This hunt did not start off so well. I got in to work early Friday, was really busy, and had to wire funds to close escrow on my first home. Stress does not even begin to describe it.
I hit the road midmorning and headed north to go pick up Zeke on the way in Santa Barbara. Somewhere south of LA I spot a gal on the side of the road with a flat tire. Then my mind starts wandering. You know, when all sorts of thoughts start going through your head. Thoughts you wouldn't normally think of. Well I thought to myself that I've been really fortunate and have not had any tire blowouts in quite a while. In fact, I've never had a freeway blowout (no joke, I really thought that). About the time I hit LAX, I think it would be a good time to call Deedy and give her an ETA. We are BS'ing on the phone and traffic starts to slow down. As I am coasting to slow down to the brake lights ahead of me, I hear a noise that sound like a jake brake. No big, there is a truck right next to me. The truck's lane gets stopped and mine starts to go again. I hear the noise again but this time look over to see the truck still stopped. Then it dawned on me that my back corner is sagging. Oh crap, I jinxed myself, flat tire. Pull over, call roadside assistance. They say to expect 1-1.5 hrs, screw that, I got a hunt to get to. I am fine with changing my own tire but didn't want to risk my life aside a crazy LA freeweay. A few minutes later a CHP shows up and says he'll send one of his tow guys. He calls on the radio and says the guy will be here in 15 min. I figure I'll start the process, but by the time he shows up, I'm all changed out and pulling back onto the freeway. I give the thumbs up and I'm on my way. Swap trucks at Zeke's and we are only about 20-30 minutes behind schedule.
We 3 more hours and we pull in to Bryson Resort. Cool place, a secluded shady location with nice litte cabins. Just as we start unloading, Deedy's daughter Karin shows up and says her Mom will be right there. We suit up and are after it. The only problem is it's hot, I mean Arizona hot. A balmy 95 degrees at 5:15 pm.
A short drive away and we are on a hill overlooking a large barley field that is the only source of good feed for miles away. With the heat we knew the pigs would be late coming into the field, and they were. A nice group of 20+ showed up about 10 minutes before dark. We beat feet over there and get set up to stalk. The stalk worked just fine, we simply ran out of light. We got to about 75 yards and it was dark. Bummer.
The next morning we see the same group in about the same spot right at first light. Again we haul butt over there, but as we pop up over the rise, they are nowhere to be seen. They could not of seen, heard or smelled us, they just moved into the brush and bedded somewhere as we were out of sight moving into position.
We go check out another area. As we stop to open a gate, I notice that there are ground squirells all over. I grab my bow with a judo arrow and whack two. After the second one, the arrow bounced into oblivion. Zeke and I are scouring the area looking for my lost arrow. I glance up the canyon and see a large black spot. Sure enough, a hog, and it looks to be in a stalkable location. Since I already had my bow in my hand. I ease up on the stalk. Zeke heads up the hill for a better vantage and to signal me in. I get to where I can see the area where the hog last was, and it must have dissapeared into the brush. Boots off, I kept closing in. I heard some rustling and saw some weener pigs squirt from one brush patch into another. I close the distance and wave Zeke down the hill. With him 30 yards behind me I give him the internationaly recognized hand signal of "throw rocks into that brush patch to scare the pigs out so I can shoot them". He does but nothing comes out. I know they are in there so I close in further. I'm now no more than 10 yards from this thick patch and it starts shaking. Next thing I know hog after hog after hog is bailing out of this brush patch. I couldn't get around it fast enough to get any clear shot. They bust up the hill. Zeke said there were 20-25 pigs in the group. Bummer again. We look around some more and drive some canyons to no avail.
We decide to go play with the turkeys since it is mid day and really hot. First spot, no love. Second spot we spot a nice tom. Problem was, he spotted us first as we drove up over the rise. He ran off into a brushy canyon. Thinking it was futile but willing to try anyway, Zeke bailed out with his bow. I grabbed my box call out of my pack and hit it. Instant gobble about 150 yards down the canyon. I hit the call a few more times and he kept gobbling, but getting closer each time. Holy crap, this dumb bird is coming back. We pulled him all the way back to about 35 yards from Zeke, but he hung up behind a big tree. When Zeke tried to move around to get a shot angle, the bird busted and ran off for good this time.
Back out for the evening hunt. We see what we think is the same group of hogs from the night before and the morning, WAY up high on a distant ridge above the barley. We have about 20-25 minutes of light left. The hogs are moving down, looking like they would come into the field the same way they did the previous night. We hauled butt over there beating the pig's arrival and got set up in the field's natural funnel. The wind was perfect and the set up was ideal. We just had to wait for the pigs to show up. This was a slam dunk! One problem, the pigs never showed up. They ducked into an unseen canyon and never came into the field. Day one done.
Sunday morning we are up on the ridge overlooking the barley again. Right at first light we spot a group of pigs in a perfect spot to stalk. As we begin to gather our things, they start moving out. Up the barley and into the brush they go, not 5 minutes after light. The heat was really killing us. We had VERY little good hunting time each morning and evening. As we were getting set to stalk the brush patch they went into, Deedy went to check a nearby canyon since it was close and since we figured the pigs we spotted would hole up in that brush patch and stay put for a while. Sure enough Deedy finds pigs.
We set up for the stalk. By this time it is already warming up, fearing this was likely to be our last good opportunity of the trip, I had to take drastic measures. We started our stalk, and had to negotiate around some more turkeys in fear of them blowing our stalk. We worked our way side hill, staying in the trees until we can finally spot the pigs. Thinking the pigs were closer than they were, we had taken our shoes off a 1/4 mile ago. We come around the last bush and there they are, but still a nice poke at 50 yards. The plan was for Zeke to take a half step to the left so I could have some room to kneel down and shoot from low, while he shot standing. As we position ourselves, and as Zeke is just about to draw, the closest pig busts our movement and the whole group starts jammin' for the wall of brush 25 yards away from them. I manage to get two shots off before the biggest one entered the brush and one more right as she hit the brushline, but this time with my .243. I had brought it with the hopes of tagging out early and popping some yotes. The first two shots hit and pretty much did her in. We found her just a short distance into the brush. A nice sow about 165 lbs. So we had meat on the pole, albeit bittersweet.
We went back to the brush patch where we initially watched the other group of pigs bed up in at first light. We worked it hard but the pigs must have moved out. We looked at a couple more spots as mid morning turned into midday.
I left to go take care of my pig and to start packing up. Zeke made one last ditch effort at the turkeys and got some response but ended up getting busted again.
So we headed home with one in the cooler. Cool, but somewhat bittersweet as it did not meet its demise from my favored weapon. Oh well, next time.
Deedy's place is great. Lots of hogs and great accomodations. It will only get better too. Deedy has some great plans to set up some stands on wallows and seeps for archery hunters. With as dry as this year has been, this should be a successful tactic. As as the surrounding hillsides continue to dry out even more in the next couple weeks, the pigs should really come in to hit that barley hard as it will be the only source of food around. The place has it going on.
I'll put a review in the outfitter section but Deedy has a good thing going there at Bryson Resort.
Did I miss anything Zeke?
I hit the road midmorning and headed north to go pick up Zeke on the way in Santa Barbara. Somewhere south of LA I spot a gal on the side of the road with a flat tire. Then my mind starts wandering. You know, when all sorts of thoughts start going through your head. Thoughts you wouldn't normally think of. Well I thought to myself that I've been really fortunate and have not had any tire blowouts in quite a while. In fact, I've never had a freeway blowout (no joke, I really thought that). About the time I hit LAX, I think it would be a good time to call Deedy and give her an ETA. We are BS'ing on the phone and traffic starts to slow down. As I am coasting to slow down to the brake lights ahead of me, I hear a noise that sound like a jake brake. No big, there is a truck right next to me. The truck's lane gets stopped and mine starts to go again. I hear the noise again but this time look over to see the truck still stopped. Then it dawned on me that my back corner is sagging. Oh crap, I jinxed myself, flat tire. Pull over, call roadside assistance. They say to expect 1-1.5 hrs, screw that, I got a hunt to get to. I am fine with changing my own tire but didn't want to risk my life aside a crazy LA freeweay. A few minutes later a CHP shows up and says he'll send one of his tow guys. He calls on the radio and says the guy will be here in 15 min. I figure I'll start the process, but by the time he shows up, I'm all changed out and pulling back onto the freeway. I give the thumbs up and I'm on my way. Swap trucks at Zeke's and we are only about 20-30 minutes behind schedule.
We 3 more hours and we pull in to Bryson Resort. Cool place, a secluded shady location with nice litte cabins. Just as we start unloading, Deedy's daughter Karin shows up and says her Mom will be right there. We suit up and are after it. The only problem is it's hot, I mean Arizona hot. A balmy 95 degrees at 5:15 pm.
A short drive away and we are on a hill overlooking a large barley field that is the only source of good feed for miles away. With the heat we knew the pigs would be late coming into the field, and they were. A nice group of 20+ showed up about 10 minutes before dark. We beat feet over there and get set up to stalk. The stalk worked just fine, we simply ran out of light. We got to about 75 yards and it was dark. Bummer.
The next morning we see the same group in about the same spot right at first light. Again we haul butt over there, but as we pop up over the rise, they are nowhere to be seen. They could not of seen, heard or smelled us, they just moved into the brush and bedded somewhere as we were out of sight moving into position.
We go check out another area. As we stop to open a gate, I notice that there are ground squirells all over. I grab my bow with a judo arrow and whack two. After the second one, the arrow bounced into oblivion. Zeke and I are scouring the area looking for my lost arrow. I glance up the canyon and see a large black spot. Sure enough, a hog, and it looks to be in a stalkable location. Since I already had my bow in my hand. I ease up on the stalk. Zeke heads up the hill for a better vantage and to signal me in. I get to where I can see the area where the hog last was, and it must have dissapeared into the brush. Boots off, I kept closing in. I heard some rustling and saw some weener pigs squirt from one brush patch into another. I close the distance and wave Zeke down the hill. With him 30 yards behind me I give him the internationaly recognized hand signal of "throw rocks into that brush patch to scare the pigs out so I can shoot them". He does but nothing comes out. I know they are in there so I close in further. I'm now no more than 10 yards from this thick patch and it starts shaking. Next thing I know hog after hog after hog is bailing out of this brush patch. I couldn't get around it fast enough to get any clear shot. They bust up the hill. Zeke said there were 20-25 pigs in the group. Bummer again. We look around some more and drive some canyons to no avail.
We decide to go play with the turkeys since it is mid day and really hot. First spot, no love. Second spot we spot a nice tom. Problem was, he spotted us first as we drove up over the rise. He ran off into a brushy canyon. Thinking it was futile but willing to try anyway, Zeke bailed out with his bow. I grabbed my box call out of my pack and hit it. Instant gobble about 150 yards down the canyon. I hit the call a few more times and he kept gobbling, but getting closer each time. Holy crap, this dumb bird is coming back. We pulled him all the way back to about 35 yards from Zeke, but he hung up behind a big tree. When Zeke tried to move around to get a shot angle, the bird busted and ran off for good this time.
Back out for the evening hunt. We see what we think is the same group of hogs from the night before and the morning, WAY up high on a distant ridge above the barley. We have about 20-25 minutes of light left. The hogs are moving down, looking like they would come into the field the same way they did the previous night. We hauled butt over there beating the pig's arrival and got set up in the field's natural funnel. The wind was perfect and the set up was ideal. We just had to wait for the pigs to show up. This was a slam dunk! One problem, the pigs never showed up. They ducked into an unseen canyon and never came into the field. Day one done.
Sunday morning we are up on the ridge overlooking the barley again. Right at first light we spot a group of pigs in a perfect spot to stalk. As we begin to gather our things, they start moving out. Up the barley and into the brush they go, not 5 minutes after light. The heat was really killing us. We had VERY little good hunting time each morning and evening. As we were getting set to stalk the brush patch they went into, Deedy went to check a nearby canyon since it was close and since we figured the pigs we spotted would hole up in that brush patch and stay put for a while. Sure enough Deedy finds pigs.
We set up for the stalk. By this time it is already warming up, fearing this was likely to be our last good opportunity of the trip, I had to take drastic measures. We started our stalk, and had to negotiate around some more turkeys in fear of them blowing our stalk. We worked our way side hill, staying in the trees until we can finally spot the pigs. Thinking the pigs were closer than they were, we had taken our shoes off a 1/4 mile ago. We come around the last bush and there they are, but still a nice poke at 50 yards. The plan was for Zeke to take a half step to the left so I could have some room to kneel down and shoot from low, while he shot standing. As we position ourselves, and as Zeke is just about to draw, the closest pig busts our movement and the whole group starts jammin' for the wall of brush 25 yards away from them. I manage to get two shots off before the biggest one entered the brush and one more right as she hit the brushline, but this time with my .243. I had brought it with the hopes of tagging out early and popping some yotes. The first two shots hit and pretty much did her in. We found her just a short distance into the brush. A nice sow about 165 lbs. So we had meat on the pole, albeit bittersweet.
We went back to the brush patch where we initially watched the other group of pigs bed up in at first light. We worked it hard but the pigs must have moved out. We looked at a couple more spots as mid morning turned into midday.
I left to go take care of my pig and to start packing up. Zeke made one last ditch effort at the turkeys and got some response but ended up getting busted again.
So we headed home with one in the cooler. Cool, but somewhat bittersweet as it did not meet its demise from my favored weapon. Oh well, next time.
Deedy's place is great. Lots of hogs and great accomodations. It will only get better too. Deedy has some great plans to set up some stands on wallows and seeps for archery hunters. With as dry as this year has been, this should be a successful tactic. As as the surrounding hillsides continue to dry out even more in the next couple weeks, the pigs should really come in to hit that barley hard as it will be the only source of food around. The place has it going on.
I'll put a review in the outfitter section but Deedy has a good thing going there at Bryson Resort.
Did I miss anything Zeke?
