As far as game went I didn't do any good at all. I really wanted a good scrub bull or mickey bull as they call them up there but the wind didn't do us any favours: everytime we got onto a good bull the wind would blow at our backs. Other than that it was one of the best trips I have ever been on. Next time I go I will be armed with better knowledge, which is the best weapon of all.
The best thing to happen to me on the hunt was on the last morning when I followed up a large boar walking down the creek. I followed him for a long way when he got ahead of me in the long grass and then the wind did it again and blew back towards the boar. I said to my mate who was following a fair way back, that I thought that this a lost cause now and he should go back up the creek and look for another pig while I walked down a bit further, but he said that he would stay with me just in case.
We had only walked about 50 meters when we came on a small washout which took a small bend with a log over it. I gave it a long hard look but couldn't see anything and with the wind still at my back I thought there was no way there would be anything there. Big mistake. As I walked up the washout and past the log to a likely looking spot further out, the boar came with three big whoofs and a couple of strides, flat out and headed in my direction.
The distance between us - the only out for him - was about 5 meters. He got his tusks under the back of my leg below my arse and threw me in the air like a rag doll. Then he paused for a second or two, and at this stage, very worried and feeling helpless laying on the ground, I grabbed my bow thinking I would have to fend him off if he was going to have a go at me. That's right, I forgot to mention I was screaming like a sheila. Fortunately, the pig ran off as my mate came running over.
Luckily, it didn't rip me. I don't know how he didn't: he put a good tear in my pants and damaged my ego. When we realized I wasn't seriously hurt, Mark and I almost had a laughing fit as the whole thing was funny. We took a few photos of my only trophy from this Cape York trip. It's still a bit sore to sit down and stand up but I can't help smiling whenever I think of that pig....
The camera I used for the accompanying shots was a Panasonic Lumix digital. It has a 12x optical zoom lens; I am very pleased with it.
In retrospect I think that I was very lucky my mate Mark was there with me. If I'd been alone I think that that porker would have really got stuck into me when I was on the ground. Maybe Mark should have stood back and waited until it was finished with me, in case he could have got a shot at him. A bit like fishing with live bait….
