It's official, Mr. Rob DiStefano is....Story and pics page 4

[Terry Green]

Yeah...Rob's gotta catch a plane in a bit....then get back to the 3 thousand emails he missed from you guys while he was gone.....So give him a little time.  He might even start his own thread about it as this one was started by me as a congrats thread....and to share the news.

I want to hear about it again too and I was there when it happened.   :D

[LarryS]

CONGRATS TO ROB !!! HE SURE DESERVES  THAT HOG ... HE IS TRULY A GREAT , GREAT GUY.

[Killdeer]

I think I'll send him some emails.

Killdeer      :D    

[tradtusker]

congrats Rob looking forward to hearing about it!

[gregg dudley]

[Yolla Bolly]

Good on ya, Rob! I can smell the broiling ribs from here.

[frassettor]

   Congrats Rob...You the man!

[Rob DiStefano]

Thank you all for your kind comments, much obliged!  I got back late this afternoon and have been struggling to find the time to edit and download the images and write up the story, thanx for waiting!    

It's no secret I've been wanting a hog for quite some time, and yesterday morning it finally became "my time" ... amen!  

First and foremost, this whole hunt could not have occured with the great help and support of Terry (Green), Michael (Langehans) and Ray (Hammond).  My most grateful thanks to you all, couldn't have done the deed without your solid assistance.

Terry and I hunted hard on Friday and Saturday, putting in a good 10+ hours in the woods each day ... but I'll cut to the chase and get down to story as it unfolded yesterday (Sunday) morning ...

Upon Saturday night "hunt group council", we decided to rethink our hog hunting strategy and scout out the wetter areas by taking a long walk to the Savannah River, checking for potential hogs on the road, in wallows, and roaming the bush.  Lots and lots of sign, but no pigs.  

I took the point on the walk back, and was sneakily rounding a right hand dogleg on the road when Terry whispers "Rob! You hear that?", I whisper back "Hear what?".  Terry motions to my left and I could read his lips "HOG!".  

Off the road is a huge, and I mean Humongous, blackberry bramble, and sneaking closer I could hear those piggies smacking their lips on those sweet berries.  Still on point, I move into the bush, to the edge of the bramble, arrow nocked on longbow, moving at a snails pace, watching my step, croching low ....

[Over&Under]

And..........

[Rob DiStefano]

... you might know how it can go with up close and personal stalking - a few seconds can feel like a few minutes - and that's just how it felt, step by step.  The pigs were snorting and munching, having a good ol' time.  There were clumps of cane and tall weed in some sections of the bramble, and at times you could see parts of them violently shake every now and then as the hogs were sucking up the berries.  

Steady air movement kept us downwind of the blackberries and this proved to be a vital, key factor.  I wait, crouched down.  I look to Terry, about 10 yards behind me, and he gives the the "sit tight" hand sign.  More grunts and squeeks from the berry bushes as three or full good sized black piglets come bursting out about ten yards where I'm facing, followed by a grunting mama piggy.  Too much weed and saplings in the way as I come to full draw and hold for a shot as mama moves closer to me.  At five yards I try to thread the needle as she faces me and turns her head to the left for a brief moment ... the arrow flight was true but deflected before hitting meat.  Mama and piggies scramble back to the bramble.  I quickly nock another arrow, look back at Terry, he gives me the "stay put" sign ... I wait, and wait, and wait some more.  More grunts 'n' lip smacks from the berry bushes.  The tall weeds and cane are shaking here and there.  I see the bush move off my right as a hog's head pokes through the cane ... already holding at full draw, I left fly - another deflection! The hog just scurries around and back into the blackberries!  

I look back at Terry yet again and get another "wait" sign ... one section of tall cane is shaking violently ... and after a few more minutes, Terry sneaks over and we conference - the plan is to slowly sneak back to the road, move along side the bramble where the cane is shaking, and look for a shot opportunity ...

[Rob DiStefano]

... my Eagles Flight bow quiver holds 4 arrows, and now I'm down to two.  I nock the third arrow as we slowly retreat back to the road.  Up on the road, I sneak over to the side of the brambles, croaching all the way.  I see the cane moving - I move closer to the cane, ever so slowly, each step carefully placed.  Peering into the bramble I make out a dark patch moving around.  I wait.  I wait a lot more.  The dark patch begins to move off to my right, leaving the cane and onto the rim of large ground hole filled with rotting tree limbs and weeds ... the weeds somewhat obscure the hog, but the hog moves slowly and at around 8 yards or so I can see its face and a large patch of black behind it ... holding all 55# of the Mohawk longbow, I pick a spot, aim the arrow and send it off ... "WHUMP!" ... I never saw the arrow hit, but that unmistakeable sound told the tale.  The hog bolts to my right, goes around the hole, doubles back into the thick of the blackberry bramble.  Terry whispers "Stay right there".  I freeze and mentally mark the spot of the hit and the trail the hog ran off in.  I check my cell phone - 9:22am.

I wait for what seems like forever, and then hear a series of snorts and wuffs that sounds like there was a monster hogzilla is in the berry bush - kinda scared me!  And then a series of really loud squeels.  I figure Terry either arrowed that big hog or finished mine off.  A few minutes pass.  Terry walks onto the road, whispers to me "I really think yer hog's right in there and dead as dead can be."  I say, "You didn't shoot?".  He sez, "Nope, that was yer hog doing the death scream."  We talk it over a bit, as to whether give it more time or just go in ... we go in.

Back into the bush we go, to the edge of the berry patch, walk in about 5 yards and ........

 

[bentpole]

   Congrats Rob! Mohawk made meat! Vince will be happy.

[shortstroke 91]

Nice sow, hope there's many more to come. I'm goin' to west Texas for 4 days of hog chasin' myself.

[gregg dudley]

 

Good job, Rob!

[Rob DiStefano]

Not a biggin's, but it'll do alrighty - mmmm, good eats awaiting!  :D


 


 


 

[pdk25]

Nice persistance.

[Over&Under]

The pics say it all!  

Well not all, your story was great as well!


Congrats!

[Rob DiStefano]

For the techies ...

* Mohawk T/D longbow, 62", 55# @ 29"
* 8 strand BCY D'02 endless string
* 29.25" Beman ICS 500 carbons, 4" Vario 105x75 4-fletch
* 125 Wensel Woodsman + 125 adapter + 100 brass insert = 350 grains up front, total arrow weight is 585 grains and 29% FOC.

The arrow pierced the BOTTOM (correction!) of the hog's lungs and severed some major arteries above the heart - field dressing revealed massive clots and a huge internal swimming pool of blood.  Probably drowned in its own blood.  The arrow didn't go completely through and due to the entrance angle appeared to have hit either the opposite side shoulder or leg bone.  Death occured in a very few minutes.

[Guru]

           

[Mike Gerardi]