You are probably thinking Oz. Nope. Wrong. I took a little trip down under the Mason-Dixon line. You know that line where below it they eat grits and above it we eat food :-)
Yes indeed, I went down to Georgia to hunt the St. Jude hog hunt offered so graciously by RC last year.
The trip was great. Arrows flew. Lessons were learned. Some world problems were even solved - at least in our minds.
Let me upload some pictures and get my act together a bit more and I will get the story going.
My only hope is I can do this hunt justice. I had a great time. I made a new friend. And I fell in love with the Georgian swamp.
Seriously, I have been lucky and I have hunted in 10 different states and canada and this was the best hunt I have been on. So if RC offers this hunt again, and I suspect he will, bid often and bid high. The man knows what he is doing. Works hard. Is a good teacher. And is just plain easy to be with.
The only downside I can say is that the poor folks of Georgia don't have any turkeys. All they have is one lone female that wonders the swamp looking sad and lonely.
Let me get this going...
First off this was a long drive - a little over a 1000 miles. Not complaining, it just sets the tone for the friendly welcome I received as I quickly noticed that Georgia loved the Green Bay Packers. Even in camp it was proudly displayed.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZos3ce5obI/AAAAAAAAAgg/g8YDKsF-RRs/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%20134.JPG)
What a nice welcome. Of course the color was wrong.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZouJL2-PhI/AAAAAAAAAgg/5yZQdVIrxv4/s800/Green%20Bay%20Logo.png)
But I didn't want to point that out and be rude to the fine folks after they went and pasted it all over the state.
The campground was nice and easy to find. It also was the location of the 8000 acres we had to hunt and that was a big bonus.
Due to the long drive I told RC that I would arrive sometime on Tuesday and we should plan to start the hunt on Wednesday - first thing in the morning. I do that because you never know whether you are gonna have car trouble or get stuck in traffic. I don't want someone standing there waiting for me and I especially don't want to do that to someone I have never met.
RC offered that it was all good and said he planned on setting up his camp Tuesday AM. So whatever worked - worked for him. That is the laid back tone of the whole trip which was great.
As luck would have it, I arrive in camp way early than even I expected. I think it was about 1:00 PM and there was a smiling RC with his camp all set to go. We shook hands and he said let's hunt.
It didn't take me long to dump the street clothes and exchange them for camo. Get the arrows out. Get the broadheads on. And we were off to the swamp.
Ya`ll copied our red sign and when you got it up there in the snow it turned green....RC
RC, although my heart is with you Georgia adopted the Green Bay version of the G when Vince Dooley was a young coach at GA who so admired Vince Lombardi and the Packers. Good choice, I think. So your both right. It just looks so much better in red.
The Tuesday afternoon hunt started as a long trek and my first peek into the swamp. It was beautiful. Seriously.
Don't believe me...
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoslm3r7yI/AAAAAAAAAgg/lMtFaCuJaKU/s640/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2015.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoskWJXNKI/AAAAAAAAAgg/Am9xY4f-OFU/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2005.JPG)
How cool is this? Way!!!! I'm saying...
I'll be hanging on this one watching it as the story unfolds.
Thanks for sharing.
God bless,Mudd
:campfire:
awesome!
:campfire:
Been waiting for this...
Oh boy! Another south Ga. hunting tale! Bring it on.
Gerald
Looks like it's gonna get good!
I am not the storyteller like some of the folks on here, but I will do my best...but thanks for the kind words.
So the general plan of RC's is to get back in as far as possible from the beaten path.
I don't know whether I mentioned this, but this is public land so the plan made lots of sense to me. So with 8000 acres that is a long ways into the swamp. Apologies to folks that already know this, but to get a reference for us midwest local boys (like me) 640 acres is 1 mile by 1 mile.
Having said that, I have hunted big timber and big mountain ranges, so getting "way back" wasn't new to me either. However, the swamp has its own challenges that I wasn't used to.
These are sloughs and they were of different size and different make up.
Some look like puddles
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosmJsLGVI/AAAAAAAAAgg/7dtuSpwsbxk/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2019.JPG)
Some look like ponds
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosm79BgSI/AAAAAAAAAgg/op7WO0ig5dc/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2024.JPG)
Some look like creeks
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosmtsmDYI/AAAAAAAAAgg/bY_ekJfZrjk/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2022.JPG)
RC referred to all of them as simply sloughs...I was learning.
And all of them needed to be navigated around in a very unnatural path to me but of course RC was at home and made it all look easy.
All of this terrain was new to me which was one of the main reasons I wanted to take this trip so badly.
Ohh I guess I should offer that I really wanted three things on this trip. I wanted to hunt free ranging hogs - way cool. I wanted to hunt in an environment that I have never hunted in before - as mentioned. Lastly I wanted to hunt with RC. I have always appreciated his stories on here as he comes across to me as a true outdoorsman and not simply as a hunter.
The trip was a success by every measure and more!
So all of these sloughs are the result of spill over from the river.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoslk_8T0I/AAAAAAAAAgg/FI_uqM0GSjQ/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2014.JPG)
Which was interesting for its beauty and how it effects the environment around it - ala the sloughs. One of the first local things I noticed is everyone watches the river flood level. The locals discuss it like the weather. I am sure to them is seems natural. However, to me it isn't something we think about here as all of the big rivers have so many dams that flooding is well controlled and only becomes an issue once or twice a year. The river here isn't dammed and ebbs as flows constantly.
Many times RC would offer that he drove his boat to a spot that we were on that was very high and dry at the time we were there. It is clearly a fun variable that must add a lot interesting challenges to the "same ole" hunting grounds.
You are doing a great job, Dave, with nice descriptions and photos. :thumbsup:
So back to the hunt...
It was Tuesday afternoon. The temperature was mild. The sky was overcast. Believe it or not, that was heaven, because when I left Wisconsin it was below freezing and I could still see a snowdrift or two from the living room window.
About 3 hours into the hunt, we hear some rustling off in the distance and we were off. RC knowing what's going on. I wondering whether this is pigs or something else.
A little poking around and we pop over a hill and bust several ducks out off one of the sloughs. We walk maybe 50 more yards and out races a mama hog and three cute little piggies. They offered no shot, which was good because I would not have shot.
And that leads us to the first axiom that RC offers upon my confession that I would not have shot because I thought the piglets were too small.
So the first thing he says is "The pigs down here don't have names."
So I say "Umm I know that"
So he says "So shoot them".
I say "RC I know that but what about the piglets"
RC replies "If I cannot catch them with my hands they are old enough to shoot. And I cannot catch them."
So I think "Well I am glad we got that straight"
Then he offers this gem "If they are shiny. Then don't shoot mama. If they are old enough to get dirty, like those little guys, they will be ok on their own".
I offered this little running dialog so you can get the sense of how RC and I "worked" through things. The conversations were great fun but I always had the feeling he was pulling one over on this yankee because he has that in him. I am talking playful fun and nothing more. I will let him tell the story about poor guy jumping in the water after RC's boat that he had tied up...
We ended the hunt on Tuesday with hogs sighted, lessons learned and very tired. It was a great first hunt and a bonus hunt too as I wasn't even expecting to hunt until the morning on Wed.
OOOhhh one more thing before I forget. Tuesday night I get my first introduction to the pond scoggin.
So I hear the weirdest noise I have heard in the outdoors ever. So I ask RC what the heck is that and he casually says that it is a pond scoggin. Now think about that. You just heard a freak noise and some guy with a southern accent calmly says pond scoggin. Of course my next response was "what?" And of course he says pond scoggin. Yep I heard it right. So I have to ask "what is it?". And I hear it is a tall bird and that is that.
Over the following days, right at last light, I hear noises that are all different and strange. It ranges from something that might sound like a sick turkey, to a sick pig squeal, to an old man groaning and evidently all come from this mythical bird (as least mythical to me). It is so odd I can only imagine that the first people to hear it must have thought the swamp was haunted. Seriously that strange.
So I get back to Wisconsin and I realize I needed to share this with you all and I do some googling and looky here...
Pond Scoggin (http://www.wunderground.com/blog/ofieldstream/comment.html?entrynum=121&tstamp=200708)
It is so fitting isn't it? :-)
Dave looks great, love the sloughs and swamps. Hope you have a great hunt.
good story! bring us Wednesday! :D
:campfire:
More, please. :pray:
Gerald
Man, that green southern swamp looks great.Had a whiteout snowfall here today.Great tale can't wait for more.
Wednesday started wet. The weather forecast - provided via text - from RC's wife said we were to expect 100% chance of thunderstorms. Well I am not really a betting man, but a 100% is fairly good odds - so we decided to go to breakfast.
One could look at this as kind of a letdown, but it really was not. Since I never met RC, this gave us lots of time to get to know each other. We talked about kids, grandkids, how we grew up, all sorts of stuff. This really set a neat base for what I think will be a life long friendship as it turned out we grew up very different and many miles apart but we had a lot of common values.
Despite taking the longest path possible to and from breakfast, we still hadn't beaten back the rain and when we got back to camp it even look like more storms were coming.
Since camp was comfortable and I was still dragging a little bit from the long drive the day before, we decided to retreat to our "tents" to read and wait out the driving rain.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZos2d0Q6bI/AAAAAAAAAgg/b9lDE3-n1gA/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%20126.JPG)
I put tent in quotes because I slept in my truck.
time to wake this one up!
All right, so the rain didn't let up until early afternoon and I emerge to find RC sitting in front of an erector set that somebody might call a grill. He had thoughtfully stopped at the Walmart and picked up a new gas grill for us to use, but I don't think he expected the quantity of parts that there were. He made a weak attempt or two to start putting it together and said let's go hunting. I laughed but I was ready.
On the way out hunting he mentioned that his buddy John just bought the same grill and despite the protests from the girl in the department insisted on taking the display model. Lesson learned there.
And the grill never did get put together while I was there despite my urging. I even had elk steaks with me, but no go. He did text me this
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosj9MxSaI/AAAAAAAAAgg/oLIBCapdtTk/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2001.jpg)
after I left but I suspect someone else put it together or he went back to the Walmart and did the John trick. :-)
So the plan is the same. Go long and go deep into the swamp. The rain had stopped but I thought I was still gonna get wet as we moved through the swamp just from the vegetation. Not so. For some reason, the understory plants didn't hold the moisture like I am used to. Another bonus of the swamp!
Of course the rain also made for quiet travel and it wasn't long and we were on pigs. They were out about 50 yards and a little down in a slough bottom. It would turn out that that is almost always the case. Most of the pigs we saw were rooting around the edges of the water. Noting this pattern, I asked the master and RC said that is usually the case.
The early instructions I had were - get low and don't dawdle. So with the two simple rules I was off on my first Georgian hog stalk.
So I bounced from tree to palmetto and back. Soon I was within about 30 yards are so and I get busted. Dang. A pig I hadn't seen took off.
But luck was still with me as some of the pigs went back to rooting. So off I go to close some more of the distance and dang if it doesn't happen again. And then again and that was that.
The pigs won and were gone. I turn to the master with the obvious question of what did I do wrong. RC response was I told you to get low. So I offer I thought I did. He offers get lower.
It was fun. With this batch of pigs, since I essentially blew them out in three waves, we decided not to pursue them with the hope that the would be there later in the week.
They were.
We hunted hard until dark and walked out with the creepy sounds of the pond scoggin.
It was a great day regardless of no arrows being launched.
Here is another picture or two...
This oak was soo cool.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosnwPLrII/AAAAAAAAAgk/e7tyjnWy5d8/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2029.JPG)
It really could have been the poster child for mossy oak camo. The camera really didn't grab the beauty of this baby. It had this weird presence that made it seem like "the" tree in the forest and must have gone up 70 ft.
The cyprus trees are cool and the little starter nobs (I suspect that isn't any more scientifically correct than pond scoggin :-) ) are great.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosn_xHJnI/AAAAAAAAAgg/Qk-VcXj481M/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2030.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosny4sLRI/AAAAAAAAAgg/KXe-FJQ4j9M/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2031.JPG)
So Thursday dawned a lot nicer and we went off in a new direction.
I always love covering new ground.
After about an hour or 3, I spot hogs just ahead of us. Yes. I did. Not my trusty guide!. Seriously I did, but I have to make a big deal of it because it was the only time I did. :-)
All I had to do was move a little bit to get a clear shot and I was good to go. I was much lower this time and even got the high-sign from the boss. The wind was good, but a nice black pig still caught something not right and bolted a bit. Fortunately it didn't disturb the others and soon the black pig rejoined the other two and had moved close enough for a shot.
So I draw back. Get a clean release and miss. Dang. Right over the back. The hog actually jumps forward right into RCs window and he releases and misses. The three hogs move off but not overly nervous and we regroup.
My frist words were to thank RC for missing too so I didn't have to feel bad. :-) He proceeds to find some stick or something and claims he hit it. I tell him that I don't have a lame excuse. :-)
Nonetheless, RC thinks the pigs are not spooked at all. And we should circle downwind in front of them and try again.
Long-story short, it works. We can hear them approaching down in another slough. I get out in the lead to intercept them.
Up comes a very nice hog right in front of me at about 15 yards. It is standing in some river cane, but I am confident that I can get an arrow through it. I drop the string and all heck breaks loose.
I couldn't see the arrow hit very well, but it felt good and listening to the retreat of the hogs, it sounds like my hog is down.
I am excited, but still have that nervousness you feel when you don't know.
BTW: If you are wondering why I keep poking at RC, it is because I know he is at work. He has a schedule that he works his tail off for a bunch of days, then he has a handful of days off.
Since I know he is working ...
Sounds like a Blast of a Hunt!MORE,MORE,PLEASE.
I don't mind if you poke him, I would just like you to poke him more quickly! This has been a good one.
I didn't know RC missed :) Must have been a branch. Great story and pics!
Bet RC missed to make you feel better, he's that kind a fella. ;) :readit:
QuoteOriginally posted by elknutz:
I don't mind if you poke him, I would just like you to poke him more quickly! This has been a good one.
It was a four day hunt. He is telling the story in real time... :smileystooges:
Awesome story so far!
I like the way this is going.
Ttt for some more action.
I luuve hawg stories from de swamp, keep it coming RC's gonna be done work soon! Fine story telling and great pics to boot.
WOW,GREAT,,,THANKS,,,
I am not gonna drag this next piece of the story out anymore than I already did because despite looking for several hours we didn't find this hog. I do not know what went wrong.
That bummed me out some. Though I am not the kinda of guy that gets wrecked by this as I know when anybody decides they are gonna hunt -- they have also accepted the fact that they will lose an animal now and then. That is a fact regardless of the weapon used. RC was great. Gave me the pep talk and off we went.
We hunted hard the rest of day, and we did get on pigs. This was one of the few times they were in the thick palmettos and we only saw flashing glimpses of them. It did provide great fun and it is super exciting to know that at any minute you may get a shot.
Here are some of those thick palmettos
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoslm3r7yI/AAAAAAAAAgg/lMtFaCuJaKU/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2015.JPG)
It was clear by now that we hunting several groups of pigs in several distinct areas. Meaning, we could walk and walk and find no sign, but once we did we could usually find the hogs. And we could usually come back the next hunt and find them again.
So it became very important for us to not push too hard on each group.
So for example, with the group of hogs in the palmettos, when we could not get a shot, we would back out so we could get a chance at them the next day.
I knew I was gonna love this free range hog hunting! What a great chess match.
Thursday morning led to a whole new twist to our hunt.
If you are a fan of RC's hunts, you know one of his favorite hunting "rigs" is his boat because it allows him to get into the remote hunting spots we need faster.
However, when we started the hunt, RC said the river was too high above flood stage and was expected to creep higher in the coming days due to all the rain. Basically, the river is always at some flood stage of sorts, but right after big storms there is tendency to add challenges to the river beyond just high water. It seems trees have a tendency to get ripped off the banks and work there way down stream. This creates the immediate concern while you are on the river of course and it also creates a concern for the boat that is moored on shore while you are hunting. You don't wanna come back and find that major debris has taken your ride - for a ride. He didn't have to sell me on the safety issues so I was all good with walking.
But the good news is that RC felt we were good to go and he left me in camp Thursday nite and left for home to retrieve his boat.
He spent the nite at home, scoring those critical points that we all need with our wives :-) , and we met the next morning at the river boat landing.
The plan was simple, cruise upstream a mile or so at a time. Poke around in the remote areas on foot for an hour or so. Then repeat as necessary.
It was a great plan.
The morning dawned cold and sunny. It was about 38 degrees. With the sun and the warm water the river was gorgeous with steam rising everywhere.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosqCFGX9I/AAAAAAAAAgg/qYPr13sZiig/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2044.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosq2YeWWI/AAAAAAAAAgg/kx7P9HtJ3Ko/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2043.JPG)
RC boat is called a stick steer. Again to this yankee that is new stuff. I felt like the gator hunters you see on TV.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZospBdJVPI/AAAAAAAAAgg/THOt1DNQr1Y/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2037.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZospwCiZdI/AAAAAAAAAgg/PsRvTev6MYI/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2042.JPG)
The stick steer allows the driver to drive essentially a standard rowboat
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZos1lVzXtI/AAAAAAAAAgg/1OMPSWkaTx8/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%20123.JPG)
from the front seat. RC offered that this really helps when the water is low by keeping the boat flatter in the water.
It also provided me a wind block from the back seat when we were underway :-).
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZossEztrOI/AAAAAAAAAgg/LueeP5LaNf0/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2055.JPG)
Hey, even for this northern boy, cruising in 38 degree air is a tad chilly first thing in the morn.
The river was beautiful. Most of the water were I live is packed with people. Cottages, houese, boat docks everywhere.
This land had no sign of people. It felt we were back in time and we had the whole place to ourselves. It was great
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZossmESKAI/AAAAAAAAAgg/fXLL5Lx0Wns/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2059.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZostjam9yI/AAAAAAAAAgg/9qkFz2zTsf4/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2065.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosrQrNZNI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ph1fgchSlTY/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2049.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosrN937KI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ta2G4IDz6H0/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2048.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZostv6zmVI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ruCmCDQl2P8/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2064.JPG)
Makem squeeaalll.......
Though bopping up and down the river was great. Hunting was slow. We hunted for hours with no luck.
We kept at it and didn't even stop for lunch. We were so hungry we even made a trip back to the boat ramp and scrounged through the trucks for stuff. And off we were again.
We were starting to get a little concerned that we may have put too much pressure on them in previous days as we have covered a lot a ground without even the sight of a pig.
So we sit for a badly needed break about 4:00 or so and chat. After a brief break, we wander around a bit doing some stump shooting and wouldn't you know it, RC bends over to pick up an arrow and says pig.
So we had been together enough that when he says pig it is a long way off because when it is close we just quickly make a "tic tic tic" sound. So I look long in the direction he is looking and see nothing. And I am thinking, why can't I see them this is fairly open. Then RC says right there. And they were there, right inside of shooting distance. We laughed about this later. He said he was so excited after such a hard hunt to see animals it just came out. It is great when the guide is just as excited as you are.
So I had to maneuver a bit and pick up other movement around.
Been there done that, but I had this nice sow broadside and I stayed focused and dropped the string again.
YES!
:thumbsup:
Hog down!
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosvGlSGCI/AAAAAAAAAgg/GMICFCcb-SU/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2074.JPG)
And the lucky man shot
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosvrU7kBI/AAAAAAAAAgg/h5WAL53bhwU/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2077.JPG)
Anudder...
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosvnH6gGI/AAAAAAAAAgg/B_KtJhmak-Q/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2078.JPG)
And the awesome RC...
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoswNyfjBI/AAAAAAAAAgg/X5vKzmjwX5o/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2081.JPG)
And the two of us...
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosv5DG12I/AAAAAAAAAgg/b-oe48e36e0/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2080.JPG)
I really like that last picture.
Very nice! :thumbsup:
RC says that I was the first one of his St. Jude's hunters to make meat. I felt good about that and even better he told me after the fact. I would have really felt the pressure. :-)
Speaking of making meat watch this. This will take me longer to post than it did for RC to accomplish. Also right before he started I got the sense of a man on a mission and I offered to help or stay out the way and he requested the latter. Kinda reminds me of the joke where you ask the mechanic how much his work is gonna cost and he says "$50" and you ask how much it will be if I help and he says "$100".
So I took pictures...
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoswtPnMxI/AAAAAAAAAgg/6_a6sKOLWJ8/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2085.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoswm87icI/AAAAAAAAAgg/F9erYct-nJU/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2086.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosxOPu0sI/AAAAAAAAAgg/lBWgIAs-pRg/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2087.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosxSsMP7I/AAAAAAAAAgg/pFMnINBqnVA/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2090.JPG)
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(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZosytHhfhI/AAAAAAAAAgg/z0An79Xz27Q/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2098.JPG)
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(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoszQ7nhNI/AAAAAAAAAgg/D4Ns-OmzxKM/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%20102.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoszi6hM5I/AAAAAAAAAgg/wNTILdOBq4A/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%20105.JPG)
And repeat on the other side.
So earlier in the week, RC mentioned that he backpacks all his game out. In fact another RC axiom is "I will never drag anything again". :-) Which is another bonus for Georgia as here in Wisconsin we be dragging.
So he tells me this than he pats on his little pack he is using, here is another look at it,
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoslFTNNkI/AAAAAAAAAgg/8dufJTlipDU/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2012.JPG)
and says I have it right here. And I look at his small pack and wonder how the heck he has another pack in there. I was obviously curious, but took a personal pledge that I would see it when I had an animal down. So now was the time.
He proceeds to produce this little rolled up backpack - and calmly (RC is always cool and calm I might add) halls it out of the swamp.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZos1kgGvHI/AAAAAAAAAgg/yvLhfP0rCr0/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%20122.JPG)
We weighed the backpack back at camp and it weighed 35#. I will be darned...
Back to camp to ice the meat and celebrate. What a great day. The boat adventure. The long hard hunt. The sweet success of hanging in there...perfect hunting.
As I tell my wife, I am a lucky man.
Fantastic story tellin' and pics!
Congrats!!
lt-m-grow, thanks for the great story and fantastic pics. You made it almost as good as being there. Apparently you and RC make a winning team. Thanks again, I really enjoyed following along.
Gerald
Great story telling. I enjoyed this outing as I have enjoyed all the St. Judes Hunts.Allows me to meet folks with the same Love of the Stickbow I have.Dave is a good hunter and enjoys it and that made it fun.I look forward to another hunt with him.
I tell a lot of folks that want to hunt here the Spring,Summer and early Fall are best but the yanks want to beat the cold and come in the Winter and it ain`t the best.I hope to continue to offer these hunts Lord Willing and look forward to it.
ps. I think Dave tried to put the grill together when I went after the boat but gave up....RC
Superb, fellows! Very happy for you!
Most excellent adventure!
Good hunt guys! I too look forward to hunting with RC one day... Although my slow West Virginia hillbilly drawl may confound him a bit :D ... Hats off to RC and what he's doing for the kids at St. Judes... Takin' yankees and such ;) !
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Way to go RC another great adventure for the kids. Great story telling Dave, thanks for taking us along to the swamps.
I enjoyed following along on this hunt and appreciate you taking the time to post the pics and story.
As always RC, you are without a doubt a fine southern gentleman and a darn good hunter.
Thanks again for ya'll taking us along on this fine adventure.
Great adventure! Thanks for sharing the story & the pics! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
RC is the real deal!
Great story telling. I am a bit saddened as its a RC hunt and there are no snake pics. I usually expect a pic or two to give me the creeps!
You did a great job telling the story. Cpngrats on the hog. Rc can teach a lot of stuff to all of us.
Awesome story telling! Congrats on the pig.
Good stuff! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the kinds words.
I am not a big snake fan either, but I do admit that I was a little let down not seeing one - though I didn't want to see two either :-)
We did see a fine gator though.
RC is great. This was truly one of the best hunts I was ever on. Here is a guy that takes his well deserved vacation and spends it with some bum like me. That is very gracious and gives you the sense of what kind of guy he is.
When this hunt comes around again. Bid high. You will not be let down.
And let me offer one last picture. Actually two.
A friend of mine taught me a really neat trick many years ago on how to savor the memory of a trip. When he looked through all his pictures of any trip he took, he always said one picture really spoke to him. He then frames that picture and places it on his desk. Then every time he looks at the picture, he can go back and relive a little bit of it. It works and as I sit writing this I am glancing at other trip pictures of mine.
For this trip I will frame these two.
This one because I think it captures the beauty of the Georgian swamp.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZos2QOnGpI/AAAAAAAAAgg/BbvAi8WgI5Y/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%20128.JPG)
And this one because it will remind me of a new friend and the importance of giving back. And of course, that isn't me giving, that is RC! I learned a lot from him.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_MryKeO175BE/TZoswEHrIEI/AAAAAAAAAgg/abrkR0Jkkzc/s800/GA%20Hunt%20Pic%2011%2082.JPG)
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Fabulous! Awesome storytellin', the making of new friends, trad bows, and a swamp master!
Just awesome :notworthy: :notworthy: :campfire:
Hog hunting stories and photos make my day. Thank you for sharing your hunt.
Two fantastic pictures to have framed.
:clapper:
GREAT STORY!! AWESOME MEMORIES!!
A very well written story, with excellent pictures. Thank you very much.
I agree it is a story well told! I have been blessed to hunt with RC several times and he is the real deal! Won't meet a finer man nor guide. He is of high moral character and probably one of the best swampers you will ever meet. Bid High and often, and I'd be willing to bet you won't be sorry you won! Really enjoyed this story!
Bill
Thanks for taking us along for the ride. "RC" your the man. The kids of St. Jude benefit from your efforts and we all say "Thank You" on their behalf. I need to string up my HH "Wild Boar" and head your way. :thumbsup:
Great hunt guys! I'm one of the lucky ones that gets to call Robert a friend.
If it helps any, a pond scoggin is what Barney Fife would have referred to as a lake loon.
You fellows did well...thank's for the ride.
Great story and pics, thanks for letting me enjoy it as much as you did.
What a great Adventure!Couldn't wait to get home from work to check you out.Thank You and RC.
Simply awesome story. Thanks!
Great story and good deal for you too RC.
Thanks for sharin' this *awesome* outdoor opportunity!
I set a HIGH BAR in terms of expectations for a guided outing by RC and...
THIS HUNTIN' TRIP EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS!!!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
I really enjoyed the photography and I look forward to more adventures in the swampland of GA!
Keep the wind in your face!
Shoot straight, Shinken
Great Stuff!!!
Congrats to both of you.... :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Thanks for sharing the story and pics, congrats! :clapper: