CottonwoodHunting
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- Jul 9, 2013
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This year I'm only guiding one pig hunt per month. I guide groups of 4-6 hunters. So, if I'm always guiding, when do I get to hunt? The last time I personally hunted the property was in December 2013. I figured this year my own hunt would be in September 2014. In fact, my hunt was September 5th-7th--that's last weekend. This thread is the story of my own hunt (in this story I am a hunter, not acting as a guide!).
Looking back, in July 2014 I guided six hunters and we got six pigs. Last month in August 2014 I guided a group of four hunters but they only got one pig. During that August hunt I worried that perhaps, are there less pigs on the property these days? The property only has cattle fencing and pigs move freely to other ranches in the area. I heard a rumor the pigs are living it up in the neighboring pistachio orchards. That would make sense because the pistachios are ripe this time of year. It is almost time for pistachio harvest. There are a few thousand acres of pistachios nearby and pigs often run in that direction while we are hunting. If the pigs are in fact over there, they should be coming back in numbers after the pistachio harvest, and should be fattened up. :frown-2-grin:
Back to the story of my hunt. For this weekend, I am hunting with the guys who originally got me into hunting. I owe them a lot for exposing me to hunting in the first place. For the first hunt of the weekend, I was a "Blocker" sitting in a chair for almost two hours in 100 degree Madera heat, with no shade whatsoever (unlike the nice canopy chair pictured below). I was sitting on top of a hill. I started to actually melt into the chair while waiting for pigs, but none came, and no shot opportunities for me. I was wearing long sleeves and gloves, but it was so hot that at one point I thought I actually got sunburned through my shirt & vest. I didn't see any pigs that day, but one of the guys did get a pig, so at least I knew some were around.
The next day comes around, and I decide to split off on my own and use the morning as an opportunity to test my coyote call. I am looking to guide varmint hunts in the future so I need the practice. After splitting off from the group, I stop back at the headquarters to sneak a muffin break. I'm sitting there eating the muffin in my truck trying to figure out where to set up the coyote call when I hear gunshots in the distance. I go down to the canopy, not far from the ranch headquarters. I knew that if those gunshots were pushing pigs, I might get lucky. We hunt "The Ditch" aka the semi-dry creek bed. The pigs tend to stay along that creek which runs several miles through the ranch. Even if those gunshots were a mile away, the idea is that I might get lucky and pigs might come running past me.
... To Be Continued ...
Looking back, in July 2014 I guided six hunters and we got six pigs. Last month in August 2014 I guided a group of four hunters but they only got one pig. During that August hunt I worried that perhaps, are there less pigs on the property these days? The property only has cattle fencing and pigs move freely to other ranches in the area. I heard a rumor the pigs are living it up in the neighboring pistachio orchards. That would make sense because the pistachios are ripe this time of year. It is almost time for pistachio harvest. There are a few thousand acres of pistachios nearby and pigs often run in that direction while we are hunting. If the pigs are in fact over there, they should be coming back in numbers after the pistachio harvest, and should be fattened up. :frown-2-grin:
Back to the story of my hunt. For this weekend, I am hunting with the guys who originally got me into hunting. I owe them a lot for exposing me to hunting in the first place. For the first hunt of the weekend, I was a "Blocker" sitting in a chair for almost two hours in 100 degree Madera heat, with no shade whatsoever (unlike the nice canopy chair pictured below). I was sitting on top of a hill. I started to actually melt into the chair while waiting for pigs, but none came, and no shot opportunities for me. I was wearing long sleeves and gloves, but it was so hot that at one point I thought I actually got sunburned through my shirt & vest. I didn't see any pigs that day, but one of the guys did get a pig, so at least I knew some were around.
The next day comes around, and I decide to split off on my own and use the morning as an opportunity to test my coyote call. I am looking to guide varmint hunts in the future so I need the practice. After splitting off from the group, I stop back at the headquarters to sneak a muffin break. I'm sitting there eating the muffin in my truck trying to figure out where to set up the coyote call when I hear gunshots in the distance. I go down to the canopy, not far from the ranch headquarters. I knew that if those gunshots were pushing pigs, I might get lucky. We hunt "The Ditch" aka the semi-dry creek bed. The pigs tend to stay along that creek which runs several miles through the ranch. Even if those gunshots were a mile away, the idea is that I might get lucky and pigs might come running past me.
... To Be Continued ...
