richardoutwest
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True Story,
What to you do when you finally stick that Javelina and it makes it into a 65 foot culvert that is only 16 inches in dia., it's still alive, and close to a residential neighborhood? Well you better hope you can or know somebody who can fish. " The name of the shooter will be changed to protect the shooters identity."
Well, that is what happened on our last archery Javelina hunt. The stalk lasted almost as long as the retrieval did. My Partner Mackey glassed a herd of pigs about a 1/2 mile away around 7 a.m. feeding with a herd of Coues deer. The wind was all wrong, but we desided to get closer to see how we were going to work the critters.
After about an hour, the wind changed directions and Mackey was off with shooter to stick a Javy so we could get back to hunting deer. I stayed high on a hill to signal directions. This was a done deal, so we thought.
9 o'clock 10 and 11 went by as I watched Mackey and shooter within 20 yards of 25+ pigs. I watched the shooter draw his bow at least a half dozen times, still no shot. I watched as shooter leaned over too far only to fall into a prickly pear patch. I watched as Mackey pulled thorns from shooters backside. I thought, man this is going to cost extra!
Well the tactic worked as one of the pigs decided with all that raucous, that prickly pear patch must tast pretty good and here he came. Surely a tactic I would not have chosen. Finally around noon, an arrow was launched. Finally we can get back to hunting deer. Wrong! The hit was to far back and the tracking job of almost two miles had us at the entrance of a 65 foot culvert, 16 inches in dia. As I peeked into the opening with a flashlight, now aroung 2 p.m. the pig was well aware of presence and let me know with a snarl and a snap of his choppers. I remember thinking, " dang, this this really looks mad." well maybe not in those words.
Now the geniuses that we are, being men and all, had to find the solution to the answer. how are we going to get a live pig out of this tube without being eaten alive? Shooter had the best solution, the only one at the time, "Run a snake made for pulling electrical wires through conduit down the culvert, hook on a treble hook and pull the pig out!" Okay, I'm on a Javelina and deer hunt here and the last time I looked in my pack, nope I don't think I saw one of those, but I'll check just in case!
No big deal, heck the lumber yard is just down the street. Yes, literally just down the street. Yep, problem number two. Our tracking job not only led us to the pig but also just outside a small residential neighborhood. That's all I need is some small old lady walking fluffy, and the dog decides to check out the piggy. This would not look good on a resume!
So we are off to the hardware store, figure what the heck, give the pig tiome to die. Now, I challenge you to go to your local hardware store and tell a female worker that you need a wire puller for retrieving a pig. Don't be surprised if she laughs and wants to charge double since this is now a multi purpose tool! Saving face, and in complete control of our manhood, we pay for the tool and exit the store. I can't believe she has never heard of this before? Bet ya she never watched MacGyver!
Back at the culvert, the pig is still alive and pretty upset. I started to feed the snake into the pipe. It's around 4 p.m. now and our spirits are starting to get low. Stuffed as far into the pipe as I can. I remind shooter and his wife to stay back in case the critter wants a fst exit, I don't need anybody getting hurt! As I fed the snake I lunge into the pipe and start screaming with legs kicking, probably not one of my smartest moves, as I pull my head out of the pipe to see shooters wife almost having a heart attack. Anyway the snake did not work. MacGyver would have been proud though!
Plan two was to piece 20 foot sections of PVC pipe together and push the pig out. Good thing I hand my trusty roll of electrical tape in my pack, or not. We pushed and pushed, but the pig was not having it. We have to get this thing dead!
I asked shooter to shoot the pig again, I know it's another hole but we need to kill this thing before anyone get hurt. The pig is in one end of the pipe about 8 to 10 yards, so we have him shoot from the long end so the pig does not get any further into the pipe. With the grace of Loral and Hardy, shooter gets on his side and launches an arrow, but no sound from the pig. So I have shooter go ahead and shoot from the close side and have Macky at the other end and listen.
At the launch, I see Mackey jump into the air. Puzzled, I thought the pig had exited. Nope, the arrow had passed through. So I climbed over the barbed wire fence to retrieve the arrow some hundred yards away. To my surprise, no blood on the arrow. Back over the fence and back to the pipe, "Shooter, shoot again!" Yep, there I go again back over the fence, and yep no blood again! Now I may not be a mathematical genius, but I know the odds of missing a 40 pound pig at 8 yards stuffed into a 16 inch pipe twice are pretty slim! So I checked the pipe, just to be sure the pig did not give us the slip. Nope, there he is, stuffed in the pipe like a sardine, can't even see daylight.
The odds of shooter missing a third time were in our favor. So shooter shoots again, whop, whoof, whoof chomp. Good deal, all we have to do is wait for him to die. The next three shots over the next hour and a half, we though the same thing. Out of arrows, nightfall is now here and this thing has become personal. It is now dark, 7 p.m. and the pipe is glowing like a roman candle from the luma knocks. One last look to see if the darn thing is dead yet, if not we come back tomorrow.
Yep, were comming back tomorrow. But not until we borrow a fishing gaff. Now try telling your fishing buddy that you need to borrow his gaff to fish for a pig and not get laughed at.
The next day, back at the culvert, things are looking pretty good. Yes the pig is dead, finally. Concentrating on matters at hand, Grandpa Johnson, a local resident in his 66 Chevy pickup pulls up hanging out and asking "you boys loose something or are you cleaning out the drains?" Now, I have a vision of what Jeff Foxworthy would say standing back observing this whole ordeal? " If you go Javelina hunting with a fishing gaff, electrical tape, and PVC pipe, you might be a redneck." "If you have to ask what three hunters in camouflage with archery equipment are doing with this equipment, here's your sign."
The pin cushion, I mean the pig was retrieved. The old lady, Fluffy and Granpa Johnson are all safe. I now carry a few extra thing in my truck on Javelina hunts, and oh by the way, this was not the first time!
As for shooter, he's good with it, probably will never admit it but will probably laugh if you asked him. I'm sure shooter wife will spill the beans if asked! Seriously, shooter you know who you are and we all had a great time and laughed a bunch. You and Mrs. shooter are more than welcome in my camp anytime and we love ya both!
Enjoy a couple of pics on the pig removal and last years culvert pig also, this pig weighed in at 72 lbs.
Thanks for reading!
What to you do when you finally stick that Javelina and it makes it into a 65 foot culvert that is only 16 inches in dia., it's still alive, and close to a residential neighborhood? Well you better hope you can or know somebody who can fish. " The name of the shooter will be changed to protect the shooters identity."
Well, that is what happened on our last archery Javelina hunt. The stalk lasted almost as long as the retrieval did. My Partner Mackey glassed a herd of pigs about a 1/2 mile away around 7 a.m. feeding with a herd of Coues deer. The wind was all wrong, but we desided to get closer to see how we were going to work the critters.
After about an hour, the wind changed directions and Mackey was off with shooter to stick a Javy so we could get back to hunting deer. I stayed high on a hill to signal directions. This was a done deal, so we thought.
9 o'clock 10 and 11 went by as I watched Mackey and shooter within 20 yards of 25+ pigs. I watched the shooter draw his bow at least a half dozen times, still no shot. I watched as shooter leaned over too far only to fall into a prickly pear patch. I watched as Mackey pulled thorns from shooters backside. I thought, man this is going to cost extra!
Well the tactic worked as one of the pigs decided with all that raucous, that prickly pear patch must tast pretty good and here he came. Surely a tactic I would not have chosen. Finally around noon, an arrow was launched. Finally we can get back to hunting deer. Wrong! The hit was to far back and the tracking job of almost two miles had us at the entrance of a 65 foot culvert, 16 inches in dia. As I peeked into the opening with a flashlight, now aroung 2 p.m. the pig was well aware of presence and let me know with a snarl and a snap of his choppers. I remember thinking, " dang, this this really looks mad." well maybe not in those words.
Now the geniuses that we are, being men and all, had to find the solution to the answer. how are we going to get a live pig out of this tube without being eaten alive? Shooter had the best solution, the only one at the time, "Run a snake made for pulling electrical wires through conduit down the culvert, hook on a treble hook and pull the pig out!" Okay, I'm on a Javelina and deer hunt here and the last time I looked in my pack, nope I don't think I saw one of those, but I'll check just in case!
No big deal, heck the lumber yard is just down the street. Yes, literally just down the street. Yep, problem number two. Our tracking job not only led us to the pig but also just outside a small residential neighborhood. That's all I need is some small old lady walking fluffy, and the dog decides to check out the piggy. This would not look good on a resume!
So we are off to the hardware store, figure what the heck, give the pig tiome to die. Now, I challenge you to go to your local hardware store and tell a female worker that you need a wire puller for retrieving a pig. Don't be surprised if she laughs and wants to charge double since this is now a multi purpose tool! Saving face, and in complete control of our manhood, we pay for the tool and exit the store. I can't believe she has never heard of this before? Bet ya she never watched MacGyver!
Back at the culvert, the pig is still alive and pretty upset. I started to feed the snake into the pipe. It's around 4 p.m. now and our spirits are starting to get low. Stuffed as far into the pipe as I can. I remind shooter and his wife to stay back in case the critter wants a fst exit, I don't need anybody getting hurt! As I fed the snake I lunge into the pipe and start screaming with legs kicking, probably not one of my smartest moves, as I pull my head out of the pipe to see shooters wife almost having a heart attack. Anyway the snake did not work. MacGyver would have been proud though!
Plan two was to piece 20 foot sections of PVC pipe together and push the pig out. Good thing I hand my trusty roll of electrical tape in my pack, or not. We pushed and pushed, but the pig was not having it. We have to get this thing dead!
I asked shooter to shoot the pig again, I know it's another hole but we need to kill this thing before anyone get hurt. The pig is in one end of the pipe about 8 to 10 yards, so we have him shoot from the long end so the pig does not get any further into the pipe. With the grace of Loral and Hardy, shooter gets on his side and launches an arrow, but no sound from the pig. So I have shooter go ahead and shoot from the close side and have Macky at the other end and listen.
At the launch, I see Mackey jump into the air. Puzzled, I thought the pig had exited. Nope, the arrow had passed through. So I climbed over the barbed wire fence to retrieve the arrow some hundred yards away. To my surprise, no blood on the arrow. Back over the fence and back to the pipe, "Shooter, shoot again!" Yep, there I go again back over the fence, and yep no blood again! Now I may not be a mathematical genius, but I know the odds of missing a 40 pound pig at 8 yards stuffed into a 16 inch pipe twice are pretty slim! So I checked the pipe, just to be sure the pig did not give us the slip. Nope, there he is, stuffed in the pipe like a sardine, can't even see daylight.
The odds of shooter missing a third time were in our favor. So shooter shoots again, whop, whoof, whoof chomp. Good deal, all we have to do is wait for him to die. The next three shots over the next hour and a half, we though the same thing. Out of arrows, nightfall is now here and this thing has become personal. It is now dark, 7 p.m. and the pipe is glowing like a roman candle from the luma knocks. One last look to see if the darn thing is dead yet, if not we come back tomorrow.
Yep, were comming back tomorrow. But not until we borrow a fishing gaff. Now try telling your fishing buddy that you need to borrow his gaff to fish for a pig and not get laughed at.
The next day, back at the culvert, things are looking pretty good. Yes the pig is dead, finally. Concentrating on matters at hand, Grandpa Johnson, a local resident in his 66 Chevy pickup pulls up hanging out and asking "you boys loose something or are you cleaning out the drains?" Now, I have a vision of what Jeff Foxworthy would say standing back observing this whole ordeal? " If you go Javelina hunting with a fishing gaff, electrical tape, and PVC pipe, you might be a redneck." "If you have to ask what three hunters in camouflage with archery equipment are doing with this equipment, here's your sign."
The pin cushion, I mean the pig was retrieved. The old lady, Fluffy and Granpa Johnson are all safe. I now carry a few extra thing in my truck on Javelina hunts, and oh by the way, this was not the first time!
As for shooter, he's good with it, probably will never admit it but will probably laugh if you asked him. I'm sure shooter wife will spill the beans if asked! Seriously, shooter you know who you are and we all had a great time and laughed a bunch. You and Mrs. shooter are more than welcome in my camp anytime and we love ya both!
Enjoy a couple of pics on the pig removal and last years culvert pig also, this pig weighed in at 72 lbs.
Thanks for reading!
