GUY Fitzgerald FEATURED ARTICLES

"BIG BAD BOARS! - PART TWO" by Guy Fitzgerald- January 10, 2007

Here he comes and I’m ready.  I am a little winded from the several hour trek up and down the mountains, I’m covered in sweat, but this is what I do, and I love it!  So, I said a little prayer with Dad, and I immediately gained the peace and confidence that only the Lord can give!  I knocked my arrow, laid it over my Ultra Rest and with my thumb, I reached over and hit the plunger, or as the guys at Quality Archery Designs say, I “Cocked it, locked it, and forgot it”!  Sweet!  With my Switchback in hand, I placed my leather glove equipped fingers on the string.  Now, I have taken a lot of animals using the three fingers under method, and I have also taken a lot of animals with the one over and two under method!  This time, it was going to be the latter, as I was raised to shoot, since I was a little boy.

Everything is in place, the battery levels of my wireless microphone are hot, the camera is rolling, and we are ready for this boar to slowly, but surely, work his way on over, close enough to me for a well placed shot!  Due to all of the long hours and endless arrows I have pounded into targets, I felt confident in every way for a 30 to 40 yard, or perhaps even longer shot! 

“As soon as he gets to within the right distance, he’s going to be history”, I thought!  Slowly, he wandered back and forth, annihilating the soil, eating here and there, popping rock hard acorns like they were candy!  Like every minute of consumption was his last!  Little did he know that he actually was breathing his last breaths, if I had anything to do with it!  What power these magnificent prehistoric looking beasts have in their jaws!  I just can't imagine, nor do I look forward to the day that my leg or arm might find itself trapped in between those chompers.  Dad says that as much of this as we do, it's bound to happen someday.  I am praying not!  “Come on man, get over here and let me turn you into sausage”, I thought to myself.  I get a little barbaric, at times, and after all, I am hungry!  Hey what can I say, I’m a Predatory Meat Bowhunter!  Ya'll know what I mean!

Moments passed.  I was enjoying this time spent waiting in God's country, because even if I had to wait for 500 hours in the woods, it still beats a 1 hour day in the office, right?  The wind was slightly blowing, it was quiet, serene, and the sun was on it's way out for the day.  The sky was beginning to move from a beautiful crisp blue, to an array of soft pastel pinks and light oranges.  It was beautiful!  I was in heaven on earth, just sitting behind my brush pile blind, out in the woods.  We were still a couple hours from pitch dark, and I was ready to be unleashed! 

I was wondering what dad was doing, as I realized my mind had drifted.  I slowly turned my head around and looked at dad.  To my surprise, (I don’t know why it surprised me so much, because I do spend a great deal of time with him, and I know his tendencies), he was chowing down on an apple, smiling, looking intently at the apple with a fire in his eyes in between bites, and just having a good ole time (he is most happy when eating)!  I smiled and thought, "here I am in deep thought about all of this wonderful creation, life, and other wonderful blessings, and I turn around to find dad being concerned with only one thing...FOOD!  What a character he is!  “Dad!  What are you doing?”, I exclaimed in an intense whisper.  “That Boar could decide to run a quick 100 yard dash, for some reason or another, and be right here, and you won’t be able to get ready in time, and then he’ll move on past us, and I won’t get the shot off... after all this waiting, and all because you are eating that apple!”  I said rather frustrated and kind of panicked!  “Now let’s put that apple away, and get that camera up onto your shoulder!”.  “Man, who do you think you’re talking to?!  Don’t worry, I’ll get the shot perfect when the time comes!  But for now, I’m hungry, and I’m GONNA finish my apple!”, he said with a 'lay off Guy' smile.  That smile that's all to familiar to me, and perhaps many of you who rag on your loved ones!  “Man, Dad, when are you not hungry?”  I said with a reciprocal smile.  “You know me.  I’m hungry anytime I’m awake!”  He said, silently laughing!  “I know!  You must have the world’s fastest metabolism, because as much as you eat, you should weigh 500 pounds!  Alright man, let’s get serious, let’s not blow this, after all of the waiting we have done on this hunt!”, I said. 

We waited, and waited, and waited!  Isn't hunting like that?  You can wait for hours and days and weeks and all of a sudden, in a moment's time, everything will happen in a whirlwind, and then it's all over!  I must say, I was beginning to become rather frustrated, as it seemed like this boar was taking a hundred days to work his way over to us!  Or, maybe not work his way to us at all!  No, no, no, I am not even going to start thinking like that.  That's way too depressing.  Many times we discussed getting up and sneaking through the woods, in an attempt to gain on him.  What caused us to pass on that idea, however, was that the cover necessary to stalk was minimal, and the thought of him hearing or seeing us, after a few long days of aggressively hunting, and all of this waiting, didn’t sound too appealing.  Especially, considering how close we were to that moment of truth, or so it seemed.  So, after some quiet communications, we made a joint decision to ultimately wait it out, or wait until dark, whichever came first!

We ran out of apples and oranges, hog sticks, and deer jerky.  We started to get rather tired, as we sat with the falling warm sun shining on us.  Another problem was beginning to arise.  It wasn’t all that hot, as far as the temperature went.  But, with a coat and other colder weather clothes on, combined with the sun shining directly on you, it can make you warm.  The combination of warmth, while sitting still, causes nap time to fall on your mind!  You guys, who have had to sit still, for any length of time, know what I mean!  Actually, Dad nodded off a few times – of course you guys know that.  He had himself sitting on the ground, leaning up against a large fallen tree trunk, and literally dozing!  I took my ever so intent gaze off of the Boar and looked over at dad, as he was just so relaxed, so at one with God’s creation.  I started to become overwhelmed with joy that such a legend was sitting next to me.  That I have been able to grow up with the training of such an awesome Bowhunter!  Now don't get me wrong, we do have our arguments and we get into it, rather often, but we wouldn't be human if we didn't, right?  But, all in all, we get along pretty well!  I have learned a lot from him.  Now I am able to continue this Fitzgerald family dream of Bowhunting and sharing what I learn and do, with all of you guys, and even newer generations to come, all across the world!  As I looked at him, I began to thank the Lord for all that He has given me, and that I never want to ever come across as if I have attained any of it by my own right.  But that it is by God’s Divine Grace, and by just being out there day after day, that I have been able to know and truly become one with God’s Creation, as Dad has!  I was so caught up in the moment, that I, for a minute or two, forgot that we were actually on a hunt!  When I looked back toward the hog, I saw that he had turned in our direction.  IMMEDIATELY, my heart started beating rapidly!  It's time to focus.  Put the game face on!  Something's getting ready to get the smack laid on them, and I was ready!

Dad was still napping, so I nudged him ever so lightly and said, “Here he comes, Dad!  Shhhh”!  I looked back at the hog for a few moments and then I looked over my shoulder again.  I was relieved to see that old familiar sight of Dad with the Beta Cam on his shoulder, backing me up, as only he can do.  It seemed like this was the thousandth time he was filming a hunt for me.  “Boy I’ve been doing this a long time”, I thought to myself.  I smiled, whispered to Dad that he was going to do a good job, and that I had a lot of confidence in him, then I turned my head back around, and got in position.

It all started again, the familiar routine I always go over in my head when an animal is approaching.  “All right now Guy, it’s time to put your game face on.  Slowly turn your hat around to keep the bill out of the way.  Cautiously rise to your knees.  Bring your bow up.  Put your fingers on the string.  Tighten the space around the knock with your fingers.  Make sure the knock is all the way on the string.  Make sure your duravanes are correctly lined up on your ultra rest.  Hopefully, it’s only a few moments until GO-TIME!  Just breathe slowly and calmly.  DON'T MOVE, he’s looking your direction.  Start telling yourself, he’s just a hog and you are the dominant predator.  Don’t let his possible 500 pounds of raw brute intimidate you!  Yes, he may charge, before or after you shoot him.  In fact, his body language is saying that he WILL most likely charge, at some point!  Are you safe, is there a tree close by that you can get up in, if he charges?  Will Dad be able to get up in a tree too?  Will he be safe?  Now calm down, your getting too worked up again!  What’s the matter.  Come on man, get yourself together.  You’ve done this hundreds of times.”

It doesn’t matter how much I tell myself these things, when it’s time for me to end the life of a game animal, a living breathing thing, it gets me worked up beyond belief, each and every time!  That’s the way it should be!  We should take it VERY serious!  The day that stops, the day it’s not important to me anymore, is the day I’ll hang my bow up!  However, I don’t ever see that happening!  Dad’s been hunting for 55 years, and he still gets fired up over a doe!  “Good news there, Guy!” 

"Dad, is your wireless on?  Are you white balanced on the right filter?  Is the lens clean?  Are you ready?"  "I'm ready, Guy."  And I heard those words I've heard a thousand times... "Make it count, Guy".  Dad's been telling me that for over 20 years.  "Don't worry, Dad.  He's going down, in about ten more steps!"

I slowly turned my head back around to see what the Boar was doing.  “Oh no, he's moved closer to us now!  He’s got his head down!  He’s looking in our direction!  Oh my goodness Dad, I think he’s spotted us!  I think he’s going to charge!"  "Guy!  He's coming!!!!  Hurry, man!  Hurry up and FIND A TREE!!!”

To Be Continued Again (don’t you hate it when I do that??!!!)

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US & TELL US WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS ARTICLE!

ARCHIVED ARTICLES - CLICK ON ARTICLE TITLE TO HEAD TO THAT FEATURE

*  "BIG BAD BOARS! - PART ONE" by Guy Fitzgerald- March 2, 2006

*  "A WORD (OR TWO) FROM GUY FITZGERALD"