TWO TRIPS OUT WEST
Out to north-west NSW three weeks ago, visiting my cousin’s farm. After two great seasons wild pig numbers have exploded. Hunting partner was my good friend Drax who is heavily into tech. He brought a powerful drone which he used to find pigs. Then into the car, and locating the animals with thermal binoculars which incorporate a video camera. Finally, shooting with a customised rifle, fitted with a thermal scope.
A deadly technique. But – just not my thing. Coincidentally, I had taken a small bow and arrows which had been a 2025 Valentines Day gift for my wife.
Not only was the property infested with pigs, but rabbits had taken over the garden. I was asked to thin them out. Archery time:
Quite a buzz! This was more my cup of tea. When back in Sydney I got serious with archery practise. With regular target shooting at a plastic deer, arrow grouping steadily got tighter. Eventually I was able to put four arrows into a three inch by three inch square:
Back out to Collarenebri for the long weekend, stopping at Narrabri Fish Farm for 200 silver perch fingerlings:
They went into two separate ground tanks. Great investment for the future I reckon:
First request from my cousin was about the rabbits still hammering her lawn. Too many for the bow and arrow, so I used my little survival rifle:
The primary mission on our trip out west was to arrow my first wild goat. This property holds thousands of goats, but in a weird way that made hunting more difficult. So many eyes to see me stalking! On day three it all came together. I was downwind of a small mob grazing towards me. Selected a big white nanny as a target but would have to shoot through a hole in a boxthorn bush. Maybe it brushed a stick on the way through? The arrow struck too far back. Had been worried about this possibility from day one. Raced back 20 metres or so to pick up my little survival rifle. Tracked it only a short distance using a blood trail. Humanely put it down:
Really enjoyed this new challenge! And a bit shocked by the number of ferals about. These two small goats went from whole to almost nothing left, around 36 hours after the pigs found them:
Pigs will be the primary target next visit. Please let me know if you enjoyed this story? Or whether I should stay with fishing only. Thanks for reading
Andrew Hestelow
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