and sat down just above the water line. Roughly 10 minutes later, I could see them crossing the open area on their way back to the bait. They walked a big loop on their way back to the bait, trying to figure out if it's safe to return.
After they got to the bait, we allowed them to settle in a bit, and relax. We started the stalk again, and again made it to 20 yards from them. This time, the boar was facing away from us, but was standing to one side.
Within a few seconds, he fed and gave me a perfectly broadside shot. I drew my bow, and settled the pin in the crease of his shoulder, and touched off the shot. My arrow found it's mark, and we watched the boar running off with the illuminated nock and stood at 50 yards and started to wobble.
He got a second wind, and ran another 20 yards to collapsing. Only once we got to him, we realised what we had achieved.
A true once in a life time Bushpig. I guess 11th time was the charm.
I am very lucky to have feet on the ground, and can travel to any sighting of any "once in a lifetime animals" that show up. Should it fall in between hunts, which is not often.
We saw a boar that had pushed out a younger boar, out of the sounder. He was an absolute train. This was another opportunity at a big Bushpig boar. A species that had eluded me with the bow, for the past two years. I have drawn on a few boars over the last couple of years, only for the wind to turn, a Kudu bark about 200 yards behind me, pigs simply walking off, you name it. I've seen it.
The boar that had taken over, was a once in a life time pig. We always maintain, that in hunting, these type of animals, if meant to be, will cross your path, at the right time, on the right day of your entire life.
I had been preoccupied with a wounded Cape Buffalo for the last 5 days. This might be a report in itself.
I arrived at my friend's house by 18:00. There was a nice fire going, so we settled down with some beverages, waiting for the MMS trail camera to send us the photo, informing us that they were in. The pigs were coming in around 19:30 every night. Around 18:50, the first photo came in. It was go time. I got my bow out, quickly fitted the broadheads to my selected shafts, fitted Illuminated nocks and added them to my quiver.
We drove and stopped roughly 500 yards away from the bait. The bait was situated below a dam wall, and with some good stalking , the shot would be a mere 20 yards. We walked along the cattle trail, and got to the waterhole. I could see the glow of the light where the feeder was.
We stalked a further 50 yards, and decided to get rid of our shoes half way up the bank. We quietly proceeded, and as we came over the crest, we could hear them feeding below. There were three of them. The Sow, her piglet and the boar. Once we laid eyes on them, the sow was standing closest to us, followed by piglet, and the boar furthest away, but still only 20 yards away. At the first opportunity where the boar showed himself, I drew my bow, but could not get a clear shot, since the piglet was standing in front of him. For the shot to be good, I would need to skim it just over the piglet's back. The risk was just too big.
I had to let the bow down quietly. As the night went on, I drew and let my bow down another 3 times.
The light went off for a bit, due to the positioning of the pigs. Once it came back on again, the boar had moved to the front. He was in the clear for a shot. About 3 seconds after the light came on, a bird flew from about 200 yards behind us, making a racket, flying straight over the bait. This unsettled the boar, and he ran about 15 yards and stopped. Not again. You have got to be kidding me.
We watched the boar walk off into the darkness. The sow stayed behind, and kept feeding for another 5 minutes, stopping her chewing every now and so often, just to listen. Eventually she walked off as well. I was sure that they would come back.
We retreated about 20 yards, and sat down just above the water line. Roughly 10 minutes later, I could see them crossing the open area on their way back to the bait. They walked a big loop on their way back to the bait, trying to figure out if it's safe to return.
After they got to the bait, we allowed them to settle in a bit, and relax. We started the stalk again, and again made it to 20 yards from them. This time, the boar was facing away from us, but was standing to one side.
Within a few seconds, he fed and gave me a perfectly broadside shot. I drew my bow, and settled the pin in the crease of his shoulder, and touched off the shot. My arrow found it's mark, and we watched the boar running off with the illuminated nock and stood at 50 yards and started to wobble.
He got a second wind, and ran another 20 yards to collapsing. Only once we got to him, we realised what we had achieved.
A true once in a life time Bushpig. I guess 11th time was the charm.
