Here is my account of my story. I'll let each other guy fill in the details of their hunts. Pics should follow too as I know Jeff took several.
We had an awesome time. We got to the ranch Friday morning about 9:00 am and did the orientation where you listen to the guys (especially the game warden) who like to hear themselves talk. After 20-30 minutes of that we headed out to the South Gate and finally got to camp about 10:00 and set things up. It was hot as hell. Mid 80's already. We sat in camp BS'ing for an hour or so before we figured that we might as well get an early start. Right before we leave Brent has the great idea to have a first pig jackpot. $20 buy in and we get 6 takers out of our group of eight.
So we head out in three different trucks. We drive out to our favorite area of the ranch with each truck taking a separate ridge that looks down into canyons on each side. So we had three major areas covered. I take coues and Tim with me. We get to the area and park. The three of us head out from the truck in different directions. It is so hot that I really don't want to get too far from the truck. Everything is straight down from where I parked so that would only mean a tough hike back up. I mosey around about 20-30 minutes and check a couple finger ridges for nothing. I walk back to the truck expecting to find the other guys so we could go check another part of the ridge. They are nowhere around. I figure what the hell, I might as well get serious. I put my pack on and hike down the ridge farther than before. The ridge initially slopes off gently and then drops sharply into a canyon interspersed with oaks. I'm walking along the rim and am finding lots of tracks and trails and some real fresh turds. I come to one area under some oaks with some well used beds. I walk around a thick clump of scrub oak and stand on edge of the canyon glassing across to the other side. I stand there for about 5 minutes when I feel the wind hit me on the side of my sweaty neck and face. By this time it had to be 90. I was standing there thinking that the breeze felt really good. I suddenly hear a few grunts and a snort. It's coming from the clump of scrub oak just to my right. I realize that my wind is blowing right in there. I walk back up the hill and around the clump to come back from the downwind side. As I walk back to the clump, I'm about 25 yards when I hear some rustling and I see brush moving. A dark figure jumps out from the clump and stops after 5 yards. He takes a quick look at me, just as if to say "oh crap, I'm screwed." This gives me just enough time to get my rifle off my shoulder, jam one in and get it pointed in the right direction. The pig starts to haul ass, quartering away down the canyon. In about a half nano-second I make the required decisions that yes, the pig is big enough, the drag out is going to suck but it's doable, and idiot, if you don't get to shootin' right quick that pig is long gone. So I swing though, watch the crosshairs pass off the tip of the running hog's nose, see daylight and BAM! The pig's head drops (neck shot), he hit's the dirt and starts rolling down into the canyon. A dead tree fortunately stopped him from falling any further. I walk down to make sure he is dead dead when it occurs to me that holy crapola, I've been hunting for only about 45 minutes so this might take first pig money. I leave the pig there and haul ass back to the truck where I left the radio. I had to get on there and raise tournament control to log and register my kill. The time was 1:40 pm. Of course that was only one reason why I made the radio call, the other reason was because I was going to need some help getting my pig out. I thought about cutting the pig in half and humping it out on my pack frame but it was so hot that I knew that would take too long. I needed to get that pig out fast and cooled down. I raised Richard on the horn and then spotted his truck about a mile away on a distant ridge. He made his way over to me and soon there were four of us on the drag rope hauling that thing back up out of the canyon. Many hands made light work. He ended up being an approximately 130-135lb young boar. Should be good eats and put $100 bucks in my pocket. You just can't beat that baby!
The next pig to go down was Richard's as he made an approximately 300 yard, steep uphill shot on another young boar.
Then that same evening we all spread out on a ridge looking over a honey hole canyon. About 1 hour into our sit, John hears rustling behind him and turns around to see a pig trotting towards him. At 25 yards John lets her have it through both shoulders. He then put two pistol round in its face for poops and giggles. I heard the shots and headed over there. This being his first big game animal I knew he'd need a little help. I walked him though the field dressing procedure and helped him drag it out. Pretty cool to see the smile on his face.
Teddy had three pigs across canyon from him but no good shot. He moved from the first spot because he got bored after a while. He saw the pigs from his second spot and they were an easy shot from the where he just was. Oh well.
So we had three pigs down by the end of the first evening. I'll let the other guys share their own stories from there.
Our average was much better than the rest of the hunt it seemed. We saw pigs on every time out and everyone got shots. 6 kills for 8 guys with 100% opportunity was outstanding for a non guided hunt. When we left Sunday afternoon there were 43 pigs checked in for the 71 hunters on the South side (I think I remembered those numbers right, close any way). Excellent success overall. The late rains have lead to an abundance of feed and all the pigs shot were very fat. Damn, I've been back one day and I can't wait for next time. Tejon is a magical place.
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We had an awesome time. We got to the ranch Friday morning about 9:00 am and did the orientation where you listen to the guys (especially the game warden) who like to hear themselves talk. After 20-30 minutes of that we headed out to the South Gate and finally got to camp about 10:00 and set things up. It was hot as hell. Mid 80's already. We sat in camp BS'ing for an hour or so before we figured that we might as well get an early start. Right before we leave Brent has the great idea to have a first pig jackpot. $20 buy in and we get 6 takers out of our group of eight.
So we head out in three different trucks. We drive out to our favorite area of the ranch with each truck taking a separate ridge that looks down into canyons on each side. So we had three major areas covered. I take coues and Tim with me. We get to the area and park. The three of us head out from the truck in different directions. It is so hot that I really don't want to get too far from the truck. Everything is straight down from where I parked so that would only mean a tough hike back up. I mosey around about 20-30 minutes and check a couple finger ridges for nothing. I walk back to the truck expecting to find the other guys so we could go check another part of the ridge. They are nowhere around. I figure what the hell, I might as well get serious. I put my pack on and hike down the ridge farther than before. The ridge initially slopes off gently and then drops sharply into a canyon interspersed with oaks. I'm walking along the rim and am finding lots of tracks and trails and some real fresh turds. I come to one area under some oaks with some well used beds. I walk around a thick clump of scrub oak and stand on edge of the canyon glassing across to the other side. I stand there for about 5 minutes when I feel the wind hit me on the side of my sweaty neck and face. By this time it had to be 90. I was standing there thinking that the breeze felt really good. I suddenly hear a few grunts and a snort. It's coming from the clump of scrub oak just to my right. I realize that my wind is blowing right in there. I walk back up the hill and around the clump to come back from the downwind side. As I walk back to the clump, I'm about 25 yards when I hear some rustling and I see brush moving. A dark figure jumps out from the clump and stops after 5 yards. He takes a quick look at me, just as if to say "oh crap, I'm screwed." This gives me just enough time to get my rifle off my shoulder, jam one in and get it pointed in the right direction. The pig starts to haul ass, quartering away down the canyon. In about a half nano-second I make the required decisions that yes, the pig is big enough, the drag out is going to suck but it's doable, and idiot, if you don't get to shootin' right quick that pig is long gone. So I swing though, watch the crosshairs pass off the tip of the running hog's nose, see daylight and BAM! The pig's head drops (neck shot), he hit's the dirt and starts rolling down into the canyon. A dead tree fortunately stopped him from falling any further. I walk down to make sure he is dead dead when it occurs to me that holy crapola, I've been hunting for only about 45 minutes so this might take first pig money. I leave the pig there and haul ass back to the truck where I left the radio. I had to get on there and raise tournament control to log and register my kill. The time was 1:40 pm. Of course that was only one reason why I made the radio call, the other reason was because I was going to need some help getting my pig out. I thought about cutting the pig in half and humping it out on my pack frame but it was so hot that I knew that would take too long. I needed to get that pig out fast and cooled down. I raised Richard on the horn and then spotted his truck about a mile away on a distant ridge. He made his way over to me and soon there were four of us on the drag rope hauling that thing back up out of the canyon. Many hands made light work. He ended up being an approximately 130-135lb young boar. Should be good eats and put $100 bucks in my pocket. You just can't beat that baby!
The next pig to go down was Richard's as he made an approximately 300 yard, steep uphill shot on another young boar.
Then that same evening we all spread out on a ridge looking over a honey hole canyon. About 1 hour into our sit, John hears rustling behind him and turns around to see a pig trotting towards him. At 25 yards John lets her have it through both shoulders. He then put two pistol round in its face for poops and giggles. I heard the shots and headed over there. This being his first big game animal I knew he'd need a little help. I walked him though the field dressing procedure and helped him drag it out. Pretty cool to see the smile on his face.
Teddy had three pigs across canyon from him but no good shot. He moved from the first spot because he got bored after a while. He saw the pigs from his second spot and they were an easy shot from the where he just was. Oh well.
So we had three pigs down by the end of the first evening. I'll let the other guys share their own stories from there.
Our average was much better than the rest of the hunt it seemed. We saw pigs on every time out and everyone got shots. 6 kills for 8 guys with 100% opportunity was outstanding for a non guided hunt. When we left Sunday afternoon there were 43 pigs checked in for the 71 hunters on the South side (I think I remembered those numbers right, close any way). Excellent success overall. The late rains have lead to an abundance of feed and all the pigs shot were very fat. Damn, I've been back one day and I can't wait for next time. Tejon is a magical place.
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