March 7 through 9 JHO/Tejon Hunt

[blloyd]

Apparently my employees expect me to be helping them out on work related issues rather then posting on the web. But, I have just enough time to tell a short story before I get interrupted again.

First, I had a great time on the hunt with you guys. Speckmisser ridge came through for me as well with some great spotting from Speck.

We parked Petunia up on the top of the ridge and worked our way down to the edge of the ridge. It wasn’t long before hogs were moving on the next ridge over. The problem was it was going to be tough getting the hog out of there. The canyon was deep and dragging it back up the steep hill was not an option. But, speck was a trooper and since I was skunked on my last hunt (May/07 bow) at Tajon, I was eager to whack a hog. It was not long after we saw the first hog that several started to move around the hill side. Many were around 275-300 yards. There was a bore at 200 yards that was lower on the hill side and would be easier to get to but once I was ready to shoot he turned and went into the bushes. There was a couple of sows milling around and we tracked going in and out of the brush. It was getting to be late when one of the sows came into the open and stayed there broadside at 250 yards. I decided I would take the shot and hope it tumbled down the hill. I rested my 7mm-08 on a tree branch in the standing position, put the cross-hairs a little high on the front shoulder, and squeezed the trigger. The next thing I saw through my scope was four hoofs and a sows belly pointing straight at me as she took here first tumble down the hill. I lost it after that but speck was all over it. Unfortunately, It hit the base of a tree high on the hill so it was a long crawl up the hill to get to it. We decided to de-bone it and pack out the meat. Once we finished, it took about ab hour to hike back to the main road. Chirohunter and a few of the other guys came to picked us up and even had beers and food for us. Speck couldn’t wait to get back up to petunia (he had his favorite adult beverage waiting for him)

Like Chirohunter said, this is addicting and can’t wait to get back out there.

PS: picture of the hog is in Speck's post.

 

[Rancho Loco]

Good stories, guys..

I hope I can make it in May.

 

[BigDog]

Like everyone else, I had a great time meeting all the new faces and chasing the illusive pigs. Unfortunately, this was my second time getting skunked at Tejon.

Friday afternoon I decided to just following the creek that flows through the campsite. I followed it for a couple miles and saw lots of promising territory with lots of sign but no pigs. As described above, most of Friday's late night activities centered on trying to get the crew's truck pulled out and when that failed, getting them down off the hillside. They were very happy about the fire in camp.

Saturday, I overslept and did not get onto a hillside until after daylight. Same old thing, lots of sign but nothing moving. Saturday evening, I drove up to an area Phillip recommended. I walked out to the end of a finger where I found the perfect rock outcropping to sit on. I could see the neighboring fingers on each side of me. I sat there for almost two hours without seeing and movement. Then, I see several large hogs way down in the bottom where these fingers drop down into the canyon. I start gauging how far away they are and figuring whether I can get there before I lose the light. Finally, I say screw it and head out. I crossed over to the next finger and raced down to the end of it. Once I got towards the end, I once again started figuring whether I could get to them in time. Then, I started seeing little ones running around the big ones. That rather blew it because I did not think I would have enough light to tell whether a pig was a wet sow or not.

So, I started heading back up the hill. While I was climbing, I started hearing pigs down in the draw between the finger I was on and the one I had previously been sitting on. Then I started catching sight of pigs but not long enough to get a bead on them. So, I played hide and seek with them, running up those god awful hills and trying to get ahead of them so that I could see them long enough to shoot. Finally, I am almost back up to the top, gasping for air and trying to spot them. Then, just as I was losing light, I spot a big black one up on the other finger. RIGHT UNDER THE ROCK OUTCROPPING I HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN SITTING ON! I plopped down alongside a log, used it as a brace, and touch one off. The pig spun a full 360 and then ran downhill for about 10 feet and stopped behind a bush. After about five minutes, five very long minutes with the sun going down down down. He stepped out from behind the bush and I touch off another shot. It looked like he went down. I looked around for an hour or so in the dark and could not find him. So, I headed to camp with the plan to pick him up in the morning.

Morning came around and I was back at the rock outcropping well before daylight. Once there was light, I started at the bottom of that hill and zigzagged my way all the way to the top. Through all of that nasty, thorny brush. And never did find him or any sign of him. All I can guess is that "Pig Fever" got the best of me. If I would have just stayed put on that rock......grrrrrr

To make matters worse, while I was looking for him, a whole train of big pigs came marching over the neighboring finger, through the draw and into the thick stuff on the bottom of the finger I was on. I put the crosshairs on them but did not fire because I was sure that last night’s pig was still there and I just had not found it yet.

Once I gave up on him, I tried an experiment. The experiment didn't work the way I thought it would but I learned from it. My idea was to circle around and come from the side into that thick stuff that I saw the pigs go into. Thinking that I would push them out and back up the way they had come, a technique that I have used on deer many times. But, I learned that pigs don't act like deer. Those buggers would not come out. They would let me get 10 feet from them and then just run away a short distance and stop. I could hear them all around me. And I would see them just as they would bolt but not long enough to get a shot off. I finally gave up and went back to camp for lunch.

Sunday evening was spent standing on one of the fingers near Speckmisser Ridge. I saw some adults and piglets about 400 yards out but again couldn't get to them before it got dark.

Oh well, that is why it is called hunting and not shopping.

I had a great time. Saturday was my birthday and I can't think of many more enjoyable ways of spending a birthday. Thank you Phillip and Kat.

Next time piggies, I am going to win.

 

[shovelerslayer]

Bigdog, that was a class act not shooting another pig until you verified the first! Hope next time you score, you deserve it.

Speck, another class act from the posts.

Suzmar 1997 glad you are okay! Good luck next trip.

Wish I had got to experience it all with you!!

 

[kcravnit]

Hey all do you recommend staying on the tejon ranch, or does it matter if you stay at hotel (pros/cons)? Also Big Dog I enjoyed reading your posting...Im on my way there on friday am, and any help would be greatly appreciated...I just found some federal non toxic 7mm WSM.... and where can i get a good map of the property? I looked at the one jesse has posted but i cannot find speckmisser ridge?
THANKS GUYS

SORRY ABOUT THE PIC I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT MY PIC ON THE LEFT..
BY THE WAY THATS MY DUCK/PIGGY MOBILE...BOUGHT THE MEGA CAB JUST FOR MY KIDS...ONE BLACK ONE YELLOW...(LABS)

 

[Davidw100]

You guys are killing me, were be the pics? let see some hogs! err but blood is good to, I want me some pigs

 

[SacFireJT]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (kcravnit @ Mar 11 2008, 08:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

BOUGHT THE MEGA CAB JUST FOR MY KIDS...ONE BLACK ONE YELLOW...(LABS)[/b]

You might want to keep that pavement princess on the streets of La La land...

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Reading all the post, it sounded like one heck of a time. Congrat's on everyones success. I surely do miss Tejon and huntin with the JHO crew. My freezer is out of pork. I need to "Restock"

 

[Rancho Loco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (kcravnit @ Mar 11 2008, 09:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Hey all do you recommend staying on the tejon ranch, or does it matter if you stay at hotel (pros/cons)? Also Big Dog I enjoyed reading your posting...Im on my way there on friday am, and any help would be greatly appreciated...I just found some federal non toxic 7mm WSM.... and where can i get a good map of the property? I looked at the one jesse has posted but i cannot find speckmisser ridge?
THANKS GUYS

SORRY ABOUT THE PIC I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT MY PIC ON THE LEFT..
BY THE WAY THATS MY DUCK/PIGGY MOBILE...BOUGHT THE MEGA CAB JUST FOR MY KIDS...ONE BLACK ONE YELLOW...(LABS)[/b]

Camp on the ranch in the camping area. It's primitive, bring your tent and water...But they do have a nice porta-crapper. They sell "maps" at the orientation for 5 bucks. They're good for a general idea of the area. Microsoft terraserver and believe it or not, mapquest - will give you more details on the roads. Keep your GPS on tracking when driving around. You'll be thankfull in the dark when trying to remember your way back to camp.

Speckmisser ridge is an alternate name for hell - easy to get into, near impossible to get out of with a pig. I'll let some of the recent hunters give you intel. I have an idea where some pigs are, but they have the most recent updates.

Oh, and that was a nice truck.

 

[Speckmisser]

kcravnit,

Pigs are all over that ranch. MJB gave real good advice. To his, I'll add... get up high and glass, glass, glass. Watch the edges, as pigs are a lot like deer in this regard. They'll move in the edges for a long time before they actually come into the open. Deep, brushy canyons are their beds, but you'll play heck trying to hunt in the bottoms. It can be done, but it's usually an exercise in frustration. Stay up where you can see and be patient.

You can find Speckmisser ridge on any topo map, but it isn't named Speckmisser ridge. In fact, it isn't named at all. Just look for the sign:
Abandon hope all ye who enter here.

That's a nice truck, but watch it if the roads get wet. This is Jeep country, and tends to eat those full-size trucks for a snack. Serious business, if it rains, keep it on the main roads or you'll very likely end up in a mess.

I'd definitely recommend camping on the ranch. It puts you right in the heart of the action first thing in the morning, and you don't have as far to go to base camp at the end of a long day. If you're hunting the north side, the nearest motel is a pretty long drive down farm roads, and still a couple more miles of driving from the gate to the good hunting areas.

If you're on the south side, you could stay in Frazier Park and be a few minutes from the gate. That's not too bad, but sleeping in a motel takes away half the fun of being on Tejon Ranch.

Good luck.

 

[SDHNTR]

Great stories guys. Congrats to those who scored. So how were the crowds?

 

[Speckmisser]

Crowds? What crowds?

With the exception of everyone (6 JHO hunters and 4 interlopers) converging on that one set of hogs just outside of camp, I'd say overlap was negligible.

There were about 28 hunters on the South Side, and I think the same number on the North, not including a couple of guided hunts.





By the way, my looonnnggg story is posted on the Hog Blog if anyone wants to read the entirety. I'll get video up as soon as I have time to edit it.

 

[SDHNTR]

Still way too many for what Tejon supposedly advertises as "private" hunts, IMO.

 

[Speckmisser]

Don't get me wrong, SD... you're entitled to your perspective, and definitely should voice your concerns to Don Geivet.

For my part, 28 people on approximately 120,000 acres of huntable area is hardly a crowd. Like I said, with the exception of crossing paths on the road, the only time the other groups came into conflict with ours was when a group of stupid hogs came out within a half-mile of camp...visible from every main road on the place.

I do agree that it must suck when the archery hunters get trampled under by rifle hunters (I haven't experienced it, but I have heard the complaints), but every hunt I've booked there was with the knowledge that there would be other hunters on the property. The "private" reference in the Tejon literature, to me, only refers to the fact that the hunt is booked by a private party as opposed to the "public" Pig-o-ramas. When you book, you're usually informed if there will be other hunters in the area at the same time, and how many you can expect. If that's too many, then you can try another date.

Anyway, mine is just another opinion. Doesn't make yours wrong... seriously, the best way to address it is to contact the ranch. Don is your guy to talk to. Barbara really feels the same way you do, but she doesn't have the influence to make this kind of change.

 

[chirohunter]

The numbers sound bad.."28 hunters". There was not a single hunt where we crossed paths with other hunters, with the exception of the "scramble" next to camp...and that was only due to the fact that those other hunters were trying to cut us off from the chase. Also, last year's JHO hunt had 27 hunters without any feel of crowding. Plenty of land.

 

[SDHNTR]

I hear ya Speck. I know 28 is not crowded, heck I've never felt crowded on even a regular POR. If it were like like only every once in a while it wouldn't be a problem, but it's getting to be a regular occurance. What I really don't like is the way they are booking guns and bow guys together. The solution seems easy, put the gun guns on the South and the Bow guys on the North, or vice versa. Or close Tejon Canyon to rifle hunters again. The paths should not be crossing. It's a dangerous situation.

My gripe is that it just seems to be getting to the point where there is too many folks hunting the place overall. The pigs never get a break. It used to be that there were a few POR's a year and then just a few small private hunts (mostly archery) and the guided hunts on top of that. Now, with all the private groups and the multiple bookings, it's like they are having mini POR's every single weekend. It's obvious that $$$ is the ultimate concern, and I understand why with it being a public company. Hell, that's the world I deal with every day. I totally understand the profit motive, it just sucks in this case. I just fear the quality of the hunting experience will decrease overall.

There is a point of diminishing returns and if Tejon has not yet already crossed it, they are getting close.

 

[SacFireJT]

Yes, it sucks to be archery hunting and bump into someone else in the field...but I never have crossed paths with another hunter. The notion that Tejon is hunted 7 days a week, and always has groups of hunters on it, would lead one to believe that it may be crowded. But, if it was in fact over hunted or crowded, you would see a change in the hog behavior--one would not see pigs out feeding at 1 pm. In my experience, pressured hogs are only out at last and first light...

So is Tejon over hunted?

Congrats to all who put some pork on the ground!!!

 

[SDHNTR]

I believe it is getting to that point. If they keep this up, it will be. Especially for a paid hunt on private land.

 

[Suzmar1997]

I agree it seems like the hogs are getting quite a bit of pressure the past 2 months. It sounds like there is no more available space as far as hunts go for the rest of their season. If they're not doing a POR the area is going to be full of Ham Slam groups. I'm not sure if this includes the weekdays (Doubt it) but a weekday Ham Slam sounds like the best option to booking a hunt there (Besides the JHO Hunt in May of course). Hopefully that will be the only group in camp on the South side that weekend, but who knows.

It was nice Monday morning driving the ranch on the way to recovering Kenny's truck. We saw 2 guys hunting squeaks and Tony and Cody and that was it. That place was empty besides the 20+ deer we crossed paths with on the way up.

 

[SDHNTR]

Dude, relax a bit. In a joking manner, his advice might keep you out of a jam, or worse. I drive the exact same truck as you and I've been all over Tejon's hills. Guess what, no matter how big and bad you might think your rig is, our trucks totally suck for hunting that place. They are just too damn big and heavy. Add a little mud and it is a recipe for disaster, or at least a very butt puckering experience. Listen to the guys that know, a big truck is not Tejon friendly. It's better for chasing 2 legged tail than Tejon's pigs. It's not an attack on your manhood, it's just good advice. Have a beer and chill.