NikolaKangrga
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2007
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So it all started about 2 years ago when I took my GF on a archery hog hunt with me. She would not be hunting, just watching and learning. After three TOUGH days of TRYING to locate some hogs, I finally got lucky and bagged a 150 lb sow. This hunt changed her life! A month later I asked my GF krista what she would like for her birthday, she responded with, "a bow I could hunt with". After looking at and shooting MANY different bows, she finally found that "perfect" bow. It turned out to be the HOYT KOBALT. Being a Hoyt fan myself I was pretty excited about her decision. For the next 3-4 months she shot her bow religiously. But soon after she began to shoot less and less. She has been wanting to go on a archery hunt for some time now, and her Birthday was April 16.
So back in December I made a phone call to Hoss Hogs Hunting Adventures and set her up with a hunt on the weekend of the 24-26. Her archery flame fired back up and she was outside practicing EVERYDAY after work. Friday afternoon (12:30pm) we arrived at Hoss hogs, introduced ourselves, and unpacked all of our gear. Krista and I walked down to where they have a archery range set up and she flung a few arrows to verify everything was still lined up the way she left it. After a few shots we headed to our stand for our FIRST night of hunting. We got to our stand, organized our gear, and sat and began the waiting game. It did not take long (maybe 20 minutes), and we had our first group of 10-15 hogs rush their way by. All hogs in this group where in the 40-50 lb range, and krista wanted to hold out for something a little bigger.
Well, we had 4 more groups of hogs (all different groups) come in before sun down. We saw anywhere from 30-40 pigs the FIRST night! She was VERY EXCITED as was I for her. DAY 2, We wake up at 4:30am, to be in the stand by 5:15-5:30. Not much action AT ALL. We had a group of 8 hogs cross a clearing 100 yards in front of us to a watering hole, but they decided to leave just as fast as they showed up. NOT a single pig shows itself afterwords. We ended up getting out of the stand a little earlier then you would want to head to town for some batteries (flashlight). That evening we headed back out and saw NOTHING for the first 2 hours. Krista was beginning to become VERY nervous due to the amount of hogs she let walk on day one. Krista fell asleep and as I was sitting in the stand, watching football size quail, dog size rabbits, and tree squirrels running around, I heard that wonderful sound of something approaching.
"Crunch, Crunch...............Crunch Crunch". I wake up krista and tell her something is behind us but I dont have a visual. She becomes VERY excited and starts listening for the first sign that they are working their way into us! The crunching leaves gets louder and louder and finally in the corner of my eye from behind a large sage bush pops out a black head. "THEY ARE PIGS", I whisper to krista. I tell krista to stand up using the tree as cover. She stands VERY slowly and gets into position for a shot. Krista draws just before the pigs clear the sage bush's and waits for that perfect shot. The largest pig in the group came out into a clearing and gave krista a perfect slightly quartering away shot. I stop the pigs and whisper to krista, "take him when your ready". Then I heard that 100gr G5 Montec Smack the hog, a LOUD squeal followed. A PERFECT HEART SHOT!!!!
The hog went 13 yards from where he was shot and crashed. I turn around and look at krista and she is SHAKING LIKE I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE! She could not stand up because her knees were weak, her hands were useless because she could not control them. She showed EVERY sign of a new member of our HUNTING FAMILY. We gave the hog 30 min to lay before we approached it. Krista's life has been changed for ever! We took pictures and celebrated her FIRST ACHERY KILL.
This is where it gets good. Before the hunt started, I told krista that if she takes a animals life, there is alot of work involved. Its not just slinging a arrow. So, after krista and I spoke about it, I told her that if she takes a hog, I would like her to field dress and skin it not only to learn but to fully understand the responsibilities of harvesting game. She was not too thrilled about the idea but agreed. Well, after the pictures were taken, without me saying a work, krista grabs my field dressing knife and starts cutting away! I was SHOCKED. I watched to make sure she was not cutting to deep or whatever, but it took her roughly 20 min and the hog was completely field dressed and ready to get picked up for camp.
When we got to camp of course she spent a few minutes showing off her hog and shot placement to EVERYONE! Then I strung the hog up for her, and there she went to work AGAIN, NO COMPLAINING! She grabbed my skinning knife and started cutting. She asked questions, but never once asked for me to show her or do it for her! Well, long story kind of short. It was a GREAT trip, she had a GREAT time, most definitely a life changing experience for her, and on the truck ride home, she says, "Babe, when are we going archery hunting again?", I said "Iam not sure, we will set something up soon". She says, "this time, lets both hunt together". At that moment, I knew I had a hunting partner for life.
So back in December I made a phone call to Hoss Hogs Hunting Adventures and set her up with a hunt on the weekend of the 24-26. Her archery flame fired back up and she was outside practicing EVERYDAY after work. Friday afternoon (12:30pm) we arrived at Hoss hogs, introduced ourselves, and unpacked all of our gear. Krista and I walked down to where they have a archery range set up and she flung a few arrows to verify everything was still lined up the way she left it. After a few shots we headed to our stand for our FIRST night of hunting. We got to our stand, organized our gear, and sat and began the waiting game. It did not take long (maybe 20 minutes), and we had our first group of 10-15 hogs rush their way by. All hogs in this group where in the 40-50 lb range, and krista wanted to hold out for something a little bigger.
Well, we had 4 more groups of hogs (all different groups) come in before sun down. We saw anywhere from 30-40 pigs the FIRST night! She was VERY EXCITED as was I for her. DAY 2, We wake up at 4:30am, to be in the stand by 5:15-5:30. Not much action AT ALL. We had a group of 8 hogs cross a clearing 100 yards in front of us to a watering hole, but they decided to leave just as fast as they showed up. NOT a single pig shows itself afterwords. We ended up getting out of the stand a little earlier then you would want to head to town for some batteries (flashlight). That evening we headed back out and saw NOTHING for the first 2 hours. Krista was beginning to become VERY nervous due to the amount of hogs she let walk on day one. Krista fell asleep and as I was sitting in the stand, watching football size quail, dog size rabbits, and tree squirrels running around, I heard that wonderful sound of something approaching.
"Crunch, Crunch...............Crunch Crunch". I wake up krista and tell her something is behind us but I dont have a visual. She becomes VERY excited and starts listening for the first sign that they are working their way into us! The crunching leaves gets louder and louder and finally in the corner of my eye from behind a large sage bush pops out a black head. "THEY ARE PIGS", I whisper to krista. I tell krista to stand up using the tree as cover. She stands VERY slowly and gets into position for a shot. Krista draws just before the pigs clear the sage bush's and waits for that perfect shot. The largest pig in the group came out into a clearing and gave krista a perfect slightly quartering away shot. I stop the pigs and whisper to krista, "take him when your ready". Then I heard that 100gr G5 Montec Smack the hog, a LOUD squeal followed. A PERFECT HEART SHOT!!!!
The hog went 13 yards from where he was shot and crashed. I turn around and look at krista and she is SHAKING LIKE I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE! She could not stand up because her knees were weak, her hands were useless because she could not control them. She showed EVERY sign of a new member of our HUNTING FAMILY. We gave the hog 30 min to lay before we approached it. Krista's life has been changed for ever! We took pictures and celebrated her FIRST ACHERY KILL.
This is where it gets good. Before the hunt started, I told krista that if she takes a animals life, there is alot of work involved. Its not just slinging a arrow. So, after krista and I spoke about it, I told her that if she takes a hog, I would like her to field dress and skin it not only to learn but to fully understand the responsibilities of harvesting game. She was not too thrilled about the idea but agreed. Well, after the pictures were taken, without me saying a work, krista grabs my field dressing knife and starts cutting away! I was SHOCKED. I watched to make sure she was not cutting to deep or whatever, but it took her roughly 20 min and the hog was completely field dressed and ready to get picked up for camp.
When we got to camp of course she spent a few minutes showing off her hog and shot placement to EVERYONE! Then I strung the hog up for her, and there she went to work AGAIN, NO COMPLAINING! She grabbed my skinning knife and started cutting. She asked questions, but never once asked for me to show her or do it for her! Well, long story kind of short. It was a GREAT trip, she had a GREAT time, most definitely a life changing experience for her, and on the truck ride home, she says, "Babe, when are we going archery hunting again?", I said "Iam not sure, we will set something up soon". She says, "this time, lets both hunt together". At that moment, I knew I had a hunting partner for life.
