St Judes Okeechobee Hog Hunt - 2010

[elkken]

Hey Les ... how about adding pics of your four big guys and I'll tell of my last night stand hunt.

[metsastaja]

Here you go click photo to start slide show.  I am working on croping the photos for some better close up due to 640 wide should have em up soon.

[metsastaja]

still croping

[metsastaja]

It's all yours Ken

[Pennsyltuckey pete]

elkken,

Sure sounds like you had a great time.  To add just a little, here are some buggy shots that I have from visits down there.


Here in the background you see the start of a hunt buggy.  Notice the crinkle in the front fender.  THe first step...




this is often how they start out,  Little nip and little tuck on the old farm pickup and them big tires seem to fit.  



Then over time a slow miracle occurs.  And VOILA





Now the question,  How many guys does it take to change a fuel pump on a hunt buggy in the middle of the road?    answer 4.  Who is the smart one?  Marty... why?  Not because he is on top of the buggy letting us 4 big dumb guys do the work.  HE had the spare fuel pump with him.  HE is always prepared!

pete

[Guru]

What great memories you guys are bringin' back    

[elkken]

My stand partner my last nights hunt ....

[elkken]

The view to my left and just behind me

[elkken]

The view out front and to the left of me

[elkken]

The view to my right and just in front of me

[metsastaja]

common buggy shot.

[elkken]

When I got back from the morning hunt Les had his computer out and was showing us some hog pictures and video. BIG hog pictures        

He and Marty talked and it was decided that if the wind was right that would be my last evening stand. Scroll back a bit and you will see some of Les's pictures

Needless to say I was praying for a good wind. Those are some nice hogs.

At hunt time the wind was marginal but ok and when putting me in the stand Marty said if the wind swaps and stays that way go ahead and get out of the stand and circle out to your left toward the water and wait for them to come in and then sneek on in for a shot.

The wind blew about every direction it could but never went right at the feeder. Most feeders go off at 4:30, so at 4:30 I'm looking at my watch bracing for the noise to scare me again.

   :confused:  4:35 no feeder yet, 4:40 no feeder yet, 4:45 Hog coming in from the front right !! Straight down the edge of the Palmettos coming right at me.... the feeded goes off        

At 4:50 the hog is feeding nicely and getting closer    Then with out warning he bolts and runs away like his hair is on fire. I get out my spray bottle of white stuff and give it a squirt ... right down to the feeder   :(  

I sat there for about five minutes thinking ... now what should I do ????? The wind stayed pretty steady to the feeder, so I hooked up my bow and lowered it down, I was going to head out to my left as Marty had instructed. Just as I started to get down I felt the wind shift AGAIN ... it was now blowing right to left quartering behind me. And it stayed that way, kinda

At 6:00 I heard some rustling behind and to my right, not loud just some noise. It kept coming now directly to my right, now going past me and then out popped a BIG black hog, then another and another and another. The four BIG hogs Les had video of .... my heart was pounding.

Per Marty .... be patient, be patient

Well I let those BIG hogs settle in and feed away until they had all of the far away corn gone, then they headed my way. I'm still being patient waiting for a good shot, they had been facing me for most of the time. When they got a bit closer two of them turned and the hog on the right was perfectly broadside. I had run out of patience. I drew back, aimed and let'r fly. WHACK ... right in the shield on the wrong side of the crease ... almost no penetration !!

Off they ran right back into the palmettos

I can hear Marty's voice ...THOSE HOGS ARE TOUGH

I can hear Marty's voice ... All I can do is put you on em ....

I can hear my voice ... %^&**&&^%$$$#%&^&

I could hear the foursome crashing through the palmettos and on into the woods beyond. I climbed down, looked for blood just in case my eyes had deceived me  on the penetration. Got down on my hands and knees and carefully started crawling into the Palmettos to look for my arrow. Not 20 yards in there it was, broken off just behind the Stos broadhead, no blood at all.

THOSE HOGS ARE TOUGH ....

It was a 19 yard shot and I just missed it. I had prepared for the hunt shooting at a small bear target I have and the yardage from my stand to the bear is 18 yards and I have no excuses on this one.

What an exciting evening this had been. Many thanks to Les for sharing his great spot. Now the walk of shame when Marty comes to get me.

[Terry Green]

Good Stuff Ken!!!

Hopefully I'll get time to see what pics are on my camera soon.

[Guru]

Originally posted by metsastaja:
common buggy shot.


 

Not again        

[Guru]

That's a great story Ken    

[Rick Butler]

Love these Hog hunting tales and pics.  We're headed to Ray's next week for our own hog hunting adventure.

[elkken]

Thanks Curt ... I don't have to tell you how special that place is .... but again it is special

If any of you have read The Witchery of Archery by Maurice Thompson, Martys lease is in that region of south Florida. Fish Eating Creek is just down the road. I cannot imagine getting around that country without the Marsh Buggy. Maurice and Will Thompson roamed the area back in the 1870's. I have retrieved my copy from the book rack and plan on reading it again soon.

I still have some pictures to post so we are not done yet ....

   

[elkken]

A common camp shot .....

[elkken]

Please no small dogs or children near the water

[FerretWYO]

Great story Ken Great story. Liking the pics.