I went hunting last weekend with my old hunting and fishing buddy Pat. This hunt took place on a public access type area, and Pat doesn’t like to spread around too much information, so out of respect I have to withhold a few things.
[attachment=51566:Sunrise.JPG]
Started off the morning at sunrise and went to the place where we had scouted. We busted 3 pigs the night before in a field. Went to a high spot and glassed for about 3 hours until it started to get hot, not a thing moving. We pulled out and went to a different area closer to the water and found disgusting amounts of sign, heavy trails very deep with wallows and tunnels cut through the thick stuff, scat everywhere, and decided to make that the evening stand. We returned around 4:00 and sat until dark, and didn’t see a thing at all. The next morning we scouted again and I thought I found an area that looked promising, wet muddy tracks crossing a road combined with the hot days gave me an idea that I found a recent crossing, probably to an evening feed site, so we had our last evening stand spot. I sprayed some Dominant Boar urine on a stick on the trail and we left. On the way out we found another hunting party of 3 had parked where we were the day before and they had killed 3 hogs yesterday evening (roll eyes).
[attachment=51567:3_pigs.JPG]
They seemed to be very knowledgeable, I am not so much on the pigs, so I helped a little with the skinning when an extra hand was needed and took pics, asked questions. One of the pigs stunk pretty bad. When they had skinned out the leg they found it had been previously shot and had a puss pocket in it, however the pig ran just fine and acted like there was nothing wrong, strong critters.
[attachment=51568
uss_Pocket_Leg.JPG]
They said there was a pig in the thick stuff and asked if we wanted to be part of a drive. Awful nice of them considering, so we set up with a shooter on each end and pushers in the middle. We pushed through and back but had no luck, smart pig I guess.
So they wanted to go have a few beers and lunch, invited us along, we all hung out they were great guys, had huge amounts of experience, I wish I could hunt as much as they do. They were going back to try for one more that evening.
We were feeling pretty low, but I am not one to crowd another guy’s fishin hole or hunting spot, so we decided to stick with our plan, and set up 3 hours before light downwind from where the muddy trail crossing was and wait.
About an hour passed and 2 piglets crossed a trail into the brush downwind from us, going the wrong direction from what I predicted. Things looked grim. Pat kept his eyes glued to that crossing, I watched the other, and glassed the field. We sat for almost 2 more hours with no sign of anything to show for it. I had glassed the field a hundred times and my eyes were getting tired. The sun was in our faces, not ideal, but we had set up with the wind in mind. Pat started talking about leaving but I was stubborn, this was our last day. 15 minutes before dark a big hairy sow appeared right where I thought she would. Her head was down and she was working that stick all over with her nose, not looking in our direction at all.
I didn’t want to surprise Pat, so I just said:
“Pat, left.”
He turned, saw, his body froze, then the gun came up, took a second to steady and “Pow” then “REEEEEEE!” the pig let out a short squeal and took off running toward open field. It ran about 150 yards to some brush piles, stopped just before them and staggered, then went in. I gave Pat a radio, and I stayed on the higher trail keeping my eyes open to watch for the hog, he went on looking.
[attachment=51569at_Hunting_Brush.JPG]
He found some blood, not a lot though. He thought he heard some rustling going on in one smaller stand of brush. The light was nearly gone, and I was getting very worried. We were not sure of the shot, and needed that hog out before dark…I was definitely not going to mess with that thing after dark in there.
I used my carry stick out in front of me and went in a little at a time, Pat covered both sides of the brush. We figured she would pop out the other side and run for it.
That damn hog charged me! Scared the hell out of me! I poked her in the head with the stick but she kept coming. I slapped her hard with it, even kicked her in the head all the while backpedaling out of that brush pile. When I emerged and Pat had a shot he dropped her hard, and with all the adrenaline, put another one in her for good measure. The plan worked but I won’t be trying that again. She looked small in the field. I had to lighten the pic to be able to see the hog, it was much darker that the pic shows.
[attachment=51570at_Pig_Field_Pic.JPG]
We gutted her, drug her out and headed for the truck. The other party called us on cell and they had killed a nice boar. They called us to come have a look. I took a few pics, but the camera was not set up very well for night shots, and I was being eaten alive with mosquitoes, so I didn't fool with it.
[attachment=51571:Boar_Pic.JPG]
When we got her home and set her up to skin, she ended up looking a lot bigger, she was a pretty big sow. I had a great time. Pat was the only one with a permit to shoot, I went along to help, and after it was all said and done, I am glad I did, it would have been tough for one guy to haul that thing out the half mile back to the truck. If you know where this hunt was, please keep it to yourself, out of respect to the hunter’s wishes. Thank you for reading my post.
[attachment=51572at_Pig_Garage.JPG]
[attachment=51566:Sunrise.JPG]
Started off the morning at sunrise and went to the place where we had scouted. We busted 3 pigs the night before in a field. Went to a high spot and glassed for about 3 hours until it started to get hot, not a thing moving. We pulled out and went to a different area closer to the water and found disgusting amounts of sign, heavy trails very deep with wallows and tunnels cut through the thick stuff, scat everywhere, and decided to make that the evening stand. We returned around 4:00 and sat until dark, and didn’t see a thing at all. The next morning we scouted again and I thought I found an area that looked promising, wet muddy tracks crossing a road combined with the hot days gave me an idea that I found a recent crossing, probably to an evening feed site, so we had our last evening stand spot. I sprayed some Dominant Boar urine on a stick on the trail and we left. On the way out we found another hunting party of 3 had parked where we were the day before and they had killed 3 hogs yesterday evening (roll eyes).
[attachment=51567:3_pigs.JPG]
They seemed to be very knowledgeable, I am not so much on the pigs, so I helped a little with the skinning when an extra hand was needed and took pics, asked questions. One of the pigs stunk pretty bad. When they had skinned out the leg they found it had been previously shot and had a puss pocket in it, however the pig ran just fine and acted like there was nothing wrong, strong critters.
[attachment=51568
uss_Pocket_Leg.JPG]They said there was a pig in the thick stuff and asked if we wanted to be part of a drive. Awful nice of them considering, so we set up with a shooter on each end and pushers in the middle. We pushed through and back but had no luck, smart pig I guess.
So they wanted to go have a few beers and lunch, invited us along, we all hung out they were great guys, had huge amounts of experience, I wish I could hunt as much as they do. They were going back to try for one more that evening.
We were feeling pretty low, but I am not one to crowd another guy’s fishin hole or hunting spot, so we decided to stick with our plan, and set up 3 hours before light downwind from where the muddy trail crossing was and wait.
About an hour passed and 2 piglets crossed a trail into the brush downwind from us, going the wrong direction from what I predicted. Things looked grim. Pat kept his eyes glued to that crossing, I watched the other, and glassed the field. We sat for almost 2 more hours with no sign of anything to show for it. I had glassed the field a hundred times and my eyes were getting tired. The sun was in our faces, not ideal, but we had set up with the wind in mind. Pat started talking about leaving but I was stubborn, this was our last day. 15 minutes before dark a big hairy sow appeared right where I thought she would. Her head was down and she was working that stick all over with her nose, not looking in our direction at all.
I didn’t want to surprise Pat, so I just said:
“Pat, left.”
He turned, saw, his body froze, then the gun came up, took a second to steady and “Pow” then “REEEEEEE!” the pig let out a short squeal and took off running toward open field. It ran about 150 yards to some brush piles, stopped just before them and staggered, then went in. I gave Pat a radio, and I stayed on the higher trail keeping my eyes open to watch for the hog, he went on looking.
[attachment=51569
at_Hunting_Brush.JPG]He found some blood, not a lot though. He thought he heard some rustling going on in one smaller stand of brush. The light was nearly gone, and I was getting very worried. We were not sure of the shot, and needed that hog out before dark…I was definitely not going to mess with that thing after dark in there.
I used my carry stick out in front of me and went in a little at a time, Pat covered both sides of the brush. We figured she would pop out the other side and run for it.
That damn hog charged me! Scared the hell out of me! I poked her in the head with the stick but she kept coming. I slapped her hard with it, even kicked her in the head all the while backpedaling out of that brush pile. When I emerged and Pat had a shot he dropped her hard, and with all the adrenaline, put another one in her for good measure. The plan worked but I won’t be trying that again. She looked small in the field. I had to lighten the pic to be able to see the hog, it was much darker that the pic shows.
[attachment=51570
at_Pig_Field_Pic.JPG]We gutted her, drug her out and headed for the truck. The other party called us on cell and they had killed a nice boar. They called us to come have a look. I took a few pics, but the camera was not set up very well for night shots, and I was being eaten alive with mosquitoes, so I didn't fool with it.
[attachment=51571:Boar_Pic.JPG]
When we got her home and set her up to skin, she ended up looking a lot bigger, she was a pretty big sow. I had a great time. Pat was the only one with a permit to shoot, I went along to help, and after it was all said and done, I am glad I did, it would have been tough for one guy to haul that thing out the half mile back to the truck. If you know where this hunt was, please keep it to yourself, out of respect to the hunter’s wishes. Thank you for reading my post.
[attachment=51572
at_Pig_Garage.JPG]
