Wild1

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
1,089
Reaction score
50
My last public land hog was back in mid-September, and with deer season and all the holiday family stuff, I just haven't had the time to get after it again. I only had a small window of opportunity to actually hunt (New Years Day), and I took it. I had been using a game cam to pattern a real gnarly boar I found months ago (I'll try to post a picture of him later), and he showed up again on one of my trail cameras. I made a quick stop to pick up a tag, and I tried to set up an ambush where he'd been rooting. Low and behold, he and a sow he's been running with showed up at dusk. I thought I had set up in a good spot, but this cagey boar winded me and only showed himself for a split second - man is he a beast! The sow, however, stuck around to do her rooting a little too long. I really wanted to wait for the boar to come back in, he was milling around in the thick stuff, just outside any visibilty - a real clever bad-a$$ boar - but whacking a public land pig in SoCAl. is just so difficult, that I had to go for it. She wouldn't give me a shot for the longest time (facing me), but finally she turned broadside (slightly quatering to me) and I introduced her to the business end of a screamin' Carbon Express Blue Streak Select, tipped with a RazorTrick. Let the air out of her fairly quickly at about 22 yards with a pretty good shot. She bolted for the thick stuff, but I could hear her thrashing around and even heard a death grunt (a little unnerving), so I knew she didn't go far. Although I was losing light fast, the blood trail was incredible (you bowhunters gotta try a RazorTrick). Apologies for the colorful images, it was now dark, I was tired and I had a lot of work ahead of me - I neglected to do a clean-up before I self-timed a couple of photos. Kind of a cool looking hog with a prominent razor back and large shoulders. Took me about two hours to get her back to my truck (murder on the lower back), she went about 210-225lbs. (seemed a lot heavier when you're by yourself)!
 

Attachments

  • 1-1-12 Public Land Pig 002.jpg
    1-1-12 Public Land Pig 002.jpg
    106.9 KB · Views: 242
  • 1-1-12 Public Land Pig 005.jpg
    1-1-12 Public Land Pig 005.jpg
    98.2 KB · Views: 232
  • 1-1-12 Public Land Pig 006.jpg
    1-1-12 Public Land Pig 006.jpg
    96.4 KB · Views: 232
Last edited:

cjack

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
3,514
Reaction score
383
Dang Wild1, nice job, pig with a bow and in So Cal? That is a story and pics you usualy see coming out of private land hunts in central or northern California. Congatulations on a job well done and a well written account, thanks for shareing!
 

desert_s10

Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2010
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
I would GLADLY sacrifice my back if you ever wanted help recovering an animal.:pig-laughing:
 

cutbait

Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Impressive.. Your smile tells the story.

I beat your glad now it was just the 225 sow? HA
 

Mjp62

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
486
Reaction score
1
Great job!!!! Gotta love those piebalds!
 

Farmerdoug

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
1,222
Reaction score
177
Good job Bro! Take it easy on the Calicos........ I'd love to see the herd grow..... Calicos.jpg
 

DAQ80

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Messages
258
Reaction score
3
Badass hog man, is that out of San Diego? Awesome work!
 

THE ROMAN ARCHER

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 3, 2006
Messages
8,535
Reaction score
1,102
Wild1, congrats on the plp with a bow, just awesome! thanks for sharing!...tra
 

Vermonster

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 13, 2008
Messages
1,165
Reaction score
28
Another great one from you down here in the South! Congrats!! Heck of a pig!!!
 

83Yota

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
285
Reaction score
3
Wild1,
Solid work on the hogs again. I finally have some hogs on camera and hope to get out to set the camera's back up and hunt this weekend.
 

Wild1

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
1,089
Reaction score
50
Thanks fellas! Good luck Yota, sounds promising - let us know.
 

henmar77

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
1,398
Reaction score
4
How long did you have to scout before you found out where those hogs were? Better yet how the hell did you know where to start! Great job. I would love a hunt like that without paying.
 

Wild1

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
1,089
Reaction score
50
Henmar,
I started by asking other hunters. No hunters will tell you exactly where they find pigs, but they'll tell you what county...lol. Then you just have to look for food souce(s), water and cover. Then you have to place your trail camera(s) out and be prepared for a lot of "trial and error." I've been very lucky, actually, it's more time, effort and work than luck - but when you score, it's incredibly rewarding. This partucular hog showed up while I was trying to ambush a beastly boar that's been showing up on one of my game cameras for about a year. I came close to whacking him this time, but he's very clever. It's easier and probably more time efficient to hire a guide, but I love the satisfaction of doing it myself. I'll mine have been on public land, but it would be awesome if you could somehow get permission to hunt private land. Keep at it and good luck!
 

henmar77

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
1,398
Reaction score
4
Amazing. I wish i had the time and funds to find a resource like that. however, from what i hear SD is the only place in SoCal that has them. Any effort in SB would be a waste of time. Unless they let us start hunting the Santa Ana river! haha. Since you said ask other hunters Ill start by asking you, What "country" are the hogs in?
 

henmar77

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
1,398
Reaction score
4
One thing i dont understand is why the hogs dont seem to populate in CA like they do in other states.....?
 

Wild1

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
1,089
Reaction score
50
Oh, they populate CA all right, it's just that they're mostly on private land in central and northern CA. Hogs are in 56 of the 58 counties in CA.
 

solus

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
Messages
4,631
Reaction score
30
its because the county of san bernardino alone is bigger than rhode island lol.... its a biiig state
 
Top Bottom