cjack
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After a frustrating deer and elk season and virtually no birds for quail and chukar season I needed to get
out and chase something. I got an invite to join some friends for a guided pig hunt on a private ranch near Paso Robles. I met up with "wedgy" and his lady (we'll call "wedgy II") at 2:00 on Friday afternoon at the ranch. A very nice hunting camp complete with bunkhouse, hog skinning station, a place to site in the bows, fire pit, BBQ and generator for lights and that all important pot of coffee in the morning. After getting settled in we got in a little practice with
our bows. Now it was time to head out for a Friday evening hunt, after taking the doors and top off wedgy II's Jeep we load the bows and guns not knowing what opportunities we would have then take off following the guide in his old Willy's Jeep. We get to the first glassing spot and immediately locate some hogs making their way across the face of a distant hill. We all jump in the Jeeps and race off in a effort to get ahead of them. After crossing a few ravines we spot them at about a 150yds, we all three jump out and set up and wait for a clear shot as the pigs were in thick brush. After I hear the
first two shots I then put my sights on a pig moving quickly from left to right, fired a shot but didn't lead it enough, again we jump in the Jeeps and try to get ahead of them. As we come around a corner the guide is stopped and on another group, he directs us up one road and then goes another way trying to cut them off. As we are driving up the road we come up on three pig trotting up the road ahead of us. All three of us jump out with our rifles and set our sights, the closest one drops first then the next one goes down. Now it's my turn, by now the third one is going directly away from me at 60yds so I take the only shot I have and that's in the arss! Dropped her on the spot! Three pigs down in the first 20 minutes! With follow up shots on wedgys two pigs the guides heard a lot shooting but had no idea we already had three down. By the time the guides got to us we were already utilizing the wench to pull one out of a ditch. If you look
just above the spare tire you will see wedgys other pig on the ground. We load all three pigs in the Willey's Jeep and head back to camp for some skinning, dinner and celebrating complete with entertainment from a guitar playing singing guide. After a good nights rest we head out at first light for some glassing, we enjoyed a great sunrise while spending the first hour of light glassing and watching some hogs on a far off hill trying to figure out where they were headed and to come up with a game plan. wedgy II didn't have a hog yet so it was her turn. We had a plan and headed out in the Jeeps, before we got to our destination the guides spotted another group of hogs, closer, in a deep ravine. as the guide works wedgyII down from the top I circled down below with my bow hoping to get one running out after she shoots. She got her hog but they didn't cooperate with me and I never saw them but fun stalk none the less. Now that we all had hogs in the ice
View attachment 80003
chest it was time to turn to stick and string. The guides have a favorite bow spot and took us there for a slow stock from the top of the mountain all the way back to camp. About half way down we hear the familiar chomping of the chops on some hogs in thick brush. The guide sent wedgyII directly at them as I circled around. As I am set up with wedgy II making her way closer down below me I spot a hog standing broadside at 45yds, I tried to hold off and let her do her stalk but my lack of discipline got the best of me and I couldn't resist a 45yd standing broadside shot so I let it fly....doh! just a bit low. Stalk over! Back to camp for some lunch and rest. While killing time the guides were filling a water tank and taking it to a dry wallow. I joined them for the trips hoping to spot a mid day hog. Sure enough on our second trip up the hill the guide spots a group about 1000yds off. He
asked me how far I'm comfortable with a shot and I said 400yds. I could see the doubt in his eyes but he said we could get within 400yds of them, challenge was on! We made our way down a ridge, we got as close as the terrain would allow and just like he said it was a 400yd shot. The hogs were feeding and not moving, I took my time, got a nice standing tree rest, asked the guide one more time if I should take the shot, he said go for it....BOOM. Straight to the ground! The guide admitted he didn't think I could do it, it was a little forward (lower neck shot) but right on in elevation. Turned out to be a smaller boar but the long shot made the experience memorable. Overall we ended up with 5 pigs but more importantly we had "Good Times"!
out and chase something. I got an invite to join some friends for a guided pig hunt on a private ranch near Paso Robles. I met up with "wedgy" and his lady (we'll call "wedgy II") at 2:00 on Friday afternoon at the ranch. A very nice hunting camp complete with bunkhouse, hog skinning station, a place to site in the bows, fire pit, BBQ and generator for lights and that all important pot of coffee in the morning. After getting settled in we got in a little practice with
our bows. Now it was time to head out for a Friday evening hunt, after taking the doors and top off wedgy II's Jeep we load the bows and guns not knowing what opportunities we would have then take off following the guide in his old Willy's Jeep. We get to the first glassing spot and immediately locate some hogs making their way across the face of a distant hill. We all jump in the Jeeps and race off in a effort to get ahead of them. After crossing a few ravines we spot them at about a 150yds, we all three jump out and set up and wait for a clear shot as the pigs were in thick brush. After I hear the
first two shots I then put my sights on a pig moving quickly from left to right, fired a shot but didn't lead it enough, again we jump in the Jeeps and try to get ahead of them. As we come around a corner the guide is stopped and on another group, he directs us up one road and then goes another way trying to cut them off. As we are driving up the road we come up on three pig trotting up the road ahead of us. All three of us jump out with our rifles and set our sights, the closest one drops first then the next one goes down. Now it's my turn, by now the third one is going directly away from me at 60yds so I take the only shot I have and that's in the arss! Dropped her on the spot! Three pigs down in the first 20 minutes! With follow up shots on wedgys two pigs the guides heard a lot shooting but had no idea we already had three down. By the time the guides got to us we were already utilizing the wench to pull one out of a ditch. If you look
just above the spare tire you will see wedgys other pig on the ground. We load all three pigs in the Willey's Jeep and head back to camp for some skinning, dinner and celebrating complete with entertainment from a guitar playing singing guide. After a good nights rest we head out at first light for some glassing, we enjoyed a great sunrise while spending the first hour of light glassing and watching some hogs on a far off hill trying to figure out where they were headed and to come up with a game plan. wedgy II didn't have a hog yet so it was her turn. We had a plan and headed out in the Jeeps, before we got to our destination the guides spotted another group of hogs, closer, in a deep ravine. as the guide works wedgyII down from the top I circled down below with my bow hoping to get one running out after she shoots. She got her hog but they didn't cooperate with me and I never saw them but fun stalk none the less. Now that we all had hogs in the ice
View attachment 80003
chest it was time to turn to stick and string. The guides have a favorite bow spot and took us there for a slow stock from the top of the mountain all the way back to camp. About half way down we hear the familiar chomping of the chops on some hogs in thick brush. The guide sent wedgyII directly at them as I circled around. As I am set up with wedgy II making her way closer down below me I spot a hog standing broadside at 45yds, I tried to hold off and let her do her stalk but my lack of discipline got the best of me and I couldn't resist a 45yd standing broadside shot so I let it fly....doh! just a bit low. Stalk over! Back to camp for some lunch and rest. While killing time the guides were filling a water tank and taking it to a dry wallow. I joined them for the trips hoping to spot a mid day hog. Sure enough on our second trip up the hill the guide spots a group about 1000yds off. He
asked me how far I'm comfortable with a shot and I said 400yds. I could see the doubt in his eyes but he said we could get within 400yds of them, challenge was on! We made our way down a ridge, we got as close as the terrain would allow and just like he said it was a 400yd shot. The hogs were feeding and not moving, I took my time, got a nice standing tree rest, asked the guide one more time if I should take the shot, he said go for it....BOOM. Straight to the ground! The guide admitted he didn't think I could do it, it was a little forward (lower neck shot) but right on in elevation. Turned out to be a smaller boar but the long shot made the experience memorable. Overall we ended up with 5 pigs but more importantly we had "Good Times"!
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