Joice Island Pig Hunt

[packofwolfes]

Anyone been drawn for the Joice Island pig hunt? My son was drawn for the youth hunt on March 6-7 (received his drawing notice in the mail on 2/28). Any tips on hunting this area? I duck hunted there once 25 years ago but don't remeber much about the area. Any help is appreciated because I'd sure like to see the kid get his first hog! Thanks

 

[reddog5]

I wasn't drawn

and i have never been up there.

But i did want to congradulate you and your son and hope you get em!!

 

[Kentuck]

My buddy got drawn for a hunt the first year they had this hunt. We saw close to 20 pigs and he missed on a couple of shots. Claimed it was because he was shooting a shotgun and not a rifle, even though his last shot was only about 20 yards away.
Plan on hunting all day. We saw one pig first thing driving onto the Island. The other hunt party was in front of us and stopped and the pig took off. I believe the pigs live in the tule areas between the levy and the river and probably on some of the islands in the big pond on the south end of the island. The rest of the pigs we saw were at the last hour or so of the day on the north/west end of the island (the end opposite of the end you drive in on). I put a post of his hunt on here last year or the year before. I found that post and here is the story....

My buddy got drawn for this hunt the first year it was held. I tagged along. We saw a pig right after getting onto the Island but the other hunter and his brother were in front of us and the pig bolted when their truck stopped. We ended up hiking the entire Island without seeing a pig. We found tons of sign and places others had gotten pigs on the previous hunts. We did come across two piglets, about 25-30 pounds apiece. The other hunter and his brother split in the afternoon and I told my buddy that since it was only a one day hunt we should stick it out. Glad we did. We drove to the end of the road on the North side of the Island and sat in the truck, as the wind was blowing and we were tired of walking. I spot a coyote crossing a mud flat our way. I told my friend to get his gun in case the 'yote got close. The 'yote disappeared and while I was glassing for it I spotted about six pigs going into a tall grassy area about a half-mile away. Mark, my buddy, takes off after the pigs and throws me the keys to his truck as we were parked in the middle of the road. I move the truck (jacked-up Toyota 4X4) and catch up. We spot a hog in the tall grass and he starts to stalk it. Well the wind shifts and the hogs take off. He shot a snap shot off but missed. It's getting late now and we start back to the truck. Mark asks me for the toilet paper I had in my pack and I then told him the packs were back in the truck. Well, he is hustling back to the truck as the Taco Bell we had for lunch is working on him. About half way there he turns to me and asks for his keys because he is about to fill his pants and wants to get to the truck quick. As I reach in my pocket for his keys I look over his shoulder at the truck and see movemnt under it. I first though it was some dogs and when I look a little harder it's about 4-5 pigs and one is rubbing it's back on the trucks rear tire! Mark is now threating my life for his keys and I'm telling him there are pigs under the truck. He finally turns around and sees them. We hike up to a ditch that ran along the road and ended right at the truck. I was behind him when this pig walks out at about 20 yards and stands broadside. The two more walk up beside it. The two smaller ones move and I tell Mark since it is getting late to shoot it in the head. Well, you have to use a shotgun there and Mark had never hunted with slugs before and had no confidence in them, even he had gone to the range a couple of weeks earlier. He shot and pigs started running everywhere. He shot two more times at another, thinking he had hit one. We watch this pig and three others run all the way across the Island without slowing a bit, so I think he missed. It was too late to try and track them and I didn't find any blood in the short distance we tracked. He was able to return the next morning and try and look but didn't find anything. An amazing hunt regardless of the outcome!

I'm not sure if this helps and how the pigs are there now nut I would drive as far as you can on the main road and hunt toward the center of the island. Oh yeah, watch out for back scratchers!

 

[packofwolfes]

Kentuck, thanks for the info. We're going to hunt the place hard all week-end (It's a two day hunt now). I'll try your advice and post next week and let everybody know how we do. Thanks again