Great Pics Shaun!! Congrats Dave and Curtis>>

watch out for rattlers in the blind. the last group cleaned them out maybe

JB

will try and post some pics later, but wanted to say what a great time i had sharing a camp with some of the best trad hunters. the knowlege they were willing to pass on to me, will help my hog hunting. as whip stated Curtis and Dave do have a knack for hogs. thanks Bob

Great stories and pics guys. Had to start this thread ... just couldn't wait any longer.  I've gotta get down there. Maybe next year!!

Nice going guy's      I'll be there April 5th.

Any of you that have traveled with me, know that we stop at just about every Cabelas store enroute. This was the Dallas store, probably never see it again with this much snow on roof. We had shopped night before at Kansas City store with Mel but of course we forgot to grab a few things. This is Mel (IRISH) and Sheldon (CONSECON) by our tent in the snow.

Here is Mel with first hog sighted! Not 5 mins out of camp, the 4 corners hog!

Here is Brent and Shaun having a go with Hope and Faith.

Another of Brent. We might have a few bidders in this bunch come St.Judes time.

This is the first boar I arrowed on day three of hunt. This one was shot at about 7ft, quartering away. It ran about 100yrds and toppled over. I could see the arrow shaft in air as the hog dropped.Even though I knew where the hog lay my reflective wraps from onestringer made finding it in dark real easy. These wraps saved my bacon on last night as well in a big way. I'll never fletch up another shaft without the reflective wraps!

Day one had been quiet but on way back to truck in dark a good big boar crossed road about 50yrds in front of me and circled around me. Day two I drew the waterhole spot and anticipation was high. Sheldon had sat on waterhole day one and seen three big hogs but no shots. My night at the waterhole was quiet, no sightings at all.

Here is a boonie I arrowed one day while on a walkabout.

This is great guys, glad to get the news of this hunt.  some nice looking critters for sure.  Looking forward to more stories/pics.

Sorry, but I do not have any pictures available for a few days.  Mrs. Sherpa took a roadtrip to see family and picked up my camera on her way out.

Just as Dave has said, the hogs were pretty much nocturnal most of the week.  I kicked up a sow with piglets one evening.  I tried to get an arrow into that sow but she wasn't sticking around.  I did get one of the little pigs, and would have taken them all if I could have but they can travel suprisingly fast getting away as darkness falls.  After two unproductive first days I started hunting late nights, staying out till 11:00-11:30 and I saw several big solitary hogs each night.  Even though I have hunted hogs before I am a rookie when it comes time to know how to handle the situation when a big hog is close by.  Not wanting to spook the hog away I did not act soon enough and did not get any shots off at the big boars.  I drew the water hole the fourth night and set up an ambush site with some corn about 100 yards away from the water hole.  I had a big boar come in, similar in all aspects to the black boar Dave shot the last night, facing me at as close as 15 yards.  He spent nearly an hour circling me. I had good light from the moon overhead and my Swaro 10x42 EL binos gave me a great look at the night hogs. He never did figure out I was in that trash heap but he was a nervous animal and finally departed, never taking a drink or eating more than a couple kernals of corn.  I believe he could smell where I had walked and that was enough to put him on high alert.

I could have spent a bit more time socializing in the cook shack but I was tired during the day and was out hunting until most people were in bed when I got in.  Still, I had a good time renewing aquaintences and getting to meet some new Tradgangers at this years installment of the Sweat.  Being the last to go to bed I was able to enjoy the evening symphony in the tent circle.  It was awesome.  The food was good and plentiful and the company beyond compare.  If you have the urge to do a Tradgang hunt and meet some good people don't pass up the opportunity to hunt at the Texas Sweat, you won't regret it.

The last hunt was a good one for me. I returned to a stretch of road that had been producing sightings of  a few big pigs all week long. This was same stretch I hunted first night out. Sheldon had hunted it a few days and had seen hogs every time but they kept giving him the slip. We had ground blinds built at both T intersections on this road. On the last night I elected to go right in the middle between both blinds. All the hogs sighted here were big old boars and they were smart. I corned the location in the truck rather than on foot and then parked a good stretch away. I crossed country and came into where I wanted to be without walking on road. A nice yucca patch provided good enough cover. I lay flat out on my stomach with bow in front ready. After several quiet hours prime time approached. I elected to stand up and have a look down the road. Not 100yrds to my left was a good boar feeding my way. I had good cover and watched him for a few minutes. He fed in roadway and then into bush on my side, then back to road and then back into bush. On his second trip into bush he decided to parallel road and was approaching my spot. I was not prepared for hogs coming from behind and was caught in open. As the boar rounded the closest bush he locked up, looking at me with only his head and shoulder visible. I knew I was made and the arrow was on it's way. The hit was as tight to the front shoulder as could be but was angling back somewhat. The hog ran off and stopped about 80yrds out. He stood still in one spot for over fifteen minutes and then moved 20yrds and did same again. He was hit hard but it being the last night I elected to try and get another arrow into him. I was able to get within 15yrds and another arrow was on it's way. This time he ran about 100yrds and stopped again. I marked the spot and backed out. After picking up guys we decided to go have dinner and return. Several hours later we returned carrying sweet spot and other persuasive devices. The reflective wrap from onestringer did it's job perfectly and the hog was found laying under a tree not far from where I left him. On approaching the arrow was noticed to be moving somewhat and the chase was on. Alot of persuasion and a few hundred yards further and he was in the truck. An exciting end to another Sweat Hunt.

Great pics and story Dave!

Awesome Boar Dave, Nothing like a bit of Gentle persuasion when needed.        

Don't think the word GENTLE is the word for what Dave gave that Hog.

Bob,

Andy's seen old sweet spot before. He's also been co pilot on the gentle persuasion route as well.  

QuoteOriginally posted by stickhorse:
Don't think the word GENTLE is the word for what Dave gave that Hog.

   :D    

Really miss not being able to make this hunt with you fellas.

   

Congrats Guys!!!  Maybe one day I'll get back.