Felicia's first archery javelina

[mr.smith]

So, I have been nagging the wife to take up archery for a couple years. Last June I found a pretty good deal on a youth/ladies bow, a Hoyt RinTec. At first she couldn't draw it. So I bought a bowfit band exerciser. It didn't work for her. Doesn't quite capture the draw motion adequately. Then I found a Genesis bow in the bargain cave at Cabelas for a hundred bucks. This helped her get the motion down and quickly she was shooting it 50 times a night. By late August she graduated to her Hoyt. She shoots almost every evening. We made a couple trips out to Ben Avery to walk the course and by the time the archery javelina hunt started we were ready.

Going in to this hunt I told her I wasn't going to shoot until she got hers. This frustrated our help on opening day as we were in the middle of a herd and I didn't even nock an arrow. Instead I was armed with the rangefinder.

On opening day we went to our usual javelina honey hole. Felicia has killed three pigs in there with her rifle. Well, it was a pretty good introduction to archery hunting for her. We had two unsuccessful stalks, both times we got into range, just never got a clear shot. Opening day was the only day we would have extra eyes, thanks John, Josh, Dan, and Mike, wish we could have gotten it done with you guys.

The next day we went out in search of a more bow friendly spot. I found a nice south facing hill at the end of a gnarly 4x4 road and within minutes found a herd of pigs. We made our move and got busted by swirling winds at 60yds.

We took Thursday off.

On Friday we went to the same spot and it was de ja vu. This time we chased them all over the hill and had two good stalks but couldn't get the shot. Came very close though. Friday was our 16th wedding anniversary so we let early to go out to dinner.

Saturday, back to the same spot. This time I found the pigs in a very open spot to the west of where they had been the two days prior. We watched them for a bit and came up with a better plan, learning from our experience from the two days before, Honestly, the stalk went perfectly as planned. We crept in and the pigs were moving slowly away the herd boar bringing up the rear. We moved to my landmark cactus and there before us was the boar and a smaller pig feeding in some short grass at 30 yds. Felicia drew, waited for him to turn and sent a Slick Trick flying. The shot wasn't perfect but it was good enough. The pig ran a short circle and stopped at 40 yds. He then went down into a wash and never came out. Felicia was worried about the shot so we crept up and checked the arrow. While looking at the arrow I heard the pig about 10 yds away letting out a groan. I crept up to see him piled up in the wash but not quite dead. Felicia crept up and put a finisher shot into him and that was that. I'm so proud of her and all of her hard work.

[AZLance]

Very nice, Congrats!

[lucky2hunt]

Way to go Felicia! Congratulations!!!

[Flatlander]

Great job Felicia and crew.

['Ike']

Atta girl! Congrats...

[firstcoueswas80]

Awesome!

[gotcoues]

Loved the story from start to finish! Congrats on your 4th and your first archery animal. Way to go!

[CouesWhitetail]

Congratulations!!

[mr.smith]

Thanks All, She is pretty excited. We just submitted our apps for archery elk. Fingers crossed we get drawn and I can get her into some screaming bulls.

[Coach]

Awesome Job, Felicia. There is something about that first Javi with a bow. Huge Congrats.

[Will K]

Way to get it done. Congrat's.

[Pine Donkey]

Great job Felicia. Pigs are a blast with the bow, glad you were able to get one.

[200"mulie]

nicely done congrats !