This is going to be a pretty long story but I feel after what we experienced its well worth sharing. First off, it was 2 buddies and myself on this SD Pig hunt. We get to CNF around 3:30 pm. We set up camp and make a little dinner before heading out. We finally make our way out and up the hills around 6:30 pm. One other hunter was with me and the other went to a different canyon where some activity had been spotted. We finally make it out to the area where pigs come down the hills and into a ravine around I would say 7:15 pm, and we part ways. We were in the exact same area where I had been successful almost 3 years ago. I make my way to the same tree that I had climbed years back to position myself. I told my buddy to go on the other side of the mountain and position himself there, because I knew the pigs use this hill for cover when they move down into the ravine. I wasn't in position for about 10-15 mins when I hear BANG! One shot. Must have been around 7:45. I made it clear that if he shot a pig, to stay put and I would eventually make my way towards him. Since he shot first, I had a feeling the pigs would change their route and move towards my way. Well sure enough, about 15 mins later I hear em coming. I could see movement about 30 yds up but no clean shot. Finally a sow makes herself visible long enough to take a shot, and BAM!
First Pic is the sow I took, second pic is me and the sow, and the third is the boar my buddy took. The last pic is of the boars little cutters, just over an inch.
Now that the evening hunt was over and the pigs were gutted and skinned; the night took a turn for the CRAZY! We make it back to camp I would say around 10:30 pm. We get everything sorted out and finally lay down to rest. Well at around 11:45ish, we start to hear like if something is walking around our camp site. At first I thought maybe a raccoon or some other type of small creature. But my buddy must of had a different feeling and said if I could hear what was running around and I said yeah. Well for some reason or another we hit the lights and we catch a glimpse at a freaking mountain lion staring into the tent. My buddy freaks out and shines the spotlight right in its face. This lion opened its mouth and let out a bone shivering Roar/Scream about 2ft from our tent door, then turned around and booked it back up the mountain. We saw as it disappeared into the thick brush. We finally calmed our nerves back down and continued to try and sleep. I'll say this, every little crack or noise we would hear, that spotlight would get turned on so fast to check what was out there. LOL. I figured that would be it for the night, but a few hours later we hear a near by tree getting rattled up and I think that damn mountain lion is back, but when we shined the spotlight, its a pig rooting up next to it. When it hears us making noise it takes off as well. When the morning comes and we begin to check our camp site, we can clearly see where the mountain lion came down the hill. The crazy thing is that he circled our tent a few times before deciding to stop and check to see what was inside. Overall it was a great hunt, 3 pigs were taken. 2 boars 1 sow. It was a crazy experience, one that deserves to be shared. Sorry if its long and unfortunately I don't have pics of the other pig.
Here are some pics of the Mountain Lions paw prints. I hope they are clear enough to be made out. Thanks for reading.
First Pic is the sow I took, second pic is me and the sow, and the third is the boar my buddy took. The last pic is of the boars little cutters, just over an inch.
Now that the evening hunt was over and the pigs were gutted and skinned; the night took a turn for the CRAZY! We make it back to camp I would say around 10:30 pm. We get everything sorted out and finally lay down to rest. Well at around 11:45ish, we start to hear like if something is walking around our camp site. At first I thought maybe a raccoon or some other type of small creature. But my buddy must of had a different feeling and said if I could hear what was running around and I said yeah. Well for some reason or another we hit the lights and we catch a glimpse at a freaking mountain lion staring into the tent. My buddy freaks out and shines the spotlight right in its face. This lion opened its mouth and let out a bone shivering Roar/Scream about 2ft from our tent door, then turned around and booked it back up the mountain. We saw as it disappeared into the thick brush. We finally calmed our nerves back down and continued to try and sleep. I'll say this, every little crack or noise we would hear, that spotlight would get turned on so fast to check what was out there. LOL. I figured that would be it for the night, but a few hours later we hear a near by tree getting rattled up and I think that damn mountain lion is back, but when we shined the spotlight, its a pig rooting up next to it. When it hears us making noise it takes off as well. When the morning comes and we begin to check our camp site, we can clearly see where the mountain lion came down the hill. The crazy thing is that he circled our tent a few times before deciding to stop and check to see what was inside. Overall it was a great hunt, 3 pigs were taken. 2 boars 1 sow. It was a crazy experience, one that deserves to be shared. Sorry if its long and unfortunately I don't have pics of the other pig.
Here are some pics of the Mountain Lions paw prints. I hope they are clear enough to be made out. Thanks for reading.
ig-laughing:
