wtpops

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After reading some threads on bikes and hunting on some other fourms I made some changes to my mountain bike and here is my new hunting accesses transportation.

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This pic shows my view of the river bottom. The grass is any where from waist to arm pit high and has a huge high way system of hog trails and tons of beds.

Last weekend i glassed 3 hogs feeding in the grass about 50 yards from the rivers edge and dropped down for a stalk. I made my way to within about 80 yards and looked up and saw this yote sneaking across the river from the other direction next thing I saw was the pigs hauling out of there and the yote standing there looking like he just missed lunch, he should have used the wind better, dang yote. Also that tree on the left is about 60 yards or so. Early that morning two yotes walked up under the tree. I have never tried it before but i put my lips to the back of my hand and gave them a couple of squeaks and one came running to me he stopped at about 20 yards and caught me just as a came to anchor, he was gone before the arrow got there, but what a rush. I'm going to have to try that more often.

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Saturday I'm heading in to my spot over looking the river bed and it's dark and so foggy i can only see about 10' in front of my face, thank god for smart phones and google earth or i would have never found my spot. I sit down and wait for the sun to come up and burn off the fog. At about 8:00 am it starts to lift and about 10 minuets later about 8 quail hunters line up and start walking right through my hog grass and it sounds and looks like they are getting there limit. I have no gripes about it, if i was a bird hunter i would have been right next to them. Good bird habitat it is.

So on to plan B, on public land you have to have a plan B.

I stand do a 180 and start back into the canyons and ridges that i have found a lot of routing.

I start side hilling this one ridge that has a few fingers running down it. My plan is to hunt this ridge all the way to the back of the area while the thermals are in my favor the jump to the next ridge next to the lake and hunt it back when the wind changes into my favor. As soon as i start in to the ridge i start finding stuff like this, looks good, and its fresh.

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wtpops

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[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif]For about the next 300 yards or so i find out I'm not the only predator that's been hunting this ridge. I find this and its fresh, still has meat on the bones and has the smell to it.

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[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif]I also find this; i think it is what’s left of some type of hawk. I ended up running into three different bird kills; they looked to be two hawks and an owl.[/FONT]

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wtpops

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I make my way to the end of the ridge and drop into the next one. I get about half way down the face of the first finger and sit down to look and listen. It doesn’t take long and i hear a crack from the face of the finger next to me, something with weight just stepped on and stick. A couple of minutes later i can hear the crunch, crunch of acorns and what i have come to recognize as the woof, woof sound of dirt being cleared from nostrils. A couple of minutes more and i can make out hogs moving my way under the oak trees, its on.

There is about fifteen of them and they drop down in the drainage and come up in front of me. They’re all from 15 to 30 yards from me. I pic one out, pic a spot and it turns, all i see is tail. The next one, dang behind a tree, this goes on until all 15 have pasted me.

Now there are 7 that are about 75 to 100 lbs, 6 that are sows about 125 to 150 lbs and 2 BIG black boars that are 200 to 225 if they are a pound and both sporting some nice long weapons from there lips.

How did i have so much time to get a good assessment of all these hogs you ask? Well for the next 15 minuets i stalk these hogs from tree to tree all the way to the bottom of the finger. I must have gotten to half draw seven times. How all those eyes and ears didn’t ketch me ill never know.

Then it happens at about 20 yards one of the big black boars gives me a shot, i get to about 3/4 draw and he takes that ever-recurring step behind a tree. As i let down I’m thinking man it’s going to be hard as hell getting the beast out of these hills, I'm all the way in the back and about a mile from my bike. He starts to step out from behind the tree and I’m at half draw in a blink, he stops just before his sweet spot is clear. I’m at half draw looking at this monster thinking, man i will never get this thing out of here or have a heart attack trying. Right about then 90 degrees to my left at about15 yards one of the smaller pigs steps out in view, i instantly think that one in can carry out of here, i turn draw and let loose, i see the arrow zip right through him. He goes about 15 yards and disapears behind some brush. I look around and none of the other hogs even react the the shot, there all just feeding away. Dang what a time to only bring one pig tag. As i stand up to go check the point of impact they look up and just trot off like nothing happened and in no big hurry. One of the big black takes up the rear of the line and i just smile as he trots off. If i would have been closer to the truck he would have been toast.

I get to where the pig stood, no blood, but about 7 yards away i see this.

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Can't really see it in the photo but it's covered from stem to stern with good blood. I turn and start down the path the pig took and at 5 yards this,

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5 more yards this,

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5 More yards this

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wtpops

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Here is a couple of hero shots, O yes and what a time to not have someone to take a pic. Once I got the hog back to my bike I lifted it up, straddled it's back legs over the center bar with its tail against my seat horn put its front legs and head over the handle bars and road that sucker all the way to the truck. My bike needs a good washing. I Had a blast, did anyone else have any luck?

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poorsidehunter

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Het wtpops I also was at fort hunter liggett on Saturday. It was my first hunt and first time at fhl. My buddy decided to hunt zone 28 ... No luck ! So we move to zone 2 and we followed a creek and we heard movement in the bushes and fresh tracks. But we had no luck .. I saw deer, elk, coyotes but no pigs ...I was very surprised that I didn't see any pigs ... I even seen some fresh bear tracks ... But it was a great experience I had lots of fun .. I want to go back soon maybe this !
 

PTMcMillan

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Nice job. I enjoyed the play by play as if I were right there with you. Funny how as we age, we give thought to the cost of our choices! I've had the same thought while hunting for pigs by myself... Once I did shoot a 200+ lbs pig, I had to bone it out and the spot and still almost couldn't make it back to the truck with a back frame full of pig meat..
 

cjack

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A picture of you hauling that pig on the bike would have been priceless. Congratulations on a fine job and a great hog, with a recurve no less!
 

Buck Hunter Vic

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wtg wtpops, I was also at Hunter Liggett. we had a group of 4, and hunted area 7, and saw alot of deer, and no pig's. Then we changed to area 27, with the same result. When we checked out for the day, 2 of us came to the skinning area, and saw you and your trophy, you and I talked briefly about your shot placement, which was right on target. Once again wtg.
 

inchr48

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Cool story, and great shot!

Congrats.
 

Huntr Pat

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cool! congrats


I just had my Bow sighted in. Now that the holidays are over and the grand kids are taken cared of. Its my turn to play. I got my bow sighted in at black mtn yesterday spent few hours meeting and helping other archers. Hope to see other bowhunters out there.
 
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wtpops

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What lb draw were you using on your bow?

My bow is a Black Widow PSA V 53# @30" I draw 31" so 56#
Arrow is a Carbon Express Heritage 350 at 32"
Broad head is a Razorcap @ 200 grains, total arrow weight 625 grains.
 

BobbyZ

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Thanks for the story wtpops. A great read. I got back yesterday from 4 days of camping and hunting for hogs with no luck but that makes me wanna go back right now.
 

solus

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pops wish I had seen the pig when I was there maybe next time I will get one too
 

THE ROMAN ARCHER

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hey super congrats on the trad bowkill wtpops! u are the man when it comes to stick bow & pigs! great story and photos thanks for sharing!...tra
 
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