Got back late last night from hog hunting with Ray Hammond and some friends in South Carolina. Unfortunately, nobody is bringing any pork home this year.  That is because I suck.  I missed a 17 yard shot on a bruiser that probably weighed between 250 and 300 pounds.  I rushed the shot as he was quartering away and shot in front of his chest. It was a full moon this weekend and in the mid 90's as hi temp on saturday, but we all saw hogs.  I saw hogs every time I left the camp, except the saturday morning hunt.  I was within 15 yards of big hogs several times and was busted by swirling winds. A couple of times I probably could have shot before I was busted, but I didn't feel comfortable shooting through the grass.

On sunday morning, it didn't look like I was going to see anything, but I noticed a small branch moving and found a decent sized sow and some smaller pigs.  Once again, I got busted by the wind.  The pigs just single filed it out of there.  There was some pretty swampy stuff between myself and the pigs, so Mike Gerardi suggested that we take a big circle and get in front of them. We got in front of them and slowly worked our way back to them.  We spotted them and were closing in from 2 sides, both of us around 30 yards away, when I felt the wind at my back.  Busted again.  All in all another fun hunt.  

Here are some pics I took.


The gang getting ready to go out on saturday morning. From left to right; Mike Gerardi, Ray Hammond, Tim Mullen, and Barry Clodfelter.
 


Tim trying to sneak up on a hog crossing the road.
 

A pic from the swamp.
 

Water level marks on some cypress trees.
 

A cool looking mushroom
 

A couple of squirrels that were keeping me company.
 

A couple of turkeys.  Unbelievable number of turkey on the property.
 

The proud Papa
 

i love that place

looks like yall had a blast there Pat

Love that over the shoulder shot, Pat!

Ray runs a great camp.  Mike Mitchum couldn't make it down and everyone missed having him around. We decided to blame him for our hunting woes since he wasn't around to say otherwise!

I don't believe you could see more deer and turkey in one weekend.  Funny how when you're hunting deer and turkey you'd give anything to be able to effortlessly stalk up on them like we did over the weekend time after time.  But when you're hunting hogs, they're just getting in your way!

I didn't manage any hog activity Friday or Sunday, but Saturday I ran into a few.  The pic Pat posted was the last of three that crossed in front of us. Pat and I saw two cross into the short pines and made a mad 150yd dash to get up on them hoping to catch them in the ditch or just inside the pines.  We were just about up to the spot when the hog in the picture came strolling out in front of us.  He was a good 45-50yds away and we waited for him to hit the ditch.  When he did we shot up there but all three had disappeared in the pines.  We probably should have tried to find them in the short pines but they are really thick and we thought it better to let them go in hopes of running into them later.

Saturday night I snuck up on the Sycamore feeder field and saw two out there.  I was familiar with this field and the area around it from last year and I knew the best way to approach was from the rear but the wind wouldn't allow it.  I decided my only option was to sneak through some waist high grass up to the point it was mowed and hope one of the pigs would move my way for a shot.  I made it to the edge and sat waiting.  The pigs just didn't cooperate and wouldn't come closer than 35yds. Eventually one mudded up hog came around to my side from the top just in time for the wind to let him know I was there.  A little huff and a hop and both were gone.

Everyone had a great time and, as always, Ray was a wonderful host. The pics just don't do justice to the property.  Great place to hunt.  Guess the third time will have to be the charm!

Looks like a blast, I need to get back down to Ray's - maybe next year.

Great story and pics! I had a very similar encounter. I had a great stalk of about 100 yards on a pig, got a little too excited and my arrow fell short of the 18 or so yard shot. Talk about excitement!

Pat looks like a great time. That mushroom is a good eater. taste like steak. To bad no chops on the table.

Jerry, we have tons of those. What are they called?

Chicken mushrooms. most of the ones that I see are a fluorescent orange. And no, that's not because I ate the wrong ones!!

Killdeer~I still remember the 60's.  

Had as great time at Rays this weekend.  The biggest rush beside a stalk on Sunday was an encounter with an animal I have not seen in the wild before.  I was working a brush line on Saturday evening and hear the brush start to move.  I did not sound like a dilla so I put up against the brush line real tight  about 15 yards away from the spot things were moving around and waited.  The wind was in my favor for that spot.  The sun had been going down for about an hour so it was low light. About five min later a dark little head poked out and looked right at me. It was a little bigger than a house cat with white tipped ears.  We stared at each other for a while and it turned to go back in the brush. I knew what it was when I saw its tail or lack of a tail. It was a bobcat.  That was a pretty cool encounter.

I was pulling for you guys this weekend....I need to get down and hunt with Ray!

Curt it was hot, the mesquitos were real thick, I mean real thick, two thermocells to one hunters pack, and we fought with a full moon cycle. We still saw hogs just had to work for them this time around. Never the less it was a blast.
  Anyone who has booked a hunt a year in advance knows the weather can mess with ya.

I was rootin for you boys too Mike!  The 'skeeters and heat just add flavor to your hunt!

Looks like fun to me.

That pig crossing the road looks like a good one! I don't know nothing about pigs but I would love to shoot that one...

Ray,  You look real comfortable with the dog! Just sign contract tonight to build in Aiken, so I'll be down for sure next year...providing any open spots...Doc

I'd say that pig is around 150-175 ron w

I just got him a couple weeks ago, Jeff. He's a great dog...a feist.

Going to see if he can blood trail some hogs and deer.

You just let me know, there'll always be a spot for you, friend. I just watched the video of your "stone" bear the other night again. Boy was that a great trip!

That pig crossing the road was pretty nice.  Believe me, though, there are plenty of bigger hogs down there.  Can't beat the company, either.

Yeah Pat its just about time to pick the next hunt date!