I had a live hunt over in the trad section earlier today. Got a last minute invite to join Curt (hcshooter) for a quick trip to Hunt N Shoot ranch in Chester (east Tx). Was packing late last night and started to pull out the old Bowtech out of habit. Decided that there was no time like the present to break in the Hoyt Dorado Recurve that I got from Triple Edge Archery last year. I've been practicing and tweaking and tuning and hitting and missing quite regularly.
I got out the new 6 pack of Magnus two-blades and touched them up with the sharpener and filled my quiver with death missles. We didn't hit the road until after 8 this morning. By 9:45 we were stalking. We walked up on two hogs that were bedded down asleep. They busted me and took off. We had a couple other near misses and decided to pull out and eat lunch.
After BBQ sandwiches in the thriving metropolis of Chester, we went back to work.
Within 5 minutes we spotted a group of BIG BACON BALLERS. I knew that I needed a hog around 15 yards to be in my comfort/practice zone. The wind was kind of screwy and they were getting nervous. Curt made a move to get around them. A few minutes later they started moving my way. I quickly took four or five big steps to get into range. There was a big brush pile between them and me so they couldn't see me. As the crunching leaves and breaking sticks got closer, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears (quick reminder to take my blood pressure medicine). As the first hog started to clear the brush I went in to auto pilot mode.
I drew the recurve and felt the leather glove touch the side of my face. Before I knew it, the arrow was on the way. I don't remember releasing but I do remember seeing the yellow and white fletchings sticking out of the big boar as he ran off. I could tell that most of the 30" shaft was sticking out of the "good" side.
Curt had heard the boar give a good squeal when I nailed him and he sent me a text asking if I shot. We met up and walked over to the kill zone. Good blood was on the ground and we decided to wait awhile. We called Bryan (ranch owner) and he showed up about 20 minutes later. We hit the blood trail and followed it about 50-60 yards and found the big boy lying in a shallow hole. He was deader than a doornail and my Carbon Express Heritage 150 with a Magnus 2-blade was sticking out of his shoulder about a foot. I had him him perfect. He was quartered away and the arrow entered at the back rib and exited through the off shoulder.
I can't explain how satisfying it was to watch that arrow going exactly where I was looking and smoke that hog at 18 yards. I avoided hunting deer with the recurve this past season because of a lack of confidence. I think I'll be toting it to the stand this year.
Thanks to all the TBH'er who gave me advice or encouragement when I first got interested in shooting a recurve.
Note: After we got my hog hung up on the skinning rack to cool, we went back out to try and get Curt one. I'll let him tell that story. But I can say it involved a cool shot and a wicked death moan!
I got out the new 6 pack of Magnus two-blades and touched them up with the sharpener and filled my quiver with death missles. We didn't hit the road until after 8 this morning. By 9:45 we were stalking. We walked up on two hogs that were bedded down asleep. They busted me and took off. We had a couple other near misses and decided to pull out and eat lunch.
After BBQ sandwiches in the thriving metropolis of Chester, we went back to work.
Within 5 minutes we spotted a group of BIG BACON BALLERS. I knew that I needed a hog around 15 yards to be in my comfort/practice zone. The wind was kind of screwy and they were getting nervous. Curt made a move to get around them. A few minutes later they started moving my way. I quickly took four or five big steps to get into range. There was a big brush pile between them and me so they couldn't see me. As the crunching leaves and breaking sticks got closer, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears (quick reminder to take my blood pressure medicine). As the first hog started to clear the brush I went in to auto pilot mode.
I drew the recurve and felt the leather glove touch the side of my face. Before I knew it, the arrow was on the way. I don't remember releasing but I do remember seeing the yellow and white fletchings sticking out of the big boar as he ran off. I could tell that most of the 30" shaft was sticking out of the "good" side.
Curt had heard the boar give a good squeal when I nailed him and he sent me a text asking if I shot. We met up and walked over to the kill zone. Good blood was on the ground and we decided to wait awhile. We called Bryan (ranch owner) and he showed up about 20 minutes later. We hit the blood trail and followed it about 50-60 yards and found the big boy lying in a shallow hole. He was deader than a doornail and my Carbon Express Heritage 150 with a Magnus 2-blade was sticking out of his shoulder about a foot. I had him him perfect. He was quartered away and the arrow entered at the back rib and exited through the off shoulder.
I can't explain how satisfying it was to watch that arrow going exactly where I was looking and smoke that hog at 18 yards. I avoided hunting deer with the recurve this past season because of a lack of confidence. I think I'll be toting it to the stand this year.
Thanks to all the TBH'er who gave me advice or encouragement when I first got interested in shooting a recurve.
Note: After we got my hog hung up on the skinning rack to cool, we went back out to try and get Curt one. I'll let him tell that story. But I can say it involved a cool shot and a wicked death moan!
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