Hunted with Jim Dussias from True South Adventures last weekend in Fort Pierce Florida. Flew down with my old buddy Mike "Mad Dog" Oconnell for a 5 day hog hunt. The weather was certainly welcome considering we left single digits here in Connnecticut. Lots of hogs were seen both day and night. Florida recently made it legal to hunt hogs on private land at night with the use of a light. We took advantage of this and spent a lot of time when the sun went down pursuing hogs in the dark. Here's a pic of a hog that I took on the second night from a ground blind with Jim at my side running the video camera.
(http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo293/billlanger/winter2012074_zps338ebf9b.jpg)
The blind set up was overlooking one of the feeders Jim has set up on the property. The hog came from behind us about an hour after dark. It fed into our view aided by the red lights that I had mounted to the video camera. The hog was quartering away pretty hard when I took the shot at about 5 yards. For the first time ever I used Burt Coyote Aluminocks to help aide in not only the filming but also in being able to see the shot placement in the dark on film. The arrow struck at a hard angle with the bright red nock glowing along the pig's side as it tore off into the thick cover. The Woodsman tipped Traditional only carbon shaft, shot from my Black Widow, put the hog down in less than 100 yards.
I have more pics and stories to tell from this hunt, but for some reason this is the only picture I have been able to upload onto my computer. I'll keep working at it and continue this story when I figure it out.
nice one, Bill, looks like Ham in your diet.
:campfire:
That's a fine lookin animal. Well done!
good job Bill !!! nice shot man.
Nice hog sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Hunting hogs at night...the definition of fun!
Nice pic!
Way to go Bill!! Congrats :thumbsup:
Nice Bill, I'll be heading down to Jim in March.
Way to go Bill!
Thanks Guys.
We had a blast!
Jim puts on a great show and my ribs still ache from all the laughs...
Pig hunting at night is my new favorite nocturnal
bowhunting pursuit!!!!!
Bill made a great shot on that hog. It was an easy blood trail to follow, the exit hole looked like it had been hit with an axe!
I'm sure glad I didn't screw up the video.
Good job, Bill! Can't wait to see the video. Jim is a first rate guy and fun to be around.
Nice work! Sounds like a blast!
:campfire: :coffee:
I like that snakeskin. Colorful hog, wow! Nice job!
That's a cool looking hog! Night hunting for pigs is a ball of fun!
Congrats on your hog!
Bisch
Oh! That is my fav paint job! Still looking for one like that. Congrats :thumbsup:
Nice hog!
Great looking hog!
More to come....
(having photo issues)
Nice hog !!!! love the color!!!
Congrats Bill! :thumbsup:
looking forward to the rest of the story
Congrats! Nice pig!
Nice one! I'll check back for the rest of the stories.
Nice hog,Hog hunting is a blast it sure gets spooky at night when they are all over you.
It sure is a different feeling being surrounded by hogs in the dark!!!
Still working on the pics...
It sure is a different feeling being surrounded by hogs in the dark!!!
Still working on the pics...
Nice hog right there!
Congrats buddy! Looking forward to more....
Please re-size that 1st pic to 640 wide asap....thanx buddy!
Bill were the lights in place or did you just shine when the hogs came in? They made it legal here in SC too
Damon we turned the lights on right as it got dark. Very few of the pigs picked up the lights.
Hmmm something to consider congrats on your successful hunt :clapper:
Wild Bill,
Nice Hog, any pics of You,Mad Dog & a hog or 2 ?
When is your next production coming out ?
We are working on getting more pics loaded this afternoon. I am editing Traditional Adventures VIII right now. Should be done in about a month and will have these hog hunts in it...
Well done Bill! I, too, am escaping NH winter the end of Feb. with Jim. Will be my first adventure with his operation. Can't wait, winter's already been long.
Well done Billy, Can't wait for the new production!!
well done , congrats :thumbsup: :clapper:
Jim is going to try to post some of the pictures from earlier in the hunt that I can't seem to get up here.
I was able to upload this picture of a hog that I took on the last night that we hunted.
(http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo293/billlanger/winter2012086_zps1c83c4f4.jpg)
On Monday morning Jim and I and Jim's son, Nicky, did some scouting at the lease. We checked out an area that Jim had never walked through before. Nicky got a couple shots at some squirrels and some oranges. While Jim was filming Nicky chasing one of the squirrels, I took a walk along a canal in some thick pines that separated where we were hunting from a pasture of some rank bulls. The canal was filled with water with the exception of a spot that must not have been dredged as deep when it was built. Low and behold a high spot with just a skim of water covering it and a deep ravine on either side of the canal that pigs had worn in from years of crossing popped out at me. I immediately looked up into the surrounding trees for a spot to hang a treestand. Jim and Nicky made their way over and Jim shot some video of the hog crossing. We discussed that this was the only reasonable place for hogs to cross in hundreds of yards. Jim warned me though that he had trailed wounded hogs into that pasture from the other side of the lease and had been given some nasty trouble by some of the bulls in the pasture. He said, "Be sure of your shot, and trail only in daylight hours."
Jim and Nicky had to return to Miami. It was a work/school night for them. So that afternoon, Mad Dog and I made the long trek, toting bows, cameras, lights, a treestand, and 25 pounds of corn each. When we got to the crossing, I dropped my load of treestand and half a bag of corn, grabbed Mike's corn, and walked him a couple hundred yards to a ground blind that Jim had already set up on a feeder. I dropped Mike off and headed back to set up my treestand. By the time I got the treestand, camera, and lights set up, and spread a little corn in front of the stand it was 5:15, only 45 minutes of natural light left.
About an hour after dark, I could hear a pig approaching, heading from the lease towards the bull pasture and my position. But before it got in view of the red lights on my camera, it started growling, hissing, and spitting at me. It turned back the way it came, growling as it left. About an hour after that I had 5 twenty-pound pigs come in and start vaccuuming up the corn I had spread 20 yards away. After about 20 minutes I heard the faint rustling of bermuda grass out in the pasture. As it got closer the little pigs became alert, looking in that direction. I heard the barbed wire squeak on the edge of the pasture and a few seconds later the steady sound of a pig walking in water. My eyes concentrated on the end of the warn-in trail at the top of the canal on my side, just 5 yards away. As the hog's nose crested the bank, and became illuminated by my camera lights, the little pigs scattered for a moment. He was a good sized boar and wasted no time getting into the corn. As the little pigs returned, I hit anchor, and let fly, hitting the deep gray silver blue hog high in the spine. He instantly roared as he hit the ground. I thought he was finished on the spot. To my amazement he quickly kicked it into 2-wheel drive and dragged himself out of sight. I could see the Illuminock for a while heading in Mike's direction, then it was gone.
After a while, I texted Mike and let him know what happened. I told him to have a bright light, and use caution when he came to get me after his hunt. Long story short, he ran into the hog and called me over for the coup de gras. The old boar popped its jaws and turned at me as I put a second arrow in its lungs in the green haze of Mike's night light. It's safe to say that the hair was up on the back of both our necks.
Mike and Bill with "big white", a hog that was missed at least three times clean last year(once by me on video). A couple weeks before this hunt a client winged him in the front leg(also on video). Mike made a great shot on this guy and on video,to boot! (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billandmikeo.jpg) (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/billshorse.jpg) (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/jimandmikeo.jpg)
My son Nicolas(age 8) and I sat the Ditch blind Sunday evening. After reducing the raccoon population by one, a bunch of little pigs came in but the sow hung back growling and popping her teeth. Nicolas said "Dad, I'm scared", "we'll be fine buddy", I said, but the hair on my neck was up. I'd rather tangle with a boar any day.
She moved off after awhile following a deep grunt(the hog equivalent of a deer snort).
Bill, that's an awesome looking blue/silver boar!
I'll bet you are glad you were in a stand!
This was actually the first time I had hunted hogs after dark. What a rush! Your hearing becomes so acute and really adds to the level of suspense.
:bigsmyl:
Sounds like you had a great hunt Bill! Nice pig! I am wintering here in FL and not too far from your hunt. I have been unable to get a hog hunt together as of yet.
Nice work..good bacon there
Mikes hog was a real adventure!
He shot it at last light on video the first night. When we met after the hunt he thought the shot was way high and back. His confidence was low.
After reviewing the footage both Jim and I thought the hit looked good. Mikes spirits lifted, but we decided to go after it in the morning to be safe. I had also shot, hitting a boar very high above the spine, O blood.
Steaks and cold ones finished the night at the local Cowboys Bar and Grill. Great food!
In the morning Mike and I hunted the same 2 stands we were on the night before. At 8am Jim and I looked again for sign of my pig. No blood but we did find the woodsman and 6 inches of shaft, O blood on it or the ground, if you can believe it, Jim and I still don't!
We made it over to Mike about 9am. As we walked in, Mike was still on stand and said he could see blood. Sure enough lots of blood right at the arrow impact and leading off into the woods.
Mike took the trail as Jim and I filmed. The blood trail was excellent! As we moved along it we started hearing squealing, grunting and growling ahead of us.
Then out of no where a black hog ran up behind us missing Jim by about 5 feet. It stopped out to our left at about 15 yards. Jim and I both hissed at Mike(the only armed soldier among us) to shoot! The arrow went low and we all started laughing. Great video!
As we continued on the blood trail the noise ahead of us just kept getting louder. Then finally contact! Two large boars were battling over a hot sow. Chasing back and forth, hooking one another and the sow...it was awesome!! It was the first time I had ever seen hogs in rut like this. Mike was laughing as he tried to get a shot, Jim and I were filming and the hogs were dancing.
At one point we stopped moving forward to reload on film. Jim looked up at me and said "I'M SHAKING" It was great.
Mike was never able to get a shot but the train of pigs screamed by us at one point only 5 yards away in the thick brush. Great footage!!
They finally brawled away and out of ear shot.
We picked up the blood again and moved forward.
But it wasn't long and we ran into another pig that came right at us. Mike shot low taking off a little skin and hair. Not one of us could have made the shot with how amped up we were.
Back on the ample blood again we found Mikes hog, it was stone dead the night before. Mike had made a good shot.
Thanks Guys.
Bill give Jim a call, he will take care of you!
Great stuff bud!! You guys going to be able to hunt bunnies next month?
We may be Guru. What are the dates??
Great hunt!
Great stories Bill! I am excited you're getting a new DVD out! I'm starved for a new one :)
We feed a myriad of birds and mammals.Here is Bill's encounter(one of them) with Mr Ed(Bill's favorite horse). (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/th_Billandhorse-1.jpg) (http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/?action=view¤t=Billandhorse-1.mp4)
QuoteOriginally posted by bill langer:
We may be Guru. What are the dates??
Sent a PM bud
Got it Guru, thanks I'll talk to the troops.
I was up and down out of that treestand over a dozen times chasing Mr Ed off...
Sounds like you guys had a blast!
Bill, this is a great thread! Congrats on a great trip. It seriously has been enough motivation for me to start thinking about going here for a spring break trip this year with my buddy
Go for it Dan!
Jim will take good care of you.
FYI, we added a second property recently that the hogs are already hitting. Bill and I checked it out when he was here, it's pretty much hog heaven; rooting, tunnels, trails, wallows,etc.
Hey Bill,
Thanks for the thread. Glad you had fun. Being the other half of True South Adventures but living in Wisconsin, I don't get to hunt or host you guys as much as Jim does, but it was great to see you on the night you were leaving and relive all the stories. I hope you got some good video. Enjoyed meeting Mike as well. I will be in Florida thru the end of turkey season so now it's time to do my half of the work.
Although this is only the 2nd full year for TSA, we are now sponsors, and TradGang and clients like you have helped us tremendously. Jim and I enjoy hosting archers as much as you guys enjoy hunting. We have a growing list of repeat customers, and our hunting property is bigger this year. It's great to be able to take clients off the waiting list.
Just wanted to mention that hunters like you and CJ LaCoste, who was here just after you, are seasoned hog hunters and you know the property well. You guys don't talk loud, slam car doors, clang gear around. You watch the wind and always stalk to the stands. Staying put till the hunt's over and coming straight out. All of this makes for takin home the bacon. It's also a courtesy to the next group...keeping the place fresher.
The only two hunters who ever came to our property and didn't have a shot opportunity on a 3 day hunt are the ones who wouldn't do all these necessary things. Hogs are smart! Sometimes it's tempting to walk all around the property "scouting" but it just doesn't work well in the long run. I only mention this because Jim and I want everyone to be successful.
We sure enjoy meeting all kinds of hunters from all over the world. Thanks to everyone.
I've got some photos to add here too, but I'll do it later.
Irv Eichorst aka "beaunaro"
Nice big pigs Bill. I'll post my story after this thread cools down. Good thing Mr Ed is a nice horse and this ain't Australia is all I'll say. That and he doesn't like blue foam seat pads bouncing off his head.
CJ
Wow!!! Looks like a fine, fine hunt. Cant wait for the DVD.
Now thats funny chasing off the horse.Looks like a great hunt.
Great stuff thanks for sharing!
Well said guys. (CJ,I like the foam seat comment, too funny)That horse always gets the last laugh, though.
As far as shot opportunities go, weather has played a factor on a couple of hunts, too.
When temps. drop 40 degrees in a day the hogs don't want to "get out of bed".
As an aside, no hunting license is required for hogs(on private property), the season is year round,too.
I have been fortunate enough to hunt hogs for 2 decades now. Jim and Irv have as good or better a hog operation as I have hunted. Wild free range hogs hunted smart. Period.
Would recommend them to any traditional bowhunter.
Mike and I ended our hunt like we started, with a steak dinner. This time Jims partner Irv who had just arrived from Wisconsin joined us at Cowboys. Irv is a great guy, sincere, honest. Reminds me of my Dad. Lots of laughs, a couple cold ones and plans of our next hog hunting adventure...A True South Adventure.
Awesome Bill, I'm going down for part of my wild turkey slam. Maybe I'll have time to get on some hogs. Youre really making it tough to wait till March.
Hey Sean
Good luck on getting one of those long legged swamp chickens. Oh and let me personally congratulate you on the monster bear at Tonys on the Black Widow hunt. What a monster!!
Is Kent Zocker joining you on the turkey hunt?? Jim said he was hunting with him this year as well?
Good Luck, Bill
Thanks Bill, That was a great time. Kent wasn't sure which days I was going, but he booked a few days before I heading down. We may get a day to hunt together. Eric Port will be there with me to go after hogs.
Really Sean... What are the dates again?? I may need to sneak down...
Ill be down there on the 19th, 20th & 21 of March.
Ooooh...middle of the week...tough that time of year... Gearing up for the construction season...my bread and butter...good luck!
Yeah, I work weekends, mid week works for me, thanks.
Thanks for the kind words Bill.
We have a few spots available in Feb. and mid-April, May. Mid March and early April is turkeys mostly.
Thanks.
Will have some new pics up on the web-site later.
Hey Jim, you still offering any Hog/Baby Tarpon combos?
Nice work Bill. Cool pics. Mike looks as grizzly as ever!
Congrats to you both. Night hunting for hogs is a gas!
CK
Great adventure guys.
A week after Bill and Mike's hunt, Irv guided
C.J.Lacoste from Michigan at the ranch.
Here are a couple of perfect eater sized hogs he took.I will let CJ tell the story. (http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/cjshog.jpg)
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn66/tarponnut/photo8.jpg)
Izzy,
Always chasing baby 'poons but the spots are quite a distance apart.
Good work CJ.
Been texting Irv, he's sitting the canal crossing that I sat the last night of our hunt, nothing so far...
Irv's done for the night. No hogs.
Jim always makes fun of my photos because they are not the hero types. Just dead animals with a bow on them and my stories are rather boring. The first pig I got sneaking through the woods in the morning looking for a pig I shot the night before. First night out I sneak in on my stand and a boar is under the feeder cleaning things up. 5 or 6 football size youngsters are buzzing around wanting in on the corn. The boar catches me move and tears out of there. The sow of the babies was in the brush and does the same. It's now a pig free zone. I get up in the tree, get settled in and set up my light as the day turns to night. At about 7 I catch a nice pig coming in from my left and I stand up. He's now 8 yards out and i turn my light on him and drill him in the shoulder. One unhappy pig as he bolts. Now some guys might not agree but I'm not a big fan of shoulder hit on pigs. The only pigs I've ever lost were hit there and there was little or no blood. 10 minutes after I shot the boar a coon comes in and I shoot him. I get down and look for pig blood and my arrow. Nothing. I weave back and forth out to 50 yards and nothing so I backed out. Next morning I sit another stand til 8:30 than go look for my pig. I find nothing. No pig no blood no arrow. Not a big fan of that shoulder shot. The arrow was 675 gr sitka spruce with a 225 gr Tough Head broadhead. So I'm sneaking around and start seeing pigs in the woods. There are tangerines growing in there and hogs clean them up. I see the blonde hog rooting around 25 yards out but in brush. There's a softball size hole half way between me and the pig and I slip an arrow though to its mark, mid pig going forward. Great shot and the pig is dead in 30 yards.
That night I'm in Jims double stand and start seeing small pigs at the feeder. The horse comes by and they head for cover. Just at dark three come back and vacuum up the crumbs when a fat 40 pounder comes in and starts picking on the little guys. SOOO, I shot him. Short track to a dead boar.
Sunday morning I had another fair size boar come in and as you can see, no pic. Not a good story because he is still there being a hog on Jims lease but with a limp.
Like always, had a great time and Erv and Jim have a good thing going. I saw maybe 30 different pigs from Friday night til SUnday morning. Many fast growing seed pigs for the future. Thanks Jim and Erv.
CJ
Jim always makes fun of my photos because they are not the hero types. Just dead animals with a bow on them and my stories are rather boring. The first pig I got sneaking through the woods in the morning looking for a pig I shot the night before. First night out I sneak in on my stand and a boar is under the feeder cleaning things up. 5 or 6 football size youngsters are buzzing around wanting in on the corn. The boar catches me move and tears out of there. The sow of the babies was in the brush and does the same. It's now a pig free zone. I get up in the tree, get settled in and set up my light as the day turns to night. At about 7 I catch a nice pig coming in from my left and I stand up. He's now 8 yards out and i turn my light on him and drill him in the shoulder. One unhappy pig as he bolts. Now some guys might not agree but I'm not a big fan of shoulder hit on pigs. The only pigs I've ever lost were hit there and there was little or no blood. 10 minutes after I shot the boar a coon comes in and I shoot him. I get down and look for pig blood and my arrow. Nothing. I weave back and forth out to 50 yards and nothing so I backed out. Next morning I sit another stand til 8:30 than go look for my pig. I find nothing. No pig no blood no arrow. Not a big fan of that shoulder shot. The arrow was 675 gr sitka spruce with a 225 gr Tough Head broadhead. So I'm sneaking around and start seeing pigs in the woods. There are tangerines growing in there and hogs clean them up. I see the blonde hog rooting around 25 yards out but in brush. There's a softball size hole half way between me and the pig and I slip an arrow though to its mark, mid pig going forward. Great shot and the pig is dead in 30 yards.
That night I'm in Jims double stand and start seeing small pigs at the feeder. The horse comes by and they head for cover. Just at dark three come back and vacuum up the crumbs when a fat 40 pounder comes in and starts picking on the little guys. SOOO, I shot him. Short track to a dead boar.
Sunday morning I had another fair size boar come in and as you can see, no pic. Not a good story because he is still there being a hog on Jims lease but with a limp.
Like always, had a great time and Erv and Jim have a good thing going. I saw maybe 30 different pigs from Friday night til SUnday morning. Many fast growing seed pigs for the future. Thanks Jim and Erv.
CJ
On the contrary CJ, I like your stories. The photos aren't bad either, much better than the hero shot where the guy isn't smiling, or looks too serious. Never understood those.To each his own though.
Glad you had fun and took some quality meat home.
Wow CJ you had a lot of action on a short hunt.
Good job!
Sean your speechless...
CJ what bow are u using? Great job!!!!!!!!
Dick that is called "My Bow", a Jack Harrison HHC (Howard Hill Classic). It's "My Bow" because it's the bow that gets it done and has for a long time. I thought I would sell it last year for some crazy reason and it didn't sell. Karma is a good thing as some things are just meant to be and that bow was meant to stay with me. 66",60#@28", Kingwood riser, bamboo and carbon limbs built in 2002. Converted to T/D by Jack maybe 4 years back.
Thanks ,in the picture it looks like an Alaskan black wolf long bow take down that I have.
Yeah, wow, I don't know what happend on that one!!!! great hunts!!
Dick,
We have several pigs with your name on them waiting for you down here.JIM
Jimmy you out there???
How did this weekend go?
The "Dalton gang" took three hogs and missed a couple more, they also helped out with the squirrel and oppossum infestation.
I've missed them at closer range than one was missed.
How is the editing going?
Working on the footage we shot a couple of weeks ago...its great stuff...wait till you see the woods hunt with "MADDOG" classic bowhunting misadventures...
I'll be down maybe next year with Bill, can't wait thanks Jim.
Any pics from the Dalton Gang adventure... Jimmy?
Still waiting on pics from Irv. He had a single hunter tonight that saw 14 hogs at his feeder(the double)!
One big boar came in and faced him the entire time, never turning broadside until the corn was gone and he moseyed out of there.
A big black boar came around back but never came to the feeder.
Hey Bill! Congrats on the hunt! Let me know when your next video is out and i'll send the check. Hope all is well? Bin laid up with foot surgery since Jan 1st, So got lots of web time!Planning this years bear hunts. Say hi to the guys.
Tony
Hey Tony ole boy how's things...besides the foot?
Hope you heal up fast!
Workin on Traditional Adventures VIII as we speak, should be done in a month or so.
By the way, thanks for the birthday wish.
Bill
Thanks Bill! I'm sure the Video will turn out great. They always do! Take care and stay in touch.
Tony
10-4 Good Buddy!
Jim and Bill,
Got some pictures to send to you tonight, Jim.
Also the hunter, Dan, took some video with his head mounted Go Pro. Don't know if you can use it, Bill, but I can hook you up.
Things are going great in Ft Pierce. Eight hunters and 13 hogs taken plus a few misses.
The "double" location seems to be the winner for consistency...and Jim wants to move it! (I know why...and he's right.) Over 30 hogs spotted there
in two days. Every time Dan came out of the hunt area he was grinning from ear to ear. It was a pleasure to guide him.
I have to get on my soapbox once again about clients who are serious about scent, sound, and sight. The hunters who take the right precautions always see way more game.
Dan, just like CJ, took home two coolers of delicious hog meat.
Bill...I'll send the photos to Jim for posting and if you want the video, call me and I'll give you Dan's contact info.
Your secret crossing is covered up with hog tracks OMG! We got two big one's on trail cam there.
Checked out Sneed too, so we will be in touch.
Bill,
Jim and I fenced the corn-lovin horse out of East Grove feeder last Sunday. He can't get to any of the big feeders now. You won't have to be throwing oranges at him next trip. No problem shooting over the wire.
Irv
I think the Mad Dog Mike O'Connell stalking sequence could be made into a feature film. One minute we are worrying about being charged by an angry boar, the next we're doubled over laughing at Mike's whispered jokes and antics.
We had 3 groups of hogs on three sides of us(including several boars fighting over a sow) and a black sow comes up behind me within 5 feet!
Irv that little crossing will no doubt be the demise of more that one monster boar.
You can have all the feeders stocked with lots of corn 24/7, but the biggest hogs are going to move at their time and pace. That crossing is a natural hot spot. If it was up to me I would not set a feeder there. Hunt it like you would a big buck. Low impact and stealthy.
Found a few more land options for you to check on for me...
Jimmy-I have finished up editing my footage of Mikes woods hunt....great stuff....my ribs hurt from laughing...classic!!
Bill