Dave awoke early. Dawn a half hour away. Quietly he got dressed and went in to the kitchen.
'Strange night' he thought. He put the memories aside and started the coffee pot going hearing her going in to the bathroom, then the sound of the shower going.
Ten minutes later she came in to join him. Blue jeans, heavy wool shirt. She looked ready for work.
“How you feeling? You look edible” he said.
“Bloody sore!” then she put her hand over her mouth and her face went scarlet in embarrassment.
Dave laughed. “Coffee is ready. Clean pot and all.”
“About last night..” she started to say when he held up his hand.
“Stress relief. We all do things we sometimes regret later.”
“No regrets.” then “OK what is the plan again?” She sat down.
He shrugged. “Boar first then the others. Any new ideas?”
She thought for a moment. “The Indians on the reserve. You get on well with them?”
“As well as a white guy can. Some helped me build the barns.”
“Yes, I know. How about you hire some to drive the sows back? ATV's.”
“May work. Yes, just may work. Need the boar first though.” then “You want breakfast?”
“No. Coffee is fine. Aspirin would be good also. Slight hangover”
He obliged her. “I also.”
Rain had stopped and the sun was just starting to rise as they went out to the drive shed. Cool morning.
“OK.”Dave checked the back of the trailer. “Looks like everything. Ropes, snare, bag for his head.
Bungee cords for his legs. You have the gun. All set?”
She nodded. The dog jumped up on the trailer all excited.
“You taking the dog?” she asked “Wont it scare them?”
“If the dart does not work right away he might get in to heavy cover. Bruno will find him.”
“Good thinking. Ready then?” she climbed in to the front seat. Dave got in also and started it up.
Past the burnt out barn, through the paddock gate, closing it behind them and in to the bush.
“Can you find them” she asked.
“Think so. They will try and hole up for the day. Have about six sites to check.”
He followed one of the many trails heading North. 30 minutes later he slowed down to a crawl,
the engine just puttering away quietly, his eyes on the track just ahead of him. He put the machine in
neutral and got off motioning the dog to stay. He studied the hoof prints in the damp earth. Seconds later he was back aboard. “All seem to be together” he said to her. Now the tricky part. Were would they turn off?”
She looked at him and shrugged. He put the machine in to low and crawled ahead, eyes scanning the
ground. The trail ended soon after as they came upon a series of small hills. Heavy brush, small ravines. Wind was picking up from the North now out of the shelter of the trees.
“Now for the hard part. Over the next small hill is a brush filled ravine. If I am lucky they will be there. Usually their favorite hangout. Small caves there. If not..” he shrugged “may be a long day. You stay put. I am down wind so will see if I can spot them.”
He retrieved his binoculars from the front seat and motioned the dog down. He held up his finger for the dog to signify 'quiet'. Walking as quietly as he could he headed for the hill ahead of him, dog at his side. They covered the two hundred yards to the base of the hill and edged up through the brush. Yard
from the top he lay down and belly crawled the rest of the way. Dog beside him. Cautiously peering over the top he looked down in to the ravine. Scrub and tall Goldenrod moved slowly in the wind.
He could not see any animals. He used the binoculars and scanned it again slowly. 'The boars coloring would blend in nicely with that background' he thought. After a few minutes he decided to follow the ravine. He was just about to move when Bruno whined. The dog, slightly below him had his nose up in to the wind from the right. He focused the glasses again to the right as the dog whined again. The light wind dropped for a moment. He detected a slight movement in the weeds. He kept the glasses focused on the spot. Minutes passed. He was about to give up when he saw movement again. He made out a sows rear end. 'Of course' he thought 'they do not crap in their sleeping area. Must be in the caves or just under the overhang.' he slid back down the hill patting the dog's head. “Good boy” he whispered.
Back at the ATV he told her what had happened.
“What now?” she asked.
“Well. The ATV cannot go down the side of the ravine. So will have to park it at the West end. If I can flush them out from the East end can you shoot the boar? He may be running. If you get him I can tie his legs and bag his head snare his snout then I can bring the ATV along the bottom and load him.”
“Sounds like a bloody rodeo! What distance? From the hill down?”
“25 yards maybe 30.”
“Can do. These Pnue-Dart darts have a one and a half inch needle. Still, skin is so tough on these animals may not penetrate the shoulder area. Um-mm..will increase the pressure and try for a shot just behind the shoulder. K. Were will you be?”
“Will park the ATV at the West end then walk back and come in from the East. They should run West.
Do you remember were I was on the ridge?” She pulled a face. 'OK then, sorry but..I worry.”
She smiled at him and said “I will not miss. I know what it means to you”
She climbed out and walked towards the hill with her X Caliber in hand. Dave started up the ATV fretting at the noise even knowing the animals could not hear it. He was feeling tense. He tried to relax. Few minutes later he had it parked at the West entrance to the ravine and walked back towards the East end of the ravine. 15 minutes it took him. Bruno by his side anticipating action. He scanned the South ridge but could not see her. He walked in to the ravine cussing as the pebbles on the bottom rattled loudly under his feet. Bruno moved up to his side.
“Now or never' he thought 'hope she is ready.' “Bruno! Easy boy! Go see.”
The dog darted ahead. “Easy boy!” the dog slowed and moved ahead, nose down hairs on his back rigid. Old stuff for him. His nose went up and he headed for the patch of scrub Dave had seen the sow in. He stopped and barked. Nothing moved in the scrub. He barked again, fully alert. He looked back at Dave ten feet back. “Git em out boy!”
The dog ran in to the scrub. Squeals and snorts and lots of movement then the animals came running out. Four then five sows. They saw Dave standing there in there path swinging the snare and headed West.
“Frig! No boar here”. Then “Maybe backed up. Shit he wants to fight!” the dog was still barking in the scrub. He moved forward through the trampled scrub and stood just behind Bruno. The boars head was visible at the front of the small cave he was backed in to. Foaming at the mouth, tusks gleaming.
Dave hesitated then commanded “Bruno! Easy!.Back off! Out boy!”
Bruno whined and backed off. Dave backed up a few yards with the dog beside him. The boar held his position. Dave backed up more. The boar cautiously came ahead his nose up and mouth open to help
with his sense of smell. He moved out at a slow pace. Finally satisfied and perhaps recognizing Dave's voice he trotted West tail up and occasional backward glances. He squealed as the dart him just behind
the shoulder then took off at a run.
Dave watched him run and took off after him. He was falling behind. “Git him Bruno!”
The dog went in to full speed and soon caught up with the boar. He grabbed the boars ear and pulled him down. The boar struggled then the sedative kicked in. Panting heavily Dave reached the boar and put a snare over his snout. “Back off boy!Good boy. Watch him” He then left the boar and ran towards the West end of the ravine. Olga was bringing the ATV towards him before he got to the end. He stopped and waited for her then jumped on the trailer. She turned the ATV around when she got to the boar and backed the trailer up. He put a feedbag over the boars head then tied his feet with Bungee cords. He pulled the release and the trailer tipped up. He put the rope around the boars chest and winched him up with the hand winch. The trailer went back to level. He locked it and looked at Olga.
“Good work! You are fast! Dart then ATV! Excellent work!”
“Fast but not loose. Good mornings work. Think we should apply for the rodeo?”
“Too hectic for me. You OK?”
“Sure. Want to climb up and get my gun?”
“Heck, my back is killing me!”
She smiled at him then said “I am not surprised. Don't do the Tarzan thing tonight.”She blushed.
“What? Oh. OK. Understand! I do need stress relief!”. He kissed her then climbed the hillside.
Back at the barn with the ATV backed up and the pen door open they tripped the trailer. He untied the boars legs and undid the hold down rope. The snare came off next. The boar was starting to chomp right away. Sedative had worn off a while back. Dave took off the feedbag next. The boar got to his feet and looked around. He trotted down the passageway and in to a pen. Dave followed him with a pig board in case he turned around. He closed the pen door. The boar lifted his head smelling other wild boars in the building then looked for the feed trough. Grunting he started to eat.
“So all went well” Dave said to Olga. “No damage to him. Ear a little chewed but all looks good.”
“Question? How did you get the dog to pull him down?” she asked.
“I watch YouTube sometimes. Argentina Dogo have done it for years. Big white dogs. Just copied the methods. Anyway, lunch time. Almost two. OK?”
“Yes. Pretty hungry right now.”
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