asaxon
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I should have known we were in for an interesting hog hunting trip when I showed up at VAFB and the Visitors Center was simply “Closed” for the day. A call to the main gate got me “walk up and we’ll see”. Meanwhile, Dan was off scouting out a new camping area with a roof under where he could pitch his tent - gnarly weather was predicted to be “on its way”. When Dan showed up, we walked to the guard gate and after 20’ of paper/computer/phone stuff, I had duped them into thinking I was not a terrorist and was granted permission to enter. We then get to the “Conservation” (aka hunting) office only to learn that the entire NE section (C3) was closed to hunting because of an Air Force overnight campout (I think they call it an exercise in the military). That meant we could not hunt the spots where we’d see the hogs last trip and where Dan had planned to go. And we couldn’t camp in the campground with the roof. We set up camp at the usual spot and headed out to the Gun Club range to sight in a scoped rifled barrel shotgun I‘d borrowed from Trkyhtr3 figuring once it rained, we’d not be able to get into the
rifle areas due to road conditions. So it was buy some slugs from Alan, the “Hog Angel” of VAFB (and pick up some hog intel) and let’s have at it. At this point I’m thinking; "Gee thanks Trkyhtr3 for lending me your scoped rifled shotgun." I take the first shot with the 870 Remington pump using 2 ¾ Federal copper sabots. BANG, SMACK, CRAP! There is blood running down my face and dripping off my nose and chin. I’d “scoped” myself real good and had a nice ¾ inch curved gash above my right eyebrow. Doh! In addition to using a slug through a pump, I hadn’t noticed but the scope was set way back (see photo) - all that combined was enough to really “scope me”.
Thank goodness I wasn’t using the 3 or 3.5” in slugs I have. I’d probably have been knocked unconscious or
worse yet, dented the scope. Heaven forefend. Two or three stitches would have been nice but that would have screwed the day so alcohol treatment (external application only), pressure/ice, and then Steri-Strips and we were good to go after Dan got “the beast” sighted in. Here is a picture on the right of the cut after 2 days when the edges were nicely fused.
As it’s early and sunny, we figure to scout some shot gun areas Alan mentioned. We start to walk along one jeep trial in the brush when all of sudden, no less than Rudolph Nureav appears in front of me literally climbing into the sky with one of his famous ballet leaps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Nureyev. My brain quickly recalibrated and realized that it was Dan who had just done that pirouetting 2.5 twisting Hamel camel, degree of difficulty 4.9. I stood there with my mouth open as Dan came up down to earth with dilated pupils and hunkered down behind me. WTF? I figured he must have seen Moses’ “burning bush”. Once Dan’s tongue got unstuck from the roof of his mouth, he stammered “snake”. So I walk about 5 feet forward and there is this almighty loud rattle. Not the usual “shake shake, leave me alone” rattle but a very loud and long 20 sec non-stop “piss off dude or you die” rattle. And Dan is particularly NOT fond of snakes. I didn’t have my Rocky snake proof boots on so I very gingerly walked all around the rattling bush that is right in the middle of the trail - the rattle continues and gets even more urgent. I’ve never heard such persistent rattling. But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t make out the culprit in the dense brush. So after marking the spot with a stick, we go down the trail and scout. On the way back, I throw a stick at the bush and immediately the rattler goes off again with this loud prolonged warning. Boy was that was one snake with a bad a** attitude. In the end, we never saw the culprit. I simply was not willing (e.g. stupid enough) to get in and start lifting up the brush to look for it – some wisdom comes with age.
No more than 30 min later, we stop to check out a spot and what is poking its head over from the side of the truck? A gorgeous 4 foot plus long garter snake – biggest one I’ve ever seen in CA. Being an old snake handler, I figure I’ll just neutralize his mouth by grabbing him behind the head but the snake decided to neutralize my finger with his mouth; works every time. So after getting the handsome long fellow settled by the side of the road, it was off for serious hunting.
On the way, the mustard was so high that Dan at 6’1” simply had to take 10 steps to disappear into it. In the right had picture, that is Dan holding up my hat over his headso you can see where he is. Tall mustard!
We move on to high ridge area overlooking a group of trails and the Pacific Ocean and settle in to keep watch as the sun begins to sink. Dan spotted a sow with five piglets about a mile away. All of a sudden, mom gathered up the babes and buggered off – maybe she saw Dan’s snake. I then spotted a single hog out in the same general area. So as the light begins to fade our hopes rise only to have another unwelcome guest show up – fog/clouds. The visibility quickly drops to less than 50 yards so we move in close to the trail convergence figuring we won’t be able to shoot what we can’t see. The fog waxes and wanes but it is definitely had us down to bow and arrow range.
A couple of deer peek at us though the fog and then they bugger off. In the end, no sign of any hogs, so back to camp and after a belly full of Dan’s home made tamales, we turn in for the night.
Next AM, it’s back to the same area but just as we crest the ridge to the good zone, the fog/clouds roll in and vis goes to crap. We did meet a fellow JHO’er (Dean from S B) who’d hiked all the way up the ridge (he is new to VAFB, we drove). Dan kindly gave him lots of pointers as we wishfully waited for the fog to lift. During a minute of good visibility, I spotted two nice hogs heading our way and in an approachable area but before Dan could even get to where I was, the fog solidified and all was gray mist again. After 30 min of wishful thinking that the fog/clouds will go away, we decided we need to get below it as we are essentially hunting by Braille. We go down into the lower areas that are shotgun and don’t see much in the way of sign so we do lunch of Catalina venison burger and have a rest.
In the PM, the ridge tops are clear so we scout around from below. Note I’m wearing my St. Patrick’s Day tie although it proved to be not nearly as effective as the Valentine’s Day candy, http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums...e’s-Day-considered-baiting-It-worked-sort-of…
Then we head up only to have the fog roll in within 10 min. of us cresting the ridge. So for the second time this day, we quickly bug out and head down to sea level and stake out a shot gun area where we find lots of recent rooting. Again the clouds drop down after us and mist blows across giving us reduced but adequate vis. However no one shows up to party so at dark we call it, have Dan’s fantastic home made Kielbasa and turn in. The rain hits in earnest at 2:30 am but when we roll out at 5:30 am, it has slackened into intermittent showers yet now the wind is really blowing. The rain makes much of VAFB hunt inaccessible so it is back to the “rooted area” of last night which we glass but no hogs and very few deer are out which is not surprising given the blustery wind. After checking a few more spots like the one in the photo, we decide to pull stakes and head home… I kept telling Dan; "Take a few more steps back for this photo, don't worry about the sign" but he wasn’t willing – what a wuss.
As ever, a fun trip that provided another step toward total enlightenment.
PS – the Air Force “camp out” was aborted after one night because it was predicted to rain – hard to believe the rain would chase away a military exercise. The girl scouts would have stuck it out but Dan tells me that is the way with the AF. Unfortunately, even though they were gone by Friday noon, the powers that be didn’t see fit to open the NE hunting area until next week. Dan being a retired sea dog, had a few colorful things to say about that like; “Oh bother, how dreadful”.
rifle areas due to road conditions. So it was buy some slugs from Alan, the “Hog Angel” of VAFB (and pick up some hog intel) and let’s have at it. At this point I’m thinking; "Gee thanks Trkyhtr3 for lending me your scoped rifled shotgun." I take the first shot with the 870 Remington pump using 2 ¾ Federal copper sabots. BANG, SMACK, CRAP! There is blood running down my face and dripping off my nose and chin. I’d “scoped” myself real good and had a nice ¾ inch curved gash above my right eyebrow. Doh! In addition to using a slug through a pump, I hadn’t noticed but the scope was set way back (see photo) - all that combined was enough to really “scope me”. Thank goodness I wasn’t using the 3 or 3.5” in slugs I have. I’d probably have been knocked unconscious or
worse yet, dented the scope. Heaven forefend. Two or three stitches would have been nice but that would have screwed the day so alcohol treatment (external application only), pressure/ice, and then Steri-Strips and we were good to go after Dan got “the beast” sighted in. Here is a picture on the right of the cut after 2 days when the edges were nicely fused.As it’s early and sunny, we figure to scout some shot gun areas Alan mentioned. We start to walk along one jeep trial in the brush when all of sudden, no less than Rudolph Nureav appears in front of me literally climbing into the sky with one of his famous ballet leaps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Nureyev. My brain quickly recalibrated and realized that it was Dan who had just done that pirouetting 2.5 twisting Hamel camel, degree of difficulty 4.9. I stood there with my mouth open as Dan came up down to earth with dilated pupils and hunkered down behind me. WTF? I figured he must have seen Moses’ “burning bush”. Once Dan’s tongue got unstuck from the roof of his mouth, he stammered “snake”. So I walk about 5 feet forward and there is this almighty loud rattle. Not the usual “shake shake, leave me alone” rattle but a very loud and long 20 sec non-stop “piss off dude or you die” rattle. And Dan is particularly NOT fond of snakes. I didn’t have my Rocky snake proof boots on so I very gingerly walked all around the rattling bush that is right in the middle of the trail - the rattle continues and gets even more urgent. I’ve never heard such persistent rattling. But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t make out the culprit in the dense brush. So after marking the spot with a stick, we go down the trail and scout. On the way back, I throw a stick at the bush and immediately the rattler goes off again with this loud prolonged warning. Boy was that was one snake with a bad a** attitude. In the end, we never saw the culprit. I simply was not willing (e.g. stupid enough) to get in and start lifting up the brush to look for it – some wisdom comes with age.
No more than 30 min later, we stop to check out a spot and what is poking its head over from the side of the truck? A gorgeous 4 foot plus long garter snake – biggest one I’ve ever seen in CA. Being an old snake handler, I figure I’ll just neutralize his mouth by grabbing him behind the head but the snake decided to neutralize my finger with his mouth; works every time. So after getting the handsome long fellow settled by the side of the road, it was off for serious hunting.
On the way, the mustard was so high that Dan at 6’1” simply had to take 10 steps to disappear into it. In the right had picture, that is Dan holding up my hat over his headso you can see where he is. Tall mustard!
We move on to high ridge area overlooking a group of trails and the Pacific Ocean and settle in to keep watch as the sun begins to sink. Dan spotted a sow with five piglets about a mile away. All of a sudden, mom gathered up the babes and buggered off – maybe she saw Dan’s snake. I then spotted a single hog out in the same general area. So as the light begins to fade our hopes rise only to have another unwelcome guest show up – fog/clouds. The visibility quickly drops to less than 50 yards so we move in close to the trail convergence figuring we won’t be able to shoot what we can’t see. The fog waxes and wanes but it is definitely had us down to bow and arrow range.
A couple of deer peek at us though the fog and then they bugger off. In the end, no sign of any hogs, so back to camp and after a belly full of Dan’s home made tamales, we turn in for the night.
Next AM, it’s back to the same area but just as we crest the ridge to the good zone, the fog/clouds roll in and vis goes to crap. We did meet a fellow JHO’er (Dean from S B) who’d hiked all the way up the ridge (he is new to VAFB, we drove). Dan kindly gave him lots of pointers as we wishfully waited for the fog to lift. During a minute of good visibility, I spotted two nice hogs heading our way and in an approachable area but before Dan could even get to where I was, the fog solidified and all was gray mist again. After 30 min of wishful thinking that the fog/clouds will go away, we decided we need to get below it as we are essentially hunting by Braille. We go down into the lower areas that are shotgun and don’t see much in the way of sign so we do lunch of Catalina venison burger and have a rest.
In the PM, the ridge tops are clear so we scout around from below. Note I’m wearing my St. Patrick’s Day tie although it proved to be not nearly as effective as the Valentine’s Day candy, http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums...e’s-Day-considered-baiting-It-worked-sort-of…
Then we head up only to have the fog roll in within 10 min. of us cresting the ridge. So for the second time this day, we quickly bug out and head down to sea level and stake out a shot gun area where we find lots of recent rooting. Again the clouds drop down after us and mist blows across giving us reduced but adequate vis. However no one shows up to party so at dark we call it, have Dan’s fantastic home made Kielbasa and turn in. The rain hits in earnest at 2:30 am but when we roll out at 5:30 am, it has slackened into intermittent showers yet now the wind is really blowing. The rain makes much of VAFB hunt inaccessible so it is back to the “rooted area” of last night which we glass but no hogs and very few deer are out which is not surprising given the blustery wind. After checking a few more spots like the one in the photo, we decide to pull stakes and head home… I kept telling Dan; "Take a few more steps back for this photo, don't worry about the sign" but he wasn’t willing – what a wuss.
As ever, a fun trip that provided another step toward total enlightenment.
PS – the Air Force “camp out” was aborted after one night because it was predicted to rain – hard to believe the rain would chase away a military exercise. The girl scouts would have stuck it out but Dan tells me that is the way with the AF. Unfortunately, even though they were gone by Friday noon, the powers that be didn’t see fit to open the NE hunting area until next week. Dan being a retired sea dog, had a few colorful things to say about that like; “Oh bother, how dreadful”.
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. And I mean it wasn't "gosh, darn it". I looked over and the blood was already dripping off his chin. We used all the 2x2 gauze I had in the first aide kit. 
