The Dec POR was a blast as usual. Thought we were going to miss the weather, boy was I wrong! I went with two other buddies with high hopes and enthusiasm. The first day (Friday 12 noon) we visited the usual spots looking for the piggies. The whole afternoon and into the dark with no sign. I have to say the first day I was a little discouraged, I mean no fresh sign, no far off sightings, NOTHING! We went back to camp and discussed the next mornings game plan over a few brews and carne asada.
We got up in the bitter cold and drove to the area we were going to hunt, parked the jeep and hiked in. We almost get into position as the grey is coming up and two, not one, but two vehicles come flying out of the canyon. Nice I guess there aren't any pigs in there. Plan B, we try to get high and catch some late risers headed back to their beds late (full moon conditions). Nada, nothing. We hunted the rest of Saturday morning for nothing. Back to camp to regroup, grab a bite and make a plan for the evening hunt.
We decided to stick with the general area and split up to cover more ground. It had started to rain, then snow as the afternoon came and it got COLD and foggy. We went our separate ways looking for pigs. 1/2 hour later I hear a shot where one of my buddies was at, then more shots, sheesh after all those shots that pig better be dead. Sure enough NV capped a nice sow. Took a while to find him in the fog and snow but we got the pig into a reasonable place to gut her and load up. Finally got the skunk off.
Next morning the same drill, hunt the area NV got his and hope to catch them going to bed. 15 mins. after we split up one shot where my buddy is hunting, hog down.
I kept hunting for a while when I came across fresh sign every where (read: steaming turds and piss in the snow) I followed the tracks up and over a hill into the next canyon then the next canyon, you get the picture. When I got to the top of hill I looked out across the canyon and saw 7 pigs feeding down into a narrow draw. they were still very high and moving slow. I moved down the ridge to the spot where we left the trcuk and connected with my two buddies. Checked out GC's hog, high fives all around; but we still needed one more to go three for three. I told them about the hogs I saw way up on the hill so we jumped in the4 truck to check them out. They were still there but easily 2 miles away up a steep slope and not moving very quickly. The sun had come out as we were watching them and a couple of minutes later they bedded down way up on the hill. Nice it will take me two hours to get there for a shot if I don't get busted on the way up. As we discussed the options ( me going up the hill while they stayed in the heated truck) I spotted 4 hogs coming down a hill into a canyon, a lot closer and definitely doable. I grabbed my pack and jogged around to try and head them off. I stopped short of the area to catch my breath and as I turned the corner, the hogs were gone. WTF? where did they go? I hiked back across a creek and I heard them in the area. Dropped my pack, got behind a rock and 30 seconds later they came out from around a patch a sage. One round of copper behind the ear at 75yds and the deal was done.
One hell of a lot of work for those pigs. The shot went in behind the right ear and traveled down to the left shoulder and destroyed the quarter. Oh well I still have a bunch of sausage coming![attachment=57304:Tejon_1208_04.JPG]
We got up in the bitter cold and drove to the area we were going to hunt, parked the jeep and hiked in. We almost get into position as the grey is coming up and two, not one, but two vehicles come flying out of the canyon. Nice I guess there aren't any pigs in there. Plan B, we try to get high and catch some late risers headed back to their beds late (full moon conditions). Nada, nothing. We hunted the rest of Saturday morning for nothing. Back to camp to regroup, grab a bite and make a plan for the evening hunt.
We decided to stick with the general area and split up to cover more ground. It had started to rain, then snow as the afternoon came and it got COLD and foggy. We went our separate ways looking for pigs. 1/2 hour later I hear a shot where one of my buddies was at, then more shots, sheesh after all those shots that pig better be dead. Sure enough NV capped a nice sow. Took a while to find him in the fog and snow but we got the pig into a reasonable place to gut her and load up. Finally got the skunk off.
Next morning the same drill, hunt the area NV got his and hope to catch them going to bed. 15 mins. after we split up one shot where my buddy is hunting, hog down.
I kept hunting for a while when I came across fresh sign every where (read: steaming turds and piss in the snow) I followed the tracks up and over a hill into the next canyon then the next canyon, you get the picture. When I got to the top of hill I looked out across the canyon and saw 7 pigs feeding down into a narrow draw. they were still very high and moving slow. I moved down the ridge to the spot where we left the trcuk and connected with my two buddies. Checked out GC's hog, high fives all around; but we still needed one more to go three for three. I told them about the hogs I saw way up on the hill so we jumped in the4 truck to check them out. They were still there but easily 2 miles away up a steep slope and not moving very quickly. The sun had come out as we were watching them and a couple of minutes later they bedded down way up on the hill. Nice it will take me two hours to get there for a shot if I don't get busted on the way up. As we discussed the options ( me going up the hill while they stayed in the heated truck) I spotted 4 hogs coming down a hill into a canyon, a lot closer and definitely doable. I grabbed my pack and jogged around to try and head them off. I stopped short of the area to catch my breath and as I turned the corner, the hogs were gone. WTF? where did they go? I hiked back across a creek and I heard them in the area. Dropped my pack, got behind a rock and 30 seconds later they came out from around a patch a sage. One round of copper behind the ear at 75yds and the deal was done.
One hell of a lot of work for those pigs. The shot went in behind the right ear and traveled down to the left shoulder and destroyed the quarter. Oh well I still have a bunch of sausage coming![attachment=57304:Tejon_1208_04.JPG]
