adam
30-06-07, 10:48 PM
Traditional Journeys No. 1
By Adam Greentree
The column Traditional Journeys is devoted to sharing the insights I have gained into traditional archery as well as learning from the wisdom of more experienced bowhunters. I aim to discuss the methods, shooting styles, equipment and hunting techniques that bring everything together to enable the telling of the stories which we all enjoy. Hope that you will join me.
Why traditional? Adam feels that the main appeal of traditional archery for him and many others is the simplicity of a form of hunting that our ancestors used. Since Adam began his obsession with the bent stick in 1997, he has many hours hunting under his belt. Locations include; outback New South Wales, The New England Ranges, The Southern Highlands, Riverina Region, The Great Dividing Ranges and Western Australia’s mid west, wheat belt country and Pilbara. Adam has taken a range of species from rabbit to Fallow buck. Despite his accomplishments, Adam believes he is still finding his way with traditional bowhunting- a journey he is thoroughly enjoying.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05027.jpg
So what is traditional archery?
Although I do regard some bows, arrows and accessories as more traditional than others, I have never felt the need to strictly define the meaning of “traditional” archery and bowhunting. Its simplicity is self defining. For the purposes of this column let’s just agree that “traditional” archery will refer to; any arrow material, any accessory and any bow other than a compound.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05050.jpg
The renaissance of traditional archery.
I’ve been seeing a lot of my hunting peers turn to the traditional side of bowhunting of late. Some are devoted traditional bowhunters and others enjoy a mix of compound and traditional bows. They all seem to be discovering a different aspect of the challenge and enjoying the hunt more. Many just like the feel of traditional gear. I’ve noticed a lot of the bowhunters who initially purchased traditional bows just to have a bit of fun with on the target range tended to go all out traditional once the bug really bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05042.jpg
Preparing for a hunt.
The most important part of repeated success in traditional bowhunting is confidence in your form and your equipment. Adequate preparation aims to dispel doubts such as “How straight is this arrow?” “Are all my broadheads sharp?” “How far will my arrow drop at 14 meters?” “Can I hit a moving goat at 10 meters?” and on on. These are all very nasty things to have in your head before taking a shot. Make sure all of these issues have been dealt with before planning a hunt.
No matter which form of archery, we all know how important it is to maintain our shooting skills. I believe it’s even more critical with traditional, unsighted bows. In relation to aiming, I have developed my style based on the technique of looking down at the target with the arrow in my peripheral vision. After practicing this method over time it becomes instinctive. It’s just like throwing a ball to someone. You don’t line the ball up with your eye; you just throw it while continually focussed on your target. When taught correctly, it’s all about practised hand and eye co-ordination.
I also do a lot of blank bale practise. The object is to imprint the way you draw and anchor into your brain so that when the time comes to make the shot, you are free to direct your full concentration on the target. You want instinct to guide your total shooting form. To practice this, I stand about seven meters in front of a large target (so I can’t miss) and concentrate only on my anchor point and form. I don’t aim during this exercise. In general, I shoot one hundred and fifty arrows a day using this method.
In addition to daily blank bale form practice, I shoot an extra fifty arrows using all of my hunting equipment when preparing for an upcoming trip. I feel the appropriate practice distances for traditional style bowhunting are three, five, seven, ten, fifteen and twenty meters. This is because most of the game I have taken with traditional equipment has been shot at these ranges. It’s important to remember not to move outside your comfortable shooting distance while hunting. Although I don’t believe long distances (up to seventy meters) are practical bowhunting ranges, practicing at these distances makes close shots easier and it’s a bit of fun on the field course.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05090.jpg
Learn the bone structure and locations of the vital organs on the animals you will be hunting so that you can deliver the most humane, effective shot. To practice shot placement, I draw a little black dot (around the size of a twenty cent piece) on a white target face so that I’m forced to concentrate on a small, single mark. In addition, I practice on life-sized drawings of the quarry I will hunt. While rehearsing distance estimation, I practice all the potential physical positions that may be confronted in the field. It’s not hard to be in an awkward situation and get caught out. Practicing on your knees, leaning against trees, over shrubs- even lying down will pay dividends while in the bush.
Know that a good shot is just that- and a humane kill will follow. I believe even the most feral of animals we hunt deserves an ethical kill. Traditional equipment is certainly capable of that.
Gear used on the first journey.
Bows: My primary bow for the trip was a 56” long, 57# @ 28” Fred Bear take-down. This beautiful little bow has black glass front and back overlays, fast flight string, compass set into the riser and the bear gold medallion setting off the grey and light oak coloured timber riser. It was bought second hand from an internet site (www.aussiebowhunters.com) for around AUD$900. That was a very good price for its perfect condition. I like it because its very compact for use in tight spots, really throws an arrow for its size and has very little hand shock.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05064.jpg
I also took a 66”long, 55# @ 28” Armstrong longbow. The Armstrong is a really nice bow to hold and shoots an arrow at a blistering speed. This bow gained a special place in my heart as I watched it being custom built for me step-by-step via the internet on (www.ozbow.net). The bow has a leatherwood pistol grip, ‘Actionboo’ (bamboo) covered limbs (front and belly), woven carbon fabric laminates and limb tips comprised of layers of blackwood. The Armstrong performed as well on the hunt as I had expected it to. It was smooth drawing, hard hitting, had a great cast and was very quiet.
Arrows: I selected 55lb spine D-030B carbon shafts weighted with fly screen tubing from Hoddywell Archery for the trip. Although they didn’t feel as good as releasing a fine crested timber arrow, the 640grain shafts were super strong, ultra quiet and dead straight. I used either Tusker, 130grain Ribtek or 145grain Outback Supreme broadheads. The end result was a heavy penetrating shaft and broadhead combination. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to make up many timber arrows but I still managed to get a few in the quiver. To be 100% confident in my arrows before I took them hunting, I did a spin test of each to check that the broadheads were properly aligned with the shaft and then matched them into weighted sets. Next, I shot all my broadhead arrows into a target from 12 meters keeping a close eye on their flight and grouping. Each broadhead was checked for sharpness before going into my quiver and then redressed or touched up after a shot. The last thing you want to be worrying about after getting a shaft tight behind a billy goat’s shoulder is “How sharp was that arrow?” All broadheads should be “scary sharp”!
Quiver: The choice of arrow cartage for this trip was a factory made Vista back quiver. I’ve been using a Vista for the last seven years as they are well padded (which keeps the arrows quiet), comfortable and durable. Although the position of back quivers can cause arrows to catch on vegetation while stalking in thick country, the Vista worked well on this trip as the country was fairly open. I prefer back quivers because they permit me to shoot quickly and carry many shafts. This is ideal for big hunts when it is necessary to thin out large numbers of animals.
Accessories: I’m fairly keen on tight fitting, three finger shooting gloves as they encourage a clean release and are fiddle free when getting fingers onto the string in a rush. I currently use a Trophy leather glove. I think it’s important to wear a hat with a brim or peak that provides adequate sun protection, blends into the surroundings well but doesn’t interfere with the string at full draw. To check for string interference make sure you practise with your hat on. I also carry a good quality skinning knife and sharpening steel.
Ben Chambers(arraslinger) with the Bear Takedown at Sundown. Photo by A. Greentree
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Copyofwesternbilly05011.jpg
Traditional Journey Number One
On the first traditional bowhunting journey for this column, Ben Chambers and I chased billy goats together in the 40 degree heat of Western Australia. I felt confident in my accuracy out to 20 meters, my gear was ready and the station we were to be hunting was expecting us.
Well mates, the place was crawling with goats! Where there was water there were goats. The game plan was to hunt the outskirts of the tanks in the area, then once the temperature reached the mid to high 40 degree mark, we’d do some still-hunting closer to the tanks.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Copyofwesternbilly05081.jpg
The magnificent sunrise that greeted us on the first morning was complimented by the bleating of nannys with kids off in the distance and the haunting bellows of billy goats. Once again, I found my smelly shooting glove comforting three fingers. With a dozen 130grain Ribtek tipped shafts protruding from my back quiver and fitted out in fairly casual camouflage, we ventured off for a hectic day’s hunt.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05061.jpg
The first tank we stalked was smothered in goats. Rutting billys could be heard in all directions. That’s a sound to start the heart racing in any traditional hunter. “Keen” was an understatement! As Ben and I edged slowly forward toward a mob of rutting billys, I became very enthusiastic to put my Fred Bear take-down into action. I was first up to pit my skills against the billys. They were making it very difficult to get a motionless shot off due to their chasing a young nanny away from the tank and into thicker scrub. The only chance that I had was to take a snap shot. With an arrow sitting on the string, I closed the gap for about the eighth time. While the billys occupied themselves clashing heads and trying to get to the nanny, now situated in a refuge under a fallen tree, I moved quickly into range on the quiet ground. Then all the practice paid off. I picked out the goat I wanted, drew and let fly. The timber shaft penetrated up to the feathers and the billy made thirty meters before dropping. I performed the entire shot without having to be concious of how to draw, anchor and aim. It was just a matter of focussing on where I wanted the arrow to land. Ben caught all the action on film, so that was a bonus. Although the billy wasn’t record class, taking him as the first of species with the Fred Bear felt like a great achivement to me.
Ben with a good billy
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05017.jpg
It was 7.30 A.M. and already the temperature had reached a muggy thirty-five degrees. Ben and I decided that the best idea would be to head back to the tank and find some shade before being sunburned red as the earth. On our way there we watched a mob of sheep with lambs coming into drink, followed by a large herd of goats. When both groups of animals reached the tank we were shocked to see the billies preventing the sheep from drinking by butting them out of the way to gain priority to the water. The feral mob then drank their fill and left, trampling three lambs to death in the process. It was the first time for Ben and I to witness first hand how feral goats play a large part in the destruction of young and old livestock. After having to put one of the lambs out of its misery, we ended the morning’s hunt with heavy hearts and returned to the shearer’s quarters for a lunch break.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05039.jpg
Back at camp the temperature was in the high forties with little wind. We got plenty of liquids into us and did a little bit more practice on a 3-D goat we brought along. Ben took the opportunity to practice with my Fred Bear take-down and was soon shooting it like one of his own bows. Feeling confident, we headed back out to search for a shady spot near one of the tanks. Ben and I discovered an old, rusted out water tank which made for a perfect blind as it had a 180 degree view over anything heading towards the water. There was never a dull moment while we were waiting; birds were drinking, goats performed their usually antics and there was native wildlife to be seen. In fact, there was that much movement going on that it wasn’t hard for a good billy to just appear right in front of us. Soon we were surrounded by goats. Ben and I decided to be take our time and survey the mob in the hope that we would see a forty inch billy, but there’s only so long I can hold off when there’s the strong smell of billy in the air. Peeking over the top of the water tank I saw an exceptional goat only four meters away! I knelt on one knee. The billy was facing away on a hard angle, limiting my chances of getting an arrow into his vitals. I froze and waited for him to present a better angle. He took his last, fatal steps and 640 grains of Port Orford cedar zipped through his lungs dropping him without a struggle. The goats surrounding the billy barely noticed and continued to go about their business. Soon after my billy had expired another sizeable billy walked out of the sticks and approached in the direction of our hide. Unfortunately he picked up our scent from where we had walked into the blind about an hour before and dissappered back into the sticks. Seconds later Ben tapped me on the shoulder to alert me of yet another top billy approaching. I slowly turned my head in the direction he was looking. Ben gave me the sign that I should shoot and I gave a little nod. To be honest, it was more likely he was hoping I would say “No mate. Your shot!” instead of getting stuck with the camera. The billy, now at thirty meters, was very cautious and looked like turning away a few times. We made sure that no movement came from inside our hide. Still the goat wouldn’t come closer than fifteen meters but that was within my effective range. All I needed now was for his attention to go elsewhere. It became a waiting game. The goat finally averted his attention in another direction giving me the seconds I was waiting for to draw and release. Against the white hair of the billy we could see the flight of the arrow all the way to its mark. I couldn’t have hit any closer to where I was aiming. The goat covered little ground before succumbing to a perfect heart and lung shot.
Ben and a ripper of a goat
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And another
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We checked the goats over and settled back in the hide. It wasn’t too long before a sizeable, grey billy trotted in towards our blind. This time I had the camera and Ben the Fred Bear recurve. After a thirty-five minute wait the billy finally moved into shooting distance, but his vitals where covered by one of the many goats gathered at the water hole. Finally a clear shot was presented. Limbs arced to full draw. Twang! Thump! Ben had secured his first recurve harvest. Oh, the cheek of this Western Australian! He just picked up my bow and bagged a superb goat. I’ll never hear the end of it. It was a superb shot in anyone’s book. I congratulated Ben wholeheartedly. On that note, we left the tank to spend the rest of the afternoon photographing the colours leaving a scorching summer’s day sky. Back at camp we hit the swags after a little bush cooking. Out under the moon light, the gentle night breeze made sleep so much easier in the thirty degree night.
Morning. A bright red horizon lit the outback landscape and echoed with the distant squawking of galahs. Goats called to one another. In preparation for the day’s hunt I’d taken plenty of liquids during the night and squeezed in more during breakfast. Ben and I warmed up on the 3-D target, sharpened our arrows then headed out in the Nissan Navara STR for another day of full-on hunting. This time I was armed with the Armstrong longbow.
Heading to our first hunting destination, Tank 6, we drove past a family of six emu chicks and their mother. I must have seen a million emus in my time, but seeing the young chicks having a run with mum I thought what a privileged, passionate life bowhunters lead. They clear the mind, these big, open spaces. Good brain medicine.
Walking into our hunting grounds for the day, I caught sight of a prime billy amongst the many goats gathered at the tank. I knew he was the one I wanted to take with the Armstrong. It’s pretty quiet out here in the early mornings and sound can travel a long way, which set the goats on edge. My target billy was soon consumed amongst the clutter of horns. I decided that an ambush two-hundred meters ahead of the mob would be the best tactic. Pretty soon the mob came at a relaxed pace, straight in my direction. And I was ready; up on one knee with arrow nocked, hidden at the side of the track. To my surprise, the billy I wanted was leading the mob. He was now only twelve meters away and unaware of my presence. Kneeling in front of some dead scrub, I leaned out a little and began to slowly draw my longbow. I came to full draw, and…. whack! The mob scattered in all directions, leaving behind the head billy. Penetration would have only been around twelve inches, but that’s a lot of arrow in the right area. The billy had gone down without struggle, making for a superb first harvest with my new hunting longbow.
.
Returning back to the tank, we built a make-shift blind in the scrub near a game trail junction. We used dead timber to build it up to waist-height and left some shooting gaps. Ground blinds are not a bad way to hunt out in the climatic extremes of Western Australia. After a few hours of sweating in the heat a very nice goat wandered down the track. Usually I wouldn’t hesitate for a second if the goat came within shooting distance, but there were sheep behind and in front of this one. It’s certainly not a shot even the most confident of bowhunters would take so we let him mosey on down the track to the water.
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Heading back to camp to re-stock the water bottles and escape the sun for a while, Ben caught something moving from the corner of his eye. A large bodied, exceptionally wide horned billy bolted from around the far side of the tank. Ben signalled to me to shoot. I turned, retrieved an arrow from my quiver and knocked it. Leading the billy I released and watched as the arrow thudded behind the billy’s shoulder. He made for the refuge of some thick scrub but pulled up short. My oath, he turned out to be a good billy! And not just in the horn department, he had plenty of character, too. Although there seemed to be little feed, the goats managed to stay healthy. The Armstrong longbow was certainly proving to be an accurate, easy bow to shoot.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05108.jpg
Sitting back at camp with a ginger beer, Ben and I discussed the issues of gaining access to properties. We reflected on how lucky we were to gain access to the dynamite block and how unfortunate it was that the current trip was to be our last, due to the station being up for sale. But it wasn’t just the abundance of game that made the place so appealing. To a bushy, the landscape and remoteness have an attraction all of their own. This was my second hunt on the station, and thanks to Ben Chambers and the land owner, both trips had been unreal. On my first trip there I managed to take a 108 Douglas point billy with an Algoma two-piece recurve. We discussed heading out to the same tank where I arrowed that particular billy later in the afternoon.
A loud snort coming from the shearer’s quarters brought our conversation to an abrupt halt. A goat had found it’s way into the shed seeking shelter from the tortuous sun. I got the brilliant idea to wrestle it out of the quarters. I applied some “goat wrestling cream” (sunscreen) to my hands and entered the shed with Ben wielding the movie camera. About half way through the sleeping area I found myself in an eye-to-eye stand-off with an angry, half-grown, snorting billy goat. I launched into an All Blacks haka performance that made the billy think twice about clashing in battle, so he broke the stalemate with a daring swerve to freedom. Mustering the best of my footy skills, I positioned myself for a head-on block and tackle. I think that billy had been training with the Eagles! He lept into the air, administered a beautiful head-butt, mounted my shoulders with an enviable speccy, then flew out of the quarters. I was left scratching my sore head, dumbfounded as to how he got over me. Meanwhile, the bloody cameraman was laughing his tits off. Time to go hunting again I thought!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05060.jpg
After his success with the recurve, Ben thought he’d try his hand at using the trusty longbow. We carefully approached the same temporary blind that had earlier proven to be very effective. Sure enough, in less than half an hour our first lot of goats walked past. Three in the mob had good horns, but as we’d both shot our fair share of nice goats on the trip we made a pact not to shoot unless a goat came super close.
Throughout the afternoon we’d occasionally sneak out of the blind and stalk goats in open country to see how close to them we could get. There were a few five to eight meter encounters, which is fairly hard in open country with so many eyes watching. Eventually Ben spied a nice goat that had come out into the open. Venturing out of the blind, he began an arduous seventy metre stalk on the billy. Watching Ben doing his very best without the aid of cover I had a funny thought “How funny would it be if Ben stalked all the way over there taking so much care, and at the last minute I was to run out yelling and spook the billy?” Would have been funny for me anyway. Well I’m not that cruel and so didn’t blow it for him. It was intriguing watching Ben stalk the billy. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time just imagining an arrow take its place behind the billy’s shoulder. Actually, from where I stood, it looked like Ben could have reached out and poked the goat in the eye he was so close. Ben said later that it was around four meters. He drew and loosed, with a solid thump following. The goat went down after making a little ground. I congratulated Ben on a top effort taking a fine animal with the longbow.
By the time we had returned to the blind the sun was going down and the hunt looked just about over. Ben stayed in the blind filming any possible action while I crept out with the longbow in the fading light. It didn’t take long for me to spy a white billy with black facial markings rattling a shrub about one hundred and seventy meters behind the blind. The wind wasn’t in my favour, but I couldn’t waste any time in the twilight so I made a beeline straight for him. I was able to take advantage of the goat’s limited hearing and field of view while he thrashed the small tree and quickly closed the gap. At only five meters away the billy stopped rattling the shrub and looked like walking straight over me to get to the water. He checked me over a few times. Although I was fully enjoying the moment, I thought that a bit more camouflage would have helped. The billy turned sideways unsure of the handsome object beside him. By the time he’d made his move I’d also made mine, coming to full draw. I placed an arrow low through his heart and lungs. We know all how effective that shot is. He was the last billy taken for the trip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05070.jpg
It had been a great hunt. Ben and I needed to get back to the pressures of work. It was sad to think that we would never again be able to hunt the trophy goats on that property. Such is life. I looked forward to beginning a new journey and gain access to a similar spot.
I hope that everyone enjoyed the first column. I look forward to sharing another Traditional Journey with you in the next edition. Any feedback or questions I will try to answer through email at adamgoatboy@hotmail.com or you can find me at www.aussiebowhunter.com
Take care and enjoy the hunt like so many before us,
Adam Greentree
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05004.jpg
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By Adam Greentree
The column Traditional Journeys is devoted to sharing the insights I have gained into traditional archery as well as learning from the wisdom of more experienced bowhunters. I aim to discuss the methods, shooting styles, equipment and hunting techniques that bring everything together to enable the telling of the stories which we all enjoy. Hope that you will join me.
Why traditional? Adam feels that the main appeal of traditional archery for him and many others is the simplicity of a form of hunting that our ancestors used. Since Adam began his obsession with the bent stick in 1997, he has many hours hunting under his belt. Locations include; outback New South Wales, The New England Ranges, The Southern Highlands, Riverina Region, The Great Dividing Ranges and Western Australia’s mid west, wheat belt country and Pilbara. Adam has taken a range of species from rabbit to Fallow buck. Despite his accomplishments, Adam believes he is still finding his way with traditional bowhunting- a journey he is thoroughly enjoying.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05027.jpg
So what is traditional archery?
Although I do regard some bows, arrows and accessories as more traditional than others, I have never felt the need to strictly define the meaning of “traditional” archery and bowhunting. Its simplicity is self defining. For the purposes of this column let’s just agree that “traditional” archery will refer to; any arrow material, any accessory and any bow other than a compound.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05050.jpg
The renaissance of traditional archery.
I’ve been seeing a lot of my hunting peers turn to the traditional side of bowhunting of late. Some are devoted traditional bowhunters and others enjoy a mix of compound and traditional bows. They all seem to be discovering a different aspect of the challenge and enjoying the hunt more. Many just like the feel of traditional gear. I’ve noticed a lot of the bowhunters who initially purchased traditional bows just to have a bit of fun with on the target range tended to go all out traditional once the bug really bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05042.jpg
Preparing for a hunt.
The most important part of repeated success in traditional bowhunting is confidence in your form and your equipment. Adequate preparation aims to dispel doubts such as “How straight is this arrow?” “Are all my broadheads sharp?” “How far will my arrow drop at 14 meters?” “Can I hit a moving goat at 10 meters?” and on on. These are all very nasty things to have in your head before taking a shot. Make sure all of these issues have been dealt with before planning a hunt.
No matter which form of archery, we all know how important it is to maintain our shooting skills. I believe it’s even more critical with traditional, unsighted bows. In relation to aiming, I have developed my style based on the technique of looking down at the target with the arrow in my peripheral vision. After practicing this method over time it becomes instinctive. It’s just like throwing a ball to someone. You don’t line the ball up with your eye; you just throw it while continually focussed on your target. When taught correctly, it’s all about practised hand and eye co-ordination.
I also do a lot of blank bale practise. The object is to imprint the way you draw and anchor into your brain so that when the time comes to make the shot, you are free to direct your full concentration on the target. You want instinct to guide your total shooting form. To practice this, I stand about seven meters in front of a large target (so I can’t miss) and concentrate only on my anchor point and form. I don’t aim during this exercise. In general, I shoot one hundred and fifty arrows a day using this method.
In addition to daily blank bale form practice, I shoot an extra fifty arrows using all of my hunting equipment when preparing for an upcoming trip. I feel the appropriate practice distances for traditional style bowhunting are three, five, seven, ten, fifteen and twenty meters. This is because most of the game I have taken with traditional equipment has been shot at these ranges. It’s important to remember not to move outside your comfortable shooting distance while hunting. Although I don’t believe long distances (up to seventy meters) are practical bowhunting ranges, practicing at these distances makes close shots easier and it’s a bit of fun on the field course.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05090.jpg
Learn the bone structure and locations of the vital organs on the animals you will be hunting so that you can deliver the most humane, effective shot. To practice shot placement, I draw a little black dot (around the size of a twenty cent piece) on a white target face so that I’m forced to concentrate on a small, single mark. In addition, I practice on life-sized drawings of the quarry I will hunt. While rehearsing distance estimation, I practice all the potential physical positions that may be confronted in the field. It’s not hard to be in an awkward situation and get caught out. Practicing on your knees, leaning against trees, over shrubs- even lying down will pay dividends while in the bush.
Know that a good shot is just that- and a humane kill will follow. I believe even the most feral of animals we hunt deserves an ethical kill. Traditional equipment is certainly capable of that.
Gear used on the first journey.
Bows: My primary bow for the trip was a 56” long, 57# @ 28” Fred Bear take-down. This beautiful little bow has black glass front and back overlays, fast flight string, compass set into the riser and the bear gold medallion setting off the grey and light oak coloured timber riser. It was bought second hand from an internet site (www.aussiebowhunters.com) for around AUD$900. That was a very good price for its perfect condition. I like it because its very compact for use in tight spots, really throws an arrow for its size and has very little hand shock.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/westernbilly05064.jpg
I also took a 66”long, 55# @ 28” Armstrong longbow. The Armstrong is a really nice bow to hold and shoots an arrow at a blistering speed. This bow gained a special place in my heart as I watched it being custom built for me step-by-step via the internet on (www.ozbow.net). The bow has a leatherwood pistol grip, ‘Actionboo’ (bamboo) covered limbs (front and belly), woven carbon fabric laminates and limb tips comprised of layers of blackwood. The Armstrong performed as well on the hunt as I had expected it to. It was smooth drawing, hard hitting, had a great cast and was very quiet.
Arrows: I selected 55lb spine D-030B carbon shafts weighted with fly screen tubing from Hoddywell Archery for the trip. Although they didn’t feel as good as releasing a fine crested timber arrow, the 640grain shafts were super strong, ultra quiet and dead straight. I used either Tusker, 130grain Ribtek or 145grain Outback Supreme broadheads. The end result was a heavy penetrating shaft and broadhead combination. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to make up many timber arrows but I still managed to get a few in the quiver. To be 100% confident in my arrows before I took them hunting, I did a spin test of each to check that the broadheads were properly aligned with the shaft and then matched them into weighted sets. Next, I shot all my broadhead arrows into a target from 12 meters keeping a close eye on their flight and grouping. Each broadhead was checked for sharpness before going into my quiver and then redressed or touched up after a shot. The last thing you want to be worrying about after getting a shaft tight behind a billy goat’s shoulder is “How sharp was that arrow?” All broadheads should be “scary sharp”!
Quiver: The choice of arrow cartage for this trip was a factory made Vista back quiver. I’ve been using a Vista for the last seven years as they are well padded (which keeps the arrows quiet), comfortable and durable. Although the position of back quivers can cause arrows to catch on vegetation while stalking in thick country, the Vista worked well on this trip as the country was fairly open. I prefer back quivers because they permit me to shoot quickly and carry many shafts. This is ideal for big hunts when it is necessary to thin out large numbers of animals.
Accessories: I’m fairly keen on tight fitting, three finger shooting gloves as they encourage a clean release and are fiddle free when getting fingers onto the string in a rush. I currently use a Trophy leather glove. I think it’s important to wear a hat with a brim or peak that provides adequate sun protection, blends into the surroundings well but doesn’t interfere with the string at full draw. To check for string interference make sure you practise with your hat on. I also carry a good quality skinning knife and sharpening steel.
Ben Chambers(arraslinger) with the Bear Takedown at Sundown. Photo by A. Greentree
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Traditional Journey Number One
On the first traditional bowhunting journey for this column, Ben Chambers and I chased billy goats together in the 40 degree heat of Western Australia. I felt confident in my accuracy out to 20 meters, my gear was ready and the station we were to be hunting was expecting us.
Well mates, the place was crawling with goats! Where there was water there were goats. The game plan was to hunt the outskirts of the tanks in the area, then once the temperature reached the mid to high 40 degree mark, we’d do some still-hunting closer to the tanks.
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The magnificent sunrise that greeted us on the first morning was complimented by the bleating of nannys with kids off in the distance and the haunting bellows of billy goats. Once again, I found my smelly shooting glove comforting three fingers. With a dozen 130grain Ribtek tipped shafts protruding from my back quiver and fitted out in fairly casual camouflage, we ventured off for a hectic day’s hunt.
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The first tank we stalked was smothered in goats. Rutting billys could be heard in all directions. That’s a sound to start the heart racing in any traditional hunter. “Keen” was an understatement! As Ben and I edged slowly forward toward a mob of rutting billys, I became very enthusiastic to put my Fred Bear take-down into action. I was first up to pit my skills against the billys. They were making it very difficult to get a motionless shot off due to their chasing a young nanny away from the tank and into thicker scrub. The only chance that I had was to take a snap shot. With an arrow sitting on the string, I closed the gap for about the eighth time. While the billys occupied themselves clashing heads and trying to get to the nanny, now situated in a refuge under a fallen tree, I moved quickly into range on the quiet ground. Then all the practice paid off. I picked out the goat I wanted, drew and let fly. The timber shaft penetrated up to the feathers and the billy made thirty meters before dropping. I performed the entire shot without having to be concious of how to draw, anchor and aim. It was just a matter of focussing on where I wanted the arrow to land. Ben caught all the action on film, so that was a bonus. Although the billy wasn’t record class, taking him as the first of species with the Fred Bear felt like a great achivement to me.
Ben with a good billy
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It was 7.30 A.M. and already the temperature had reached a muggy thirty-five degrees. Ben and I decided that the best idea would be to head back to the tank and find some shade before being sunburned red as the earth. On our way there we watched a mob of sheep with lambs coming into drink, followed by a large herd of goats. When both groups of animals reached the tank we were shocked to see the billies preventing the sheep from drinking by butting them out of the way to gain priority to the water. The feral mob then drank their fill and left, trampling three lambs to death in the process. It was the first time for Ben and I to witness first hand how feral goats play a large part in the destruction of young and old livestock. After having to put one of the lambs out of its misery, we ended the morning’s hunt with heavy hearts and returned to the shearer’s quarters for a lunch break.
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Back at camp the temperature was in the high forties with little wind. We got plenty of liquids into us and did a little bit more practice on a 3-D goat we brought along. Ben took the opportunity to practice with my Fred Bear take-down and was soon shooting it like one of his own bows. Feeling confident, we headed back out to search for a shady spot near one of the tanks. Ben and I discovered an old, rusted out water tank which made for a perfect blind as it had a 180 degree view over anything heading towards the water. There was never a dull moment while we were waiting; birds were drinking, goats performed their usually antics and there was native wildlife to be seen. In fact, there was that much movement going on that it wasn’t hard for a good billy to just appear right in front of us. Soon we were surrounded by goats. Ben and I decided to be take our time and survey the mob in the hope that we would see a forty inch billy, but there’s only so long I can hold off when there’s the strong smell of billy in the air. Peeking over the top of the water tank I saw an exceptional goat only four meters away! I knelt on one knee. The billy was facing away on a hard angle, limiting my chances of getting an arrow into his vitals. I froze and waited for him to present a better angle. He took his last, fatal steps and 640 grains of Port Orford cedar zipped through his lungs dropping him without a struggle. The goats surrounding the billy barely noticed and continued to go about their business. Soon after my billy had expired another sizeable billy walked out of the sticks and approached in the direction of our hide. Unfortunately he picked up our scent from where we had walked into the blind about an hour before and dissappered back into the sticks. Seconds later Ben tapped me on the shoulder to alert me of yet another top billy approaching. I slowly turned my head in the direction he was looking. Ben gave me the sign that I should shoot and I gave a little nod. To be honest, it was more likely he was hoping I would say “No mate. Your shot!” instead of getting stuck with the camera. The billy, now at thirty meters, was very cautious and looked like turning away a few times. We made sure that no movement came from inside our hide. Still the goat wouldn’t come closer than fifteen meters but that was within my effective range. All I needed now was for his attention to go elsewhere. It became a waiting game. The goat finally averted his attention in another direction giving me the seconds I was waiting for to draw and release. Against the white hair of the billy we could see the flight of the arrow all the way to its mark. I couldn’t have hit any closer to where I was aiming. The goat covered little ground before succumbing to a perfect heart and lung shot.
Ben and a ripper of a goat
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And another
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We checked the goats over and settled back in the hide. It wasn’t too long before a sizeable, grey billy trotted in towards our blind. This time I had the camera and Ben the Fred Bear recurve. After a thirty-five minute wait the billy finally moved into shooting distance, but his vitals where covered by one of the many goats gathered at the water hole. Finally a clear shot was presented. Limbs arced to full draw. Twang! Thump! Ben had secured his first recurve harvest. Oh, the cheek of this Western Australian! He just picked up my bow and bagged a superb goat. I’ll never hear the end of it. It was a superb shot in anyone’s book. I congratulated Ben wholeheartedly. On that note, we left the tank to spend the rest of the afternoon photographing the colours leaving a scorching summer’s day sky. Back at camp we hit the swags after a little bush cooking. Out under the moon light, the gentle night breeze made sleep so much easier in the thirty degree night.
Morning. A bright red horizon lit the outback landscape and echoed with the distant squawking of galahs. Goats called to one another. In preparation for the day’s hunt I’d taken plenty of liquids during the night and squeezed in more during breakfast. Ben and I warmed up on the 3-D target, sharpened our arrows then headed out in the Nissan Navara STR for another day of full-on hunting. This time I was armed with the Armstrong longbow.
Heading to our first hunting destination, Tank 6, we drove past a family of six emu chicks and their mother. I must have seen a million emus in my time, but seeing the young chicks having a run with mum I thought what a privileged, passionate life bowhunters lead. They clear the mind, these big, open spaces. Good brain medicine.
Walking into our hunting grounds for the day, I caught sight of a prime billy amongst the many goats gathered at the tank. I knew he was the one I wanted to take with the Armstrong. It’s pretty quiet out here in the early mornings and sound can travel a long way, which set the goats on edge. My target billy was soon consumed amongst the clutter of horns. I decided that an ambush two-hundred meters ahead of the mob would be the best tactic. Pretty soon the mob came at a relaxed pace, straight in my direction. And I was ready; up on one knee with arrow nocked, hidden at the side of the track. To my surprise, the billy I wanted was leading the mob. He was now only twelve meters away and unaware of my presence. Kneeling in front of some dead scrub, I leaned out a little and began to slowly draw my longbow. I came to full draw, and…. whack! The mob scattered in all directions, leaving behind the head billy. Penetration would have only been around twelve inches, but that’s a lot of arrow in the right area. The billy had gone down without struggle, making for a superb first harvest with my new hunting longbow.
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Returning back to the tank, we built a make-shift blind in the scrub near a game trail junction. We used dead timber to build it up to waist-height and left some shooting gaps. Ground blinds are not a bad way to hunt out in the climatic extremes of Western Australia. After a few hours of sweating in the heat a very nice goat wandered down the track. Usually I wouldn’t hesitate for a second if the goat came within shooting distance, but there were sheep behind and in front of this one. It’s certainly not a shot even the most confident of bowhunters would take so we let him mosey on down the track to the water.
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Heading back to camp to re-stock the water bottles and escape the sun for a while, Ben caught something moving from the corner of his eye. A large bodied, exceptionally wide horned billy bolted from around the far side of the tank. Ben signalled to me to shoot. I turned, retrieved an arrow from my quiver and knocked it. Leading the billy I released and watched as the arrow thudded behind the billy’s shoulder. He made for the refuge of some thick scrub but pulled up short. My oath, he turned out to be a good billy! And not just in the horn department, he had plenty of character, too. Although there seemed to be little feed, the goats managed to stay healthy. The Armstrong longbow was certainly proving to be an accurate, easy bow to shoot.
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Sitting back at camp with a ginger beer, Ben and I discussed the issues of gaining access to properties. We reflected on how lucky we were to gain access to the dynamite block and how unfortunate it was that the current trip was to be our last, due to the station being up for sale. But it wasn’t just the abundance of game that made the place so appealing. To a bushy, the landscape and remoteness have an attraction all of their own. This was my second hunt on the station, and thanks to Ben Chambers and the land owner, both trips had been unreal. On my first trip there I managed to take a 108 Douglas point billy with an Algoma two-piece recurve. We discussed heading out to the same tank where I arrowed that particular billy later in the afternoon.
A loud snort coming from the shearer’s quarters brought our conversation to an abrupt halt. A goat had found it’s way into the shed seeking shelter from the tortuous sun. I got the brilliant idea to wrestle it out of the quarters. I applied some “goat wrestling cream” (sunscreen) to my hands and entered the shed with Ben wielding the movie camera. About half way through the sleeping area I found myself in an eye-to-eye stand-off with an angry, half-grown, snorting billy goat. I launched into an All Blacks haka performance that made the billy think twice about clashing in battle, so he broke the stalemate with a daring swerve to freedom. Mustering the best of my footy skills, I positioned myself for a head-on block and tackle. I think that billy had been training with the Eagles! He lept into the air, administered a beautiful head-butt, mounted my shoulders with an enviable speccy, then flew out of the quarters. I was left scratching my sore head, dumbfounded as to how he got over me. Meanwhile, the bloody cameraman was laughing his tits off. Time to go hunting again I thought!
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After his success with the recurve, Ben thought he’d try his hand at using the trusty longbow. We carefully approached the same temporary blind that had earlier proven to be very effective. Sure enough, in less than half an hour our first lot of goats walked past. Three in the mob had good horns, but as we’d both shot our fair share of nice goats on the trip we made a pact not to shoot unless a goat came super close.
Throughout the afternoon we’d occasionally sneak out of the blind and stalk goats in open country to see how close to them we could get. There were a few five to eight meter encounters, which is fairly hard in open country with so many eyes watching. Eventually Ben spied a nice goat that had come out into the open. Venturing out of the blind, he began an arduous seventy metre stalk on the billy. Watching Ben doing his very best without the aid of cover I had a funny thought “How funny would it be if Ben stalked all the way over there taking so much care, and at the last minute I was to run out yelling and spook the billy?” Would have been funny for me anyway. Well I’m not that cruel and so didn’t blow it for him. It was intriguing watching Ben stalk the billy. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time just imagining an arrow take its place behind the billy’s shoulder. Actually, from where I stood, it looked like Ben could have reached out and poked the goat in the eye he was so close. Ben said later that it was around four meters. He drew and loosed, with a solid thump following. The goat went down after making a little ground. I congratulated Ben on a top effort taking a fine animal with the longbow.
By the time we had returned to the blind the sun was going down and the hunt looked just about over. Ben stayed in the blind filming any possible action while I crept out with the longbow in the fading light. It didn’t take long for me to spy a white billy with black facial markings rattling a shrub about one hundred and seventy meters behind the blind. The wind wasn’t in my favour, but I couldn’t waste any time in the twilight so I made a beeline straight for him. I was able to take advantage of the goat’s limited hearing and field of view while he thrashed the small tree and quickly closed the gap. At only five meters away the billy stopped rattling the shrub and looked like walking straight over me to get to the water. He checked me over a few times. Although I was fully enjoying the moment, I thought that a bit more camouflage would have helped. The billy turned sideways unsure of the handsome object beside him. By the time he’d made his move I’d also made mine, coming to full draw. I placed an arrow low through his heart and lungs. We know all how effective that shot is. He was the last billy taken for the trip.
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It had been a great hunt. Ben and I needed to get back to the pressures of work. It was sad to think that we would never again be able to hunt the trophy goats on that property. Such is life. I looked forward to beginning a new journey and gain access to a similar spot.
I hope that everyone enjoyed the first column. I look forward to sharing another Traditional Journey with you in the next edition. Any feedback or questions I will try to answer through email at adamgoatboy@hotmail.com or you can find me at www.aussiebowhunter.com
Take care and enjoy the hunt like so many before us,
Adam Greentree
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