OK for all those that are home already and want to post pics or storis about this last weekend. Us Yankees are still driving home :scared: only 8 hours left.
So we are now in Baltimore but I am bored so here goes.
We all met and got acquainted, we had a bigger group than usual with 8 in camp but that was no problem. Like always with the guys from the trad gang nobody had a problem with it. The thoughts were it was just going to make it a better weekend.
We had three guys from Illinois. One of those guys makes a mean looking bow. I think it was the Jensen special or the Jensen model#1. Any who when he shot it in camp you hear a crack and it wasn't the bow breaking I think it was the arrows breaking the sound barrier. That bow is a speed demon and was smooth shooting.
Hold on we are running out of gas @#&&#&:&%@@###$$$"
Bring it fellas...I enjoyed meeting you guys (ya'll if you are non-Yankee) and look forward to the tale. I will chime in too with my own account of the actual record in case Squirrel Bait gets on here and muddies the the story with his own version :p I promise no gross ER stories though. Some of us have a weak stomach...
Looking forward to this tale.
OK that debockal is over. You know that feeling when you hit the gas and nothing happens then car goes blahhh. Luckly we limped her into a gas station. Phew.
So we had two guys from New joywsey. A North carolilian and us Yankees from New York. Squirrel bait and Rocking Ray Hammond ( boy that guy can sing) rounded our hog hunting team.
We all needed some sleep from our travels so off to bed we went to dream of hogzilla and adventures to come.
Since I went and got myself nearly run over by a big boar hog and never got a shot off I will start while these boys are nappin'.
I went back to Hog Heaven for many reasons...pigs, a landscape like none other that I have ever hunted, turkeys that actually let you work 'em, food that is some of the best I have ever eaten in portions that a big fella like me appreciate, a host that is dedicated to his clients and the comedy (and some knowledge I begrudgingly admit he has in spades) of the one and only Squirrel Bait.
I spent the week with one other southern fella (big ups to Bennie) and 6 damn yankees :) I am a transplant to here in IL...so I don't count. I learned something about these fellas: The New Jersey faction know how to hunt AND have fun. One of them has pet pigs (Ray hope Lillie spoke to you when you got home) and one of them enjoys Tennessee whiskey. Both are ok by me and hunted hard. The New York duo are hard hunters that don't mind getting a little wet to try and kill a hog and ONE of them can shoot. The other, well let's just say he's gonna need a new cell phone and some Jenkins time (kidding boss). I'd share a camp with either at the drop of a hat. That leaves me with my two truck mates from Illinois...all I can say is that they hunted hard and learned some new diagnoses from me. Both suffer from thunder feet. They sound like thunder when they walk and anytime a pig was near they busted them. Pitiful really. Plus they tried to steal my Snickers bars. That ain't cool. I had them do a hero shot as this is the closest they will come to a real one on this hunt:
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/SChunt002.jpg)
All kidding aside, I couldn't have asked for any better campmates, and if we all could do it again in a year, I'm GAME!!!
If you have never hunted Southern swamps it is a unique experience. There are palmettos to glass, blackwater to explore, and pines to take a nap in and sometimes kill a hog in (or try).
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/SChunt010.jpg)
*Palms aka piggy hang out
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/SChunt009.jpg)
*Stalked a doe...thought it was a pig.
I had good hunts all 3 days...I was on pigs too! The first day I turkey hunted and was at my last set with my longbow when I see something moving in the very thick brush. Thinking it was a tom slippin' in, I readied my bow and started the process of identifying what exactly was gliding in noiseless.
At 30 yards my eyes and brain said not a turkey. My common sense said a dog...a small black dog stalkin my Avian X high dollar dekes. Then at 25 yards it was canine but not domestic. A solid black yote with a white chevron. Too quickly I was on the string and it caused my "dog" to notice me. I found my spot and dumped the string as my heart-rate hit it's maximum. I am cancelling my stress test with my cardiologist after this hunt. I had TWO on this trip...in a flash I thought my arow was there and then dipped right under his heart. He did the 'yote gallop confirming it was indead a rare critter and I smiled and nearly cried at the same time. It still will be the coolest experience ever...and perhaps it was a good thing I missed. He was beautiful!!!
Hogs that afternoon. I bumped pigs again and blamed one of my thunderfoot truckmates...but it was me that blew it as we were "hopscotching". I tripped, slipped, or fell...I think it was this I was trying to dodge. It was everywhere.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/SChunt008.jpg)
Finally on Saturday I took another beating from henned up toms and decided to hit the palms and do some loops. The 4 hours I spent in there was truly heaven. I nearly called a tom to my longbow, had a small bobcat key in on my conversation with the boy, and spooked when he got a little close. That alone was worth the price of admission. Then it happened: I was into pigs.
As I eased though a cane patch a large sow busted out and ran about 40 yards away. A smaller sow stood near me, and I passed as I thought it was a bit small. There was rustling in the cane at about 10 yards and I started to grip the string. As I was keying in on the sound I heard the pig pop it jaws some and then bust straight for me. Truthfully, I don't know if was coming for me or just busting out, but I had no time to shoot. I took my bow and swiped at him as he closed the gap to 5 yards and screamed like a little girl. Yep. I learned that fight or flight means that if you had wings you'd fly the hell out of there. Luckily he took pity on me got the heck out of there without thumping me. I spent a little time looking for more pigs and made my way back to the camp for dinner...and a drink. A strong one.
That was my hunt. Almost. I killed a turkey the last morning with another weapon. I found a few "rocks" along the way and once again soaked up the S. Carolina vibe until next year (or sooner). Here are some pics to enjoy until the NY boys wake up. Enjoyed it ya'll!!!
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/SChunt016.jpg)
*Turkey callin' and nap takin' spot!
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/SChunt012.jpg)
*For the Mrs.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/artifacts003.jpg)
*Pottery from a long-lost bowhunting culture.
(http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/artifacts001.jpg)
*Sometimes there aren't enough rocks :)
Had a great time in camp this weekend, great bunch of guys in camp, congrats too Matt and Mike on their Hog and Turkey. Never tell Ray Hammond you have a pet pig named Lilly, all he talked about was making a back quiver out of her.
Come on! Somebody has a story to tell :readit:
Love the pics Mike. I figured you would be taking pictures of hog poop after all the talk at camp!!!!
Fri started out slow for me I took off down the middle road of the turkey foot. Had some sign but no hogs lurking around me. I was getting reacquainted with the swamp and my bearings down. Then I see it, the bino's are showing me a hog sleeping in the river cane. I am off jumping from behind one tree to the next I had 80 yards to cover and I needed to do it before the wind shifted. I move 30 yards and take the wrong turn and have get past a fish hook thorn thicket. There was a log going through the middle of it like a bridge and that is what I took. I almost get to the end and the log rolls now I am standing there waving my arms wildly in circles trying to keep my balance. Finally I leap off and hit the ground witha loud thump and crash. Luckily I landed on my two feet but where is my Hog? I glass for it but don't see it it should be about 40 yards from me now and I can't find it. So I take a few steps up towards the river cane and BOOM I see it. Right in front of me is a 200 pounder. The only problem was it was a rock and not a hog. I wish I had a video of that stalk would have made the record books. LOL
I hunted toward hog lake only seeing some buzzards flying about and some cardinals after that. The cardinals where plentiful that's for sure and the color to them seemed so vibrant.
I met Steve back at the truck at noon to get some lunch. Back at camp I was looking over the big map and figured out that I wasn't even close to hog lake that morning and that was where I wanted to go in the after noon. Squirrel Bait was in camp and this was the first time I got the pleasure of meeting him. All I can say is the guys in camp almost saw me rocket water out my nose more than once because I was laughing so hard.
Squirrel Bait you sure do know how to tell a story!!
That being said me and Steve were ready to get back at it. So we both talked about our game plan and we were off. I went back Down the middle turkey leg and straight for Hog lake with out stopping. Half way there as I slowly rounded a corner I see a shape slowly moving away from me on the trail. I knock an arrow and I am off on a stalk. I am only moving when it is walking away from me and I am covering ground quickly. I am now 20 yards from it and closing.
You are'nt the first guy to put a stalk on a big black rock,or stump.
I tell you right up to the helicopter dance on that log it was one mean stalk!!!
Sunrise in the swamp
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3140014480x640.jpg)
Hog wallow
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3140015480x640.jpg)
So I am at 20 yards and and I was ready to shoot. Only not with my bow but my camera because I had covered the ground on this stalk to get close to a raccoon. I wasn't able to get any pics of the little critter because he made me and got to his tree before I snapped the shutter down on him.
So I get to hog lake and the wind was perfect to parallel the road back. So I started stalking the waters edge of Hog Lake and zig zaging back and forth from palmetto's to river cane up to thick brush piles. As I was getting close to the waters edge I see a brush pile and head for it. I am closing in and looking at it I said to thick for something to be in there. So I was going to go around it to the waters edge and continue my stalk. As I got into 15 yards of the brush I hear a rustle.
:campfire: keep it coming.... I'm on the edge of my seat.
cool pics.
:coffee: :coffee:
It happened so quick I couldn't believe it. The rustle turned into the brush pile moving up and down. I hear Crash-Crash-Crash. Now I know something is in there trying to get out but I still can't see what is making this racket. I walk forward three steps and the brush pile explodes. The sticks go flying in every direction and I freeze and wait, out comes a huge pig. He blows out the other side of the pile and halls @$& top speed for 60 yards and stops. I got a good look at him and he had to stand 3 feet tall and sounded like a Thoroughbred running through the mud. He didn't stand there long and took off through the palmetto's never looking back. My heart racing I walked in close and I still don't know how the pig got in that brush or outta that brush so fast. It was so tightly woven together I wouldn't have thought a squirrel coulda gotten in or out of there. I stood there in amazement.
The rest of the day was uneventful compared to that. I saw two turkeys and some armadillos. Those armadillos sure do make a racket going through the woods and boy they sure can run. They are little speed demons.
Off to dinner It was dark and I was beat from all the cool adventures of the day.
Some of the huge trees Down in the swamp.
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3150017480x640.jpg)
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3150020640x480.jpg)
This tree you could walk right into like walking through a door and look up that is how I got this shot. I stand 6' tall.
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3150023640x480.jpg)
Saturday started slow I stalked the swamp from the turkey foot towards blue lake. I had to do some circles in there because the wind couldn't make up it's mind which way it wanted to blow. My circles got smaller and smaller as the wind picked up until it felt like I was going to walk a hole into the swamp bottom. I made it down to the double feeder only running into a Tom turkey who was on high gobble. Him calling in that swamp was something cool to hear. I got a quick glimpse of him as I came around a tree. He would have been a trophy for sure he was a big bird.
I took the road back to the turkey foot. By the time i got back it was 1100 and I was hungry. I made my way through a little patch of woods near the car as I was suppose to meet my hunting bud Steve H back at the car at 1200. I was slowly stalking through palmetto's and boom up jumps a pig 20 to 25 yards from me. Alls I can see is the palmettos waving back and forth and the back of this pig running away from me. I only heard one pig take off and saw nothing with him so I assumed it was another big boar. With his back sticking above the palmettos made me believe he was a trophy one.
Now if you are keeping count that is two pigs within 25 yards of me and I saw neither until they decided I was too close. I was thinking to myself I need to figure something else out being as big as they are I should be seeing them. Boy they sure can blend in.
I hear the gator go by which means they must be corning the swamp roads and it was time to meet Steve. I Headed back to the truck were nobody was to be found so being the last full day of hunting I decided that it was going to be a full day hunt.
I headed back to the turkey foot this time I headed right.
Here is some video that Steve H took.
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/th_StevesAligator.jpg) (http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/StevesAligator.mp4)
OK I was going to add some to this story but not after that photo.
Yall got to stop talking so sweet about me, yall gonna make me BLUSH !!!
Aldo chime in it is lonely telling stories all by myself. Lol hopefully Steve chimes in so I can post some of his pics. Although it might be tough since he doesn't have a phone do to some of the hunting . Lol.
Good stuff Matt. I thought the gator was fake till it moved.
Good luck getting Steve to post lol. What's he up to? 5? :laughing:
Looks like you guys had a great time I am taking my son on May 2 .We can't waite
where is everyone :confused: 12 hours without any more tales or tails for that matter :wavey:
Get to it slackers :)
Gonna have to wait till tonight work work work. I to make money so I can go next year.
Boy the price you pay for taking a couple of days off to chase hogs. If it wasn't for this site I would have already forgot I went. Anyway,
Good time in SC once again. Good group of guys, never had that many in camp at one time but all went real well. Fun listening to all the stories, even Mike's, although quite different topics but all goes down easier with his Tenn Whiskey. Again, congrats to Mike and Matt on their successes, well deserved as all put in a lot of time. I saw quite a few deer this trip, no alligators, snakes or armidillos. I did get into a few hogs but the wind was tough. Saw my first group Friday nite coming in from the boat ramp area. 7 or 8 all pretty small, some footballs, was trying to decide if the two larger ones were more than 50 pounds when the wind shifted and made my decision not to shoot even easier. Saturday morning found me in the 11 acre field about 10;30am. Walking the perimeter I spotted to sets of hog ears in the tall grass. I tried to get around them but no luck. I worked into the interior of the field and found areas rooted heavily and while I was standing and glassing I heard this grunt!
:campfire:
:coffee:
Aldo it is tuff getting back into the swing of things.
Well Aldo gets things straightened out at work I will continue.
I was headed down the right road and making good time. I had decided that I was going to slowly walk through the swamp until I found sign then would start my still hunt. I was walking through and not finding much sign but I just kept at it.
The wind is gusting but staying steady out of the SW. I am heading across the wind and taking my time but I am not seeing any pigs or sign. I finally take a break and get a drink and eat a candy bar, sit for a few minutes and figure the best thing is to just keep on my course. I move into the swamp a little farther and I finally stumbled into some good hog rooting. Now its time, I get my head mask out and start my slow crawl through this section of the swamp. It is very wet with standing water all around me and I can see what looks like a stream up ahead. I don't know why but I pull up my bino's and look forward and see a glimpse of black moving through the swamp. Could it be did I finally the pigs. I keep scanning and boom there is a red pig then a little white and black spotted one pops out. There they are and I am on to them. There are 4-5 smaller pigs and two big pigs. They don't even know I exist so now I have the upper hand.
The pigs are moving from my left to my right and as usual they are making some good time. I have to cover 40 yards so I get low and start heading to my right to get in front of them. I am using the big cypress trees to block me as much as possible. I cover 15 yards and get stuck in between some palmetto's and thorns. I weasel my way through the palmetto's and get to a stream but the pigs are heading right to me. The wind is cooperating and it seems everything is falling into place. All of the sudden the little red one turns around and heads back the way it came from. He also takes all the other little pigs with it now I have to figure out what to do.
I am looking at these pigs that are under 30 yards from me but they are moving away from me. I have a 20ft wide stream in between me and them and they aren't sitting around waiting for me to decide what to do.
In about 2 seconds I decide I am going in and nothing is going to stop me!! I take my first step into the water. The next step the water goes over the top of my boot and now I am committed. The pigs a still in front of me and they are back to rooting and eating. I slide father into the water the depth is at my shins and getting deeper but those pigs are drawing me on. The water finally gets to just above my knees and levels out. I look forward for the pigs and they are still eating. They have slowed their pace (musta found something good to eat). I can only see one big pig and the little ones gathered around her. I finally get to the other bank and have to step up to get out. The pigs are now 15 yards from me but they are behind a big cypress tree. As I lift my feet out of the water alls I can hear is the water splashing back into the stream as it rolls off of my boots. I thought for sure the pigs would hear the water but they didn't even raise a nose from the mud.
I use the big cypress to cover the last 5 yards. As I sneak my head around the cypress I see the pig that I hadn't see before before. She is standing 6-7 yards behind the other pigs and she looks to be frozen. I was thinking she saw me so I freeze and thanks god she just goes back to eating. Few!!! I slowly take one step right to get out from behind the cypress. I bring my Vision up and start to draw hit my anchor point, pick a spot and release.
And??? Good stuff Matt, keep it coming.
you too aldo!
Some guys can really tell stories, keep it coming Matt. In the meantime back in the 11 acre field, after hearing the grunt I know there is a pig within 20 yards or so. I drop the binos and grab the string, already started tension on the string. Hear grunt again, right in front of me closer than I even thought and I can't see this pig. I'm pulling a bit more on the string now thinking something has to happen, and it does. This hog comes out of the tall grass right in front of me heading for me. I keep pulling and stand my ground thinking (hoping) he will vere off to one side or he other. Well at about 15 feet he turns to my right, I swing, pull to anchor and let it fly. Not the result I was hoping for. I watch him take off and now I stand there and try and figure out what the heck just happened.
:dunno:
Geez you'd think that they were Charlie's boys if you didn't know better huh curt?
Keep me a spot Carpet Bagger, next time the NY Ninja heads down Im going with him. I know the area is lacking in pigs and the company aint much to speak of but could you at least throw a few arrow heads along the road for me to pick up? :thumbsup:
Will do mi jefe!
So I screwed up. Drowned my sorrows Saturday afternoon, spent a lot of time shooting Ray H Dark Matter that he managed to get his hands on. Went back out Sunday with Ray Reid and stayed on the 11 acre field but no hogs showed up at all, so we headed back packed up and started the trip home. That's it, don't have much more. Looking forward to the next trip already.
ALDO
Aldo it happens to everybody. I did it last year in the very same field as you. Only I did worse I had a pig at a feeder and blew the shot. Not mentioning names but at least you didn't throw your bow at the pig scream like a little girl and suck your thumb like Mike (whoops). Sorry mike I thinks that is the story I heard.
Here is some of the animals in the swamp.
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/th_deer-1.jpg) (http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/deer-1.mp4)
So where was I?
The release, So I dropped my string and the arrow was off. I didn't move an inch as the arrow traveled towards the pig. She was quartering slightly away and I watched the arrow hit where the elbow would be. Then it just disappeared! I thought for a split second I shot under her. After the arrow disappeared I see her tense up. It was like she just jumped straight up in the air and stretched her legs out as far as she could. She came back down to the earth with a splash. Then I see it, out of her neck like a faucet.
She wasted no time making her first 5 yards then she started turning to her left and slow. She was turning towards me. At about ten feet from me her front legs gave out and she slide to a stop. She was dead on her feet before she even started running.
I knew right then I had just shot my first hog.
I couldn't have gotten her in a better place either. I was dead in the middle of the South Carolina swamp
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/th_videoone.jpg) (http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/videoone.mp4)
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3160042640x480.jpg)
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3160044640x480.jpg)
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3160045640x480.jpg)
This is where she lay.
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3160049640x480.jpg)
I was shooting a 165 grn Simmons treeshark on a 2117 alum. The arrow is around 650 grn out of a 50 @ 28 Martin Vision and I pull 29.5 for all you tech junkies. lol
I got a complete pass through on my shot.
After I holly-wooded it for a few pics I had to decide how I was going to get her out. I decided to head west to the right turkey leg (the way I came in) but only trying a straight shot to the road. I didn't have any survey flagging so I was going to use tissues I had in my bag. After 100 yards and checking a reverse compass bearing so I could back to my hog I really felt uneasy about leaving the hog there. I knew I was going to have a hard time finding it again.
Anybody that has been down in that swamp knows how it all looks the same.
So I back tracked and decided that I had to drag her out. So after 45 min of dragging I was near a logging road and knew I could find her again. So off I walked to get Ray and the gator.
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3160062640x480.jpg)
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3160064640x480.jpg)
Great story tellin' and photo support, too! I don't know about you but I am missin' the swamp this week. I am already thinkin' of going back sooner than next year if'n Ray will have me back.
Speaking of...Izzy if you need a camp full shout. I am a mere 12 hours away and would like to share a camp with you in that terrible place with no pigs, no turkeys, no game whatsoever...just rocks and palmettos :biglaugh:
I wish I had video footage of Ray driving the gator down to get my hog. I tried to clear some of the limbs away as I walked back but I didn't know that didn't matter.
I caught up with ray and we headed down for the pig. Ray slowed down to about 50 MPH to hit a berm that we had to get over to get on the logging road. After we came back down to the ground and all tires were grounded I climbed out of the back of the gator and back into the passenger seat. We hurdled a brush pile on the rear two wheels and all the while Ray is just laughing at me. I thought this might be my last ride. We get to my hog and I peal my finger from the oh Sh@# handels provided by John Deer. (sorry Ray they might permanently have my finger prints in them).
We have her loaded and we are off Ray decides that he has a better trail for us to go back on. We start up that trail at a mere 100 MPH and boom it happens. We hit a stump and now we are stuck. I kinda was pleased because at this point I am still alive. I peel my knees from the dashboard and get out. Little did I know the joke was on me. I am out of the Gator and Ray is looking at me me like well aren't ya going to push me out. So I get behind the Gator and heave. NOTHING moves so now I find some logs to stuff under the tires. Now I am behind the Gator and I strain and NOTHING. SO now its back to the basics. I get a long stick to make a lever. I stuff some more logs under the tires and use my lever as a hammer to really jam the logs under those tires.
I jam the log under the rear of the Gator and I hear the engine rev. I start to lift on the lever. The tires are starting to spin and I hear them picking up speed. I strain under the weight of the Gator but it feels like I am getting somewhere. I look up but now I think I must have passed out. Alls I can see is white then the smell hits me. I know what is going on, Ray had this planned all along. He is doing a burn out so he can get more traction for more speed. I give it one last heave and we are clear of the stump. Ray says man I musta not had enough speed to get over that one. lol At this point I am thinking to myself I should walk the rest of the way home.
Ray musta seen the expression on my face because he only climbed one tree and put the Gator on two wheels one other time getting us back to the road. After a few victory donuts in the middle of the dirt road we were on our way back to the cooler to hang up my pig.
All kidding aside ray knows how to drive that Gator and the Gator needs a license plate saying
"THE BEAST".
That trip down to pick up my hog only made the trip better thanks Ray.
Don't go away yet there is still one story you don't want to miss.
Ahhhhhh,,, awesome story!
:thumbsup:
Yep, been on one of those rides with Ray in that gator. Something special for sure, LOL. Congrats on the great hunt and hog.
Congrats again Matt...really nice hog.
This weekend was a blast. A really great group of guys to hang out with. Hope our paths cross again. The afternoon winds worked against me hog hunting. Still learning this game. I will be back next year.
Benny
Great story. I hope to go back to Rays someday. Reading this only made it worse.
Great Stuff Matt, Hope to see you Saturday!
Congratulations Matt.
Now how do we entice steve to post his story???? :confused:
Well since he went swimming with his phone down in the swamps of S.C. he might have a hard time. Lol. But I might be able to post at least one story.
On the last day it was hard to get out of bed. We had put some long hours in stalking pigs rocks and tree stumps in the last two days. I could see Steve was tired and not really motivated but I told him I had a plan that just might work.
I told Steve I would do I slow still hunt to him. We would target one of the big boars I had bumped the day before. I told him this should take most of the morn and he was good with that.
Steve took off down the trail to get on stand and I gave him 20 minutes to get settled and ready.
I slowly made my way into the swamp basin and started to still hunt my way down the waters edge. The wind was blowing directly to Steve so I had to start a zig zag pattern so I might get a shot off if I did bump something. I was on my zag pattern and heading back to the waters edge when I stopped to listen. Nothing was moving the only thing I could see was the turkey buzzards and hear a few frogs croaking in the swamp. Then the crash I see a pig get up. A lone boar goes running out from behind a log. The palmetto's are like thunder as he crashes through them. I can only see the top of his back as he beats feet to get out of there. I knew he was big. He stopped at 50-70 yards then ran another 20 and stopped again. I stood there watching him go knowing Steve was down there somewhere and the hog was heading directly towards him. I stood still for 10 min so I didn't push him any faster than he was already going. Then I started my still hunt again hoping there was a great story at the end of this hunt.
And........????
What's rest of the story???
Matt, see you in a couple hours, this way I can beat the rest from you :readit:
Well I slowly made my way to Steve. I see him and I can tell something went down so I cover the last 100 yards and he says " dude he ran right by me and jumped in the swamp"
I said so you saw the hog go by?
"yeah it worked perfect. I was sitting here and I had two deer walk up to me. Then I hear a crash and I see the Palmetto's swaying back and forth. I thought it was you coming through at first then alls I see is a black back moving through palmetto's. He is coming right for me and he had to go right or left cause I was sitting on that log right there. So the pig went left and I knew I had him then. He came into 30 yards and I needed to get a clear shot. So I jump over the log and put some tension on the string. Somehow the pig musta caught my motion cause he stopped for a split second then took off right towards the water. Just as he is about to jump in I have a clear shot I pull anchor and drop the string. I watch as my arrow it goes right over his back. The pig jumped in the water and swam through the swamp".
So I ask "where is your arrow"?
He says "out in the water"
VIDEO
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/th_Gettingready.jpg) (http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/Gettingready.mp4)
I could hardly stand up because I was laughing so hard at this point but it only got better. Now remember the video earlier in the post of that nice little alligator!
VIDEO
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/th_getarrow.jpg) (http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/getarrow.mp4)
Yes you are seeing that right, that is a Yankee swimming in the S.C swamp. I was waiting for him to start doing the back stroke. We called it a day after that I could hardly stand up because my stomach was cramping because I was laughing so hard and Steve said he was a little cold after his little dip in the pond!
We got back to camp and I told Steve that it was up to him if we told the guys he missed again. He never did but he did say that I could post it here.
We are both looking forward to getting back there so we can chase those pigs again. This time though I am going to bring swimmy's for Steve.
Thanks Ray,Mike,Mike D.,Doug,Brad,Aldo,Ray R. you made it a great trip.
OK ....I can't stand it any longer...I'm actually going to post something..I guess there's a first time for everything.As Matt has already written, a bunch of great guys showed up for this trip,I'm still laughing at some of the things we talked about..seems to me that this trip matt and I had much better game plans..many more hog sightings and shot opportunities(misses)...Sorry guys about posting so late in the story..I learned this time around that the swamps will allow you to move around silently provided the wind is right...just don't leave your smartphone in your pocket while walking through waist deep water...anyway..the last day I was planning on just loading up and hanging out ..Matt dragged me out and laid down the super sneaky game plan..I was to post at the corner of where a strip of palmettos met the swamp..Matt was convinced if he didn't get a shot that I would..Finding a log to sit on..i soaked in the sounds of the southern swamps..as my mind traveled to far off places a grunt snapped me back into hunt mode..a small group of 30 pounders snuck by out of bow range...maybe matt was right...twenty minutes later I heard something busting through the palmettos... I stood on the log trying to get a better look..my eyes almost popped out when I spotted a huge pig pushing my way...I stepped off the log just as he turned my way...all the pieces where falling into place ..just as I starting to swing into draw the pig spun away.. and jumped into the waste deep swamp..the sight of him swimming away shocked me..I moved up and made a decision to shoot ..the arrow disappeared right were I wanted..I followed the pig as he half swam / galloped another 300 yards..no arrow..no signs of a hit..as stood there fighting of a massive adrenalin dump I see matt ghosting along ...
Here is a a shot of the golden arrow Steve won at his swim meet!!!!! :jumper:
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3160070640x480.jpg)
Another of my pig
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy291/biggamefish/P3160074640x480.jpg)
:clapper:
Thanks for telling the story in person Today.
Great pics.!!
Yes....that miss and story cut me deep! Lol
All in good fun. Redemption will be sweet.
So my only chance to get out was Sunday morning. I leave as daylight begins to break and my plan was to listen to turkeys to keep tabs onwhatthey were doing.
As I near a field edge I see very deep fresh rootings - big time stuff. I move up where I can glass most of the field and see nothing. Figuring they've left just minutes ago I continue my birding expedition
As I close on the opposite side of the field I see a bucketful of dirt fly up- HOG!
He is down in a hole digging
I scramble to get one of the few trees in the field between us and move in. As I get to the tree I am thirty plus yards out and drop to my knees as there's no more cover.
I watch and wait. The wind is coming from the south so it's a crosswind. So far so good. But then it begins turning a little toward the southeast so if it continues he's going to get a snoot full in a minute
Now I know better than this- but here's a 300 lb boar- a real giant throwing five gallon buckets of dirt in the air and he's moved to 27-28yards of me- the hog of my dreams isrightthere!!
So I'm on my knees but instead of being sideways to him I am facing at him which you guessed it- is going to move my arrow because I will short draw and I won't be positioned to make my normal shot.
I let it slip from my fingers- the elevation is good- perfect in fact- but it zips just by him- he immediately does a 180 and stares at the flo green fletch and blue and silver crown and knows that wasn't supposed to be there and does that "snout high and to the side" trot until, stopping a couple times on the way to check his back trail and makes for security cover!
Now I have something to work toward on future trips!
That's the attitude, Ray! I still like the idea about utilizing Squirrel Bait to draw that bad boy back out!
If you need a back-up shooter, you just let me know!!
Some great stories guy's! Boy do I want to get down there again! :campfire:
Hey Ray,
Told you to sell that bow!!!
ALDO
Aldo,
Thing is that I've got right of first refusal! :goldtooth:
I know it's not the bow - it's killed the only two pigs that it was ever shot at ;) !
Hey Bob,
It was a standing joke all weekend as I was on the list for almost the exact same bow. I now have a 2 piece carbon elite I have had for 4 seasons and it pulls 50 at 26" so getting the opportunity to shoot the dark matter as it was set up was almost worth the price of the hunt. Thanks
ALDO
As I sit here one week removed from our SC adventure and watch the now 5 inches of snow fall I am missing the beautiful bottom and swamps as well as my new friends.
What a great hunt! I can't wait to go back :campfire:
it was a really fun time with all you guys! looking forward to next year myself.
Mike, I've got openings when you are ready
What great stories guys!
And Ham is a Ham, for sure!
:thumbsup: love ya' kid!