March 2004 Pig-O-Rama jackpot winner

[Vinswitch]

This boar was taken at 309 yards with a 30.06 and a 180 grain Nosler. Dressed weight was 180 lbs even. The pig was almost 40 lbs heavier than any other pig taken that weekend, both in the South and North Areas.

Some of you JHO regulars probably saw this hanging in Bear Trap campground anytime after Saturday morning. We were the group of six guys staying in the trailer with the raging fire pit each night.

It was the only pig taken in our group. I missed my opportunity but the others never got a shot.

The jackpot money paid for my friend's hunt! We should all be so lucky.

 

[theseacow]

another good one. wow

How often are you able to get out and hunt? Any more stories and pics?

-theseacow

 

[Vinswitch]

I hunt the Tejon as often as I have the time and money for. In the last two years I've been on five Pig-O-Ramas, and ended up with three pigs taken. Sometimes I hunt with a very good friend and ten others where we stay in the South Area cabin. If you ever get a chance to use the cabin, jump on it! It's like being in a cozy and high-dollar hunting lodge.

The other group of friends I hunt with, three of them, are all mostly new to pig hunting. We camp via a trailer in Bear Trap. In the two hunts I went on with them, we took a total of three pigs. The picture above is a very good friend that I work with (and one of the three) with his first ever pig. What a way to start off your pig hunting adventures! We were hunting a spot that a more experienced Tejon hunter had shown me so I knew how the pigs would travel in and out.

I've seen pigs on every hunt and had the opportunity to be at 100% success. Sometimes it's easier to find them than others. It mostly depends, in my novice opinion, on the time of year you hunt, the weather, how good the acorn crop is, and how hard were the pigs hunted in the weeks or months before you're on the ranch.

Just because the weather is hot doesn't mean that the pigs are harder to find. You just have to alter your approach to take their watering needs into mind. They don't move as much during the day and unless you catch them at sunrise or sunset, your chances seem to be less than when it's cold and the pigs may be active all day.

My success has come from hunting with others that have been hunting the Tejon for many years. They are full members hunting trophy deer every fall with one friend taking a record book bear two years ago.

The pigs are on that ranch. It seems like we used to see more pigs than we see now. I think the Tejon has accomplished their mission of getting the pig numbers to a manageable state. Are they starting to cash-in on the willing hunters without taking into consideration the availablility of pigs? Many people will give numerous opinions regarding that topic.

My Pig-O-Rama hunts may be limited in the next year due to the price increase from $300 to $400. I live only an hour and a half from the ranch. That proximity to home spoils me the same that the scenery and wonderful people that work there does. You won't find many better people than Barbara, Don and all the security staff/others.

Well, not to ramble on, so good luck in your hunting adventures and feel free to contact me if you need any further help.