I just got back a couple of hours ago from what has become an annual hog hunt with friends in west Texas. Pretty tired, and wind/sun burned, but I will try to get this thread started.
I got up at 1 am last sunday just as planned to head in to work for a few hours so that I could make the drive to the ranch and meat my hunting partners in the morning. I got on the road for the hunt a little after 6am, but what ordinarily would be a 3.5 hour trip turned into just a little under 6 hours, as an atypical snowstorm hit the region shortly after I got started driving and the roads were awful. I say unusual, but cold weather frequently follows Dave Sisamis when he visits Texas in February, at least 3 out of the last 4 years. My hunting partners for the trip were Dave Sisamis(dirtybird), his brother Scott, Mike Gerardi, and Bryan Bolding. I ended getting to the ranch around 45 minutes before Bryan, Mike, and Dave did, since they had to drive in the same weather as me, but had to stop for groceries and licenses on the way down to the ranch from the Oklahoma City area. Scott ended up getting there several hours later, driving up from Waco and missed out on the evening hunt.
Sunday Evening:
The wind was out of the north, so the 4 of us headed out to an area we call hog mountain which usually holds a lot of hogs. Mike crossed a set of fresh tracks headed to the west to hunt toward the road maybe half way to the south side of hog mountain, while the rest of us circled around the mountain and hunted back toward the road into the wind. The walking was tough, with drifts between 1 and 2 feet and around 8 inches on the ground overall. I can't really speak to exactly what the others saw, but all I was seeing was coyote and cow tracks with no fresh hog tracks in the area that I was covering. There was no quiet walking, as the moisture content in the snow was high enough that every step squeaked underfoot. I maintained a higher than normal pace trying to cut fresh sign, without any luck. I got back to open fields to the north of the mountain with a lot of daylight left, so I headed to the west border of the mountain, and found fresh tracks several hundred yards south of where Mike went in. I headed in and followed the tracks, but it wasn't long until I came on boot tracks. Thinking that Mike had decided to circle far to the south before working the patch toward the north, I figured the tracks were several hours old, so I started following them with some carelessness since I figured it had been worked earlier. I was surprised when I heard Mike hiss at me to stop when I was only a few hundred steps into the woods. He had a hog that he was chasing all over the place for the last several hours in front of him. He told me I should circle around the east and get to the North so the hog would wind me and possible push him out of the cover toward him. I obliged, but the hog scooted out of there without Mike seeing him. I pushed out of there to the NW to get out of Mike's way. Sorry I kind of buggered it up for Mike this day. I will let the others tell about that day if they want. I didn't see a hog that day.
:campfire: i know this is gonna be good as I just got off the phone with Dave! :thumbsup:
Monday:
Pretty cool out, but the wind was out of the SE to start the day, so Bryan and I headed out to the North of smelter tank to work the drainages back toward the tank, hoping that hogs would be bedding or rooting in the grassy creek beds and trying to stay out of the wind. We split up, with Bryan an little further to the west and a little more on the edge of the drainage. We lost track of each other and just proceded to hunt toward the tank. I saw a little black hog moving a few hundred yards to my left and quickly made to circle to keep a favorable wind and close the gap. As I crossed over a less steep section of a dried up creek bed and scrambled up the far bank, A nice 175# boar jumped up not 5 yards from where I crossed. It was bedded in the creek, and was so focused on getting to the other hog I never saw it. Kicked myself, and decided to get back to following the drainage. Cows were everywhere, and at least the noise of my footsteps could be mistaken for one of those. I had a coyote upwind of me at 35 yards looking away toward the the bottom, but I wanted a little closer, so I got behind a juniper and moved a little closer. The coyote came around and I would have had a 30 yard shot. Some 6th sense must have kicked in, because he stopped in the only spot with a small mesquite tree in the way while I was at full draw. Of course before moving on, he turned to look in my direction. He saw me, turned inside out, and was out of there. Guess I should have taken the shot when I had the chance. I few minutes later I heard a squeal in the bottom. I texted Bryan, but he didn't have reception, so I headed toward the hogs solo. I was on them right after dropping down into a flat marshy area, and a small boar was rooting in front of me. He gave me a 23 yard broadside shot, so I quickly took it. It hit him about an inch in front of where I was aiming, but it still managed to slice the heart. The boar stood stock still for a few seconds after the shot, then took off almost as if I missed. I didn't have long to worry, because a few seconds later it was rolling and doing a death squeal around 20 yards from both me and the spot it was standing. First time a hog has died within my sight, so I was pretty happy. Here is a picture of it. I must warn you, the camera on my cell phone awful.
(http://i.imgur.com/k6B0b0j.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/d7pvezR.jpg)
I marked the location of the hog on my GPS, and headed out after the sounder that had headed to the southeast with the wind in their face. Fortunate for me. I still couldn't get ahold of Bryan, and caught up to the hogs who had bedded down. Eventually Bryan caught up to me and spotted the bedded hogs, but they got up and moved out to the east. We had a risky shot at 35 yards on the move and decided not to take it, but the lead sow caught our motion and they were out of there. I had a post hole digger, and wanted to dig some pig bombs since they had been successful for me in the area last year. Bryan continued hunting while I did that. He got into hogs, but wasn't able to score on any, but I will let him tell that story if he joins in. That pretty much sums up the morning for us. The wind shifted to being out of the North for the afternoon, so Bryan and I hit hog mountain again, but I didn't see any more hogs for the rest of the day.
Tuesday:
Forgive me, but I am tired, and I am having trouble exactly remembering Tuesday morning but it will come to me. I remember that it warmed up in the afternoon and the roads got too muddy to use a lot of the roads on the ranch. The wind was out of the southeast, and it seemed like the best thing for us was to hunt all through smelter canyon to the north. I had recently had surgery on my knee and was unsure if I could handle the distance and terrain of that hunt, so I decided to hunt from smelter tank toward the north, and then maybe sit for the evening by one of the pig bombs that I had dug the day before.
The hunting manager of the ranch dropped us off at our respective hunting spots and we started hunting. By the time that I got done clearing shooting lanes and making some corn trails to a pig bomb, a little over an hour had transpired. I headed toward the north and crossed in to the drainage. I crossed a creek trying not to spook the cows on the other side, but as soon as the cows moved out of my line of site, there were to large boars around 80 yards in the field in front of me. Unfortunately, the largest was looking directly at me, while the other one continued to root. They probably weighed around 250# and 150# respectively. I stood still, and eventually the larger hog started moving around some, but was obviously still alert, while the other was unfazed. I couldn't circle to get better wind with the larger one alert, and eventually the other hog rooted toward me and got my wind. They both took off, and I spent the next 2 hours tracking the largest one until I lost the trail in other hog tracks. I headed back to my pig bomb for the evening sit, but I wasn't sitting for more than a few minutes before other events transpired, but I will let others get that ball rolling.
Wednesday:
Well, let's say the weather was suboptimal for both Wednesday and Thursday. It was in the low teens and 25 mph winds when we woke up, but we decided to wait until the wind was less than 20 to head out, which was in mid to late morning. It probably didn't get above 20 degrees and the winds stayed just under 20 for the rest of the day. It was bitterly cold on the flats for those of us from Oklahoma that aren't used to this type of weather. The winds were our of the northeast, so Mike and Bryan decided to hunt a canyon near east Y tank that runs that direction, while Dave, Scott, and I hunted another similar, but smaller, canyon just to the east of that.
We dropped one truck off to the North then parked the other truck just off of the highway to the south to begin our hunt. The hunting ranch manager asked us to drop of some corn to the North by a feeder on the way. There was a large hog feeding on the edge of the wheat field as we approached, and he was so big we initially though it was a cow. It moved off into the woods, but we decided to corn the edge of this woods as well as the feeder, and we parked the truck just a little over 100 yards past the feeder, before we headed back to park near the road.
We crossed a bull pasture, with no major events and got into the canyon, Happy that we hadn't frozen yet. It was much more comfortable being out of the wind in the canyon, and the cattle were thinking the same thing, as they were a companion for the remainder of the hunt. Fortunately, it appeared the hogs had the same idea as the cows. We fanned out and started working our way through the canyon, but it is very easy to loose track of your partners in this terrain. That was the case when I was on the far right of the canyon and looked to my left and saw a huge boar around 30 yards away and already on it's feet facing south and looking alert. I had no more than got an arrow out of my quiver when it busted out of there to the north. I met up later with Dave and Scott, and they had seen the hog before me and it had been alert to them. This hog probably was around a 350# hog. Later that morning, Scott and I came together in the bottom of the canyon, where we got pinched by the terrain. We stood for around 5 minutes discussing where Dave was, and a plan of attack for the remainder of the canyon, when a hog that had been bedded down 20 yards from us had finally had enough of our small talk and decided it was time to leave. With as much noise as we were making, you would never think that a hog would have been there, but with the wind and the constant noise of cattle moving through the snow, this was a theme that played out repeatedly. Dave had got close to a sow and some smaller ones toward the end of the hunt-able portion of this canyon, but no shot opportunities. We headed out as a group to the next area.
We were going to make a big loop through the wheat fields toward the southeast and hunt the edge of the large canyon back toward the feeder hoping that some hogs would be on the corn. On the way, Scott demonstrated awesome vision when he spotted a huge tan hog basking in the sun on the edge of a stock pond. With that color it blended in well with that portion of the bank that didn't have any snow on it. Since Scott saw the hog, he had the opportunity to put a stalk on it, but this hog must have been pretty clever. It was open to the south, so no approach. There was a weird funnel effect, and winds were swirling to him from around both sides of the pond, and the junipers to his back made an approach difficult. Scott did his best and got within 30-40 yards, but before here could get a clear shot the wind did him in. Very comfortable temperature in this bowl, so we had a short lunch before we set off for more hunting.
As we were crossing the field toward the canyon, I noticed a group of hogs along the edge of the field where we had put the corn. We hustled more to the southeast to keep the wind in our favor, and hugged the edge to get up on the hogs, with Scott in the lead. We had closed the gap pretty well, with the hogs on the edge moving in and out of cover and along the edge with no apparent pattern. Scott was kneeling along the field edge by a juniper hoping they would give him a shot, when Scott told me to look at Dave. I turned and saw had that focused look and an arrow nocked. I turned around and saw to hogs coming right toward him. I had a shot on one of them at maybe 15 yards through, but from my angle it looked like Dave had a clear shot and was waiting for them to turn broadside. My opportunity passed, as they moved into a spot with cover between me and them, then they passed out of range back the way they came. I didn't realize it, but there was thick cover between Dave and the hogs, so no shot for him. Just after that, an nice sow moved in front of Scott, but it was maybe 25 yards away and seemed to be alerted to him. Scott felt confident in the shot, but it deflected off of a branch and the hogs took off. We heard other hogs in the brush along the field edge, so Scott and Dave followed that, while I tried to parallel the edge deeper into the woods.
I was quickly surrounded by hogs, and I had a huge boar feeding quartering away, but I misjudged the distance badly, and my shot went between his legs. He bolted out of there, and must have been followed by another 15 hogs. I stood still, waiting for the woods to quiet down. A few moments later a 100# sow approached me, and started to circle me and was about to get by wind. She was taking an arc around me and when I took the shot at around 10 yards I though she was broadside. By the time I took it she was quartering towards me, and what I though was a good shot took some lung and liver, but I didn't know that until later. Dave heard the noise and texted me if I had shot and needed help. Told him I though I hit one good, but they should come to me because I was covered up in hogs. He said that they were too, so I told them to keep at it, and I went to find my hog. I really didn't wait long to start the track at all, because I though she was hit pretty good. I went to look for my arrow that I shot at the large boar, but it was buried somewhere in the snow and I could find it.
I took up the trail after the sow, following the blood on the snow. I had good blood for around 100 yards, and it started to fizzle out. Whenever she would roll or lay down under a tree, there would be a lot of blood, but then it would stop for awhile. I would mark the last spot of blood on the gps, and follow here tracks in the snow, although other hog tracks made it difficult. This went on for quite a while, until after maybe 500 yards I caught up to here and jumped her out of bed. She was hurt bad, but with the poor blood on the ground I really wanted to get another arrow into here. I took a shot into thick cover that the arrow richocheted off of, never to be found. The sow got a burst of energy, but that made it easier to find her trail, and I caught up to her in the open and put another arrow into her lungs, albeit a little high. She staggered another 20 yards and went down for good, but I saw here struggling when I was 15 yards away and put a final one in her, which was my last arrow. I came to regret that decision, because as soon as I put the final shot in her, to decent boars came in straight towards her and gave me good shots at 10 yards, but I had no arrows left. They got to her, smelled the blood, and scooted out of there. Here is a pic of her, but once again poor picture quality.
(http://i.imgur.com/YFIe88T.jpg)
The temperature was dropping, so I was quick to get her gutted and out of there. I took my 2 piece thunderchild apart and put it in my quiver, through the quiver over my shoulder, grabbed the sows feet with one hand, my gps in the other, and headed toward the field.
I eventually got back to the field and deposited the sow along the edge and caught my breath. I was standing there for a few moments, when I see a wounded hog struggling toward me from directly across the wheat field. It hadn't seen my yet, and I assumed that Dave or Scott had shot this hog, so I texted and called them leaving the message for them to get to the field quickly because their hog was there. I didn't wait for a response, because as the hog got to the middle of the field it spotted me and headed straight away. It's hind end was working properly, and I took off after it at a run. I was actually gaining on it when it hit the woods on the far side, but I had to stop to take by bow out of the quiver, and put it back together. This will come into play with Thursday's story. For now, I saw Dave and Scott several hundred yards away on the edge of the field, and the ran toward me. When they joined me, they told me that they had not shot this hog and saw me chasing it across the field and assumed I had shot it. We lost it's tracks among several other fresh sets of hog tracks. It was getting late and cold, so we headed back to camp, knowing we were coming back to this same spot the next day.
:campfire: :campfire:
Great story brewing here..
What is a pig bomb ??
A pig bomb is what we call it when you dig a hole with a post-hole digger around 2 feet deep, fill it with corn or other goodies, and cover it with a little dirt. After the hogs hit it, it looks like a bomb went off.
(http://i.imgur.com/syEIqTj.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/mRe7SG8.jpg)
Thursday: Gonna have to wait until tomorrow, as I am too bushed to continue. It was not the most productive day of hunting I have ever had, but I am pretty sure that it was the most fun day that I have ever had hunting. Definitely want to thank Dave and Scott for being a part of it and adding to it.
Sounds like a ton of fun!
:campfire: Can't wait for the rest of the story! Makin' me wanna go look for some hogs around here...
Nice Pat! That seems like a pretty cool/productive place. Nice piggies too. The last 3 years I've been down there in February the weather has been snowy. Must be a trend.. Glad you had a good time.
Going to do the rest a little at a time, since I am driving to Dallas now, and only have my cellphone.
This is awesome!!!!
I'd been talking to Mike a bit about this hunt before he left.
Can't wait to hear and see more!!
Mike had pretty good success this hunt, but I will let him tell his story.
The day started out wwth single digit temps, with 10-15mph winds oout of the northeast, an it reached a high of around 18 degrees, with the wind dropping down to 8-10mph. The lower winds made it a lot more comfortable. Bryan and Mike headed to an area a little to the northeast of where they hunted on Wednesday, and Dave. Scott and I headed back to where we hunted the day before. We corned the edge of the field and headed into the southwest corner to hunt.
We had high hopes, with the hogs concentrated from the bad weather, a little fresh snow for tracking, and cattle in the area to confuse the hogs in regards to our noisy footsteps. We had no sooner entered the woods than we hear squealing and grunting ahead of us, as we could feel the adrenaline build.
:campfire:
Hopefully Dave and Scott will fill in some details about the days events. We headed forward and quickly spotted hogs all around us, with a group bedded on top of each other under a juniper tree making all kinds of squeals and grunts, with other hogs milling around the area. Scott took the lead, with Dave and I fanning out a little behind him. As Scott moved forward, two hog approached from our right and were coming into the clear broadside 10 yards in front of me. I started to draw my bow, but just a few inches into the draw a loud 'snap' came from the top limb of my bow, and hovs started to scatter. In.my haste to put the bow together chasing the lame hog, I didn't get the string all the way in the groove, and the snap was the string settling into the groove. I was pissed at myself, and Dave didn't look too happy either, lol. Fortunately the settled back down with some bedded and some roaming just like before.
Scott kept trying to maneuver for a shot because it was thick with brush. I circled to his left to a place that Scott had previously been in case one of the bedded hogs snuck out to the left as Scott approached. As Scott crept forward, a nice boar headed straight at him through the brush, but it was so noisy that the boar heard Scott move and headed my way. I though it gave me an opening at around 7 yards away, but my shot caromed badly off of a juniper branch, turning sideways, only sslicing his ham a little. Doubly pissed at myself, as some of the hogs scooted out again. Too my surprise though, as I waited the hogs funneled back to the same bed, making just as much noise as before.
I had lost track of Dave and Scott, and thought that they might be chasing a sounder up ahead, but it turned out they were still watching the bedded hogs like me. It was too noisy to creep closer, and too much brush for any shots. The wind was good, so we waited for the hogs to make a move. Here is where my luck turned a little better.
I looked to my left, and that same boar that I had nicked was coming back in toward the bedded hogs. He was dripping from his ham, I guess he convinced himself that it was a mesquite thorn rather than a Simmons Safari that had cut him. Either that, or he just missed his friends and a warm bed. He was going straight for the bed from ahead an to my left than turned and circled toward me on my left, rooting along the way. As he passed behind a large juniper, I came to full draw and waited for him to come out on the left side of the tree.
I do not shoot that well when holding that long, but he was pretty close when I released. It hit a little high, which works when they are close and you are standing. The exit was on the offside shoulder muscle, but I hit him a little further back than I wanted to. It looked lethal, and we had decent blood. We decided to take up the trail right away with Dave taking the lead. We trailed for araround 100 yards, with it rilling a couple times. The track started curving away to the left when Scott saw a hog on the right.
Scott was kneeling behind the tree trying to tell me it was my boar, but I misunderstood and was going to continue tracking and told him to shoot it. Eventually he got through to me that it was my hog. It knew we were there, but it layed down facing away from us, gasping badly.
In hindsight, I should have waited for the Boar to die right there, but instead I went to my knees to circle to the right. The highs ears were trained on us an it started to turn it's head toward me while it was mostly facing away from me, but barely quartered. I decided to get another arrow in it, trying for the very narrow gap in from of it's hip. Well, my shot was off the mark actually hit the right ear. The big jumped up, I nocked another arrow, and in a split second three arrows were in the air. Dave's took it in the heart, mine quartered through lungs, and I think Scott's went high. It looked like tribe of aborigines had chucked spears simultaneously. The hog went around and turned to face us. For a second I thought, here we go. Quickly our concern about a charge faded, and as we watched our staggering quarry, we started saying ' oh crap, there go our arrows. Both if our wood arrows snapped as the boar went down.
In hindsight, I should have waited for the boar to die right there, but instead I went to my knees to circle to the right. The hogs ears were trained on us and it started to turn it's head toward me while it was mostly facing away from me, but barely quartered. I decided to get another arrow in it, trying for the very narrow gap in from of it's hip. Well, my shot was off the mark actually hit the right ear. The hog jumped up, I nocked another arrow, and in a split second three arrows were in the air. Dave's took it in the heart, mine quartered through lungs, and I think Scott's went high. It looked like tribe of aborigines had chucked spears simultaneously. The hog went around and turned to face us. For a second I thought, here we go. Quickly our concern about a charge faded, and as we watched our staggering quarry, we started saying ' oh crap, there go our arrows. Both if our wood arrows snapped as the boar went down.
He looked a little bigger before he was field dressed, and I look a little like the Michelin man, with all of those clothes. I would say that he went over 225#.
(http://i.imgur.com/ovrngGf.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/k9ecrsk.jpg)
Were you hunting at Spikebox? I hunted with David and Scott there about three years ago.
We dragged the hog back to the truck and headed back to the woods for more hunting and many more opportunities, but for now I am going to wait for Dave to chime in about his experiences. Scott is probably still driving back to California, and I know that Mike is away and probably won't be able to post until Monday.
Pat, very cool stuff here bud!!! Nice to finally see a pic that doesn't look like it's underwater too :campfire:
LOL. That was the first one when someone else was there to take a picture with a better cellphone. Yeah, can't wait until Mike can share some of his experiences.
Good deal Pat.Glad your on the mend and out hunting.RC
Thanks, Robert. I wasn't even sure what I would be able to do on this hunt, having had surgery on both my left knee and shoulder a couple months ago. The knee held up very well with the aid of a brace, and my hunting partners were pretty patient with me. Leading up to the hunt, I wasn't doing much practice because I tore a muscle in my back, then aggravated it slipping on the ice. I wasn't able to shoot my heavier bows, but my 50# thunderchild still did fine. In the heat of the moment, I barely remember drawing it. It has now accounted for around 1600 pounds of hogs. Good things sometimes come in small packages.
That's a nice hog for sure. Congratulations
congrats nice hunt and thanks for sharing
what all goes in the pig bomb? i've seen a few recipes, but am curious.
Did'nt know what to think about the weather in Texas when we arrived. But turned out to be a great trip.
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/IMG_20140202_081720041_HDR_zps07c03098.jpg) (http://s178.photobucket.com/user/MGERARDI_2007/media/IMG_20140202_081720041_HDR_zps07c03098.jpg.html)
Way cool, congrats!
Please I don't mean to take anything away from this awesome thread. Just giving an example of our Pig Bomb from our hunt....
A pig bomb that Don Wilson and I made in Tx a few years back....
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/P1060419.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/P1060421.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/P1060423.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/P1060424.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/P1060425.JPG)
• (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/P1060426.JPG)
Sour corn, corn, kool aid, and that bag of "Hog Wild" Don brought.
We just dug a hole about 2 feet deep and layered eveything like a cake with dirt between and pouring in some water too.
I made some trickle trails to help them find the bomb....the results were amazing.... Pic of detonation to follow
We have made this trip with the same people for the past three years. Every year I looked forward to spending a week with my friends in Texas hunting Hogs. At the end of last years hunt we were up in the air if we would make it back this year. Dave and Bryan had a Elk hunt in Colorado, Pat was scheduled for surgery and I went to Montana. Budget concerns and other plans seemed likley to cancel this years Texas trip. This past summer Dave and I had all but canceled the hunt, agreeing that we would not go this year and focus on other hunting interest in other places. This November during "Turkey" day Daves brother Scottie was home and rekindled interest in the trip. Sometime in December we all decided to pull the trigger and head down. It turned out to be a great trip with alot of memories that I will not soon forget.
Great hunt. Amazing what a 50 lb bow can do in the right hands. Really hated to cancel out Pat but I had too much going on.I'll get there with you some day.
Rewind to Christamas for a min. Every year my Wife and I have a Christmas Eve party at the house. Family and friends stop by from 2pm on. This year I had a suprise gift for Dave and was looking forward to him opening it. Turns out Dave had a suprise of his own . Once Dave arrived he handed me a box and my Wife handed me a letter. They had both gone in and ordered me a Dale Dye and it was due to arrive in January. Wow!! How awesome is that??!! Hugs and hand shakes....it was time for the wait until the bow arrived! And no matter how long the wait... it always seems to be forever. Good friends are hard to find. Great friends are even harder.
This is the bow that arrived around the second week of January. Dale Dye take down. 61@ 28. 60in long.
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/IMG951314_zpsfa11d588.jpg) (http://s178.photobucket.com/user/MGERARDI_2007/media/IMG951314_zpsfa11d588.jpg.html)
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Really pretty bow. Love the dark wood.
Sounds like a really fun hunt !
Congrats on your success and hope you continue to heal quickly..
Great hunt, story, and pics ... glad I'm on this hunt in my PJ's drinking hot coffee at home ... looks a bit chilly
Thanks for the pig bomb info, looks like the real deal
:campfire: :shaka:
Some pics of Frozen Texas..
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/DSCF1429_zps8b82c4d3.jpg) (http://s178.photobucket.com/user/MGERARDI_2007/media/DSCF1429_zps8b82c4d3.jpg.html)
Sounds like a great hunt despite the weather. WOW! Beautiful bow Mike!
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/DSCF1433_zps50cca2f9.jpg) (http://s178.photobucket.com/user/MGERARDI_2007/media/DSCF1433_zps50cca2f9.jpg.html)
Thanks Frank and Bowmag. That cocobolo grain just pops.
First day we all entered an area that holds alot of hogs and every year there are a bunch of opportunities. Fresh tracks went under a fence to the east of the access road. After a half mile walk in 6 inches of snow ,I decided to go in and see if I could get close or maybe even get a shot. I was'nt 15 min in and had a large boar at 20 yards. He had just stood up in a bed under a small pine tree. I had a clear shot broad side but had to thread the needle through some branches. I came to anchor and let my first shot of the 2014 hog hunt slip from my fingers.
As the bright chartruse fletch closed into my spot I watched as the fletch kicked to the left and hog take off from his bed. The arrow was sticking out of his hip and penetration looked minamal, less than two inches. The arrow broke off after he spun and I watched him run out of sight into the pines. The thoughts that ran through my head are not fit to type. I waited some time and started to walk to the area were he was bedded. There was a very limited amount of blood on the ground and the snow now seemed to be my friend not foe.
After a replay in my head I wondered if it was possible to have cut an artery, maybe I could get lucky. I tracked him for 200 yards before finding him standing in a low area just behind some brush. I stood there for 15 min or so just watching the boar trying to get a stalk on him. I heard a sound behind me and turned to see Pat just off to my right. I got his attention and he tip toed over to me. I showed him the boar and he agreed go down wind to try and bump him my way. This never came to be as he ran off when Pat began to circle him. Inspection of the area where he stood had blood but nothing great. The next morning I tracked that hog all the next morning. I had blood for over 1.5 miles in the snow. He never bedded and kept moving.
The next afternoon I did not have any more opportunities and only saw a few hogs at a distance.
Tuesday we decided to work an area that had high walls with deep canyons. I got on hogs early and worked my way infront of a group to a low area. I was looking for an area that was low enough to get close. Before I knew it Bryan, Scottie and Dave were standing to my left. Dave slid down on his side to try and get a shot. I slid down on my side and waited for a shot. A sow circled around towards me giving me a 15 yard shot. Once again it was one of those "Thread the needle" shots. Thinking there is no way I'm going to screw this up twice the same trip, I let it fly!!!
WOW!!!!! Is a good choice of words to describe this wonderful hunt with wonderful people that I enjoy being around and consider family.
The FACT that this hunt even happened this year is testament to a great brother and great friends. Last year was a very rough year for me, but this year has been off to one of the best in past memory.
Day one we were in to hogs and I was able to connect on a nice hog toward the evening. Getting late I decided to wait till morning. Next morning my brother and I took up the trail. Not far into the trail we jumped a jack rabbit that ran off to around 30 paces away. I watched my brother make a superb shot on the rabbit. We gutted and skinned the bunny and stuffed it with snow and in my pack. We later bumped into Mike who happen to find my hog, or should I say what was left from the coyotes. The coyotes seemed even thicker this year than in years past and they made quick work of what I'd say was a 120-150lb piggie.
BAM!!! Deflection, squeeling, hit the rear ham. WHAT!! nO!! I can't tell how much penetration the arrow got and I watch her run to my left. The look on my face was like back in kindergarden when the teacher told me not to eat the paste!! What do you mean..This stuff is great...Duh. I could not believe I had done it again. Bryan walks over to me and we start following blood. Not too far ahead after navigating through some thick brush Brayn says he has some good blood up ahead.
Day Three:
We headed for an area where Mike, Bryan, Scottie and I spit up to head in to the wind. Mike and Bryan headed one way and my brother and I another. It wasn't long before we got into some piggies. WE tried best we could to close the gap but the snow was extremely crunchy. We got very close to around twenty yards but the wind shifted for a split second and that was that. We ran after them and tried to get close again and got to within thirty and I let an arrow fly just missing. They moved a bit and Scottie shot as well and had the same result as me, a miss. We laughed and moved on as the hogs really scooted after those two close calls. As we continued on we heard hogs in the distance and came to a big drainage. As luck would have it Mike and Bryan were there closing the gap just like us. We all waited and watched from high above the canyon walls. I could tell Mike was getting itchy bow fingers as he was slowly making his way down. I decided to circle out far and wide to drop down in the drainage with the wind in my favor to possibly bump the hogs towards the others or present a shot for myself. A good half and hour later I was less than thirty yards away from a very large number of hogs. I was near a big tree that I was contemplating which way to go around when I heard Mike shoot and a hog squeal. Hogs scattered everywhere so I backtracked quickly to cut off and exit route. At first some hogs just stood around and looked to see what just happened. Mike and Bryan were talking and the hogs started to run out of the drainage. I was lucky enough to be in position to make a shot on a nice sow running full go and hit her a bit forward. My brother headed towards me and Mike and Bryan went the other direction. At first the blood trail was just crazy. Blood was sprayed out everywhere. But as we kept on the trail I was getting more concerned. After a very long track with assistance from my brother we able to catch up with my hog to put the final touches on her. Once again, another great moment shared with my brother. One of the prettier hogs I have ever shot. Pat will post a pic shortly.
This is the blood trail Bryan found.
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/BLOODTRAIL_zps7769c2e1.jpg) (http://s178.photobucket.com/user/MGERARDI_2007/media/BLOODTRAIL_zps7769c2e1.jpg.html)
I told myself that there is no way this hog is getting away. Bryan is just as determined as I and we head out. We tracked this sow for an easy 600 yrds. The hog had run within three feet of Pat and Pat told us we could move up quickly to where he was. Still on blood and now a little over 800 yrds into this Bryan tells me he sees the hog. I ask if she is down and he syas, "No!".
I move up in time to see the hog running and then stop. She goes into a thick cover area and beds down. I moved uo to find an opening "cause I'm good at those shots!" Ha. She waits until Im close and moves off real slow to another spot and beds again. I was able to close up within 20 yards and put another arrow in the lungs. At this point she does a false charge and everyone takes a step back. I had no plan and was happy she did'nt. Another double lung shot and it was over.
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/MG_5194_2_zpsa8cdbf5d.jpg) (http://s178.photobucket.com/user/MGERARDI_2007/media/MG_5194_2_zpsa8cdbf5d.jpg.html)
(http://i.imgur.com/YA6KoLh.jpg)
And here is one that shows the bow a little better.
(http://i.imgur.com/o2VOSWn.jpg)
Scene of the crime.
(http://i.imgur.com/UJIpicE.jpg)
Just so I don't forget to mention it. Scott and Dave are both excellent cooks. Scott marinated his jackrabbit in a special blend and cooked it in a stew that we ate a few days later. It tasted awesome, pretty much like a good beef. Someone with his cooking skills could probably eat just about anything that he wants to.
Great work guys and story's also THXS for sharing! Dave that dale dye is beautiful someday I would love to make it down with you guys
Bryan and I glassed an area on the opposite ridge early Thursday morning. Several hogs were feeding in an area with alot of pines and blond grass. We found an area that we could climb up down wind and begin our stalk. Once there the hogs were gone and signs of fresh rooting were everyware. This spot seemed good. There was no wind and the temp was 10 degrees warmer. Cows fed around us and several calfs and full size cows were bedded. Bryan and I were excited with teh area and took it real slow. Just past an opening about 35 yards away Bryan asked if a small dark blob under a pine was a hog. I looked through a pair of quality swarovski bino's and saw what I thought was a calf. Bryan asked me to take another look. He thought it was a hog. I said,"Dude!" its a calf and looked through the bino's again. This time I wasnt sure. I'm thinking, "You dummy your looking through Bino's"
Just then all four stand up from thier beds. Bryan and I at the same time, like excited 12yr old kids yell...out loud... Javies!! and each fling an arrow. Both shots missed. I quickly got another arrow on the string and sent it infront of the right shoulder and out the left side. The other three just walked off. The one I hit went less than 10 yards and stopped. I was able to step out and finish it with a double lung. The first shot paced off at 28 yrds.
FIRST JAVELINA
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/DSCF1436_zps1ac0c37e.jpg)
This is the area the seperated me and the javie from the truck. I was going to have to climb down then back up the other side over three high rises to make it back. Total distance was about 500 yrds. I did not want to drag it so I cut a pine limb and wore it like a javie purse.
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/DSCF1433_zps50cca2f9.jpg)
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/DSCF1440_zps007d9d3a.jpg)
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/MGERARDI_2007/MG956742_zps33f8bd0e.jpg)
Great job on the javie, Mike. I am going to post a pic of Bryan's hog. I don't know if anyone has any details of the chase of this hog. I wasn't hunting with him at the time, but I know that it was a quartering shot that pierced the heart, and the hog still went nearly 250 yards. Crazy how tough these critters can be. It was a fine sow, probably just under 175#.
(http://i.imgur.com/vkas7lO.jpg)
I think I was excited as Mike that he got a javelina. How cool I thought. Two years prior my brother and I were very close to getting shots at a small group of javies in the same area. What a great day.
I was with Bryan when he shot that hog. She about walked into his lap and he heart shot her at 12 yrds. We tracked her 300 yrds. He did not center punch the heart the broadhead put a good slice in it.
Sweet bow Mike and a nice javie.
:thumbsup: Way to make the best of bad weather conditions. Many would have headed home. White stuff sure does make piggys stand out, been there done that!
Thanks Izzy. Special bow for sure.
Hunt it, it was colder in Texas that week than back home in Ohio. So much for increasing my vitamin D.
I am glad you all had such a great hunt,congrats.
Nice Pat Congrats. Looks like a great time.
Great stories everyone. That place looks awesome. Congrats to all!
I would like to thank everyone who has commented or read this thread for all the nice comments. I would also like to thank those of who I shared this hunting camp with and consider all of them very close friends. Memories that will stay with me as long as I keep my mind and my broadheads sharp. Thank you all.
David
Man, that looks like a frozen adventure for sure!
Congrats to all you guys!
Bisch
Great story guys! Thanks.
:bigsmyl:
Good luck getting out and with the hunt :thumbsup:
great pics. love it.
Great thread fellas :notworthy:
Dave, the pleasure was all mine. I love hunting with you guys. It is great when everyone is just as happy for someone else's kill as they are for their own. Can't wait to do it again.
You know Pat, that's the beauty of hunting with great friends. I was super excited to watch you shoot your monster boar. And I believe I can speak for all of us that we were all very happy to hear Mike shot a javelina. :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Brothers from another Mother. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Got my mount from my nice boar back a couple weeks ago and figured I would post a pic of it. I think it came out pretty nice.
(http://i.imgur.com/Hor3RLs.jpg)
This is the first thing that I have had mounted other than a few european mounts. Got a partner for it coming in few weeks as well.