Well 2012 has started on a positive note. First of all I am the proud owner of a new longbow called “Guerdon#2”. And instead of just shipping it to me, my bowyer and good friend invited me down to his place to try Guerdon#2 out on the local Gopher population.

Now I live in the Northern half of the Province, where no Gopher makes its home. So I lept at the chance to try my hand hunting a new quarry. And man did we have to hunt them. I kinda figured it would be a… well “Gopher Shoot”. But these little buggers were no cake walk and wouldn’t let me get any closer than 20 yards before ducking for cover. And even then they would only show us their noggins. The closest thing I can relate it to would be trying to hit a living golf ball that had a chronic case of paranoia and was strung up on cocaine. Add to that the fact that I was shooting righty for the first time in two years.

But enough excuses. While we didn’t put a significant dent in the local Gopher population, we both managed to draw blood. Here are some pics…

This is me doing my best to impersonate a tree in a field with no trees. Might be that they didn’t fall for it…

Now I am trying to draw down on a very aware Gopher. Man they have fast reflexes.

And finally one that didn’t duck quite fast enough.