FHL 3-21: It's official, I'm an Idiot!

[Navy-Hunter]

Saturday morning, hunting area 29 with my muzzleloader. It was about 7:30 and had only been full light for maybe a half hour. I had cut off the main road down in to the thick brushy flats hoping to find something getting stirring for the morning. Well, I did! As I walked along a trail through the brush, I looked up and a very nice boar(I'm no professional, but from the images and weights I've seen on here, I'd estimate around 200-215lbs) walks out about 75 yards ahead of me on another trail that crosses mine! My mind raced: "wow, talk about beigginers luck!" I raised my gun and here I need to exlain something.

I hunt with a Knight muzzleloader. Newere Knights have a "broken hammer" safety so that as you cock it, the hammer hinges in the middle to prevent an accidental discharge. It's easy to forget to click it back into place, so I had been reminding myself all morning not to forget it. Fortunately, I didn't. Unfortunately, with all the concentration I had placed on the "broken hammer" I forgot the standard push button safety on the trigger guard!

In the split second it took me to realize why my gun hadn't fired, he bolted ino the thick scrub brush, never to be seen again!

I guess I will consider the hunt a success, afterall at least I saw a pig. Later in the day I got a good show frm a coyote playing with/chasing a butterfly at about 50 yards. I talked to a few folks in camp that have been at it for years and have yet to see a pig on public land, guess I'm at least ahead of that rule curve!

Also, to the guys I met from Simi Valley that use this board, hope your hunt turned out well.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

very cool Navy Hunter, thanks for sharing your fhl hunting adventure story, thats all it takes for a hog to vanish is a split second, good luck on your next outing...........tra

 

[Krisdude]

nice, when you see them

 

[bux-n-dux]

I've probably missed a hundred ducks and half a dozen deer for the same reason. It's the price we sometimes pay for being safe. You've seen a pig on public land so you're still one step ahead of me. Next time you'll drop the hammer on 'em.

bux-n-dux

 

[map]

Navy,

That's perty good for the first time at Liggett. Is this the first time you talked about it? Because, the guards at the gate told me yesterday that a large boar was taken out of 29, and the check station later confirmed it. Stories have a way of growing, and I didn't actually see the thing. I did see a couple yesterday that were out in the open from my perch high in 19, and the check station says that couple were taken last weekend. Looks like the fresh green grass has them roaming around in the daylight.

 

[Navy-Hunter]

If one was taken from 29, it wasn't by me and this is the first time I've told the story. The only shots I heard sounded like someone sighting in a muzzleloader on the private property nearby, heard about 7-8 shots al about 3-4 mins apart. The ones taken last week came out of sections not open this week (I remember one was 13E, can't recall the other). I saw a few other hunters watching the area where I saw him, but I know they didn'tget him as I saw them leave empty handed. I covered a petty good bit of ground, found a good bit of sign, but no more pigs. I'll be back next weekend for pigs and turkeys!

 

[map]

Okay, I guess there was one for 29 yesterday? The other pig that was mentioned for last weekend was in 15 over by the MPRC. The coyotes are so thick at Liggett that the only turkey chicks that survived will be found in the rugged mountain regions of TA's 11, 14, 18, and 17. I noticed that those are the areas open for next weekend, so it should be a good hunt for the guys who are willing to climb up there through the poison oak brush. While traveling along the base of 11, 14, and 17 on Los Bueyes Road you will see faint traces of wheel tracks heading up into the brush that were made by turkey hunters through the years. I have yet to see or hear turkeys this season in areas 7, 13E, old 30, 19, or 29. The chaparral is too open underneath for the chicks, so the coyotes gobble them up.

 

[LAOutdoorsman]

Way to go

Congrats on the sighting I,m sure you will be ready next time. Cant wait to make it out there again. Looks like it will be the 2nd weekend of April.

 

[Akash]

Congrats !!!

You are 2 steps ahead of me. I haven't seen a pig on public land yet. I haven't even been to FHL to begin with. Good Luck, Im sure you will be ready next time.

 

[hiline345]

I have been going to FHL for about 5 years. My first trip I saw a pig on the side of the road (dead probally hit by a car). After seeing that I thought geez this is going to be easy. The next pig I saw was about a year and a half later it was running along side the arty range looking for a opening (he found it and got away). I have seen pigs crossing the range with out a care in the world. My other pig encounter was about 200 yards away. I always had my rifle zeroed at 200 but for some reason I had zeroed for 300 and I forgot ( real stupid I know ). My last pig encounter which really isn't a encounter at all was at the park and walk area 13E. I was in there early in the morning and I headed back to my truck for lunch. After having lunch I feel asleep and I slept for about a hour and a half and I headed out again. I noticed new boot prints two of them and a spent shotgun shell. I later found out that a man and his wife took a pig out of there while I was sleeping man does that suck. Yes they have pigs you just have to look for them.

 

[BoarHNTR]

Good Luck Navy-Hunter at least your saw a wild pig on your first trip to FHL.

 

[socalkid]

good job on just sighting a boar!

On my first muzzleloader pig hunt, I pulled the trigger on a boar at about 50 yards. Click. In the time It took me to realize I didn't have a primer on the pig was gone:bag-on-head:
Just this sunday I was on my first turkey hunt. Heard gobbles behind me, turned around to see 4-5 toms/jakes at about 40-50 yards. Put the bead of my 870 on the closest one and pulled the trigger. nothing. flicked off the saftey and smoked him. Lessons learned

You'll get em next time!

 

[dglover]

Just this sunday I was on my first turkey hunt. Heard gobbles behind me, turned around to see 4-5 toms/jakes at about 40-50 yards. Put the bead of my 870 on the closest one and pulled the trigger. nothing. flicked off the saftey and smoked him. Lessons learned

Are you sure you meant this Sunday?

It doesn't open until this weekend:

2008-2009 Upland Game Bird Hunting Regulations Summary

Maybe last year? Are there different regs I don't know about?:skeered:

 

[Navy-Hunter]

I'm guessing socalkid meant the juvenille hunt that was open this past weekend.

 

[dglover]

I'm guessing socalkid meant the juvenille hunt that was open this past weekend.

Oh!:bag-on-head: That would make more sense.:smiley_doh: Didn't realize he was young enough for junior hunts.

 

[Huntr Pat]

Catch and release. Dont have to dress out an animal or drag one.