I just dropped Bill Langer off at the airport after four fun filled days of hunting wild hogs in central Florida.
Our goal was to get some good footage of free range hogs, a few harvests if possible,and enjoy the beauty of the state. A secondary goal was to hang around camp, tells lies(actually slight exaggerations on my part), shoot some arrows at cow patties, and even imbibe with one or two cold beverages.
Both goals were met with flying colors.
Pics and story to follow.......
I think I saw a pic....What a DANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Working on pics......
"For the love of the hunt"... :thumbsup:
this oughta be good...can't wait
"Slight Exaggerations on my part"? Holy crud, that is a lie in itself! and "one or two cold beverages"!! What? Folks, tarponnut left my cabin in a wreck, I'm still trying to get it cleaned up and re-organized...and we haven't hunted together in two years!! I'd love to have him hunt with me again..but I have a hard time hunting with someone who falls out of a ground blind...and that was hours before the cold beverages...!
OK Jim, bring on the story, and the pics, I need it. I've had a dry spell, I can't even find a squirrel to shoot!
Adult beverages huh. Never tried one. MMMMM
Can't wait to see pics and story. Wish I would have my bow when I came down.
:deadhorse: Come on I leave for a hog hunt in 72 hours :) Bring the pork...
Yeah can't wait to see the pics. Good luck one your hunt also Mike.
Yes, it's true, I once fell out of a ground blind(thanks John)lol.
I picked Bill up at the Fort Lauderdale airport Friday morning and it was on to the ranch.
We would be hunting a ranch near Sebring, Fl Friday afternoon and Saturday all day.
The guide, Chris Jolly and his friend Bubba met us at the gate. From there we climbed aboard Chris' Ranger/quad thing and off we went.
(I didn't want to leave Chris in the dust of my "Action Grand Caravan".I told him if he got stuck I'd be happy to pull him out).
We checked some fields for hogs and saw an incredible amount of rooting, acre after acre that looked roto-tilled.
We parked and stalked into a big field with a pond surrounded by tall grass. Bubba thought he saw something move in the grass. Bill moved in with Chris following with the video camera.
Bubba followed me with my camera. We could hear a hog rooting in the grass but couldn't see it.
I snuck around the other side of the pond in case the hog ran that way. After over an hour, we decided to force the issue, I moved into the water to flush the hog. Bubba and I could see the hog facing us and popping its teeth mere yards away.
Finally, the big hog moved out of the grass on Bill's side and he shot her behind the shoulder, and then again quartering away as she ran our way. Bubba and I steadied ourselves as we heard her crashing through the tall grass. She turned and I shot her at about five yards. She was mortally wounded but I wasn't taking any chances.
Bubba and I ran out of there and she charged forward but then turned and fell.
It was the biggest hog I had ever seen, easily over 300 lbs.We've had a bumper crop of acorns and all of the hogs are heavy with fat this year.
One of my cameras malfunctioned but Bill will get me some(tomorrow I hope) he took that will be better quality.We got two videos of the action,also.More to come, a lot more.....
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billlangerhunt005.jpg)
Nice hog,good story.
Sweet :thumbsup:
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper: That's what I'm talkin' about. Way to go guys!
Nice hog! :thumbsup:
Can't wait to see some more pics!
Congrats, buddy that is some hog. Sounds like a great time.
Thanks for sharing guys.Nice hog there bill.Keep it coming guys, cant wait to see more pics,also more details about what went down.
Had a great time hunting with Jim, he is a good man and lots of fun to be around.
I am going to work on getting some pics together and will tell my side of the story soon...
Wow that is a beast.
Great Hog! Should eat well. Way to go-hogs are hard to come by on my lease- there are soooo may acorns that they don't need to root or move during the day. Waiting for your story Bill!!!
That is a beauty for sure. A lot of good BBQ there.
Nice hog!
Nice Hog! Way to go!
Great hog Bill! Congrats!! :thumbsup:
Sounds like a great time was had by all. Looking forward to the rest of the story.....
Congrats...
Congrats. Can't wait for the story, pics and the video.
Yes Sir thats a big'un!
Great story as well! :readit: :D
Great pig!! Looking forward to some more.
Day Two: After Bill graciously treated the whole group to dinner at a local Greek(my favorite food since birth/my heritage)diner. We reviewed the video at Chris' place and checked in at the hotel. The motel owner helped me out by taking some meat, I already have two in the freezer.
Early the next morning Chris and Bubba met us and the hunt was on.(sorry about my horrendous snoring Bill!I was fighting a bad cold)
I parked in a better spot than the previous day(this time not in dog poop)and we jumped in the quad to stalk some hogs.
Immediately, the guide spotted hogs along a distant tree line. We quickly closed the gap between us and the 15 or so hogs. They spotted us or maybe the wind swirled, but anyway, off they went with a really big hog bringing up the rear. I'm always amazed how fast they can move when spooked. They sure don't look like they should be able to run that fast!
More to come, I have to teach a class.....
We spotted the group of hogs in the woods a couple times but couldn't get ahead of them.
After lunch we still-hunted along a creek and soon spotted a big hog in a wallow. Bill got downwind and moved in with Chris following along running video.Bill snuck in and waited for the hog to give him a shot. After a while, the hog stood up and slowly turned opening up the angle for a shot. Bill capitalized by making a twenty yard shot. Blood immediately appeared and the hog crashed away. Bill moved through the trees and made a perfect quartering away shot and the hog was down within 20 yards(breaking another arrow as it fell).
The video captured it all and Bubba, running my video camera, got a nice second view of the action.The stare down between the big sow and Bill before the initial shot was awesome.
Pics to come soon....
Hal,
You were right about the place!!!
Here is a pic of the swamp beast.
The guide figured it was around 300 lbs! (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billlangerhunt003.jpg) (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billlangerhunt002-1.jpg)
I hunted a stand we hung mid-day under a live oak that was dropping acorns. The rooting around the tree was amazing. I did see six deer and about 25 turkeys but no hogs before dark.
Bill tried some more spot and stalk and saw a sow with shoats but no opportunities.
After the evening hunt, we drove an hour to a friend's lease to spend the next two days hunting.
Bill slept in my van "system", which is probably the most disorganized collection of archery, camping, art, and fly-fishing gear ever assembled.
At least he didn't have to hear me snore!
My buddy and I slept in the "snore trailer".
In the morning I hunted a familiar stand and Bill hunted another about 150 yards away.
Just after sun up, I had a group of hogs come in down wind of my stand. The sow leading the group caught my scent(which was probably a conglomeration of coffee, stale socks, and Bud light)She bolted and took the group with her right towards Bill's set-up.
A few minutes later I heard some major squealing over there. After meeting Bill, he related shooting a sow that he had already blood trailed for a distance.
We headed over and started on the sparse blood trail. We lost it a couple of times, found it and then lost it again. Bill somehow followed it 100 yards across a grassy field to where it crossed a fence and then a canal.
Always up for adventure, I used my longbow "Barta style" feeling my way across the dirty canal which turned out to be 2-3' deep.
Bill followed and picked up a little blood and tracks on the other side a ways down a gravel road(this guy can really track!).
The track entered some mature woods and we lost it...... almost.
We criss-crossed the woods looking for a dead hog or some further sign, nothing.
On the way out, I noticed what looked like a cave under some tree roots against a dirt bank.
I went over to check it out. I got a call from my buddy and started talking on the phone when I noticed some blood on a rock. I was listening to my buddy on the phone when I heard WHACK!!!
I said " I gotta go!" and hung up. I scrambled out of the cave and saw Bill in a face-off with the sow!Apparently she had heard us coming and climbed out and over the bank. Bill sent another arrow on its way and she went down.
These animals are tough!
She turned out to be a healthy sow of about 100 lbs or so. She should make excellent table fare.
I'm hopeful Bill will post some pics of her as my camera crapped out. Bill? Bill? (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billlangerhunt015.jpg) (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billlangerhunt016-1.jpg)
Bill sure seems to get a lot of shooting in as soon as the camera is rolling! Looks like a great time.
very nice..... :thumbsup:
Really nice hogs. Sounds like a good time was had.
Well Jim has stepped up and told the story the way I would have.
Been busy catching up with my loving wife Katie and 4 little ones.
I have been blessed to have hunted hogs all over florida by all means for 20 years. Although 3 hogs fell to my arrows, it was slow hunting at best. The full moon and heavy, heavy acorns( I'm talking all over the ground and still falling from some trees) made movement slow. The 2 big hogs I killed were at mid afternoon in shaded swamp, wallowing. Just bs luck bumping into them. The third hog was killed early morning coming to a feeder.
Jim hunted as hard if not harder than I did and it just did not work out for him. We did not see alot of pigs. Jim made several phone calls checking in with hog hunting buddies all around florida and the story was the same.
The key's to success on the first place- a 3200 acre cattle operation was perhaps a daily silage run for the 600 head of cows, which the hogs took advantage of, lots of water, and the fact that we did not sit around in the shade bsing about why other hunters are successful and we are not. We simply hunted them all day! Period.
The second place we hunted was a lease on a 9000 acre cattle operation in Clewiston, FLA. We only hunted over feeders. The only hogs we encountered were early on the first day. The next day and a 1/2 yielded nothing. We should have got out of the ac and off our fat duffs and may have done better. But we were enjoying the good times and great laughs to much.
Katie is playing tennis tonight and being the brains of this operation is going to have to help me with the pics tomorrow, thanks for tuning in. More to come...
Dang Fella's Looks like you are hunting Southern Water Buffalo
:clapper: Congrats.
Nice going! Congrats!
Sounds like an awesome time.
Sounds like you guys had a really good time and good shooting. You must be pretty fast to shoot one twice before it disappears. Congrates on the hogs and good story. I'm headed for a hog hunt myself this weekend.
Flungonin-both hogs I took on the ground did the old spin in a circle to see what bit them dance, giving me time to reload and get another arrow off.
We were able to film it all and I hope to be able to fit some of the hunts on Traditional Adventures VII, which should be out end of March.
The hog adventure started for me on Feb. 1, 2011 when I finally opened a package that Jim had sent over the summer containing hog footage for my next video. There was a note inside inviting me to come down and hunt hogs with him. Feeling like an idiot I called him to see if the invite still stood and Jim confirmed.
After running it by the Boss (my wife Kate) Jim and I put it together for presidents day weekend.
On Feb. 18 I left my house in CT. at 4am and Jim picked me up at FT Laud. airport about 10:30am. When we got to his car I asked him if he had any bottled water. He replied no but I have beer! U want one? I declined but the tone was set, this was going to be fun...
Bill
Your cracking me up with the Awe shucks made a couple shots got lucky attitude.
Seriously, Humility becomes you.
Nice job, Monster pigs!
Hope I do as well. Or half
Can't wait to meet Bubba
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Doug
Doug, that's just Bill. He is a gentleman and a scholar....even if he is a Yankee!
Great stories and pics, congrats! As for Jim not having water, that doesn't suprise me.
Thanks Doug and Mr. Bowman, good to see you on here Jim!
CONGRATS BILL!! MY Gawd....What A Hog!!! Can't wait to see the footage!! Good Hunting and Continued Success!!
~Kent
Thanks Kent and good job completing the turkey slam.
I had a whole page typed up and the computer went off line. Will try to redo it later...
Jim and I laughed our socks off on the drive from FT. Laud. to sebring, he is a down to earth guy that likes to have fun.
At around 2pm we met Chris at the entrance to the ranch. We shook hands and to my surprise he said "lets get hunting" Although I had been traveling since 4am I was not complaining. My bow was in pieces in its case, but made quick work to get ready. As we prepared for the hunt Chris explained that the full moon and heavy acorns made sitting feeders useless, but they were seeing hogs moving to water mid day.
We loaded in the ranch buggy to meet Bubba...
rushlush: I'll bet you can guess what kind of beer was in the cooler(starts with a Y)?
We did laugh a lot on this trip. Bill is just a few years younger than me(of course, I look younger,lol)and we have a lot in common, besides just an obsession with all things related to traditional bowhunting(and hogs).
Looking forward to Bill's side of the adventure....
:thumbsup: :notworthy: :campfire:
Yuengling? Nectar of the gods. LOL
You are correct sir!
Catching up with Bubba was classic. Napping in the shade on the tailgate of his pickup, hat over his eyes and a pinch of snuff between his lip and gum. He had been working hard at the ranch but was ready to hunt.
We all loaded up and took a long ride through the ranch. It has a lot of different terrain from open pasture, cypris(sp?)swamps, oak groves and palm thickets.
We parked and poked along for about 20 minutes until we came to the edge of a large field. There was a small pond surrounded by tall grass out in the middle. The field was just destroyed by hog rooting in all directions.
We all stood and glassed for a while and I for one really enjoyed the warm air, bird sounds and that familiar Florida aroma.
As I stood there relaxing, Bubba piped up "the grass is moving out on the edge of the pond"
Sure enough we all picked it up and soon could hear grunting and water splashing. Jim spoke up and said "this one is yours Bill", so with Chris running the camera off we went...
Awesome stuff guys! nice work
The foggy view from my stand Sunday morning when the hogs gave me th (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billlangerhunt022.jpg)e slip.
Good times. (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billlangerhunt031.jpg)
Jim has pretty much told the whole story from here on out I will just add some pics and side notes...
Awesome hunt, Congrats! :thumbsup:
whats the matter not enough camo for the 2 of ya so you had to share :dunno:
(http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo293/billlanger/2011%20Florida/DSC00516.jpg)
Here's a pic of the big sow I shot on the first day. Hey Jim, thanks for the little nudge you gave her and the follow up shot.
The night after we took this pig Jim, Bubba, Chris, Catherine (Chris's girlfriend), and myself shared a few cold ones. Told stories and lies and laughed until it was too late. Oh by the way, the hotel Jim and I shared in town required you to turn the sink on in order for you to get hot water in the shower, as well as some unknown fluid in the bottom of the shower that caused me to get out my high-risk flip flops. All this for just $100 a night. It was 5-star.
(http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo293/billlanger/2011%20Florida/DSC00542.jpg)
(http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo293/billlanger/2011%20Florida/DSC00540.jpg)
(http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo293/billlanger/2011%20Florida/DSC00539.jpg)
Just a few pics of the scenery at the ranch we hunted in Clewiston, while I waited for Jim to come help me track my pig.
I won't soon forget her staring at me (poppin her teeth) at 4 yards with nothing between us but grass!
(http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo293/billlanger/DSC00544.jpg)
Here's a pic of the sow I shot at the feeder that Jim helped me find. He had compimented me earlier about tracking it through a field, across a cannal, up a bank, and across a road. However, I lost the trail across the road and Jim was able to find its last bed. And the story goes as he told it earlier. I was standing within about 10 feet of Jim as he relayed our position on the phone to his friend. I saw the sow bedded down within about 10 yards and I put a final shot into her. Thanks to Jim's perserverence we found her. I was having my doubts when he found the cave-bed.
(http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo293/billlanger/DSC00552.jpg)
Here's Jim flinging an arrow on the last morning of the hunt.
Oh, I forgot to include on the first evening, when we were at dinner, I asked Bubba what he did when he wasn't hunting hogs. He looked over at me, squeezed his chin between his thumb and finger, and in a slow southern drawl responded, "Not much besides drink beer and chase women." Classic...
Wow! Nice hog, pics and stories. Thanks for taking us along fellas.
Great story and pics guys!
Way to git er done Bill! Enough trips to Florida and you might get back to saying your "r"s.
Congrats Bill! Nothing like a winter trip to FL for hogs with good friends :campfire:
Bill and I had some time to kill before his flight home so I took him to a Miami style sports bar. We got to watch Daytona 500 highlights, drink cold beer, eat chicken wings, and enjoy the ambience and "scenery".
I have a pic I will post later from Chicken Wing Eddie's Sports Grille.(Bill, you should remember the subject of the photo.)
And you made it Eddie Chicken Wings place, wow! Sounds like a great time.
Jim
I do remember the scenery well!
Just watched your "AIR BALL" on the armadillo, the cross wind was not that bad...
Bill,
That was just a short draw warning shot on the armadillo.
A couple of new pics on page 3.
I'll try and get a abonus pic tomorrow during happy hour at the Sports Grille.
Jim,
I have a funny feeling you spend more time at that grille then you let on???
Jim-do you have any pics of Bubba?
Nice!
No pics of Bubba, some video after your first hog, though.
Bill,
The "scenery" wasn't there last night at the Sports Grille. I may "have" to go back and look tonight!(poor me)
What I am most impressed with is how you guys followed up on that wounded sow, that is called perseverance and it is highly commendable (sorry about the 25 cent words, my wife likes to call me an educated Bubba. And if I do say so myself I am a real fart smeller (I mean real smart feller). I hunted Florida as well this year and the acorn crop was UNBELIEVABLE! Let me know when the video comes out and my check will be in the mail.
Thanks bowzonly.
Experience has led me to the conclusion that traditional bowhunters are leaders in perseverance. It simply comes natural to us.
Giving up or not seeing it through till all options are exhausted just does not work for us...
Thanks a lot bowzonly!
We both felt Bill had made a lethal shot so it was just a matter of finding her, which turned out to be no small task.Very rewarding in the end,though.
well done on the hogs boys, bill what are the specs of that widow?
Wild Bill Langer NICE JOB on Porkers !! That ONE Hog is "One Big Sombitch" !! Looking forward to seeing the footage on NEW RELEASE video next month.
Congrats! Sounds like a great time from start to finish.
Hey Back'O'Bourke
That Blackwidow is 62", 58#@28" it is one of my favorites.
Yo Diablo, How did you make out in Texas??
jcar315 it was a BLAST...
Nice hog man!
Super hunt!!! Congrats.
Bill, you are my guest again this edition at www.frontieroutdooradventures.com. (http://www.frontieroutdooradventures.com.) Thanks!
Nice hog Bill!!
Bill,
Rushlush and I caught up with a local Trad. Adv. fan here in Miami(at the Grille).
(Sorry, I should have cropped my mug out of the photo.) (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/014-1.jpg)
Cool Stuff there kids thats some big 300#er, wow that looks like a very nice place, crazy terrain. I hog hunted that same week in TX I remember chatting with you about going. that moon was full we saw NO pigs During dawn noon dusk everything came out late in the evenings. Nice Job Bill
Nice pic!!! :saywhat:
Awesome trip, sounds like my kind of fun.
She's a big fan of trad.
OH YEAH, I remember her, she was the one with the "Hot" wings. BIG Traditional Adventures fan!
Nice pic Jim, but next time stay out of the frame, you Q'd it all up... :biglaugh:
She can come to my Bunny Hunt anytime! Bet ya she is a great shot. Shawn
Shawn if she see the tongue interview. I'm sure she'll be there..
Now that's a pic of S. Florida's wildlife
OH YEA,,,,
:biglaugh:
that's funny stuff there