While helping Marty with the hunt this past weekend hunt my brother and I were able to score on the same night. It is my first hog with a longbow. Matter of fact it is my first traditional hog. The bows in the picture are made by my brother Pennsyltuck Pete who is on the right.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/DSCN1176.jpg)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/DSCN1184.jpg)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000633.jpg)
Way cool guys!
Congrats on a successful hunt!
Congrats!!!! :readit:
Very nice.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Good looking bows! That's awesome! :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper:
That is nice.Great looking bows too.
Wow nice hogs, nice bows. Congrats it don't get no better.
Great looking bows, good hogs, and a truly special memorable day with your brother!
Congrats to all!
This looks to be hog time!
Congrats to the both of you!!!! Beautiful longbow!!
Nice!
One question, I see Marty, but can't tell which of the other four are hogs or Heilakka Brothers? LOL!
Way to go, bros!
:thumbsup:
Congratulations! Beautiful bows, nice looking pork chops, and two great smiles...what more could a feller ask for.
That is awesome....congrats! Nice looking bows also!
That is what I call some real teamwork!!!
2 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Way Up!!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper: :clapper:
Great pics and great story! When you can share things like this with a brother well thats exceptional.
outstanding
Congrats Les- you have worked long and hard for that hog! You didn't tell them it was a ground blind and a great shot!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Nice job brothers! :thumbsup: :clapper:
Congrats!!
Way cool!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats !! :thumbsup:
Les my conrgats again to you and Pete on your hogs. Pretty cool you both got them the same night. Also cool that you made your first Trad kill.
Congrats Les and Pete .... nice looking bows and hogs .... :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup:
Congrats! Nice pigs..Good eats :readit: :clapper:
Niiiiiiiiice
Jer Bear
Way to go guys!! Congrats to both :archer:
Randy, Not Les' first trad kill, he got that while I was down there in Jan....he made good on a corn eatin' coon!
Congrats awesome job and 2 fine looking bows
Congrats. A double.
Billy
:thumbsup: :clapper:
way to go fella's !!!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Congrats guys!
Great looking hogs and bows boys.
Thats right I remember that coon.
Here is my part of the two bros two bows! Better late than never!
I got in to the Palmetto stand that night a bit on the early side. At about 6:00 pm I heard the rustling in the palmettos and it was time to get serious. I saw the black shape of pigs dart in and out of the shadows. I knew I was in for some action. There were 5 pigs that showed up and were within 20 yards of me. The largest one was a boar hog that weighed about 100#. When he got to a good angle I drew back and let the arrow fly. Damn high again!
I watched as the hogs all went different directions in the palmettos and couldn't tell which one was mine. I was then surprised to see a very tall sapling shake insanely like it had been hit by a mad boar that was out of control.
All got quiet so I texted Les. "Shot High Again!" I also texted Marty.
I got down from my stand and went to where the pigs had vanished in to the thicket of palmettos and this is what I found
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc105/longbowpete/marty%20300/DSCN1153.jpg)
I then stepped in to the brush and started looking for a blood trail
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc105/longbowpete/marty%20300/DSCN1155.jpg)
The trail started leading over to where the tree had been violently shaken so I decided to back out of the trail to keep it fresh for peanut if she was needed. I knew that the tree was about 15 yards from the road I walk in on so I figured that I would walk the road and look for blood and pick up the trail there.
As I got close to the spot this is what I found.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc105/longbowpete/marty%20300/DSCN1160.jpg)
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc105/longbowpete/marty%20300/DSCN1168.jpg)
I went to get the truck. As I was walking I texted Les, "Got Pig" The reply that I got was 'Shot Patches, have blood" my response "Need Help?" Les, "Yes" I told him I would be on my way. I texted Marty to find out what he was up to and I got an unexpected response. "In camp, Buggy Broke Down"
Now I really needed to move. I made my way in to camp. It was 500 yards out of the way to the stand les was in. Marty and I put a quick fix on the buggy. I texted les, Marty Peanut and I are on the way. He responded :"I will back off the trail"
As we were driving I couldn't help but take this pic. Here is Marty driving his buggy and talking on the phone.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc105/longbowpete/marty%20300/DSCN1173.jpg)
Marty and I got there and marty looked at me and said, You have the rubber boots you take peanut>
What an Honor. It was the first time I had ever been asked or allowed to run such a fine dog. Well Peanut knew exactly how to handle her rookie handler and led us straight to the pig.
What Les didn't share is that he took the hog from a ground blind.
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc105/longbowpete/marty%20300/DSCN1087.jpg)
and the rest is history
(http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc105/longbowpete/marty%20300/DSCN1183.jpg)
pete
Two peas in a pod! Congrats again Heillakka twins.
Congrats!!!
Congrats :thumbsup:
It is so awesome for that to happen. Great stuff. Congrats again to both of you.
To talk about my hunt I guess I first need to list all the firsts of the hunt.
First time hunting with a longbow (only had bow 2 days before hunt week. Its great to trust your bowyer)
First time using bowhush product. Terry I love em.
First time building a ground blind for Florida Hogs
First time hunting a ground blind in Florida.
First time using a Hunt-more Seat. Thanks for the loan Marty. Very comfortable seat.
First time getting complete pass through on hog.
First time being confident there was a blood trail Peanut could follow even while breaking in Pete.
First time my brother and I have taken hogs on same night.
First time having my picture taken with a hog on the meat Pole instead of taking the pictures.
Anyway a lot of firsts.
That afternoon while chatting with Pete I decided I would head to a stand I call slew and try out the ground blind setup we put together. I was trying to figure out if I would be sitting on a bucket or small canvas stool when Marty offered up his Huntmore seat. I went with the Huntmore since I would only need to carry it in 40 yards. The seat is a bit bulky but comfortable as all get out.
It seems like it is going to be a nice warm night so instead of changing into my camo top I decided to stick with my tee shirt and put on the leafy bug tamer top. I figured being on the ground instead of 15 feet in the air there could be a real skeeter problem.. Turned the thermocell on early too. Never was bothered by a skeeter during the entire hunt.
I am on the ground for about an hour or so. During the hour I got strong whiffs of HOG wafting on breeze out of the slew but never heard or saw any of them. Finally the palmettos rustle and in comes a sow. Pete and I had named her Patches having seen her at a stand we call Pine a mile away. Pete took the boar that was with her a couple of days earlier.
She comes in and proceeds to eat the morning corn that is underwater for 20 min staying just to the left of my opening or facing me head on and disappears back into the palmettos. The piglet with her was not with her in our prior encounter and Patches would not allow it to suckle. The piglet munched on the dry corn.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000597.jpg)
All I can do is wait for the feeder to go off and hope some other hogs will make there presence know. I look down at my watch and the feeder won't be going off for another half hour. I stand loosen up the kinks and draw the bow a few times and settle back in. Not sure where the time went but next thing I see is Patches coming in for a second round. Same routine but not so far left and keeping her head pointed directly at me. This is going to be a waiting game. I don't know if you have ever had the opportunity to watch a hog eat corn underwater it is entertaining and a lot of strange noises are involved. Glub glub chew chew and then the feeder explodes over her showering her and the surrounding area with golden nuggets. She hardly reacts. Instead she moves slightly right and turns giving me the perfect broadside slightly eighting away.
A couple of deep breaths and I am rising from my seat drawing the bow. As I reach my full height the arrow is anchored and away and so is the hog. The only sound THUNK and the sound of rustling palmettos as Patches heads off towards the surrounding slew then silence. My longbow is very quiet with bow hush silencers and my bowyer makes very quiet bows. I know the shot was spot on I had picked a spot within her spots and that is where the arrow went Im sure. Turning back to the shot I saw this,
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000598.jpg)
my broadhead imbedded in a tree root right behind where Patches was standing only moments ago.
Fletching a bright reddish pink. Well it should be I was using pink fletching. Closer inspection shows blood lots of blood along the entire shaft.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000601.jpg)
Over there 5 feet blood and by the palmettos more. Think I'll take the easy way round and see if I can pick up the trail on the other side. Not so good not much but there, and there and wow definite lung blood and a nice pool. Now by the slew 30 yards from the shot another pool but no indication of which way she went. It's time to text Pete and the Peanut master I am going to need help. Pete is just putting his hog in the buggy and on the way to camp to help Marty with a broken buggy but will be here shortly. I back off the trail don't want to mess it up for Peanut go and get my truck and wait.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000600.jpg)
Shorty we have a traffic jam, my truck, my swamp truck and Marty's buggy all stacked up 10 feet from the blind. Peanut hits the ground and is ready to do her thing. We decide to go into the Palmettos and pick up the trail from the last of the blood. Marty hands the leash to Pete since he is the only one with rubber boots and off they go.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000618.jpg)
20 yards later Peanut is whining and Pete gives a shout. Instead of dragging the hog out the way she went Pete pulled her to the side of the slew and we dragged her out easy as pie. If not for Peanut I might never have found Patches. Yes it is that thick.
We are loosing daylight so a couple of quick photos
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000605.jpg)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000609.jpg)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000613.jpg)
Oops reached the 8 photo limit.
Back at camp and beyond.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/DSCN1176.jpg)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/DSCN1184.jpg)
I should mention that the following morning I saw the same piglet a mile away back at Pine stand. The last I saw of it was as it joined a group of hogs that decided not to come into the stand.
Patches is looking good. Pulled Pork anyone.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2008%20season/last%20weekend/DSCN3268.jpg)
Also decided to try my hand at curing and tanning a skin. Thought is might look interesting hanging off my quiver.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/2010/P1000636.jpg)
Is that the hog's foot on the floor left of the tail?
Great job on the bows and the hogs !!!!
:campfire:
OK....you guys are killing me!!!! Not one but TWO OkeeChobee threads running back to back.
I'm heading south after church tomorrow....someone be there to unlock the gate for me at noon ya hear. :readit:
Who ever that is gets the week off WITH pay!!! :bigsmyl: