Tejon Blood Has Been Shed

[Kentuck]

Dang Speck! You are a glutton for punishment. First you hunt with one of them old fashioned bows and now a pistol?! I feel your pain. Been there done that. Fun as all get out though, huh?

 

[Speckmisser]

It is a blast... and what's the fun without a little challenge.

Gotta say, though, that when it came down to it about an hour after that botched pistol shot, I killed my pig with the 30-06 at 108 yards.

This weekend I'm back to Tejon on the North Side this time to see if I can't stick one with that "old-fashioned" bow.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

I cant wait to record my first west coast big game bowkill with my bowcam, thanks for sharing the cool video Speck, I love the stalk! I also liked that other video from the Boarbuster's with the dog and boar! instead of reviewing it in your head over and over again, you can just watch it over and over agian on video and share it with everyone!...........tra

 

[chirohunter]

Just now getting the chance to report on my first big game hunt...WOW!!!

The first night Speck puts me on a group of pigs ~3/4 of a mile out on top of a finger ridge, that's when the ticker started pounding. What a RUSH! We swiftly scrambled within range to i.d. a shooter. Speck instructs me to crawl on all fours to a downed tree. We first were looking to shoot one of two smaller sows towards the right side of the trail, but the two kept so close it would of resulted in an accidental double(not cool). After they moved into taller grass and leaving me without a shot, I notice another larger sow comes into veiw from the left side of the trail. I'm looking down my scope at her at ~120 yards, as Speck continues glassing her to confirm she wasn't wet. Once I got the green light, the game was on! As she continues to walk towards us I "try" to calm my breathing and steady myself for the shot...Not Easy! She walks to within ~110 yards of me and turns ever so slowly leaving a perfect side shot. I decide to make a shoulder shot, vs. a neck shot due to my inexperience. I take aim, exhale, and keep telling myself squeeze...don't yank...the trigger...BOOM!!! I look beyond the smoke and see hooves rolling towards the sky as all the other pigs run like crazy. As I now get my first lesson on field dressing, I get the good fortune of watching Speck become one with the pigs, he put on the stalk. As I videoed him, I thought he was going to just bend in with them and start grazing with them. Fun to watch, as he eventually gets busted....the video explanes the rest!

Thanks to Speck, for getting me addicted to the most exiting thing I have ever done. I am now hooked, and looking for my next hunt...and it's all you fault! Thanks!!

Thanks to Brent and Speck for skinning my pig...and yes...Brent does use a swiss army knife...it worked great by the way!

Thanks to Jesse for all of the give-aways!

Thanks to Barbara for a great Tejon hunt!

This my first big game hunt...and it will always be remembered!!

 

[irishhunter]

congrats chirohunter and now you join the rest of us addicts doomed to kill time between hunts.It always give me great pleasure to see new hunters enjoy the first hunt/kill and Im sure spec feels the same.

 

[chirohunter]

Thanks, Irishhunter. That seems to be the largest common denominator with the JHO guys on this hunt. Everyone was extremely willing to help, share, and educate...and when they found out you are a newbie...the willingness doubles! Good group of guys, that's for sure!

 

[One Track]

Yah buddy! Nice meeting you. Congrats on the hog. Perty darn awesome.

 

[chirohunter]

"Phil seems to have not learned from his own lessons. "


I've given this much thought, after spending much of Friday night wondering if I personally was going to be able to climb out of that hole, without Speck or Wayne packing me on their back. I think Speck's lack of learning may be comparable to a woman in labor!?!?!? Mothers say the instant that baby is in their arms for the first time, the 12 hours of torcher they just endured has already been forgotten. I think the pain Speck endures is overshadowed by the huge rush of gratification he experiences once that pig is on the skinning rack....or hung up in a tree at the bottom of the canyon to be skinned and quartered. I have to admit, I too forgot all about the pain hiking out of that pit...albeit, not until that following day when I could see I could actualy walk again. HA-HA!

Speck or Wayne, before you say it... I know, I know...."Character Building"!

For real, I'd haul a pig with you guys anytime!

Thanks for the experiences!

 

[beastslayer]

Phil,

Finally, I was able to view the video on the "blown stalk".

That was classic stalk. What made you stand up when you've gone into lots of trouble and sweat doing the stalk on all fours? Also, it appears that you are within .44 pistol/revolver shooting distance and those grass are no issue for the heavy bullet and it would not have necessary for you to have a better vantage point when you stand up. What gives?

No, I'm not being critical nor doing Monday morning quarter backing. A pistol kill on a hog is also one of my dream hunt (remember our pot for pistol hog in Tejon 2006 POR?). And the stalk being recorded on video would have been one for the books. I feel that a pistol, a rifle and an achery harvest is the equivalent of Hog Grand Slam.

 

[XDHUNTER]

Beasty,
On a knee high grass it's hard to tell which one is wet sow from the group and Tejon is loaded with wet sow that weekend.

 

[Speckmisser]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (beastslayer @ May 30 2007, 04:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Phil,

Finally, I was able to view the video on the "blown stalk".

That was classic stalk. What made you stand up when you've gone into lots of trouble and sweat doing the stalk on all fours? Also, it appears that you are within .44 pistol/revolver shooting distance and those grass are no issue for the heavy bullet and it would not have necessary for you to have a better vantage point when you stand up. What gives?

No, I'm not being critical nor doing Monday morning quarter backing. A pistol kill on a hog is also one of my dream hunt (remember our pot for pistol hog in Tejon 2006 POR?). And the stalk being recorded on video would have been one for the books. I feel that a pistol, a rifle and an achery harvest is the equivalent of Hog Grand Slam.[/b]

Beast,

No problem on the critique. I'm a big boy.

XD pretty much nailed it. There were babies all over the place in that grass. If you saw when the group busted, it was like black shrapnel spreading out through the grass. From my low angle, I couldn't see what was under the bigger pigs. When I did stand, I had a brief broadside shot, but I hesitated and she turned her back to me. That was my biggest error... if I were a more confident (and competent) pistol shot, I would have taken the opportunity when I had it.

Once she turned, and all the other pigs milled around, I tried to get a better angle. That was my second major mistake (in retrospect). A little patience would have been the ticket there. That pig would have turned again, and I had plenty of time since they had no idea I was there... at least not until I moved to get that angle.

Final mistake, in my own opinion, was taking the shot at the end. I should have eaten my crow and watched them run. I had almost no odds of making the hit...at least on the pig I was aiming at.

I do agree... if I'd killed that pig on video, that would have been a prize all in itself.

 

[beastslayer]

Phil,

Thanks for the details.

You have my complete admiration. In fact, the long stalk on all fours is classic. I am not sure I would have done as well as you had when I've considered and aborted a pistol approach in JHO Tejon POR '06. For a long while there, the pigs did not have even a bit of an inkling of your approach and presence. You've mastered the art and I'm sure you'll do well next time around. That is still one for the books of memorable hunts.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

Chirohunter, congrats on your successful Tejon Big Game hunting adventure, good story and glad you grabbed the video camera and got speck on the stalk, very cool

and JHO members are a great group of guys to always hu

nt with!..............tra

 

[bighog]

Congrats to all of you who hunted Tejon this past weekend. Sure looks and sounds as if everyone had a fantastic time. This is a great thread and due to all the success, video's and stories should be in the hall of fame. You can bet I'm gonna do my best to make next years event

 

[spectr17]

Rest assured, you'll never see me on all 4s in that high grass with the rattlers up there.

There are 2 places I really don't want to get bit. The face is one.

 

[B-RAD]

Good job guy's!

 

[Orso]

Spectr17,
Thanks.... I don't think I ever want to see you on all fours under any circumstance.

 

[bodega]

A year ago I read the report from the 2006 JHO pig-o-rama and I decided then that dang-it, I was going to go to the next one. The next one just ended a few days ago and even though I drove home 8 hours with an empty cooler, I drove the entire way smiling. As a newbie, I was helped immeasureably by Phil and Brent. Steve, thanks for letting me use your bore-sighter. Jesse, thanks for the Badlands hydro-pack I won at the raffle. I really have to save my biggest thanks to Bill for taking me around to his hot spots Friday and Saturday. You guys rock. If anybody has been on the fence about going to Tejon or wants to learn hog hunting, make a mental committment now. I have a theory on why I missed my shots, but I'll save that for a campfire at the next JHO POR.

Cheers,
Sol

 

[One Track]

Bodega: Looking forward to seeing you in 2008. Buy a pack frame. You're gonna need it.

 

[canadagoose]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (One Track @ May 30 2007, 08:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Bodega: Looking forward to seeing you in 2008. Buy a pack frame. You're gonna need it.[/b]

... and to properly train, find a 200lb friend and give him piggy back rides up and down the stairs of the nearest tall building.