Well I've been working on the house getting it ready to sell as i retire in about six month and relocate so i haven't been out in a few months. Couldn't take it so this weekend i decided to go chase some hogs. Come along on a play by play if you like.
This takes place on Fort Hunter Liggit a 165,000 acres of military training base that allows public hunting on the weekends. It is divided into 30 hunting areas and they control the numbers of hunters on each one so you don't get crowded. Its the best peace of public land i have found in California.
October 20, 2012
4:45 AM:
I get parked and pack up, grab the bow and jump on the bike. The area i like on the base is a park and walk, I like these areas as there is no wheel traffic.
5:36 AM:
Well I'm in setting next to my tree I like and there are hogs all around me , I can hear them feeding and pushing each other around. I hope they stay put until shooting light. Dang there close it's a little unnerving with no light to see, I'll let you know what happens when shooting light gets here. Man there close 50 yards or so.
:campfire:
:thumbsup: Keep it coming. Good luck.
5:50 AM:
WOW a huge elk bugle just erupted cant be more than 100 yards away, and again, and again sounds like two or three different bulls.
Man I can hear elk bugling, pigs feeding, coyotes howling. What a morning, 20 or so min till I can see, there still here. Breeze is holding good so far. I can smell them, they can't smell me.
6:14 AM
Elk are getting closer now, still not enough light to see, I can hear the hogs are starting to feed off one by one, don't know if elk are getting to close for them or if its just time for bed but there are still a few there. Come on shooting light!!
6:39 AM
Got the light stalk is on.
7:03 AM
What a rush, I make a half circle through a stand of oaks to get the wind right in my face. Get setup and glass the tree, there's just one left, a nice lone boar looks about 175 or so and then he starts to move, and its straight at me. I have at least a 12 to 15 cow elk 100 or so yards from me calling like crazy and two or three bulls going nuts with the bugling at least two of the bulls tinkling there racks together and a nice boar coming right to me, can anybody say O My God, then I notice that the path the boar is on will bring him to within at least 5 yards but almost facing me. Sure enough at 10 yards all I can see is the side of his face and the front of his shoulder, he stops sees me and bam he's gone leaving me in a shaking mess next to a big oak. The elk are still bugling got to love it.
Well my day just started stay tuned
:coffee:
:campfire:
Ha! Ha! Well done Rick, can't wait for the rest of the story! I'm hooked. :archer2:
sweet
7:09 AM
Well I think I can hear some hogs screaming at each other in the canyon behind me, packs on and off I go to check.
8:15 AM
Ssssshhhhhhh I can smell hogs!
8:20 AM
Found 3 beds, hog crap all around and smells like, we'll a pig pen, must be a nursery, I ether spooked them out or it's just not bed time yet.
9:56 AM
Well fog is starting to lift, i can see a lot better now. Made my way up to the mouth of one of the canyons, time to drop into the next one over and hunt back down to the bottom. Wind is in my face so here I go.
11:54 AM
Nothing in the canyon, back at my tree, time to glass the bottoms and eat some lunch and at my age after lunch with a nice breeze, leaning aginst a oak tree in the shade , I have no doubt a couple hours of sleep are in order.
3:30 PM
Well im awake. I get up get myself awake and put the glasses up and check out the bottoms. After about a half hour i spot a black hog feeding in the grasses. I throw the pack on, grab the bow and off the hill I go. I get down there and spend about 45 min looking for but can not find the pig so back up to my perch i go.
5:33 PM
About another half hour of glassing and not seeing anything i notice the sun is getting low. I decide im going to get down in the bottoms and still hunt until the day is over. I start the hunt, walk about 10 yards and stop and listen, 10 more stop and listen. Then i hear it, the tell tail sound of a pig clearing there nostrils then another and another then some grunts. It sounds like they are 40 or 50 yards in front of me. Now this grass and brush is knee high to arm pit high in some spots so i can only see about ten yards. I make my way to the sound and there they are looks to be about 10 or so. There moving off, I take a step to get a clearer view and three of them stop dead, that's all it took, up came the bow, draw, hit anchor and the arrows away. Bam blew through both solders and took out both lungs. 100 to 110 pound black boar made it about 25 yards.
:thumbsup: :campfire: :archer:
Here are some pics.
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/wtpops/SDC15565.jpg)
Last year i made some changes to my mountain bike and it has been a great addition to my hunting. Gets me back in and I still have some legs left for hunting all day. I've rolled out 3 hogs on it sense then but its a pain to wash it after the hog has turned it red. Well a couple of months ago i picked up a flat bed trailer with side rails, replace the spoke rims with some composite BMX rims and it should carry close to 180 lbs no problem.
Heres a pic of my new hog extraction device.
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/wtpops/SDC15560-1.jpg)
:thumbsup: :clapper:
Great hunt...love the setup!
Great story! What a treat to hear all the different critters out there.
Nice story and a great idea on the bike trailer. Congratulations on your hunt.
Thanks for taking us along. Like your transportation.
How do you carry your bow on the bike?
what type of hogs are those there- an' how do they taste?
whats the average size.
do they seem to have overpopulated the area- pretty good breeders arent they
regards
wayne
Good job and good story!A
Good job! I like your pig trailer too great idea.
Thanks, I really enjoyed the story. Sounds like an awesome place to hunt.
:clapper:
Way to go Rick!! Nice work! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup:
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Nice!
K.C.
QuoteOriginally posted by PV:
Thanks for taking us along. Like your transportation.
How do you carry your bow on the bike?
Right now i just strap it to my pack and wear it in. I the future im going to get it set up so my pack and bow ride in the trailer on the way in and on my back on the way out, If i get a hog that is.
QuoteOriginally posted by fujimo:
what type of hogs are those there- an' how do they taste?
whats the average size.
do they seem to have overpopulated the area- pretty good breeders arent they
regards
wayne
There feral hogs, taste good, average size i'd say 125 to 150. I have killed some above 200. I like taking the 100 to 150 size but i always take the first shot opportunity i get. I don't know the stats on population but i would say California would be second to Texas.
Thanks for all the kudos. It was a good day.
I enjoyed your hunt, thanks for taking us along. Your bike and trailer setup looks like it would be a fun.
-Jay
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
A well told, enjoyable account, thanks for sharing.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Well done Rick.
:thumbsup: :archer: :archer2:
Congrats Rick, loved the story blow by blow.
:archer2: That is really neat. Thanks for sharing.
Nice story and hogs!
Good story, congrats on the hog! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Great story. Thank you for taken the time to post it. Congrats on the hog. Love the bike set up!!