Memorial Day weekend at Chopper's, Who's in?

[Little Woman]

It went something like this! we drove 5 hours and got up the driveway around 9:38 PM and there was a white truck blocking the driveway with a big freaking tree accross the driveway. please fill in the rest

crap logged in as my wife

PIGIG

 

[Cold1nhand]

So how did the hunt go???

 

[SAVAGE1]

Big is not even close to describe this tree.....

So my buddy Gabe and I roll into town and stop at safeway at about 9 thurs night for some last minute stuff. Take off up to the cabin and get just past the 2nd gate and there is this f250 sitting smack dab in the middle of the road. I see a note on the windshield so I head up to read it. It's a note from Chopper saying mother nature F'd us and we had to sleep in the truck. So I'm like what the hell could have happened??? I stand there with my flashlight standing there scratching my head and walk back around the truck to make sure no one is in it. Mind you, it is darker than dark. I'm standing at the bed of this truack blocking the road and look behind it and see one of the biggest oak trees you have ever seen has fallen across the road. After climbing up into the tree I see there is no way around so we decided we better make the best out of it and drink some beer. And drink some beer we did. Chopper shows up in the morning at around sunup and then shortly there after Mike and Joe show up with some of the biggest and meanest chainsaws you have ever seen. We had the tree cut up and off the road in 1 1/2 hours. It was a memorable affair.

As for the hunting, it was a little slow, but I had a great time. I almost had a 30 yd shot on a coyote on friday morning and Gabe and I found 4 pigs friday night. We spotted them out at around 250 yards. We stalked and belly crawled them to 51 yards and 3 of the 4 pigs had wandered off into the brush and made their way up the hill, but the biggest decided to stay and fatten up a little more. The only thing between us and the pig was a scrub oak. Two steps either left or right and he was out in the open. But he decided to meander straight away from us after about 5 minutes when he realized all his buddies were gone.

I'll let Chris post his story about the coyote encounters, but if you ever need a coyote guide, He is your man.

Had a great time this weekend with a great bunch of guys. Had some of the best food I have ever tasted and will miss it all now that it is over. Thanks Chopper and Mike for making it a great weekend and one I'll never forget.

 

[Rem]

This was my 1st time at choppers. i did not see any pigs up there but i did have a great time i got to talk with some very nice guys and have some GREAT FOOD i hope to get to hunt with them again or even do some fishing. Thanks again Chopper and Mike for making it a great weekend

 

[cahuntfish]

Thanks to everyone who was at Choppers this weekend it was great meeting some new guys and seeing Jonathan, Mike and Chopper again.

Jim, Mike, Dave and Jonathan made sure we didn't run out of good eats all weekend this was the first 4 day hunting trip that I did not lose weight on ever.

Now to the hunting stories

Got up to the ranch Friday AM after the hard work was done clearing the road, did the ranch tour with Chopper and the boys from Porterville, did the evening hunt did not see anything but Jonthan and Gabe saw some (story above), back for good meal number 1 and a few hours sleep.

Saturday morning about an hour after first light I look down the ridge and see a coyote cruising about 150 yards below me, thinking what the heck I let lose with the call and it turns and starts running straight at me full speed, it drops behind a finger and I drop and nock an arrow, it comes over the next rise 40 yards away still at full speed at an angle that would bring it by me to the left it goes behind a bush I draw back and shift to the left. Of course it changes direction behind the bush and comes up on my right when I swing over toward it it locks up at about 25 yards away in a crouch, I anchor the 20 yard pin on the top of its chest and pull the trigger my arrow is not 5 yards out of the bow and the coyote explodes, it was 3 feet away by the time the arrow gets there. A half second later my arrow center punches a oak tree about 30 yards past the yote.

score Chris minus 1 broadhead, Coyotes plus 1

About an hour and 2 ridges later I see two coyotes chasing ground squirrels. This time I nock an arrow first and hit the call, once again the turn and come at me on a rail. I pick out a log on the ground that looks about 35 yard away and think if they have to jump that I'll be able to draw when they're behind it (meanwhile my rangefinder is sitting on my belt unused). Sure enough the first one comes in ducks behind the log I draw it jumps over the log I put the 30 yard pin on the top of its back and pull the trigger, thwack a perfect hit on the log about an inch over the yotes back.

score Chris minus 2 broadheads, Coyotes plus two

Except for bumping a unseen pig in a head high jungle of poison oak the rest of the day is uneventful.

Sunday morning about two hours into the day I see something moving below a scrub oak about 80 yards below me, where I'm standing it is completely open so I drop and start slowly crab crawling downhill. About 50 yards out the view clears up a little and what's in my binocs? A coyote looking downhill, about twenty minutes of slow crawling later the sight picture is finally clear this time I use the rangefinder 32 yards, draw back slowly anchor, breathe, level out the sight and pull the release. The arrow disappears in the shade of the tree and, nothing,
there is no impact noise no yelp nothing, and the grass below the tree explodes as not 1 but 4 coyotes run for their lives. never found the arrow, no blood, no fur, nothing, as I type this tonight I still don't know what happen but,

score Chris minus 3 broadheads and 1 arrow, Coyotes plus three

Sunday evening, sidehilling a steep ravine with grass about mid-thigh high and broken poison oak patches spread around. Sneaking about 10 yard past a patch about 50 feet across it explodes with pigs, get an arrow nocked and jump forward about 5 steps all that is visible is scattered views of black and red pig fur as they run through the grass, one of the black pigs finally steps into the opening downhill from me quartering away. My brain screams 45 yards plus, put the 40 pin on its back and let it rip, the arrow goes right over its back and bounces off the ground with a loud crack. At the sound of the crack the grass comes alive with bouncing piglets jumping in the air about every third step and they are flying in every direction two of them end up behind me in the grass. I nock an arrow and drop to my knees because this can't be done yet. A couple minutes later a big red pig comes back down the trail where I missed the first one, I draw back knowing now to use my thirty yard pin and she stops and lets out two soft grunts and all the piglets come flying out of the grass toward her, at full draw I watched 12-14 piglets form a line and follow mama back up the hill.

final score Chris minus 4 broadheads and 2 arrows, Coyotes plus three, pigs plus one.

Absolutely the coolest weekend I've ever had not killing something.