The art of invisibility – the hunter

Palms are planted at intervals of 30 feet apart in equilateral triangles. Knowing this allows the bow hunter to calibrate for distance and elevation without the need for a range finder.

There are at least four distinctive light conditions during the day that require four different hunting methods. This would all depend on the age of the palms. When hunting in plantations where the trees are over eight years – the hunter should proceed in a zig zag manner intersecting only the centroid of palm triangle. Doing so will make him invisible in the following ways, he will not cast long shadows during movement, he is noiseless as he would not need to step on the interow front pile and most importantly he cannot be visually detected – as he is hidden from both the horizontal and vertical axis of the planting row.

The prey should only be taken out along the horizontal axis where the trench line runs. As this offers the clearest opportunity for a clean kill that allows for accurate calibration of distance and elevation. Trying to do the same along the vertical axis will reveal your position and severely limit your ability to take a clean shot. As the interval between palms from that position is only 15 and not 30 feet…from that position you are unlikely to get a second shot.

Young palms below five years offer the best conditions for camouflage and undetectable movement that is why they are often preferred hunting grounds for animals, but visual recognition of prey is less reliable as the overhanging fronds obstructs a clear line of sight and makes distance and elevation difficult to judge. Movement cannot be stealthy. Under these conditions it is best to take a static position and wait for the prey to come to you. Do not try to move towards the prey. Instead proceed along the boundary line only at the pheripehry and wait for the prey to break out.

When stalking prey. Do so only in the hours of dawn and dusk. This is the period when mosquitoes are most active and since they will bite the ears regions of most animals – they will mask the sound of your movement. Fresh tracks are malleable like plascecine, old tracks are crumbly and brittle along the edges. It’s not uncommon for animals especially hogs to follow the scent of other hogs along the same route. One must be mindful of old and new tracks. If the hoof prints are only partial with deep indentations to the front or rear and run in straight lines. The prey is probably moving fast. Don’t pursue as it has the advantage…if the hoof prints are full and equally distributed between front and hind quarters and appears to be arranged in concerntric circles, this means the hog is looking for either food or water. This is ideal. As it will be distracted. Go around it. The bigger your arc the better. Your goal would be to try to cut it off ahead. From there close in using a zig zag pattern. Never walk in a straighline. As the rhythm of your walk can be easily picked up. Keep the sun always to your side to avoid casting long shadows. Stay down wind.

Once you spot the prey don’t move. Remain still. Wait.