A Boy And His Bow/ More Pictures

[hunt or be hunted]

i got the day off school today and i didnt want to sit around and waste it, so i thought of a few ideas and then bowhunting came to mind. my shoulder was feeling good so i went out and drew the old girl back, there was a slight pain but it didnt really bother me.
i went out to my target and after a few shot's my shoulder started to feel pretty good so i kept on shooting and sighting in some arrows with my new WB and sight, i was nailing a piece of white foam the size of a 50cent coin from 10metres 20metres and hitting an inch to the left from 30metres, good enough i thought and so i went inside had a bite to eat threw on my camo and was on my way.
i stalked over to the edge of the drought dry creek and spotted a tiny little rabbit facing me and feeding on some green pick, i told myself not to shoot kittens anymore because they are the future of my hunting ground's but i was keen to break in the new gear so i thought i'd have a go, on release i flinched really bad and shot too far left.

once i reached the plataue i couldn't see any rabbit's when theres usually heaps, then two big bunny's ran out of the blackberry's and up the hill and out of sight. i walked to the fence hopped over it and made my way through the shoulder high stinging nettle, i made it to the clearing and walked halfway up the hill, to where two rabbit's ran down to the closest warren, one was gone and another stoped broadside at around 17metres, it was very clear looking through my peep and i thought he was mine, but it wasn't to be and my arrow fell just inches short from a perfect shot and my smile turned upside down. there wasn't many rabbit's about today, maybe because of the heat or maybe mixo is kicking in but i havn't shot any that have been infected yet.

i walked for another 30minutes or so without having any shot opportunity's until i got back to the creek where i picked out two sets of ears 7-8 metres infront of me over a bank, i got down and came to full draw, i stood up and discovered there two kittens feeding, so it was now or never as this is the last spot i hunt before i head home, the biggest kitten was quatering away nicley so i placed my first pin right behind the shoulder and released, i saw one kitten dive down a warren and once the dust cleared i could see my kitten was down. i went over and retrieved it from inbetween a few blackberry strand's and i looked at where i hit it, smack bam on the shoulder.
i looked for my arrow for about 40 minutes longer and came out empty handed, i have no idea where it could of gone.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/025.jpg

i am heading out again in about 10-15 minutes to try and get some more,

i will keep this story going all weekend because and fill you in on any bunny's i put to the ground.

catchas later.

dan.

[NormGunston]

Great shooting. Good to hear your shoulder is holding up- don't overdo it though. What kind of points are you using on the bunnies?

[hunt or be hunted]

Great shooting. Good to hear your shoulder is holding up- don't overdo it though. What kind of points are you using on the bunnies?


thank's mate, if my shoulder starts playing up again i will have to put the bow down for a while, again:(. i am using adder heads, there not bad but i probably wont be getting them again, they are too weak and bend onto the shaft making tip removal harder. i like fieldpoint and washers but they are too noisy in flight for my liking, i am still looking for the ultimate bunny busting head.

dan.

[will]

Well done and fine shooting as per usual!

[howie]

Any bunny with the bow is a trophy... Keep us informed... Howie

[hunt or be hunted]

The break was over and it was time to go hunting again, the gear was put on and the hunt began from when i stepped onto the hunting ground's.
i had to walk for a little while before i saw the first rabbit dash out of it's hole and into a blackberry choked moleberry bush. i really needed my bino's but i had left them at home, there was an open paddock and then a small dried creek that was covered in dead black berry bushes with stinging nettle and thorns scattered about the place.
as i walked closer to the fence i would have to cross i caught sight of a rabbit running for cover on the other side of the paddock.
i crossed the fence and then in the shade of a massive gum tree were three decent sized bunny's feeding, the stalk was on, i had to get onto my hand's and knee's so i was the same height as the bush up ahead. i edged my way closer ever so slowly, movement at the bush stoped my in my track's and i watched as a small rabbit made it's way out of the stick's and into sight, i couldn't draw so i waited until it was gone and kept moving. after managing another 5metres or so a bigger rabbit came out of the same bunch of stick's, i tried hard not to make eye contact with it so i looked at the grass around my shoes hoping to look back up and see it facing away or with it's head cover, but it new i wasn't ment to be there and it left the scene.
the rabbit's i was aiming for were now about 20metres from the nearest cover and feeding like crazy, they suddenly all put their heads high in the air and then quickly sprinted into the blackberry's, my stalk was over and i got to my feet, three more rabbit's further along the line of indevidual blackberry bushes ran down there warren's and then another stoped infront of a bush about 30metres away broadside, i was thining about having a shot but there was a good chance of me missing because it was on it's toes and ready to run at the slightest bit of movement so i walked towards it and watched the fury little fella make his way for cover.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/033-1.jpg

i thought i'd check the dry creek and then check out a warren further along and then head home. as i came to the creek i was greeted by a small to medium sized rabbit sitting on the bank, i drew back and then another one came up and sat next to his brother or sister, and then another popped up 5-6metres to the left of the other's, i was going to shoot the one on it's own but then it ran so my attention turned to the other two, i picked a spot on the one giving me the best shot and released, i watched as they both kicked up dust and i could see my arrow going crazy so i quickly ran over to see where the hit was, the rabbit was doing circles with my arrow through it's gut and as i went to grab it it took off leaving behind the arrow and a pile of it's insides! my arrow had been cracked at the nock and the nock was gone and the shaft was covered in green gunk that didnt smell the best.
i looked around for the rabbit hoping to find it tangled in the blackberry's but it was gone.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/037-3.jpg

i walked along the blackberry's not seeing anything more until a kitten ran up infront of me and i stoped, i could see a bunny sitting up on a log which would of made the best picture but i didnt have time to get out the camera, there were two more rabbit's to my right and one straight ahead, i had a shot at one sitting broadside but i shot too far right and lost my arrow in the long grass, damn. rabbit's ran from left to right but suprisingly none of them went down their burrows, they ran and sat not knowning what had just happend, i drew on a big bunny up ahead but then a rabbit came out of his warren to the left and was looking over some grass at me, i placed the pin in the right spot and let fly, the bunny fliped over backwards and i went over to investigate

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/051.jpg

there it was lying with a head shot, not bad i thought, my new gear is really turning out to be awesome. i took a couple of pictures and then headed home.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/041.jpg

i still have the whole weekend to hunt yet so rabbit's watch out!


thank's for reading

[spiderbait24]

hey there you go dan, great stuff i knew it wouldnt be long.

[Aimless]

Great pics and story :)

edit:
See you've got your prototype camo on as well! Good work.

[Bowdy]

Great job Dan,
Good to see you back in action, but as the others have said don't over do it.
Nice job on the rabbits and great pic's.
Grant.

[hunt or be hunted]

well i went out for a drive in the bush looking for goats with my oldest brother Clem (he is a new member on this site (hunter) and is yet to post) we drove for a bit and i noticed a jacky lizard sunning itself on a rock next to the road so we took a couple of pictures and kept driving.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/002-5.jpg

first stop was a dam in the middle of the bush, so sign was found so off we went. next stop was where he had seen a mob while riding his motobike 18 months ago, we got out and had a scout around, there were shrub's torn apart and a trail that was dust it was being used that much. we walked the ridgline and only saw a mob of kangaroos and my brother took some footage on his new video camera, i was going to have a go at whistling for foxes but i left my release in the car!

on the road again, our eyes scanned the surrounding hills and gullies for any odd shapes or colours, it wasn't looking good but we had high hope of finding them, Clem spotted some water at the bottom of a gully so we thought we would check it out, there was a track going past it but no footprints were seen.
we drove past a braken covered hill and creek and i just had to have a whistle, so the camera started rolling and the whistling began, after a few minutes and having nothing come in we got back in the car feeling a bit disapointed. nothing much more was turning up in the bush so we got out into the more open area, i found a nice little spot and had another go at whistling, once again nothing came in so i headed back to the car, i steped onto a clump of grass and a medium sized hare ran out from under my feet and into some tussock related grass, i went for a walk looking for it and we flushed out another hare that was a lot bigger, it started running and didnt stop, Clem filmed it running up a hill and out of sight.

back to the car we went, we stoped further along and i positioned myself under a small tree out in an opening and gave the whistle a coupe of blows, i think it was too late into the day because nothing seemed to be interested in an easy meal.

It was really getting hot and so Clem said he will drive me up to the top of Mt Alexanda, we reached the top and he took me onto a massive rock and showed me the best view, we relaxed in the cool breeze and i went to turn around and get up when i cought movement under a rock behind us, i focused my eyes on a funny looking lizard, and after a bit closer look i identified it as a Cunningham Skink, i stood up and it made its way under the rock, i then saw another two sitting next to and under another rock so i took a couple of pictures.

as far as the eye can see
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/018-3.jpg

two Cunningham Skinks, (small one, bottom left)
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/023-1.jpg

a butterfly out bush
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/015-2.jpg

we then headed off on our way home and when we reached one of my bunny spots i got out and put in a stalk, Clem was on the camera and i was at full draw on an unsuspecting bunny, i shot and the arrow fell low and the rabbit made an escape, i then saw another rabbit facing away with its head up so i drew back and took the shot, my broadhead went straight between its ears and the rabbit ducked down so i go to my knees and nocked another arrow, when i stood up i spotted a different rabbit broadside at the same distance i put an arrow in the air but shot just over its back and the rabbit also had a lucky escape. i walked back to the car disapointed, i had three shots and lost three new arrows!! the long grass just swollows them up.
i got droped off at home, thanked Clem for a glorious day in the bush and he was off.

thank's for reading, dan.

[spiderbait24]

cool pics there dan.

[hunt or be hunted]

got off to a slow start today and it was at about 12.00 when dad asked me if i wanted to go and ask a farmer Max if we could hunt on his land. we spotted him driving down the road coming from a paddock, we pulled up and dad said gday Max, got any rabbits around? to then Max replyed, yeah mate, there heaps over on that hill over there, pointing to a hill covered in gorse bush, he told us how to get there and we were off.
we pulled up at the top of the hill and got out, i walked ahead while dad stayed about 10-15metres behind me, as i came to the edge of the gorse bush a massive rabbit took off from in the shade and scrambled down the hill, i then saw a rabbit running through the sticks on an oposite hill and it stoped for a bit so i tried to stalk it but he wasn't staying around for any longer and took off down his burrow.
i walked through the prickles seeing a rabbit quickly run across the track infront of me, i stoped and went around from the bottom and when i looked along a rabbit track, i could see the rear end of the massive rabbit i first saw, it was the biggest rabbit, i thought it was a hare. i went to draw but it moved on. i told dad i'll do one more lap and then we can go, as i came to the bottom of the prickles a kitten ran up the hill and stoped about 20metres away, i drew back and put my second pin over its chest and released, my arrow sailed over its back.
i walked back to dad and we drove back to see Max, dad offered to help him put the hay onto his ute but he said nah mate im about to go and have some lunch so we thanked him and left for home.

when we got home i had a bite to eat and watched a movie, i was waiting for the midday heat to cool down a bit and at 3.30 i set out to my bunny spot, i rode my bike there so i could hunt longer, i walked through the open paddock and scared away a few small rabbits, there wasn't many out and i decided to sit in a tree where i use to sit when i first brought a bow, i would sit in this tree from 5.30pm to 9.00pm everyday after school, and i only ever got to have one shot and the bunny jumped the string, but i was more then happy and i would trot home for tea. i placed myself over looking two very big warrens, i was hoping the rabbits would come out of the warren on my left because that was the easiest way to shoot, after about 20 minutes a kitten came out of its hole but wasn't in a good spot and i couldn't have a shot. i waited for about another 10 minutes and another kitten came out of its hole 20metres away, i turned around and tried to come to full draw but my cams hit a tree limb above me and i couldn't shoot. when i turned back around there were two rabbits feeding in the open around 20metres away, i drew on oe of them and then another rabbit came out of its hole even closer so i placed my pin and shot, my arrow fell short spraying the rabbit with dirt, it darted down its hole unharmed, i waited longer and then the two rabbits from before came back out of a different hole and i had a shot at the closest one, my arrow just went over its back and they had a lucky escape, 5 more minutes or so passed and one was back out, like before i was at full draw with my pin on its chest, i released and thought i hit it in the chest but my view was covered by tall green prickles, i stayed in the tree not wanting to spook the other 20 rabbits that i counted feeding around the place, i turned around to check out the warren behind me when i spotted a kitten sitting amongst a few dry strands of stinging nettle, i carefully got in a good shooting position and took the last arrow out of my quiver and shot, the kitten rolled over and started kicking, i jumped out of the tree and went over to it, it was a bad shot and i picked it up, for the first time in my life and out of the hundreds of rabbits that i have ferreted, shot with a gun, hit with sticks, ran down, caught with the dogs and shot with my bow it latched onto my finger and was crunching down hard! i let it go and started shaking my hand hoping it would fall off but it just bit down harder, when it finally let go i picked it up again and finished it off, i couldn't believe it when it bit me, never happend before it gave me a bit of a fright.
i retrieved my arrows and took some photos. i then got on my bike rode home skinned and gutted it and fed my ferret. i only shot this kitten for ferret food, i am only going to shoot them to feed my ferret so i will only be getting two a week i think, my ferret is too fat from all the liver,kidneys and kittens i get.

well it wasn't a bad weekend and i am looking forward to next weekend when my brother is hopefully going to take me out to some mountains where there i ment to be red deer, some sambar, fallow and goats. i will hopefully have some pictures for you guys by next monday;)

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/go_and_hunt/013-3.jpg

catchas later,

dan.

[cooke]

cant wait for you to get your licence and own veicle. this site wil be bombed with top pics and stories. good on ya!! cheers cooke

[Scott]

There's no risk about that cooke, A damn fine bowhunter in the making there. Great pics Dan and a good yarn.

[hunt or be hunted]

thank's guys, it was a fun few days. i will fill you in on this weekends outing if i can get a chance to look for some more goats in a different place and hopefully this time we will have some luck.

cya's, dan.