Last week my wife and I took a little vacation to South Carolina to try fly fishing for reds and tarpon. Since we would be nearby I coordinated with Andrew Harper to spend some time on the Wild Things property for my photographer wife to take some new pictures for the website and brochures. I agreed to do a little troubleshooting with his trail cameras and put them back on a few of the feeders too.
Next weekend Bud and Todd will be returning to hunt hogs at Wild Things. I've hunted with these fellas a few times before and I wanted to share a little info with them before they leave on their next adventure. I know a few other guys will be in camp who I haven't met, but if they are on TG it would be fair info for them to have too.
There has been a bunch going on out there. Some things are new, other things have changed, and some things are just as they have been... (http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/100.jpg)
As I lay out the info for Bud and Todd, I'll have a few other little notes for some other folks too. Bud and Todd, grab a beverage and I'll start posting these notes and pictures for you.
Thom
We arrived Sunday afternoon and I wanted to give my wife a quick road tour of the property and put the first camera out before dark.
We took off and found that the connector roads that were started last year were complete and it's possible to access the entire property without driving on the highway. This was really good as the Gator won't do 55mph and it doesn't have a license plate.
About a mile into the trip I saw a stick in the road, but it wasn't a stick.
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/101.jpg)
Turns out it's an old friend from a buddies ground blind last spring!
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/102.jpg)
I think my buddy Doug has a hunting partner for life!
Thom
Alright, before this turns into a whole bunch of camp jokes I'll get back to talking hogs.
About half a mile up the road there was a feeder that I like to use as a barometer for the property. We cruised up and saw that it had been hit hard for a long period of time. I also checked and the feeder had gone off at 7am but there wasn't a kernel on the ground when we got there. Something had vacuumed up pretty good that very day! I setup the camera at 5:20pm
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/200.jpg)
I spent some time looking around and I found some scat that was 100% muscadines. As I looked around some more I found quite a bit more of it. Looks like the crop is out and the hogs are hitting it as their primary food source. While there I was in ear shot of a slough and I could hear acorns hitting the water so that's happening too.
About 15 minutes later I hit the test button on the feeder and we packed up and hit the road to see some more of the property. An hour after we left....
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/201.jpg)
So muscadines seem to be primary food source, acorns are available, and the pigs are out in the daylight.
Thom
As it got closer to dark we headed back to camp to meet up with Andrew. I got out a fly rod and caught a nice little pickerel while we waited and a nice 6 point walked out to browse at the edge of the water across from the bunkhouse. Our cameras and phones were in the car so we didn't get pictures of either of them.
We had a good chat with Andrew and I got his trail cameras to setup and place in addition to the one of mine I had put out. We talked about road conditions, logging operations, and hog movement. It was good to get a few things in my head for making the next part of the plan.
The next morning was a rainy mess so it was mostly photography time around camp. As the afternoon started I wanted to go grab that memory card out of my camera. Just on the off chance I might catch them at the scene of the crime I put on hunting clothes and grabbed my longbow for the trip. Looks like I assessed the damage and pulled the card at 12:53pm
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/203.jpg)
When I saw the pictures later I realized I missed them by about half an hour!
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/202.jpg)
Now I will say a few did come out in the dark, but they are hitting this feeder several times a day. Other cameras on other feeders showed the same types of behavior. The only thing purely nocturnal at this point is a bunch of P&Y raccoons!
Todd, this would be about a 18 yard shot from a 20' stand. I was thinking this would be your sort of thing.
Thom
For the next phase of camera placement I wanted Andrew's help. The three of us piled in his truck since the rain was starting again and we headed out to pick some spots to leave them. We placed the first two up near the mile of pines. Lots of activity at feeders, but very little tracks in between the areas of activity. Seems like they are holding in pods and not traveling far. This makes me guess that they have sufficient cover and food to not have to move for it. Should be good for hunting some without disturbing others, and it could be good for hunting in buddy systems moving them towards each other.
We decided to put the 3rd camera in the swamp on part of the stand-hunting-only area. Right near the turkey foot my wife looks out the side window of the truck and sees 5 nice meat hogs about 10 yards from the bumper! It was awesome! They were all 100-150 pound pigs, all jet black and slick with rain. Just gorgeous hogs. We rolled on like nothing was happening and then I jumped out and strung up my bow.
I got parallel to them pretty quickly but they were moving steady. I was keeping 30-40 yards from them and down wind, but not closing the difference. I knew there was a feeder in their direction of travel so I broke up the hill to where I could try to move faster/quieter in an attempt to cut them off. As I dropped back down towards the feeder in my mind I could hear a heck of a commotion! The 5 little pigs had gone straight into the feeder while it was being hit by 3 much bigger pigs. Seeing what was happening between the palmettos and hearing them carrying on I figured it was my chance to close that last 10 yards to a good shot location. Apparently not all of them were committed to the bedlam and one blew the whistle on my hasty movement. Thom 0, hogs 1.
I gotta say, I feel more alive after the worst stalk than after the best day doing anything else. I was still shaking thinking about those bigger hogs when I got back to the truck. I don't know for sure if the really big one under the tripod was a rust colored pig or if it was just coated in mud at twilight, but there is a big one down around there!
Bud, there are a few short ladder stands nearby. I'd try a different one each night as the hogs appear to be running between them in this area. Andrew and Charlie have a plan and will get you going if you want to sit instead of stalk. Oh here is picture I downloaded on the last day. This was taken the day after our encounter at the next closest feeder.
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/300.jpg)
I really should have put a bigger stick in as a wedge behind that camera. I wish I could have gotten a better look at that red one.
Thom
Nice!
Oh a few notes for a few of the other TGers:
Izzy, the 5 we jumped went right through the exact spot you got your last hog! That's a good spot!
Smokin Joe, pack a light trout rod for our trip and some top water flies if you've got them. The only bass I had someone there to take a picture for me was the smallest of the trip, but it was fun!
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/103.jpg)
That frog is about half the size of him! I didn't see any lunkers but Andrew said he'd talk to a buddy who has a very well managed bass pond if we were interested.
Back to hogs, just a little more to say.
Thom
OK, so while I was sorting out cables and memory cards for the trail cameras I found a card with 1000 pictures from 3 days this summer. I thought these two images were just kinda cool so I'd share them.
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/301.jpg)
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/302.jpg)
I've got way more pictures than I care to post, but I think these give a nice idea of what's going on at Wild Things these days.
Thom
I guess I should post one more picture for Terry. I put a camera up where you and I met up with Joe and Tom last winter. I saw lots of fresh rooting and I thought it looked like a good spot.
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/400.jpg)
His back feet are in one set of Gator tracks, and his nose is in the other set. I got a bunch of pictures of him but there isn't anything else to use as a reference to how big he is. Seeing pictures of smaller boars coming in later the same night does give some perspective I guess.
(http://thomjorgensen.com/bows/WT2014/401.jpg)
Bud and Todd, be sure to send me a PM so we can have a quick phone call to go over a couple last details that would be difficult to type out and post before you leave to hunt.
Thom
You are awesome Thom!! We are ready to get down there that's for sure. Thank you for all the info. I'll PM you for further info.
:campfire:
Sniff, sniff....what's the rest of that line???
I've got to try hogs!
Thanks for sharing.
I spoke to Andrew yesterday. Sounds like a successful season in the making. I hope to make it there again some time. Great place, great guy.
Looks like a party is about to get thrown, swamp style.
Looking good Thom. May have to make a trip down soon.
Yeah, I'd love to head down for some dedicated hunting time myself! Luckily Michigan deer season will keep me distracted until December.
Check out this Go Pro video (http://youtu.be/DiILshk8Kl4) when you get a chance.
Still not sure where to put it on the website, but I think it's a good example of what it's like playing cat-and-mouse with these critters for folks who haven't done it before.
Thom
That was close!
Bud and Todd: We will need a full, detailed report when you get back. That includes the Armadillo Update.
Thom: A fly rod and poppers, sneaky petes, surface sliders, etc -- Got it. Contact me and let me know if we are still on for the extra days. I am game if you are.
Joe
Headin' out this AM.
Good luck to Bud and Todd. Those two NC boys ought to get the job done.
Awesome Joe! I'll plan on the extra days and pack some rods.
Crossing fingers for you fellas. Oh and there might still be a gallon ziplock with hog candy in the bunkhouse fridge for you. I was hoping to leave you some backstraps but it didn't work out for me. Can't wait to hear how it goes!
Thom
Well both of my hunting buddies are down there in the woods now. It is about time to be shooting hope they get the chance to shoot straight. Wish I could have gone with them I know they will have a good time can't wait to hear how it went.
If I have enough time from work this weekend I may take Todd's son deer hunting. He is a killer.
I liked the video wish you could have shanked one though. LCH
First and second blood drawn. One loss. One score :) . Roughly 50 hog sightings. No armadillos. Hogzilla seen and scream...and chair nearly thrown at him. Wild Turkey 101 was everywhere.
More later. I'm pooped and getting settled back in from a drive. Todd is still driving most likely. He's dropping off something before he gets home. ;)
This sounds good.
:campfire:
Here ya go! We had a blast this week with Andrew at Wild Things! Story will be told later.
(http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h440/herndondt/4AB616B5-05F8-4B92-8F27-1EF4EE4D4D1A_zpsofzp7viy.jpg) (http://s1109.photobucket.com/user/herndondt/media/4AB616B5-05F8-4B92-8F27-1EF4EE4D4D1A_zpsofzp7viy.jpg.html)
Nice hog Todd. Congratulations.
Great thread!! Congratulations, Todd, on your porker! :thumbsup:
Cannot wait until our December hunt!
Thom, I gotta touch base with you soon!
Will post some pics later tonight.
Andrew has no bookings from now until the December crew. Hogs are there guys and gals. You just gotta search for and hunt a freshly used wallow. It's been dry there but even in the piney woods there are wallows that seem to hold water and are perfect for the hogs to seek out. If you're headed down there I suggest you bring a climber treestand if you like using one.
Wallows are all over the dry channels in the swamp, too.
Watch out for Dark Sharks, though.
I'll look forward to reading these stories from Grayling deer camp! I'd be curious how much time you guys spent doing stalking vs sitting. I've been sitting a lot more on recent hunts.
The Charlie's feeder/Thom's blind idea has my wheels turning for December. I talked to Andrew for a few minutes and he said he was going to redo BLF feeder, thanks if you guys have him any feedback on those.
Bob, I'll look forward to catching up next weekend after hunting if that's good with you.
Thom
WoooHoooo. Way to go guys. Can't wait for the stories.