Off to Hunt a New WU Ranch for A Pig

[jerryt]

Off to hunt the Maddux Ranch. The weather is looking ideal. Storming until about midnight and then the morning should bring a hint of sunshine. This should get the pigs out milling around after being hunkered down in the brush and manzanita patches for the last five or six days. I will let you know how it goes. If they are there it shouldn't take long to find the tracks in the mud.

 

[Live2hunt]

Good luck Jerry. I'd like to hear what the Maddux have.

 

[Mel Carter]

Good luck, let me know how you do.

 

[jerryt]

Well things went well. Got to the ranch Friday night and made my bed in the back of the truck under the comforts of my camper shell. According to the reports I was going to be getting lightning and thunder through out the night and sun in the morning. Sounded perfect for pig hunting to me. No storm came in that night just some cold temperatures. Woke up at six in the morning to a frozen truck with ice on the ground. Once the truck warmed up I headed to where I figured the pigs might be from looking at the Google images. As soon as i began climbing to the top of the tallest point to get to a good glassing point I began seeing signs of rooting that was a few days old. I weaved my way back and forth up the hill, but never cut a track that was fresh. Got to a good glassing spot and started looking. Found about 50 head of elk scattered across the ranch and on the East Park Reservoir property. Also glassed up two coyotes on the opposite side of the valley and 30 or so deer here and there. Did not spot a single pig. I decided to work the edges of the buck brush along the eastern slopes of the ranch figuring the pigs should be out and about all day with the low temperatures, cloud cover and no rain. I kept finding more and more fresh sign, but still no pigs. Sat down about 9:30 to eat my breakfast on the hill at a good glassing area and finally caught some movement in the brush. Glassed for a while and sure enough out pop two Sows each with some tan 20 lbers behind them. They worked there way through the brush and I continued to eat my breakfast. They were safe from me since we try not to shoot Sows that are pregnant or nursing. At about 10 I decided to get on the move again but then spotted two black dots running across a hillside. Took a quick look and sure enough there were two more pigs. However they were safe since they were on the neighboring property and were headed for the lake land. I kept working my way along the brush and got to where I was either going to have to get in the brush or head down the hill to the Fence and walk the very edge of the property. Headed down the hill and was walking through a little brush patch when all of the sudden there was one feeding right in front of me at about 6 yards. Stupid me had just put the rifle on my shoulder. I slowly slipped it off, eased the safety off and jerked the trigger. I know I jerked the trigger because I flinched and the gun didn't fire. I was chuckling to myself because I knew I was supposed to be easy with the trigger. Took a quick look at the gun and realized the bolt was flipped up. Slowly slid it down to position and now the pig was gone, but I knew it hadn't run. Took a few steps forward and there it was feeding at 8 yards. It finally turned sideways and I sent a bullet. The pig did not flinch or squeal just bolted for the brush. I jacked another shell and sent another bullet in her direction and she just kept on trucking. I could not believe I could have missed. About that time I look up the hill and see a coyote trying to sneak a way so I drop him as he scrambles for the ridge line. I walk over to where the pig was standing and don't see any blood and then go to where I shot while she was running and I see a drop of blood. Look about 30 yards ahead and there she is belly up. After further examination I find that both my bullets were in the perfect location and only an 1" apart from each other. Pig was killed at 11 am out feeding and was back at the truck at 1PM. I skinned it and was sitting at the Sonyford Bar by 2:30 Eating Corned Beef and Cabbage for Lunch before heading home.

 

[Buck Hunter Vic]

great story, thanks for sharing, and wtg on a nice hog.

 

[solus]

nice hog

 

[Bencoyote]

Your the man Jerryt!! Congrats on a nice sow. Also way to go by using Google Earth.

 

[Farmerdoug]

Great job Jerry.......Sounds like an awesome trip...........

 

[vpc209]

Nice Job..thanks for the storys and pics....

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Sweet! Great pics and story!!!

 

[Mel Carter]

You may be the first person to take a pig from that ranch. Nice work as usual, I'm thinking of heading over there or to Orchard, kind of undecided. Gotta kill a turkey first. Congrats!

 

[cjack]

Great story jerryt and a very nice hog! I once considered joining WU, sorry I didn't.

 

[jerryt]

Thanks for the nice comments. Heading down to San Luis Obispo to watch the wife compete this weekend, so I decided I mise as well make some reservations for Orchard Ranch. So Off I go again. May have to challenge myself and go with the Bow or Pistol.

 

[baco]

Congrats on the fine pig and thanks for dumping that yote

 

[k_rad]

WTG Jerry, Does make me ponder WU especially since Tejon is closed for an unknown amount of time...Congrats nice double.

 

[Live2hunt]

I knew that Maddux just needed someone who can hunt. Congrats Jerryt.

 

[Live2hunt]

You may be the first person to take a pig from that ranch. Nice work as usual, I'm thinking of heading over there or to Orchard, kind of undecided. Gotta kill a turkey first. Congrats!

Mel, if hog is in the mind, I wouldn't drive down to Orchard. And I don't think there's any turkey in Orchard.

 

[Mel Carter]

Mel, if hog is in the mind, I wouldn't drive down to Orchard. And I don't think there's any turkey in Orchard.

I know there are no turkey at Orchard, I have reservations at Rancho Chimilies on 4/3. I'm gonna spend my time trying to kill a gobbler before I go back to pigs.

 

[Wild1]

Nice hat.

 

[Huntr Pat]

wtg Jerry . So get 1 o2 pig on WU ranchs. Then you're done for the year unless you go to public. land.