Don't worry about the sleepless nights before the hunt. I've been hunting since I was a kid and I still have trouble going to sleep the night before a hunt. To much stuff running through your head to get to sleep.
Thanks everyone. I'm gald I have a place like this to share my hunts with
. I'm going to drop off the film today and I will try and get the pics up soon. Costco has that 1-hour photo thing.
Well heres the story. Met the guide and another fellow hunter at 5 am. We hunted Rancho San Julian. Its located were the Hwy 1 and the 101 meet about 30 min north of Santa Barbara. Its a beautiful ranch thats loaded with pigs, deer, quail,dove, turkey, and coyotes. Let me tell you there are some trophy hogs up there. The ranch is huge and accessible by truck using 4x4. We drove around a lot and would stop and glass. The reason for all the driving is the pigs tend to move a lot and the ranch so huge that there is a lot of ground to cover. We first spotted 3 200lbs + pigs on top off a ridge the were moveing fast and headed for cover. We tried to cut them off but the damn fog rolled in out of nowhere and just started surrounding us on the mountain top. Lost the pigs to the Fog monster.
We then decided to drive back down and then up to another hill . When we got to the top I spot this huge moving spot on a ridge near some cattle. It was the biggest pig I have ever seen.
. The guide said they have been trynig to catch up with this pig for awhile now. He estimates the pig to be around 400-500lbs, and I believe him. We start to hike down the ridge we were on and try set up a spot to get off a shot. Not a good scenario with the wind to our back and the hog on a ridge with some cattle in the back. Then the worst thing happened, a round in the mag got stuck.
. Either way the hog winded us right away and headed straight for the brush and trees. We watched it drop over on the back side of the ridge and dissapear. We waited, but that damn fog kept ruining it.
We headed down and to another area of the ranch. When we get there I spot to black hogs feeding on a hill towards some sage brush. Heres my chance. Me and the Guide start to put on a stalk and try to cut them off . They were on a hill oppisite side of a deep creek bed. The 2 pigs headed into the brush and vanished. It was a small patch off brushand we knew they had to come out some where. But, we didn'tknow theywere going to pop out about 50 yrds in front off us. I was looking in the creek bed expecting them to be crossing or rooting in the mud, when I spot oneof the pigs heads coming out of the creek. I stop the guide and drop to my knees. I totally forgot I had my shooting sticks with me and instead put the cross hairs on him off hand. I had the first one in my cross hairs but it turned and gave me no shot. By this time the adrenalin is pumping and I'm telling myself to stay calm. Then I spot the blacker one coming out and that is the one I wanted. I think us and the pigs were both shocked to see each other because they seemed like they didn't know what to do. The Blacker on ended up stop for a second or two when I let off a shot. The guide yells out perfect shot you nailed him good, but the pig still ran about 50 yrds down the pasture and then back into the creek bed. I made a perfect heart shot
. When we gutted it and skinned it the Rem 150grn cor-lok left nothing but the heart valves and took out part of the shoulder on the other side. I can't belive that boar ran fifty yards with out a heart.
I was supposed to hunt with a guy named Brady but instead hunted with his partner named Matt. They work for Cal Quest Outfitters and I highly reccomend them. He was very professional and not to mention and all around nice guy. He spent the extra time to carefully cape and skin it for me, since I told him I wanted to mount it. What I really like was the fact that he was going to let us shoot at some coyotes if we didn't spot anything during hunting hours. Basically the coyotes were no extra charge. They are very reasonably priced and don't charge for trophy fees on a hog. They guide for bears, deer, turkey, quail, hogs, and dove. PM me if anybody wants there number.
Pics coming soon.
That sounds like a great day, all the way around. I keep hearing about this Rancho San Julian, and your story confirms what I've been hearing about numbers and quality of the hogs.
They only charged me $375 flat with no trophy fees. I believe they have an 80% success rate. I know if I held out I could have shot a trophy hog. They are there. I will difinetly go back after the deer season. Let them know Raul Hernandez from Santa Barbara recommended them to you. I mentioned JHO to them and told them to check it out. Good luck and let me know if you plan a trip.
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