By Jilliane Zito
This has been quite a journey. Eleven years ago I shot a bow for the first time. I casually practiced for the first few years but I got discouraged early on. Basically, I wasn’t very good and it’s hard to love something that you’re awful at. It just wasn’t clicking for me so I decided to stop shooting.
Two years ago I got a new bow and started shooting again. I still struggled but my mindset was different. I was content with being awful. I also discovered that I needed to spend more time alone shooting and really learning how to focus. I’m still not the best shot but I’m tremendously better than I was.
So this weekend with a shift in plans my husband Charles Whitwam who is a guide at Lockwood Hunting Services let me know that I was invited to come up and try for an archery pig.
I’ve carried this bow on many hunts and I’ve taken a few shots. Always clean misses followed by a wave of disappointment. It’s hard to break that cycle of expectation once it’s stuck in your head.
Saturday afternoon with the best there is at this (Charles) at my side we set off, hiked, listened, waited and hiked some more. We jumped a huge group of bedded pigs with no chance of success with a bow.
With only about thirty minutes of light left we started to slowly hike back to the Honda. Then all of a sudden from the corner of my eye I see this big black boar coming up over the hill. Charles placed his hand on my arm to calm me and tell me to get ready. There wasn’t alot of time to do anything but draw back and shoot. Charles ranged the boar for me and he was 38 yards. I’m on my knees, pack on and I find him through my sight. I wasn’t shaking yet and I knew it was now or never. I shoot, I felt my hand flinch and the boar just walks off like nothing had happened. I asked Charles “did I miss?!” We both were unsure but we thought I did. I was disappointed as I went looking for my arrow. It turned out that I didn’t miss. We found my arrow covered in blood. Then only about fifty yards away lay my first successful archery pig!
Thank you Tim Lockwood and Kayla Miles Lockwood for this opportunity and your amazing hospitality. I really appreciate everything. As always thank you to my trusted guide and husband Charles. You are built different and my success proves it.
