On the road headed home but have some stories to tell and some vids to share. :readit:
Izzy kill some pigs? Can't wait to share this one, bro!
Happy Birthday too!
Bisch
:thumbsup:
:campfire: Coffee is on, brother. Can't wait to hear it!
Looking forward to hearing about your trip. Safe travel
Waiting patiently... :campfire:
Can't wait! Happy Birthday bro :clapper:
Happy Birthday Izzy. I have been anxiously awaiting your groups stories.
Have a safe trip home.
Made it home and rested, Ill tell a bit before I have to roll out. My traveling crew was made up of me of course, Cuz, Ken Thornhill (KAT), Steve Helstowski, and Jeff Vadney (Bear Misser) all members of Mohawk Hudson Traditional Archers as well as myself and Cuz, members of the infamous Puerto Rican Outdoorsmen.
We pulled into Estill on Thursday 2:00pm after a smooth 16 hour drive and were invigorated by the sun and 60 something temps after our brutal winter, bought our licenses at Wiggins, stretched our legs and ate some down home goodness at Lesters BBQ while waiting to be picked up by Andrew Harper. Mmmmmmm Mmmmmmmm it was good.
We had all been to Hog Heaven previously and all had an idea of how the hunt could turn out but were only familiar with the old camp Hog Heaven. Let me tell you what, the new camp is like a little piece of outdoorsmens heaven in a scenic and welcoming compound. The camp truly reflected Southern Hospitality at its finest. Smell of pine, birds of all kinds, Spanish moss, a beautiful pond sprinkled here and the with lil "gatahs". I was in my glory and could feel civilization and its all of its pressures and dramas leaving me with every exhaled breath. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/IMG_2027.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/IMG_2027.jpg.html)
"smooth 16 hour drive". Really???
Sounds like a good time. Looking forward to the story and the pics of all the successful hunts! :thumbsup:
Happy Birthday!! :archer:
:coffee: :coffee: :coffee:
After a quick unpacking Cuz, Steve and I hit the woods close to camp for a walk and scout just to see what was on the new section of property. Not a whole lot of hog sign close by but I did find something else that I love about the Savannah River bottoms. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/DSCN0077.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/DSCN0077.jpg.html)
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Nice!
Friday was the 1st day for all of us to hit the swamps together and not much action for some but one of us did get into em and I aint telling another fellas story. :goldtooth: It rained a good bit on and off and left us pretty much drenched. We hunted all day and it started to dry by days end. We did some corning of the roads and ditches thanks to lessons learned from Terry Green on a previous hunt and things started to pick up hog wise.
Happy birthday young man
By days end the swamps shared their secrets with me at the cost of only a rain soaking and some tired legs. I now had my plan of action for Saturday morning if the weather man was wrong with his prediction of 97% chance of heavy rains and damaging winds. :banghead:
QuoteOriginally posted by frassettor:
Happy birthday young man
Thanks Brutha, Im 43 years old now but don't feel a day older than 42.
Even lost a few pounds and added a little bit o muscle this winter in an attempt to keep father time at bay. Now that Andrew isn't feeding me Ill start back on my lighter eating routine and be in camo speedo condition come summer. To be honest, as much as we walked I could have eaten anything I want and still come out negative on calories by days end.
It's a shame you had to rough it. :biglaugh:
Looking forward to reading the rest. This has me all jazzed up to go on a hog hunt.
Happy B-Day!
As always I had to take pics of the beauty that is the Savannah River bottoms. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/DSCN0056.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/DSCN0056.jpg.html)
(http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/10921725-da7d-4d29-bcb5-c9afc7074ea1.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/10921725-da7d-4d29-bcb5-c9afc7074ea1.jpg.html) You dont see many trees of this calibre in my parts where too many people hate trees and anything that is not a mall or a McMansion.
I believe this is some type of dogwood and it flat out filled one section of road with its sweet fragrance. Nothing like this to be found home yet this spring. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/DSCN0058.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/DSCN0058.jpg.html)
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: We will be there tomorrow evening, can't wait!
Happy birthday Izzy ... 43 years young :thumbsup: keep it coming
Nice pictures...keep it comin :coffee:
Izzy, looks like a shadbush.
I will echo Izzy on the acomodations. Andrew has done a great job.
The 'bunk house is virtully new, clean, and inviting. The food and hospitality we were shown was top notch.
Here is a pretty common photo with short a tale to go with them.
(http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss311/thornhill_bucket/WildThing7.jpg) (http://s587.photobucket.com/user/thornhill_bucket/media/WildThing7.jpg.html)
The water was very high, and was running really fast through this creek.
Having said that; I need to tell you about a stalk I put on Friday.
We had all split up, and were still hunting, when I decided to make my way to the 'Turkey Foot;.
As I walked up the trail heading to my destination, I suddenly heard a guttural growl coming from an area just off to my left. Ha! game on.
I crouched low, and started toward the noise, with visions of what I would find. Maybe a big boar, or even a couple of boars in a standoff. The adrenaline started to pump, and the stalk was on.
I was straining to hear the rustle of leaves as I got closer, but I heard nothing but the rush of water running through the creek I was approaching.
Step by step brought me closer to the sound, and I had to be getting close.
Did I get busted, or was he still there? I didn't hear him leave. The anticipation was building as I rounded the final corner, then there it was again, just 15 yards ahead. The noise was strange, but was so loud that I actually jumped when I heard it.
Just a few more steps, and I will be right on top of him.
I brought a nocked arrow up, and was ready for the shot, when I saw exactly what I was stalking.
(http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss311/thornhill_bucket/WildThing9.jpg) (http://s587.photobucket.com/user/thornhill_bucket/media/WildThing9.jpg.html)
Yup! There was my boar.
The water was rushing so fast that the whirlpool would get deeper, and deeper, then cavitate. The air getting sucked down made a roar that could be heard from 75 yards away. It would then start all over again, so every 5 minutes, my 'boar' would sound off again.
I smiled to myself, and thought of how good the anticipation felt.
No hog, but the fun was in the chase. Off I went search of something a little more tasty.
:campfire: :coffee:
Great so far!
KATs dueling boar hogs pulled the wool over my eyes too. Not once Im afraid but twice. The funnel sounded exactly like hogs and the intermittent frequency of the sound made it all the more believable.
As I was aging, I mean saying, I noticed that Andrew had some bags of corn lying around camp so asked him if I could borrow some to corn the roads. The entire hunting party loaded up with corn and scattered it for quite some distance along the roads in ditches and hoggy looking areas. This was a late evening hunt and it wasn't long before it got good and dark and it was raining hard so we left without any hog confrontations that night.
Tuned in. :coffee:
The next morning we were almost hesitant to leave the camp, a little apprehensive after hearing the 97% chance of rain, large hail and damaging wind forecast. We ate a quick "light breakfast" grabbed the goretex and drove off to the swamp, getting there a wee bit past sun up.
From the pictures that place looks like it is all about hoggy looking areas!
way cool Bro and happy birthday and it looks like ya'll had a good one :campfire: :clapper:
ya'll had a great group of fellas right there . keep it comin :thumbsup:
:campfire:
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
[QB] The next morning we were almost hesitant to leave the camp, a little apprehensive after hearing the 97% chance of rain,
Reminds me of the bacon strip! Keep it coming... :campfire: :coffee:
We parked at the "PicNic Area" which is more or less a centralized area with chairs, table, target and old outhouse. Our group split up with 2 headed to scout untouched areas and myself, KAT and Jeff headed east toward the Turkey Foot. As soon as we got to the area that I had started coring the night before, I saw that all of the corn had been vacked up. We hit some soft mud and there it was, big pig tracks made only minutes before in my mind.
Slipping into serious game on mode, We rounded a bend in the trail and there stood a big boar hog next to a big puddle I had corned heavily the night before. He was on the move soon and I couldn't tell which of the 3 branches of Turkey Foot he'd taken. The boar sounding creek whirlpool that Kat mentioned fooled me again and led me to choose that trail in search of the boar. Long story short, it wasn't him I heard and he was long gone. I decided to get deeper into the swamp toward the are that Id killed a hog on my 1st trip to Hog Heaven.
:campfire:
I stalked along to a road that branched off from the Turkey Foot and left the road into the swamp. It brought back memories of many hogs seen and one that I had killed a few years ago. Sign was fresh and plentiful. Scat of both deer, and hogs, hog nests, rooting and intoxicating swine stank! I was in "The Bed Room", a name dedicated to the memory of the hottest hog hunting Ive ever seen which was at the Bacon Strip.
I sat for a while on a log at the waters edge and just took it all in watching the Nat Geo channel in real life. Birds, bugs, aquatic critters and just took it in putting me in a trance like state.
While Izzy was checking out one branch of the turkey foot, Jeff and I were following the corn we had put on another branch. There was not a kernel left, but no sightings from the road.
For a 97% chance of bad weather, it was pretty warm with a hot sun beating down on my face. We still hunted our way back to the truck at about noon to meet up and compare notes or hopefully drag something out.
I got to my truck second, and then two more joined us shortly. Then time passed as we were one man short. We were speculting on why the last man was late in joining us.
Come on Izzy! :thumbsup:
So after sitting and thinking of my next move I turned around and immediately my mind was in deja vu mode. I remember having all day pig encounters in habitat similar to what I was looking at. When pigs are jumped in the thickets, in my experience at least they don't want to leave and merely keep tabs on you and try to get your wind.
I got up from my sitting log and began my stalk into the thick bedding cover. I looked at my watch and it was 11:30 and our agreed upon gathering time was 12:00. I had just enough time to mosey out to the rendezvous and be there on time.
No sooner than I entered the thicket that Id been sitting within 80 yards of, I heard an exhale, nothing dramatic just a breath being exhaled. While looking to pinpoint its origin I start to see the palmettos moving and catching glimpses of black and brown moving back and forth. Soon I could see a small black hog 10 yards in front of me stand up from its bed. I couldn't see which end was facing me due to the thick river cane so I held off for a minute on my shot. It never gave me a chance and it bolted out away from me.
I could see 2 big ones backs starting to move away so I rushed into the cane and palmettos with an arrow on the string. This was more than they were willing to tolerate as I was right in the middle of a sounder of approximately 20 hogs ranging from 10 to 150+lbs. Trust me if you've never been but its a neat experience :goldtooth:
Nice. Looks like you are into them. Did you just pack it up and head toward the truck? LOL.
Oops. Look like I missed a post in progress.
All at once the sounder started moving between me and a giant fallen gum tree and then headed toward the waters edge. One of them must have really been angry about being woken up wanted one last look at me to tell me what it thought. It popped its front end out from behind a tree and before I knew what happened that magical spiral of a helical fletched arrow was spinning away from me in slow motion.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
With a perfect thunk sound at 20 yards I was sure she was hit just a hair back of the 10 ring but she ran a bout 20 more yards and stopped. I was waiting for her to get tipsy but she never did and ran into the brush with her companions. I grabbed up the arrow that I shot her with and chased after her. To me pig hunting is a dynamic pursuit and I try to make things happen as opposed as watching and waiting silently as when deer hunting. I quickly lost sight of them in the brush and slowed up to look for blood.
At the point of the hit there was nothing more than 2 or 3 drops of blood and although the arrow looked bubbly I got that feeling in my stomach of big, angry butterflies. Looked back at my watch and saw that it was 12:30. I figured that the boys would think a gator got me and start dividing up my property if I didn't get back to them. I headed in for a debriefing and some help of 8 more tracking eyes and besides I figured if we found a pig I could convince them that my back hurt or that since my birthday was the next day they should drag for me.
:clapper: :clapper:
I made it back to the truck at 1:00 and told them what went down. We grabbed a game cart and headed back to look for the hog. After some questioning as to why I chose to shoot one so far from the truck we finally arrived at the scene.
Jeff picked up on blood first after I gave him a good visual of what went down and where. The blood was sparse and looked really sketchy. I knew, knew, knew I hit her good but the sign didn't mach up with where I saw the arrow hit.
We were now late to get back to the main camp and Andrew had a suspicion that something went down in the swamp. Soon we caught glimpse of him riding the trails on his Gator so I told the fellas to keep looking and I ran out to the trail to let Andrew know what was going down.
As he and I started walking back in to the last blood to meet up with the fellas I could see them all leaving the swamp back to the trail. I thought to myself "Whats The Deal?" "Why'd They Quit So Damn Soon?" As I got nearer to them I noticed that they each had a black hoof in their hand and were carrying my pig out to the road. Jeff found her right at the spot where I told him I had my last visual of her. :bigsmyl: :thumbsup: :goldtooth: :jumper:
A damn good, eventful hunt just the way I like em. The boys were awesome giving encouragement that all of what I told them should conclude with a dead hog. And as a bonus Andy was there so we loaded her Jeff and Ken on the Gator and Cuz, Steve and I started the long, elated walk back to the pic nick area.
Here we are, not at the kill site but some of the boys have pics of that that Ill hope they'll post up soon. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/IMG_2037.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/IMG_2037.jpg.html)
The entire weekend was awesome, from the swing and a miss weather man whose 97% chance of rain prediction didn't happen to the travel to and from. The road trip back was eventful but all good. We wrangled a gator from the middle of the highway like Troy Landry himself, thwarted highway men who bit off more than they could chew and laughed and told hunting lies all the way home.
Thanks fellas you guys rock. Your some damn good hunting partners. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/IMG_2044.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/IMG_2044.jpg.html) Ken, Cuz, Steve and me. Jeff left before the pic. Im already planning the next hunt.
Attaboy buddy! Congrats :campfire:
Congrats Izzy, a Finer tracking crew could not be had!
Congrats on your hog and happy birthday! Sounds like a great trip.
Jon
Theres more yet to come from all of us but Ima let the fellas tell their tales as the choose. :readit:
Congratulations, my swine shooting friend! Great job!
Happy Birth Day Izzy!!! Congrats on the pig!!! I'm waiting to hear the rest!!
Congrats, sweet birthday present
Thanks Izzy!! Great stuff.
Congrats!
Sounds like a great Birthday IZZY. Hope you get to celebrate many more.
What's all that stuff on your head? did you catch something in the swamps?
bretto
Oh and it's the perfect eating size to boot! Great story!
Thom
Way to get it done and not give up on a scant blood trail. I had a feeling you would be bringing some pork back with you. :thumbsup:
1st hog killed at Wild Things! Great job!
Congratulations!
A hunt there is definitely on my short list
Congrats and happy birthday! Good deal! Can't wait to hear the tales of the road and the other fellas' accounts!
Congratulations Izzy. I am truly happy for your success. It sure sounds like a fun and exciting trip. There is a lot to be said for good hunting partners. Happy birthday!
Well done !!!
Congrats brother!!
Congrats Izzy.
hogs never had a chance with that crew after them! :thumbsup:
I couldn't think of a better B-day present!
Way to go, my friend!
Bisch
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
The road trip back was eventful but all good. We wrangled a gator from the middle of the highway like Troy Landry himself, thwarted highway men who bit off more than they could chew and laughed and told hunting lies all the way home.
I sure would like to hear a bit more about this part of the story too! Esp the part about thwarting off those highway men who bit off more than they could chew!
Bisch
Great story, congrats on the pig and hope you had a great B-day.
Great thread!
Congratulations on the hog and happy birthday. Thanks for the photos and story, made for a nice treat over morning coffee with snow flying outside... :thumbsup:
Izzy my friend, great job, and a happy Bday.
Congratulations again! :clapper: great story
Great job Izzy, what was your bow set up?
QuoteOriginally posted by Dirtybird:
Great job Izzy, what was your bow set up?
Took her with "Shakira" my 47# @ 28" Griffin shooting a Zwickey delta on an MFX 500. Total arrow weight 570 grn. Pass through at 20 yards.
Awesome job Izzy glad you connected. Man I wish I coulda made this trip! I will be going down next year for sure.
Awesome Izzy!!!
Izzy,Ray,Ken,Jeff and Steve I am glad you guys had a great trip. Good shooting Izzy and friends make a trip.
Awesome my friend. I love it.
You know KAT stalking a whirlpool is trick they tend to swirl around a lot.
Congrats and Happy B-Day!
Awesome! Sounds like a fantastic trip!
Izzy, well done! Thanks for taking us along.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
good job izzy and happy birthday, only wish i could have made it, mabey next time.
Congratulations!
Very cool Izzy :thumbsup:
Makes me wanna go back soon. Thanks for sharing!
congrats Izzy , come on boys lets hear some more :wavey:
:thumbsup: :campfire:
Heres one with "THE" Man, aka True Blue aka Andrew Harper. He won't tell you to make yourself at home at his camp, he'll just do everything in his power to let you know that you are home.
A gracious souther gentleman of the old order and I am proud to call him my people. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/014-03-2995142902_2.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/014-03-2995142902_2.jpg.html)
Cuz aka El Mejor. He is my brother and I love him dearly. We haven't had a chance to get together since last summers fishing trips and was good for the soul to get together with him. He's back to work but he's got some telling to do. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/DSCN0061.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/DSCN0061.jpg.html)
My last man to hog showdown came on the last hour of the last hunt. And this time it was with a big one. :bigsmyl:
Nice shooting izzy. Congrats and happy birthday
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
My last man to hog showdown came on the last hour of the last hunt. And this time it was with a big one. :bigsmyl:
OK, Out with it young man. ;)
So,,,, the hunt was winding down. Cuz and I decided to employ a tried and true game driving technique that has put game down for us in the past. We walked a road to its end and headed into the thickets of cane/palmetto. I would walk the edge of the flooded slough AKA swamp and Cuz was to walk the spine that runs through
the bedding area.
Id say we covered 100 yards in an hour or so and I lost track of his position and I guess he lost track of mine as well. We had a good idea of each others location but not a visual.
The cursed wind picked up again and swirled unpredictably. For a second I thought I heard "reeeeeeeeeeeet" up ahead and out of view. :saywhat:
I looked toward the sound and tucked in behind a gum tree. I waited for a few minutes and when nothing came from the area of the sound I started stalking in that direction. Ten yards into my stalk I saw palmettos shaking and patches of black moving in my direction at a fast pace.
Before I knew it I had a 140#ish hog coming right at me! At 40 yards he turned at a right angle to me and loped off down hill toward the swamps edge. I chased after him for a bit but it wasn't long before he was swallowed up by the shadows in the palmettos and the wind covered any noise he wold have made.
Got my adrenaline up but it just didn't come to be. :roll eyes:
A minute later I regrouped with Cuz and asked him if he saw it or had shot it. He didn't but it did come from his direction and almost put a hog in my lap. :campfire:
Thanks for posting Izzy, sound like a great time!
Good stuff Iz!!
Thanks for sharing Izzy
Very cool and happy b-day! Thanks for sharing!
Where is the rest of the crew? I know more blood was drawn, Just don't know if it was critters or hunters????
(http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/DSCN0049.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/DSCN0049.jpg.html) (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/DSCN0051.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/DSCN0051.jpg.html) (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/DSCN0048.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/DSCN0048.jpg.html) (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/DSCN0052.jpg) (http://s122.photobucket.com/user/2crazyboys_photos/media/DSCN0052.jpg.html)
Congratulation guys on what sounds like a real fun trip. Way to go Izzy on the pig. On of these days (soon) I need make similar trip. Thanks again for sharing.
WOW!!!! - great stuff izzy!!!!
congrats!!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper:
Will read this weekend....but will tell you that I talked to Andrew this week and he said you guys were a hoot to host!!! He REALLY enjoyed your group.
Congrats Brother!
Great job! Congrats on your hog and a Happy (belated) Birthday!
Looking forward to my next trip back!
QuoteOriginally posted by Terry Green:
Will read this weekend....but will tell you that I talked to Andrew this week and he said you guys were a hoot to host!!! He REALLY enjoyed your group.
Was hoping you'd pop in. Been too long, we gotta hunt together when your arm is 100%. Javies?
Gonna be a new thread starting soon, just sayin.
Izzy, how does that hog taste? It looks delicious!
Thom
QuoteOriginally posted by sticksnstones:
Gonna be a new thread starting soon, just sayin.
Izzy, how does that hog taste? It looks delicious!
Thom
Crazy tasty. Grilled some ribs with Carolina gold and it was eaten up by my boys and my mother and I. Been waiting on the new thread.
As soon as my wife had her first bite of SC hog I had a lifetime pass to go hunt them. Many here may disagree, but I'd rather eat hog than elk!
Work and travel schedules has slowed down the new thread a bit, but it should be a good one! Photos and stories are being prepared by the guys.
Thom
Good storey !! Sounds like you had a good a hunt . It is one of my hope to do hunts , maybe Feburey , or March of 2015 ?? Hope to get to meat you guys soon .
Thanks for Sharing Izzy....Man I miss hunting with all my friends.