Tejon hunt - first day update

[doghouse95]

Sounds to me like you guys had a blast. Sorry to hear about the dislocated shoulder, that had to hurt.
One of these years I'm going to make it down there.
Great going guys.

 

[Kentuck]

BDB,

Forgot to say sorry about the shoulder. I know that hurt more than just in the shoulder. That will make the next hunt even sweeter. Here's to a speedy recovery.

Kentuck

 

[bigtusker]

Congrats to Orso.
How many guys went on this hunt?

 

[beastslayer]

BDB,

Sorry for the injury.

Get well soon!

 

[Speckmisser]

One more for the JHO/Tejon Ranch Wall of Pain

[attachment=38844:attachment]

Maybe we should do a "Caption This" for this pic?

 

[SDHNTR]

Is that sling a Crooked Horn?

 

[BDB]

Yup it was. It made a good enough temp sling. Thanks for thhe well wishes folks. Waiting on a call back from the ortho surgeon now...........

 

[beastslayer]

One bite on this lemon peel and the pain isn't seem so bad.

 

[Big Bubba Daddy]

First off congrats to Orso on the pig!

Second, thanks to Phil for all the leg work and initiative on putting this hunt together, additionally thanks to BDB for inviting me along. I'm not on here as much as I would like and BDB has been great about keeping me up to date on the JHO hunts and I have enjoyed each and everyone I've been lucky enough to make.

Lastly a HUGE thanks to Ron Gayer our host/guide from Tejon, talk about a class act. Here is a guy who obviously loves what he does and went well out of his way to make sure we all had a good time and a great hunt. If you take into consideration the hours he puts in, it makes it all the more amazing he chose to go the extra miles he did for us. He would have been well within his rights to point out a few spots on the map and send us on our merry way. The powers at be of Tejon better recognize what an asset they have in him.

It was a pleasure meeting new faces and reconnecting with those from the past, I hope to share a camp with you all again soon.

My story is per usual, is embarrassing. Ron worked his tail off to put Russ (sorry can't seem to remember your JHO handle) and I on pigs Sunday. We had a few rather interesting vehicular encounters but beyond that not much was doing. On the way out of Tejon canyon to grab some lunch he glassed up a group of pigs way the heck up on top of I believe the South side of the canyon, I would have never seen them. In fact it took me quite a bit of time to even pick them out with Ron directing my glasses. After a quick bite we rallied up the rest of the troops and headed for the spot. Which sounds easier than it was, it had rained and the roads were wet and a bit slippery, I think it fair to say another guide might have dismissed the opportunity with a "can't get there from here" and called it a day, after all it was Sunday afternoon and people were headed out.

When we got up above the spot, he had us fan out and side step the hill into the wind, Russ and I went with Ron low, Brad took middle ground and Bighorn and Don took high. I have never been on a guided hunt before and I was really enjoying it, trying to learn from his technique and soaking in as much as possible. I have also never been in a single spot that hot with sign. Gees the poo and the rooting were fresher than fresh and you could almost smell the buggers. Ron walked us right up on a group of about 9 hogs bedded down on a somewhat open hillside. There was one brute in a bed on his own and the rest up under a scrub oak. He sent Russ up high as he had a wheel bow and could take a bit longer shot and pointed me at the loan bedded hog who was pointed away and totally asleep.

The set up was as good as it could possibly get, pigs asleep, at least one totally exposed, wind was up and direct in our face, ground wet quite and soft. I pulled my judo out of my bow quiver (by the way I am shooting a longbow) and dropped it on the ground so if things got heated I didn't pull a gomer. Nocked up one with a nice sharp end and tipped toed straight in on Mr. Sleeping Hog.

At this point I should mention that when it comes to hog hunting and me, it seems at least one of main characters in the story has to be asleep, last time it was me, this time it was Mr. Pig.

Here comes the DOH part of the story. With heart pounding and legs a bit shaky I worked my way in, problem was I didn’t work it enough. A little pig spotted me and headed out downhill, I SWEAR HE DID! It seems I am the only one who saw this little fella, Ron looked at me like I was off my rocker when I told him about it, and Russ didn’t see him either…apparently neither did the full size hogs as besides a few perking of ears they didn’t move, but my mind had already tripped into fire mode and I sent my shaft off. Be it the misjudgeing the size of the hog in the open, my premature reaction to the little guy busting out or just a complete mess up of distanced judging, my shaft hit the dirt right on line but a good foot or two short ending up a third of the way in the hogs bed and plowed under him.

They all busted out for real this time and headed down hill. One pig stopped and looked back at me broadside and I sent a second shaft off just clearing his back above the spot I was aiming at, then it was all over. Heart pounding and mad at myself, I’m not sure which is a worse feeling, realizing I blew it, busting the pigs out before Russ could get a fair shot or wasting all the fantastic effort Ron put in getting us there.
I’m starting to think I am jinxed, I have had three shot encounters this season, which truth be told have been my only three large game shots ever taken and I have come back empty handed from all three. I’m really a pretty good with my bow, I am I just don’t seem to be able to prove it on the hoof.

Lessons learned and to be shared:

1) Glassing far and wide then stalking is a fantastic way to hunt, I normally just strolled through areas that looked like they would be good for game. I saw entirely more animals glassing and moving on from vantage point to vantage point then I ever have and it makes the hunt much more exciting when you KNOW they are there somewhere as compared to hoping they are.

2) When you do the math especially taking into consideration opportunity costs, a pay as you go hunt on private land at this price point really is a good deal, made even more so if you luck into a guy like Ron.

3) Practice yardage estimation, probably equally as important to wheel guys using pins as to us instinctive trad guys, man I thought I was much closer to that pig than I was. I was amazed when I stepped it off

4) If you’re stalking in on pigs and a little bugger busts you, the game is not over. Ron explained afterwards that the big hogs really do not pay much attention to the little guys. If a big guy gets excited they all do, if a little guy gets hyped up, its about the same as your 4 year old, you notice it but you really don’t put much stock into it. Ron explained what I should have done is drawn and stepped up 5 or so paces quickly. If the full size hogs didn’t react to the little nervous fella I would have been right on top of them and the shot would have been a piece of cake, if they did take heed to the little guys fright I would have been much closer to nail the pig as he stood up.

That’s all I got, I’m 0 for three so far and really hoping to change that, but regardless, I have had a fantastic time hunting these critters and sharing camps with you all.

Here are a few shots from the trip, of course BDB doesn’t need any explanation and naturally he has a beer in his hand. Did you notice which hand it is in...........sure he's hurt, I think it is all a rouse to get more days off work.

I ran across two different flocks of turkeys over the weekend, both about the same size, these are of the flock we saw Sunday.

lastly one of the bunk room, sure beats waking up with ants and dew all over you.

 

[Speckmisser]

Great write-up, Pete! Glad you guys at least got onto some hogs.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

I’m starting to think I am jinxed, I have had three shot encounters this season, which truth be told have been my only three large game shots ever taken and I have come back empty handed from all three. I’m really a pretty good with my bow, I am I just don’t seem to be able to prove it on the hoof.[/b]

I'll put my jinx up against yours any day. In fact, I think we need to get back out there and have a jinx shoot-out... yours against mine! I have to admit, though, I wouldn't mind losing that contest.

 

[beastslayer]

Bubba,

For a while there, I thought you missent your draft of Oscar awards night acceptance speech.

Nice story.

And, that's hunting.

 

[Big Bubba Daddy]

yeah... if you thing that is bad, just spend a bit of time with me, I am a wordy bugger thats for sure

 

[Big Bubba Daddy]

Speck, I'm all in for the jinx off, I can't wait to get back down there, great meeting you, hope we get to hunt together again soon.

 

[Coues]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

1) Glassing far and wide then stalking is a fantastic way to hunt, I normally just strolled through areas that looked like they would be good for game. I saw entirely more animals glassing and moving on from vantage point to vantage point then I ever have and it makes the hunt much more exciting when you KNOW they are there somewhere as compared to hoping they are.[/b]

That lesson learned was worth the price of admission. Using your optics more and your legs less, you will see more game, which in turn keeps you more focused. Plus, you keep your legs fresh so that you'll have the strength and endurance to keep hunting day after day and you will avoid spooking game with your scent and noise.

Still hunting has it's place too, but mostly in thick and/or flat areas that do not lend themselves to effective glassing.

Sounds like you guys had a great hunt. Maybe someday soon I'll make over there.

 

[beastslayer]

Bubba,

It's not the length which I read and enjoyed. It's the first two parags of thanking the "academy", the director and the make-up artist, etc.

 

[Big Bubba Daddy]

Gotcha... well, what can I say, they deserve it. Accept for BDB's makeup artist....scary.

 

[S&P]

Sounds like you guys had a great hunt. Sorry about the shoulder BDB.

The only place I've ever hog hunted is the river bottoms. Sounds like your hunts are a lot more fun than ours.

Great pictures also. Thanks for sharing them.

 

[Rancho Loco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Speckmisser @ Feb 12 2007, 01:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

[attachment=38844:attachment]

Maybe we should do a "Caption This" for this pic?[/b]

New nickname: "Paperclip"

 

[bighorn67]

To make a long story longer, here it goes.

Orso and I were on the same side of the hill, I was high, he was low. I heard him take a shot and waited for other pigs to bust up toward me. When none did, I worked down the ridge a little more. I could see Speck and Hronk working the other hill and saw Speck bust up a group of pigs on his side. I worked down a little farther in case some of those pigs came up my side. This is when I ran into Orso's boar facing away from me. I saw the arrow, but couldn't tell where it was placed. It turned quartering away and I took a shot to put it down. The shot hit him in the back leg of course, but definitely crippled him. After a couple of dos e dos, the boar stopped, facing me and charged. I lunged for the back side of the tree behind me which proceeded to break off. As I fell on my ass I saw the boar pass by about 8 inches away down the hill toward Orso. He put one last arrow in it and finished it off. This was definitely a hunt I won't forget.

 

[hronk]

Well I guess I'd better chime in on this hunt. It was absalutley(sp) fantastic ! Great guys,great hunt and a guide that won't quit and is as good or better than any that I have been around. Thanks Ron.
I blew it, I snuck to 40 yds from a decent Boar and after talking to repeat hog hunters, I probably could have cut that in half. I am very confident at that range and had a broadside shot, but the string slightly nicked my long sleave T shirt. I hit a bit low and the broadhead anchored in the far leg. Looking back on how I pursued the pig after the shot, I would do it different next time. I rushed it due to the time of day (5pm) and he only went about 40yds beyond the shot and stood there. I stumbled on him thinking that he'd be long gone while trailing him. I found good blood but ran out of daylight after about 300yds. On saturday, a wounded BDB and I trailed him for about a half mile before losing the blood and tracks in a grassy meadow. We fanned out and made circles around the area but found nothing. Would I take that shot again. Yes! Normally that would be an easy kill, but I learned a lot from the experience and especially just talking to Ron afterward. I'm usually a loner while hunting but it was great hunting with this group of guys. Thanks....hronk