Aussie Bow Hunter
27-07-08, 03:50 PM
my self and damo started off with an early morning hunt leaving home at 7 to start the 2 hour drive. I had Borrowed a bow off damo's brother in law, that i had had a couple of shots out of the day earlier. driving up to the 3rd gate to the right we where both astonished at a mob of deer (about 7 or 8) that startled and took off up the paddock. after having a laugh we where on our way again.
It was not long after that we spotted a mob of goats only about 200 metres from the track in the open. we had a look through the bino's and we where very pleased to see a couple of nice sized billys having a fight. we watched for a few minutes longer wishing the camera had better zoom until another mob of goats came out of the thicker scrub heading towards the mob we had already seen. We were feeling even more excited when we spotted in the mob a male, dark fur and a huge spread. we decided that he was what we wanted. we sat in waiting for a little longer to try and determine where this new mob was going to do. funnily enough they did join the other mob by going under the fence that was dividing them, but the big billy couldnt fit his horns under, he was stuck on our side of the fence. beauty we thought this will make it easier to pin him. He decided to feed up the hill, so we attempted to intercept him at the top, but at the top we realized there was very little cover, and still 70 or so metres away he smelt us, and took off nervously into thicker scrub on the other side of the hill. we had a further look to see where he might have gone, but we decided we had lost him.
a while later we came across another mob on a dried up river red, a failed stalk by my self scared them away. heading back up the way we had come we spotted more goats, 4 males, all nice racks. they appeared to be feeding towards us at first, and thats when i started to get my hopes up big time on nailing my first billy. they slightly changed their direction and fed along the hill, to the left of where where at the base of it. after they had moved behind we made a move to start closing the 100 - 150 meters gap between them and us. 2 of the males started to settle down and bedding up for a while, the other 2 continued feeding into thick scrub. this was my chance i was going to go for the 2 that where bedded. i crawled behind cover, and closed the last 20 - 30 metres. i was being patient, moving very slowly, watching their every move, i had seen damo do this a few times before and was feeling confident and optimistic. suddenly i noticed that to my extreme left the 2 other males where comming out of the scrub and where feeding directly towards damo, it was imposible for me to get a shot, there was to much foliage in my way, but they where only 15 or so metres from me, i was waiting for the opertunity for a clean shot to arise, but it did not, they changed direction and fed away from us. but that was ok, i still had the 2 bedded up in front of me, another 10 or 20 minutes to close a couple more metres and find a good angle to hit the white billy, i was psyching my self up for the shot, i drew back, and the arrow un-nocked itself, all that went trough my mind was ****!!! i re nocked it, drew the bow back, slowly came to feet exposing my head and torso between branches, i had a great sight picture, aimed the billy up and i hit the release aid. i heard the crack as it hit the billy, i went down to a knee, got up again to see him struggle to find his feet, a bit wobbly he took a few steps in a circle and collapsed, rolling down the hill with some "bahhh"s i had done it i knew it was dead, i was ecstatic. i had finally got my first goat. i skinned it while damo had a very close but unsuccessfully stalk on the 2 billys that where still feeding. damo and my self both agreed it was a great day of hunting.
It was not long after that we spotted a mob of goats only about 200 metres from the track in the open. we had a look through the bino's and we where very pleased to see a couple of nice sized billys having a fight. we watched for a few minutes longer wishing the camera had better zoom until another mob of goats came out of the thicker scrub heading towards the mob we had already seen. We were feeling even more excited when we spotted in the mob a male, dark fur and a huge spread. we decided that he was what we wanted. we sat in waiting for a little longer to try and determine where this new mob was going to do. funnily enough they did join the other mob by going under the fence that was dividing them, but the big billy couldnt fit his horns under, he was stuck on our side of the fence. beauty we thought this will make it easier to pin him. He decided to feed up the hill, so we attempted to intercept him at the top, but at the top we realized there was very little cover, and still 70 or so metres away he smelt us, and took off nervously into thicker scrub on the other side of the hill. we had a further look to see where he might have gone, but we decided we had lost him.
a while later we came across another mob on a dried up river red, a failed stalk by my self scared them away. heading back up the way we had come we spotted more goats, 4 males, all nice racks. they appeared to be feeding towards us at first, and thats when i started to get my hopes up big time on nailing my first billy. they slightly changed their direction and fed along the hill, to the left of where where at the base of it. after they had moved behind we made a move to start closing the 100 - 150 meters gap between them and us. 2 of the males started to settle down and bedding up for a while, the other 2 continued feeding into thick scrub. this was my chance i was going to go for the 2 that where bedded. i crawled behind cover, and closed the last 20 - 30 metres. i was being patient, moving very slowly, watching their every move, i had seen damo do this a few times before and was feeling confident and optimistic. suddenly i noticed that to my extreme left the 2 other males where comming out of the scrub and where feeding directly towards damo, it was imposible for me to get a shot, there was to much foliage in my way, but they where only 15 or so metres from me, i was waiting for the opertunity for a clean shot to arise, but it did not, they changed direction and fed away from us. but that was ok, i still had the 2 bedded up in front of me, another 10 or 20 minutes to close a couple more metres and find a good angle to hit the white billy, i was psyching my self up for the shot, i drew back, and the arrow un-nocked itself, all that went trough my mind was ****!!! i re nocked it, drew the bow back, slowly came to feet exposing my head and torso between branches, i had a great sight picture, aimed the billy up and i hit the release aid. i heard the crack as it hit the billy, i went down to a knee, got up again to see him struggle to find his feet, a bit wobbly he took a few steps in a circle and collapsed, rolling down the hill with some "bahhh"s i had done it i knew it was dead, i was ecstatic. i had finally got my first goat. i skinned it while damo had a very close but unsuccessfully stalk on the 2 billys that where still feeding. damo and my self both agreed it was a great day of hunting.