HuntingNet.com Forums - Bowmerang

Over at The Bowhunters Group of Australia (www.aussiebowhunter.com) we have a recurve that was donated by one of our members. It has been dubbed the "bowmerang" as it is on a journey from hunter to hunter around Australia. No one person owns bowmerang and the concept was created with an intention of providing a common thread amongst some of our wide spread members. Each hunter on the list gets bowmerang for a time, has a hunt with it, inscribes his (or her) name on the limb, reports back in story fashion to the group and then passes it on.

(The term "bowmerang" was adpted from the Australian native hunting and ceremonial item the "boomerang" - an "L" stick shaped in a similar fashion to an aeroplane wing that when thrown correctly will travel in a wide arc and return to the thrower - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boomerang.

Seeing as I was witness to the first harvest of Bowmerang I have put together an account from my point of view of the unfolding of said events...I hope you enjoy.

Bowmerang - first blood.

The sun was high and seemingly seething with rage as it glared down at us with a 45 degree stare that would melt even the hardest of bowhunters. Cashy and I had been on the hunt for about 4 hrs and weâ€™d covered a lot of ground. We both wholeheartedly agreed it was time for a break, some tucker for lunch and a well earned drink followed by the customary 40 winks in the shade of a sandy creekâ€¦

It was day 9 of Bowcomp â€™05, we had been working hard and our trip was nearly at itâ€™s end. We dozed for a while, but as always, the lure of finding that monster boar just around the next bend in the creek got the better of the weariness in our legs and aches in our backs and we geared up for another stint of searching and stalking.

With Cashy's water bladder nearly out of water completely we pushed onâ€¦ walking on opposite sides of the creek bank to aid us in seeing into all the nooks and crannies. The pig pads found atop these banks were soft and sandy and mostly free of the seemingly endless cover of tinder dry leaves found many inches deep on most other parts of the ground. A half hour or so since setting off after lunch Cashy spied upon a chunky looking boar asleep on the right hand side of the creed bed, part way up to the bank top.

Slipping off his boots he crept along the beach like bed precariously picking his way between the bark and leaves that lay in wait of the tread of the unsuspecting bowhunterâ€™s foot, a certain alarm clock to any snoozing boar. He quickly made his way to about 18 metres from the boar. With confindence in the depth of the boarâ€™s slumber Graham turned and motioned to me to move in to his position in order to get the impending shot on camera. I hesitated as I did not wish to ruin his stalk by accidentally making unwanted noise, however upon repeating his insistent gestures I slipped down the bank and moved up to his position.

I placed my bow on the ground and grabbed my camera. I set it to high speed repetition not wanting to miss the impending â€œmoney shotâ€. Cashy began to move cautiously into position. The wind was most favourable however the creek banks did not allow any other shot options but for the infamous â€œtexas heart shotâ€. Cashy took his time moving in very close to be sure the arrow would find itâ€™s way to the intended vitals of the large boar. I, all the while snapped away with my camera.

Sporting a nocked arrow tipped with razor sharp Outback extreme, Bowmerang was set to task. The arrow drove deep into the now rudely awaken boar, and, as Iâ€™m sure would you, the boar jumped to his feet and turned to get even with his aggressor. Racing towards Cashy at lightning speed, I found it truly unbelievable how quickly this pig moved! From my position, and in my memory now as I recall the events, I cannot separate with time the point when the arrow hit the boar to when it was almost on top of Cashy. Reacting well to the anticipated charge, Cashy's extensive hunting experience had him sprinting to place a small paper bark tree between him and the hell bent boar. Like a pair of heavy weight boxers looking for an opening the two circled the tree. This way and that, back and forth they danced, the boar chomping viciously and grunting with inflated agression.

Having not previously been witness to, nor having experienced a "genuine" pig charge I stood and watched, momentarily awe struck by the spectacle. It seemed like time stood still and an entire age passed before I realised I could help out my mate by taking the broadside shot offered by the boar as the dance paused in a mexican stand off. Picking up my bow I reflexively nocked an arrow. Drawing back and anchoring I took a site line on the apex of the boar's shoulder. With what seemed to be an uncanny sixth sense and simultaneous with me anchoring, the boar decided that I must have been a more attractive outlet for his fury and he turned and made a bee line straight for me! Without hesitating I followed the boar with my pin sight as he swallowed up the short distance of the 6 or so metres that seperated us. I tapped off the release as the boar breached the 4 metre mark. The arrow drove deep into the boar's chest between neck and shoulder blade however this did not stop him short of where I stood.

Pumped full with adrenalin and fueled by rage he continued to bare down on me. I had no option but to turn and run up the creek bank. Now, I'm no slouch let me tell you, even 10yrs after giving away my athletics sprint training I can still do the 100 metre dash in a modest 12 secs flat, but man this pig was QUICK! He was chomping at my heels as I pounded up the sandy bank. Nearing a small paperbark I lost my footing, stumbling to my knees. My mind raced and thoughts of fending a pig off with my bare hands flashed before my eyes..."not today Luke!!", I told myself...reaching out for the small sapling I was able to use the little remaining forwards momentum I had to swing myself around it and perform a 180 degree u-turn on the boar. Regaining my footing, I raced back down the creek bank. My u-turn enticed the boar to follow me around the tree. Upon doing so he presented a broadside shot to Cashy who had raced over the log in hot pursuit of the boar as he'd come for me. Cashy took the momentary window of opportunity driving an arrow clean through the boar's lungs. This shot saw the boar drop near instantaneously on the spot sucumbing to a blow from which there would be no return.

With the occurrence of these events behind us we could now take stock of what had actually unfolded before our eyes. In what seemed like a vast expanse of time actually occured in no less than 30 or so seconds! The "slow motion" button in my mind's eye had certainly been pushed. Cashy and I had both been closer to a tragic accident than we probably care to admit or realise. Through quick thinking (and moving!) however we had managed to narrowly avoid this outcome. Looking over the motionless boar we were both glad that things hadn't taken any turns for the worse as he was the largest pig we harvested for the trip. We approximated his weight to be somewhere near 90 kilograms! Not the sort of adversary I would like to be wrestling with in the sand!

After checking ourselves over (and our gear...how I managed to drop my bow I can't recall) we set about taking some photos of the boar for memories sake and a certain pride of place on our walls! This pig would definately not be forgotten quickly and was definately worthy of a place of honour amongst our game photos. Shaking each other's hands we both agreed it had been a successful day's hunt.

Bowmerang had succeeded in harvesting it's first game, albeit in a most action packed fashion and in the hands of one of Australia's best bowhunters. I just hope when my turn comes to put Bowmerang to task I am as worthy of it (and all it stands for and symbolises) as it is of me.

Cheers to Kim for his most generous offer...and here's to the journey that lies ahead of Bowmerang.

Good hunting and good mateship,

OzGriff.