My first hog hunt

[richw]

Well this is my story and it has taken three days to wright. To start off forgive my spelling and gramer. But we got there on wed. afternoon and meet Chopper and his family and the county fair. His son had two pigs that he was showing one came in second and the other in third. That was something to see a real county fair nothing like Orange county fair. So we go to his ranch about 4:30 and we were about 1mile from his house and we see our first group of hogs. So we get to the cabin and deside to get into the jeep and go look whats out there. By this time its 6:00 and there not much light time left. We get to a area where we could hear pigs fighting like crazy but too far away. So we go to over look the swamp and we see about 15 pigs working from right to left but the light was gone for any kind of stock or shooting so we call it a night and head back for dinner. Little to say this being my first hunt my blood was flowing and could not get to sleep intel about 2:30 and was up at 5 and on my way to the pond at 5:30.

Day two started off with not much action ecept for the turkeys. I got within 5 yard of about 9 birds and that was a real trip so about 1:00 chopper comes by inthe jeep and we go looking. At about 2:00 we see a heard of pigs of about 15 heading from a mud hole to the cayon but to far away for us to do anything.

So we haead to a spot over looking the swamp and see 15 hogs working through the cows heading into the deep grass so by this time I have seen about 60 hogs and no one has even got close for a shoot. So we put a game plan togeather to get on some pigs.

So as we get towards the swamp we see more pigs working down the hill towards the swamp. So I choose to work the road at the base of the hill to try to get between them and the swamp and within 10 min. im stocking my firts pig witch there was 3 within 40yards of me so I work my way in and set up I range a few spots to shoot at and wait. By this time I cant belive where im at and this is working like all the tv shows i hooked on Well i deside to take my first shoot at the closes pig witch was about 60 to 80lbs. good meet hog and let her fly and wack my first arrow shot wacks her around in a 180 and she stops as im getting another arrow nocked she takes off like a bat out of hell. So like every one has said i back out and go find chopper. Has we gert back to find or start tracking the first pig we find my arrow with about 4" gone and blood about 6" up the arrow but no blood trail at all so at this time im felling sick to my stochmic because like every one says shoot placement shoot placement. So as we are searching the hill side looking for what I hoped to be a dead pig i hear a wissle and it chopper getting my attion and I look up the hill I see a heard of pigs working strat toward us.

By this time chopper let me know there is a big pig working strat toward me so i work into place. I let him get within 20yards and let another arrow fly and it hits the spot. So with a hour and a half I have stuck two pigs and the search goes on.
Chopper goes and gets dolly and we start on the blood trail. It goes under the neighbor fence so he calls and lets them know whats going on and we head after him. We follow it for about two to three hundred yards when dolly finds a live hog and the chase is on. So to end this very sad and sick story two pigs shoot for me and none recovered. For my first hog hunt and first ever bow hunt I had a time of my life and learned a very important leason shoot placement ,shoot placement is the key word to my story as long as it is. Meet some very nice guys and one of the beat ranch owners I hope to ever meet. So I would like to end with this

THANK YOU CHOPPER FOR A LIFE TIME MEMORYS AND A HUNT OF A LIFE TIME FOR MY FIRST HUNT




Thank you Rich

p.s. If anyone needs someone to fill in a spot please let me know Im hooked and ready to go. Thanks

 

[BDB]

Sorry to hear about the lost hogs, hopefully next time you get them all. Sounds like you had a great time though. Choppers is a great place to hunt, you'll get 'em next time.

 

[SierraExplorer]

Richw- Glad you had a Magical time !!

 

[Lurediver]

Yeah I think about that ranch everyday, if I didn't have to pay billls I'd be on every hunt Chopper was offering! Great story Rich, there's always next time.

 

[Arrowslinger]

Rich, good story and sorry 'bout the lost hogs......it happens, i've lost 3 of 'em.
Now your hooked and need to start you hog fund.

 

[Kentuck]

Hey Richw,

don't too bad because I learned a coupld things about these hogs. Mine didn't bleed for 60 yards and then opened up. I think bighorn67's didn't bleed for about 100 yards and then it looked like blood was being poured out of a bucket. So two things, yes shot placement first, but if at all possible try and see where the hog goes after the shot. This really helped me as my pig ran across an open area for most of the distance it traveled after the shot. The last place I saw her was where the blood started. I don't know what I would have done it I hadn't been able to see her.

Kentuck

 

[BobcatJess]

I shot my hog last week at 100yds with a 30-30 and it still ran for about 40 yds. after I shot it in the lungs and also left no blood trail.

They are some tough suckers...But here is too being out there and giving it a good ol try

Remember... A bad day hunting beats any day in the office!

Jess

 

[Gyopo]

Good job and congrats!!

 

[PIGIG]

hey rich
do not feel too bad i have lost 4 up there the last pig i shot went 400 yards

the problem was it was only 25 Lbs

but i /WE did recover it

 

[boarhunter67]

Don't feel bad. I've shot pigs with a rifle before that I thought was a great shot. On one pig I shot just behind the shoulder at dusk. Then I followed a great blood trail that had bits of chunks in it so I was sure the pig would be dead just around the next corner. I tracked it for about six hours and finally left my gun at the truck because the strap had broken and by now it had been 12 hours since the shooting (I had to wait until morning to start searching) and I was sure with all the blood and lung tissue that pig was a gonner. I finally saw the pig laying under a bush. I poked it with a stick to make sure it was dead and it got up and charged me. LOL. I followed the trail for another two hours through heavy brush and then lost it. That pig is probably still alive today telling its friends stories about treeing me and making them piggy friends of his snort with laughter. So...don't feel bad. At least the pig didn't tree you. LOL.

 

[Archer32]

Originally posted by Kentuck@Oct 3 2005, 08:28 PM
Hey Richw,

don't too bad because I learned a coupld things about these hogs. Mine didn't bleed for 60 yards and then opened up. I think bighorn67's didn't bleed for about 100 yards and then it looked like blood was being poured out of a bucket. So two things, yes shot placement first, but if at all possible try and see where the hog goes after the shot. This really helped me as my pig ran across an open area for most of the distance it traveled after the shot. The last place I saw her was where the blood started. I don't know what I would have done it I hadn't been able to see her.

Kentuck

I didn't know it went 60 yards before it started bleed out. Dang. That's a good explanation for not finding mine.

For those who haven't heard, I made a pefect shot (yes I saw the arrow placement) on a 60lb'r at 18 yards. As soon at the arrow struck the hog fell on it's face and started to squeal. Second later it got up and booked into the really thick stuff. Waited 45 min, found tiny drops of blood at the point of impact then found specks of blood about 30 yards away entering the shamees (phonetic don't know how to spell that). Chopper brought out the dogs the next morning and no joy. No arrow either. I told chopper to be on the look out for a dried up carcass with a yellow white fletched Beman ICS 400.

It's hard to stomach losing your first animal. I'm with you on that one. I've blown through deer and had the arrow stick in the tree. Looks like I only got one sided penetration on this one. I might have to get one of the armor piercing Mathew's Safarai for these tuff critters.

BTW, Kentuck you should post the picture of your Muzzy for all to see. I couldn't believe that.

Later,
Frank