I had been hunting since 6am on a crisp winter morning, working my way between two hills along a small stream flanked by dense blackberry bushes. Animal trails crisscrossed the area, making it easy to move. Signs of pigs were everywhere — scat, tracks and rub marks on tree bases.
I reached a clearing that offered a view stretching 600m up the hillsides. Scanning the terrain, I spotted a mob of pigs, their noisy commotion catching my attention. Ranging them at 450m, I focused on a large, grey, mud-covered boar. The challenge was clear: I had to take this one.
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Between me and the boar’s mob was a smaller group of pigs, just 200m away. I knew startling them could ruin my hunt by sending them crashing into the larger group. Carefully, I assessed the situation. The wind was in my face — a hunter’s best ally.
As I edged closer to the smaller pigs, a sow strayed within 30m of me. I loosed an arrow, hitting her clean through the lungs. She dropped within a few metres and, to my relief, the rest of the group remained oblivious, moving up the hillside to my left. This cleared my path toward the boars, now 200m away.
The grey boar stood out, asserting dominance over the others as they fought over a sow in heat. Using the blackberry bushes and trees as cover, I crept closer, inch by inch. Finally, at 50m, I had to wait 35 agonising minutes until the boars turned their backs. This gave me a chance to close the gap to just 20m.
Drawing my 70-pound compound bow, I released an arrow. The shot looked a bit back from the lungs, and the boar bolted into the blackberry thicket near the stream. My heart sank, convinced I had botched the hunt. But thenI heard a loud squeal.
Cautiously, I approached the stream and found the boar lying dead in the water. My shot had been true after all. Overwhelmed with pride, I faced the next challenge: dragging the massive pig — easily 110kg — through mud and thorns to a clear spot for photos.
This hunt was a masterclass in patience, planning and wind awareness. Taking down the biggest boar of my life with a bow was nothing short of exhilarating. What a hunt!
— Cruz Conroy
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