19 replies to this topic

[BullsEye]

Well I had 10 days to hang out in Hawaii and visit family, friends and fish and hunt. I arrived in Kona on the 29th and met up with my family and spent the first few days catching up with my parents and my aunt, it was a great. We ate tons of food and drank a dozen different kinds of local and micro brewed beverages. I latter received a call from a friend asking me if I wanted to go on a sheep hunt in the mountains and I gladly accepted the invitation. I woke up early and we met at 3 in the morning,I took some pictures of my friends pet goat, and then we piled into his truck to start heading up the mountain in hopes of some sheep. After an hour and a half of driving through some tight jungle and curvy roads we managed to spook up a wild bull(yes Hawaii has wild cattle) but he was gone before I could take a picture. We arrived to our hunting destination just past sun rise when we started on our hike. Within five minutes we spotted a heard of sheep and started our stalk. They new we where coming and they ran down the hill to get away from us. They then ran back up to gain higher ground at about 40 yards. I had my eye set on a large popoli (Hawaiian for a ram with no horns). I drew my bow set the 40 yard pin on the trotting ram just in front of the popoli waited half a second and let the arrow soar. It was a perfect shot except I was about a foot in front of the popoli ram. dog poop clean miss. We started to follow them up the hill when they stopped at about 100 yards from us and turned around to see what was going on they soon started to trot off. Two of us started to run up a draw to cut them off cause we figured they would keep climbing up the mountain and one of us stayed behind to try and distract them with some calling. We ran up and got ready for them to cross our path but it was too late we didn't have a shot. I decided to go right and see what was on the other side of the draw when I spoted the herd of sheep at 60 yards. I had a bunch of open space in between us so stalking was going to be tough. I have been practicing 3 or 4 times a week at the local archery range at 60 yards. Its the first shot I take everyday on a cold shoulder and I knew I could make it. I decided I was going to take the shot with the ram quartering away from me showing me his spine. I selected 2 blade Magnus 100 grain Stinger broadheads and I knew I would have sufficient penetration with these blades paired with my 60 pound compound bow. I drew my bow set my anchors and was completely relaxed I leveled the bow and set the 60 yard pin smack dab in the middle of the rams spine and 3/4's up his body. Took a deep breath and released. THWUACK! All I hear is Baaa baaaa baaaa and I watch my ram buck and click its heals like Charlie Chaplin and start running over the field of A'a (Hawaiian Lava that flows into jagged rocks). I thought Oh dog poop did I hit him hard enough? I sat and watched the heard run 50 yards over another draw, but my ram never made it up the other side. I sat and watched patiently for a few more minutes to make sure he hadn't run off somewhere else and they we decided to retrieve the arrow I found half of the arrow. The broad head looked like it had gone through some hard bone but it still had an edge but not much blood I looked inside of the shaft and noticed some really dark red inside the arrow which could only mean one thing. Right? So we continue to where I last saw the ram and sure enough, he was hit hard! He was dead but he just didn't know it yet so we dragged him out of the bushes and set him on some rocks and I slit his throat for the coupe de gras. AWESOME!!! My first ram and first archery big game kill I had a smile ear to ear. We took the pictures and deboned the meat and I hiked the meat back to the truck. This was just the beginning of the hunt.

[Braz]

Great story of a great sounding hunt. Congratulations. What kind of a license do you need and how hard is it to get the license and tag?

[BullsEye]

Now it was time to get some more! I had mine and Brad and Josh needed theirs. We decided on hiking about 10 miles to a forest we had seen in the distance in hopes of some big horns to calm the ram fever rushing through our veins. It was a great hike we managed to see 1 mouflon ewe on our way to the destination but that was it. We glassed and still hunted till we finally got to the edge of the forest. Next thing I know I hear baaing and Josh and Brad hear banging and a heard of mature rams working on their second curl come running out of the bushes Josh take a shot but misses. Damn! He tries again but we had separated and I was just opposite of Josh and Brad when the ram ran in between us. The fellows played it safe but we lost another opportunity at a trophy ram. I ran around one side and they ran the other side in hopes of getting another shot but the trotted off. Oh well we were where we wanted to be and we knew there where more big sheep waiting in the forest for us. We started still hunting through some thick brush hoping to spook another ram from his bed when all of a sudden. Ahh F@#&! I dropped to the ground with a loud POP. This was not going to be fun. I rolled over on my back pulled the first aid kit out grabbed the tape and the ace bandage. I sprained my ankle 10 miles or so in on some of the most treacherous terrain I have ever hiked. We decided that we would rest where I lay eat drink and recoup for the hike back. I was so mad we finally get to where the large sheep are and I hurt myself. I get my ankle wrapped asap put my boot back on and lace it as tight as I can. Firm pressure is the only thing that is going to make me be able to hike back out without having a pumpkin for a foot.

[BullsEye]

Well we hiked and followed Brads trusty GPS for about 4 hours and the whole time we all kept thinking something is just not right. I swear the truck is lower in elevation but the GPS doesn't lie. Or does it? We finally hiked to the road where the so called truck was supposed to be but overshot the truck by about a mile or so. Stupid GPS led us the wrong way to the wrong lava flow. By this time I was not feeling to enthusiastic about hiking farther along the A'a I was hoping we would come across more pahoehoe lava (smooth roping lava) so that it would be easier to hike but that wasn't the case. We eventually found the road so we weren't that bad off and this time we got into another flock of wild sheep. My pain immediately disappeared the hunt was on! I had a nice ram in my sites I released Woosh....THUACK right over his back and into the tree. The heard freaked out and ran towards Josh and then broke up. I stalked into what I thought was 30 yards of the smaller heard of sheep again I sent another arrow down and woosh....Thuack high again and into another tree. They jump but stay put I tried again on another sheep another miss. I was just to tired from this long hike on a bum ankle I missed four times and they where gone but so was Brad and Josh. We had lost each other in all of the excitement. dog poop I started walking down the raod and watched it split in two sections I decided that I would head down the mountain in search for them and 20 minutes latter I find the truck. But where are the guys? Next thing you know I see them moving around dragging something. Right on! They booth took rams while I was busy missing sheep at the top of the hill. What an awesome day! We all took animals and I definitely have a new adventure to share. Brad and Josh where awesome guys to hunt with and showed me the ropes on the Hawaiian lava fields that day. Brads dad was also very kind in letting us hunt his lease. So thanks guys! I unfortunately don't have pictures of their rams yet but I do have these pictures of our adventure. PS Lamb loin tastes great!!!

[BullsEye]

[Braz]

GREAT story!!!

[BullsEye]

Braz,License costs 90 dollars or so and you don't need tags depending where you hunt.

[Rimrock]

Thanks for sharing your story and pics. That is some interesting looking country.

[CoyoteHuntress]

Man you sure can tell a great story! Sounds like you had a great hunt despite breaking yourself LOL.. How is the ankle? Hope it isnt too sore... That sure is a hunt you wont forget!

[BullsEye]

The ankle is OK. It still hurts but I still went pig hunting two days later with it. I was so mad I missed two large pigs one at 30 yards and the other at 4 yards. I was so nervous and tired I totally blew the shots. =( Oh well its called hunting not killing.

[D-Man]

Awesome story and pics Alex! Glad you had such a wonderful time on the big island! Will have to get out with again soon! Did you bring any of that tasty meat back to the states with you? Thank you for sharing such a great hunt!Darren

[PredatorMaster]

Great Story Congrats.

[BullsEye]

Awesome story and pics Alex! Glad you had such a wonderful time on the big island! Will have to get out with again soon! Did you bring any of that tasty meat back to the states with you? Thank you for sharing such a great hunt!Darren

Thanks Darren. I was able to bring back three rams and some smoked ham. Two of the rams and the smoked ham where gifts from Brad and Josh. I BBQed the ram tenderloins in Hawaii with some soy sauce, garlic, sweet basil and some macadamia nut oil infused with chile peppers. It came out great.

[D-Man]

Outstanding! Great trip for you!Darren

[Jeff]

Sounds like an amazing hunt. Thanks for the story.

[Red Dog]

Great story!!! Thanks for sharing.

[BullsEye]

Thanks for the kind words. It was a great hunt. I look forward to going again and hopefully baging some piggies. I missed two shots on them because I was nervous and tired couldn't believe that I missed the shots at such close range but its not the first time and probably wont be the last. Hopefully I can try for some some Axis deer too. Hawaii is great 365 days of big game hunting ad some awesome fishing too.

[Thumper Dunker]

Sounds like a great hunt.

[Stan]

Great Story!

[BullsEye]

Here are the pictures of the other rams that were shot that day.