Pig/wild bull hunt

[doccherry]

Well, I'm all packed and ready to roll. I've lost almost 20 pounds since my last bull hunt and have been running in the hills and working out on a regular basis. I'll be going in alone, carrying about 28 pounds in my pack and toting a .300 Win Mag. I'll set up camp at Morita Camp and spend Sat night there. With luck, on Saturday afternoon I'll be able to hike the 2 miles or so to the pastures where all the big bulls hang out. If no bulls, I'll have a good chance for a pig. Will hike back out on Sunday morning, hopefully with a load of beef or pork. Will post story and photos upon my return.

Aloha for now.

 

[daddy63]

Good luck on the hunt and congrats on the weightr loss... can't wait to hear the story

Be safe

 

[spot&stalk]

Good luck Doc. How much of a Bull can you pack out?

 

[jindydiver]

20 pounds Looks like someone is mad keen to get out and into those bulls I hope you do well

 

[Sierra_Dave]

Good Luck Doc
Iver go visit my brother in Kona, I am going pig hunting.
Good Luck,
Dave

 

[doccherry]

I'll only be able to pack out about 35 pounds of meat. Sounds like a waste, but these cattle are destroying the native riverine ecosystem along the Wailuku River. They trample and eat the natural vegetation, causing erosion and the introduction of invasive plants such as gorse. That's a horrible, thorny plant from England that is taking over. It's awful. The wildlife people want all the cattle eradicated but it's too hard to get in there and the forest canopy is too thick for aerial shooting. This really is an eradication hunt I'm going on.

If you're interested in seeing the area, you can go to Google Earth and check it out. It's about 20 miles west northwest of Hilo, Hawaii [Big Island]. The exact coordinates of my camp are 19 degrees 42'.67 and 155 degrees 18'.27. Zoom in and you can see the Wailuku River and the grassy area where I'll set up camp. Then I'll hike northwest on a bearing of 310 degrees for 1.5 miles to the pasture area [you can see that on the aerial photo].

You guys in SoCal, imagine having an area within a 1 1/2 hour drive of home and then a relatively level hike of 2 1/2 miles over tough terrain. It's 2 1/2 hours each way, but compared to the mountains and brush of SoCal, it's no harder, probably easier. When you get to your destination, you're the only human for miles and you never, ever see a human footprint. LOTS of pigs and LOTS of wild cattle, yours for the taking. You guys would be all over that. Here, it's too much hassle and nobody goes in. They shoot pigs from their back porch and buy beef at COSTCO.

You gotta come over to see it. The wild cattle hunt ends in November of 2008 and it may not be extended. Any of you who are in really good shape, email me and maybe we can set something up. One JHO'er is coming over the first week of Jan and I'm taking him pig hunting on Mauna Kea and then the next day at Laupahoehoe. It'll ruin him forever. We'll be sure to post that hunt.

Aloha for now. Gotta rest up for the adventure.

 

[sancho]

geez! i thought i was an idiot when i didnt know what the ubiquitous term "bull" meant. you are talking feral cattle!!! that is awesome! vancouver bull? why are they named after the canadian city? you have to post some pics.

i can hike like a crazed man, when i am chasing game. why is the hunt so strenous? this may be a perfect hunt for the "law boys" me and my bro.

 

[Speckmisser]

Go get 'em, Doc! Looking forward to the tales.

I suppose Nick and Ev know where to go look for your carcass in a few days?

 

[doccherry]

Here are a couple of Google Earth shots of the bull/pig hunting area. Notice how thick the forest canopy is. Down on the ground, though, it is quite open with visibility at least 50 yards in all directions. One photo shows where I'll camp on the Wailuku River and the other photo shows the approximate path I'll take from camp to the wild cattle pastures. Along the hike, and along the river, I expect to see hogs and wild cattle at any time. There are no trails of any kind once you go beyond the river. This is real wilderness.

Speck:

Ev and Nic know exactly where to look for my carcass. I'll also being carrying an emergency locator beacon that sends out an SOS and gives rescue personnel my location within about 50 feet.

Looking forward to this. How many of you reading this would enjoy a hunt like this?

Aloha. Will report back on Monday.

 

[spot&stalk]

Doesn't sound like a waste at all Doc. I bet those big bulls have developed quite a mean streak as well.

 

[BobcatJess]

Hey Doc, what are the chances of a JHO hunt out there? Maybe a combined species hunt (Hog, Bull, Pheasant, Turkey, Goat)...what would be the best month ...October/November?

Thanks,
Jess.