It’s the thrill of the chase that makes pig hunting an exciting sport. It tests your fitness, your ability to track, your rifle and knife skills. However, the sport has its risks as Kerry Robbins, a highly experienced pig hunter, knows firsthand.
December 2022 saw Kerry have a dramatic tango with a toey blue boar.
“It’s a bit of a story but the boar was found and bailed in his bed. We climbed 100 metres through the thick gorse and just about got to him when he broke the bail and went straight downhill to where we’d been standing on the gully floor. We did a u- turn back down the track we made coming up which put us back on the valley floor about 45 metres underneath him where he was bailed again.”
Now on a path only 300 millimetres wide in heavy thick broom, Kerry continues the encounter:
“There were three of us there and the young fella was in front of me. He had his knife out and was yakking so I told him to be quiet and, just as he turned around to put his knife away, an expletive came from his mouth and he dived into the gorse and vanished,” says Kerry.
“After he had vanished into the gorse there was this pig only a metre in front of me, so I had no time to react. He let out an almighty scoff and charged me. All I could do to defend myself was kick him with my right foot in the snout, which sent both of us flying backwards.
“He put his head down low and charged again this time heading between my ankles but as he went through, he did a quick flick of his head and cut me down my right leg. Because of the situation, the adrenaline masked how bad it really was. I had no idea. The chase continued and I was determined to get him.”
Kerry says they caught the feisty pig and got it back to the Ute. It was a full hour later that Kerry realised the pig had ripped straight through his chaps and sock.
“I had checked my dogs, but not myself. I should have checked myself a lot sooner, but I had been running on adrenaline,” sighs Kerry, “the pig had hit the bone and ripped a muscle in a messy L shape.”
The rip required forty plus stitches and gave Kerry a deeper appreciation for what his dogs are faced with when hunting. The adventure didn’t end there.
Ten days later Kerry’s leg ended up seriously infected needing intravenous antibiotics.
“Oh, it was rotten, I was in hospital and being challenged with some radical steps that would have to be taken if the IV didn’t start working. It wasn’t looking good.”
Fortunately, around day six there was an improvement and things began to turn the corner. The whole experience has Kerry emphasising to others how fast stuff can happen to anyone.
“It’s important if you’re hunting by yourself to have a plan so if things turn bad you can contact family or friends via phone or an emergency beacon if it’s more serious. And when hunting with others, be connected by radio.”
At the moment Kerry is struggling with a knee that has a torn meniscus and is not sure how it’s going to recuperate.
“It’s the first serious rip I’ve had. But the pig was 60kg, real fat and ended up on a spit,” he quips with obvious pride.
