Just wanted to take you folks along with us as the excitement builds. A few months ago a few Tradgangers began planning a hunt on the Waccamaw river for 3 days after Christmas.
We were supposed to have about 5 or 6 guys coming to hunt but then life happened and it turns out it will just be two.
Here is the river from some pics I took within the last couple weeks.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/DSCN0776_zpsb0052242.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/DSCN0776_zpsb0052242.jpg.html)
This will be our camp location
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/DSCN0779_zps9da00cc8.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/DSCN0779_zps9da00cc8.jpg.html)
More pics of our camp location
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/DSCN0787_zps51445bd8.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/DSCN0787_zps51445bd8.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/DSCN0786_zpsc1ac683f.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/DSCN0786_zpsc1ac683f.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/DSCN0778_zps643393c3.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/DSCN0778_zps643393c3.jpg.html)
More pics of the river
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/0917130849_zps8465e845.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0917130849_zps8465e845.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/0917131455_zps6263a644.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0917131455_zps6263a644.jpg.html)
We also get to carry Stalker bows Jackal along with us. It is a great shooting and beautiful bow and with any luck we harvest some critters with it.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/1221130842a_zps273996e4.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1221130842a_zps273996e4.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/1221130842_zpsd22e3e26.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1221130842_zpsd22e3e26.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/1221130841_zpsa0d72307.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1221130841_zpsa0d72307.jpg.html)
I will tell ya how it went on the 29th but until then wish us good luck!
Looks like a great place , good luck Damon :thumbsup:
Nice.. as long as that river level holds I like your camp site. Looks like a fun time is in store, game or no game.
Good luck on your hunt.
Is that a WS Pungo Kayak ?(I have two) Have you used it before for hunting ? Ever hauled out a deer or pig using it ? How did it perform.
ChuckC
fine pics. I had planned on hunting with you guys but stuff got in the way. That is a beautiful place. Reminds me of the Satilla River here close to home. I know you guys will have fun.Take a lot of pics and good luck.RC
Nice! :wavey:
Chuck I use the kayak all the time for hunting but I haven't had to haul anything out with it yet. It is a WS Manteo and so far it does all I need it to.
We will use the kayaks this trip for the sneak attack but I also have the john boat to haul stuff out.
RC wish you could have made it and don't worry we will take some pics.
Good luck. Looks like the making of a fine hunt.
I'd go just for the camping on the river if I was closer.
bretto
:coffee:
Looks a lot nicer than the white stuff we're slogging around in up here, good luck I'll be watching for the report! :thumbsup: :campfire:
Good Luck, looks like you will have a great time. :campfire:
goodluck guys take lots of pics and put some bacon down!!
Looks like a Great Place. Have a Great Hunt!
Wish I was closer bud...good luck!!!
Chuck, that's probably one of the higher parts on the Waccamaw river, this is the low country.
Wish you good fortune nomad, will be waiting to hear the stories while cleaning a whitetail 1/1. Sorry I had to miss this hunt.
Well we made it outta the woods alive and so did all the hogs. We did a lot of searching and found a lot of sign but it seems these hogs were getting a lot of pressure and being pushed around. I do have some pics to share and will try to get them up soon.
Look forward to hearing about the trip.RC
Here is the start of the trip down the river after a short hunt near the landing. It was raining a bit so I didn't carry the camera for that first morning.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0795_zps52edf862.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0795_zps52edf862.jpg.html) (http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0794_zps883596f9.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0794_zps883596f9.jpg.html)
Hopefully Knawbone made it home and can post his pics too
Knawbone
Here is what camp looked like! The water level came up and our beach was under water when we got there.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0796_zps04615e75.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0796_zps04615e75.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0797_zpsd96ebf76.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0797_zpsd96ebf76.jpg.html)
Looking forward to more bud!
Sleeping was rough for me at camp. I had the suspicion that evil spirits were trying to scare us away. There was loud banging and loud screams throughout the night. Then Knawbone confirmed my suspicion when he found this guy.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0801_zpsfd8c94d0.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0801_zpsfd8c94d0.jpg.html)
Turns out it was just some rowdy duck hunters that camped too close to us and liked shooting their guns. I think they had some dynamite too!
Mostly everywhere we went we found good hog sign but couldn't seem to catch up with them. We walked quite a bit and we both wished we had some hip waders.
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/1227130932_zpsa62ef8d5.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1227130932_zpsa62ef8d5.jpg.html)
Here is bed that you could see the imprint of the hogs hair in.
Some more pics
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/1227131619_zps6850cc2a.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1227131619_zps6850cc2a.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/1227131625_zps3e9e9251.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1227131625_zps3e9e9251.jpg.html)
"Boone" Stalker Jackal XT
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0798_zps721a1c6b.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0798_zps721a1c6b.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0806_zps2d5e486c.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/DSCN0806_zps2d5e486c.jpg.html)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/1227131717_zps1f011753.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1227131717_zps1f011753.jpg.html)
Knawbone will be on soon to post pics and tell his story. I am pretty sure he has some good ones.
Here's what I learned:
*Never plan a hunt to public land when most people are on vacation, and definitely not when kids are out of school!
*Make sure your sleeping bag is a warm one.
*I have much to learn about hog hunting.
*You can never scout too much
*A river is not a street
*Always check the base of a deadfall or big tree for game
Things to get for next time:
*Hip waders
*a cot (Thanks for bringing an extra Dave)
*Hot melt glue (It works well for repairing rubber boots)
Well. all I can say is this hunt was well worth the trip from NY to SC. Damon is top shelf, and I think he and I will be hunting together in the not so distant future. I think I can honestly say we had a great time hunting the Waccamaw, even though the pigs didn't cooperate. Thursday the 26th found us at the boat landing bri (http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013002_zpse1e37e7d.jpg) (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013002_zpse1e37e7d.jpg.html) ght and early.
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013001_zps0677b283.jpg) (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013001_zps0677b283.jpg.html)
Damon's arrival, the day after Christmas
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013004_zps42796a58.jpg)[/URL
We were the only people at the landing Thursday morning. Things were looking good.
[URL=http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013003_zps6f57feca.jpg.html] (http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013003_zps6f57feca.jpg) (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013004_zps42796a58.jpg.html)
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013005_zpsc66c5f79.jpg) (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013005_zpsc66c5f79.jpg.html)
Here we go with Damon on the helm. Our first hunt would be close to the landing as we waited for the weather to finish spitting. No sense getting the equipment wet first thing.
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013014_zps21668857.jpg) (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013014_zps21668857.jpg.html)
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013012_zps71f9e3d5.jpg) (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013012_zps71f9e3d5.jpg.html)
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013010_zps71ff593e.jpg) (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013010_zps71ff593e.jpg.html)
(http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u615/dbb24/Waccamawpighunt2013009_zps513b77fd.jpg) (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/dbb24/media/Waccamawpighunt2013009_zps513b77fd.jpg.html)
The kitchen and living room!
A slight mist Thur. morn, gave way to beautiful weather for the remainder of the hunt. Friday and Sat. found temps into the sixties with moderate wind. I think we could have found some pigs if the duck hunters hadn't been around. I had no idea it was duck season, other than the fact it sounded like world war three early and late in the day. We didn't let the duck hunter's spoil our fun, but instead kept hunting hard in search of our quarry. Can't wait to do it again!