2 Nighter deep in Hawaiian jungle

[EvBouret]

we're heading up Hanalei Valley to go for a two night camp, should be back on sunday afternoon with a good story. Got a disposable so I'll take the whole roll and scan em in. We are bringing dogs, everyone will have knives and I'll have my 30-30 to block trail. Should get a pig or two. Wish us luck

Evan

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

good luck to everyone on the hunt and look forward to your Island hunting adventure story EV, and make sure their BIG

KNIFE'S!.............tra

 

[LKN4HOG]

Not only big, but sharp also. Good luck in the woods, waiting for the story and pics. Get a big one..

r

 

[Speckmisser]

Sounds like big fun, Ev. Too bad you won't have Nic's video camera along too... could make for some exciting footage.

Enjoy, and bring back the stories!

 

[CAhntr]

Good luck! Looking forward to the story and pics, stay safe.

 

[EvBouret]

Just got back from my camping trip this morning. Had a great time up in the mountains. Ill get started with the story.

We left the trailhead around 5:15pm and got to the camp almost two hours later on the dot. I was carrying 35lbs on my back so I couldn't speedwalk up there as I hoped. It can be real dangerous to hunt this valley when it's raining because the river can rise literally 5 feet in less than an hour. It had been raining off and on all day so we weren't sure whether or not it would be safe to hike to camp considering you have to cross the river about 7 times before you reach the camp. It can be chest deep in places on the dry days if you dont pick your footing perfectly. Trying to walk on slippery boulders with a 35lb pack and a 30-30 rifle over your head isn't too fun. I took one dip but none of my stuff got wet luckily. We arrived to a much nicer camp than I had imagined. My friends had been up this valley a few times before and packed all kinds of stuff up with them. It was by far the nicest hunting camp I've seen here in Hawaii. It had withstood a few big rainstorms before and is still standing and dry. Complete with 3 cots, a double burner stove, sleeping bags, cutlery and plates and pots and food. You could survive up there for weeks if you had to.

My friend packed up ground beef so we made chili the first night and drank some JD I brought up in my bag to leave up there in case of emergency. There was a leak in my tarp directly above my head that dripped on me but I slept like a baby all night in my hammock. It was still raining off and on in the morning so we weren't sure about going up the river. Every time we cross it's hard to guarantee your dog's safety. But they're all pretty good swimmers. We waited until about 8 and left camp in the rain to chance it. I brought my tarp and everyone brought a little extra in case the river flooded and we needed to wait for it to drop. By 9 we were about 1/2 mile above the camp and had crossed the river twice. There was a small flat on the right of the river that was mainly a mountain apple cover with really thick coasters curse underneath. I sat at the bottom of the flat and waited while they walked the dogs to the top. Then I cut in the bush about 25 yards, it was too thick. Could maybe see 10yards max in some places. As soon as I got in I heard our lead dog Honey Girl let out 2 sets of barks. I chambered a round in my Winchester 30-30 and waited crouched down on my haunches. I heard something running my way and put the gun to my shoulder. I am so used to hearing something, then waiting with your gun cocked only to see that its a dog that I wasn't ready when It went through the first little opening at about 10 feet. My brain told me it was definetly too big to be a dog so I cocked the hammer, lined up my peep sight and when he came through the second and last opening I let him have it. He dropped there on the spot and kicked for about 10 seconds. It was at least a minute before the first dog got there and he saw me and turned right back to the river without seeing the pig. The second that came started baying and attacking the dead boar. We had a mess trying to get all the dogs back because they wanted to stretch the dead boar. It was a smallish boar about 110lbs with really nice 2.5" ivory. The best tusks I've shot yet. The bullet went in near the back ribs, broke about 4-5 ribs, then ripped through the vitals and hit the spine ending up in the front shoulder/neck area.

We put a big boulder in the chest cavity of the pig and set him where he would be nice and cool and kept pushing as it was only about 9:45ish by then. We rounded the next bend in the river and crossed again. I ran up a big flood bank and into a big grassy plateau and listened for the dogs because they had taken off after something. I stayed blocking trail in the same spot for about a half hour until they called me on the radio and told me they had the pig down. It was a 180lb boar with a little smaller teeth, a little skinnier and about a half inch shorter. It was a real young healthy boar judging by his huge frame and hardly worn down molars. When the dogs found him they chased him across the river and up onto a huge flat above the small plateau I was waiting on. They had him stuck in a real muddy guava thicket. My friend Kaleo bladed him and we dragged him out to the flood bank to skin him up. We got him skinned and chopped up fast because it hadn't stopped raining and if we got stuck up there we might as well be at our camp nice and dry. We got back to the camp at around 2pm and lied around for the rest of the day. We made some boar stew that night that turned out real good. And drank some hot sake.

In the morning we woke up a stereotypical Hawaiian morning, sunny, clear and crisp. The river level had dropped at least a foot or two from the night before so we knew we had a easy walk out. We cleaned up camp, made breakfast and left by about 11am. We were out in about 3 hours with a few stops to wait for dogs. All in all it was a great trip. Two big boars with little hiking and no cut dogs. I got to shoot one, and my bloodthirsty buddies got to stab one. You guys can definetly look forward to more stories in the future. Next time will probably just be with rifles, no dogs to worry about.

Took half a roll of film but need to wait to fill the other half. I'll have the pics up here soon.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

EV, very exciting hunting adventure you and your buddie's and dog's had for sure! and fresh BOAR

STEW, YUM, YUM! thanks for sharing............tra

 

[Orso]

What a great trip. Having a camp out there with provisions is top-notch. Very cool....Thanks.

 

[One Track]

You guys are livin' on the wild side. Very cool adventure. Thanks writing it up for us. You don't have to expose all the film in your throw away. Save money and just develop the ones you have. Let's see the pics.

 

[beastslayer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (EvBouret @ Jun 17 2007, 09:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

...lied around for the rest of the day (and I bet being serenaded by the sounds of monsoon rains). We made some boar stew that night that turned out real good. And drank some hot sake.[/b]

Life in paradise.

 

[CAhntr]

Hunting pigs in the thick Hawaiian jungle, it doesn't get any better. Do you know just how good you have it?

Thanks for the great story, looking forwrd to the pics.

 

[larrysogla]

Awesome!!! Awesome!!! Thanks Ev for sharing the wonnerful stories of Hawaiian adventures. 'Nuff said.

 

[EvBouret]

Finally got the pictures developed and up for you guys. These first shots are of the one I got blocking trail.

 

[DEERSLAM]

Nice hog!

 

[beastslayer]

Finally, a post. I'm already suffering from some withdrawal symptoms.

Thanks Ev.

Looks like the river is swollen. Funny, it is still look pristine -- not at all muddy.

 

[EvBouret]

This is the second pig we got. And another shot of my hammock!!!

 

[Uncle Ji]

Aloha Ev, Congrats on another successful hunt, I admire your choice in weapon a peep sighted levergun. Are there any smallmoth bass that high up in the streams?

 

[One Track]

Great pics. Looks like fun. Lots of rocks! What type of boots do you wear for sticking to wet rocks? Do the locals go barefoot like in Central America?

 

[camomedic]

Styling, Brah. You guys going imu or make portugese sausage or what?? ONOLISCIOUS!!

IMUA
Camomedic

 

[EvBouret]

Uncle Ji:
Unfortunately no fish worth catching that high up. All the opae, tiger prawn and oopu you could sink your teeth into though. The peep does a good job, I like it better than open sights. And as far as I know scopes are pretty much useless in most the areas we hunt here on Kauai. The 30-30 will knock em down if you do your part. I got two pigs yesterday with it.

One Track:
We use tabis. I've posted photos of the green split toe ones on here before but the split toe gives me blisters so I have a normal neoprene boot with a zipper up the inside. The bottom is about 1/2" pad of felt. Perfect for stalking or hopping through rivers. Lightweight and thin soled enough to feel every branch under your foot so you dont spook something. But heavy enough that you're foot isn't too sore after a long trip. The bottoms get a little beat up after a whole day of rock hopping.

The tabis I use are real similar to these but without the raised heel. They make some with little metal studs in them too for better traction. They're a bit noisy for bow hunting though, but for chasing the dogs they're real real nice. Hands down the most comfortable footwear I've tried. I haven't ever gotten a blister wearing a pair.