Yesterdays hunt with DocCherry

[Nic Barca]

Yesterday was the big day hunting once again with DocCherry for feral cattle, although it was more like hunting without DocCherry because as soon as we got in there, we split up and never heard from one another until the end of the day. As it turned out, radios don't work so well in heavily wooded rolling hills. Our 15-mile radius walkie-talkies barely even picked up each other at 500 yards. After a two and a half mile hike in, we split up at the stream. Doc would work his way up the stream hunting cattle while I tried cutting northwest as I worked my way uphill towards the cow pastures in search of a pig or two. I'll spare you the suspense. Doc never saw any cows, or pigs for that matter, but I saw cows and plenty of them. I saw tame cows, skitso cows, big cows, small cows, ugly cows, beautiful cows, cows with horns and cows without, cows with long hair, cows with short, brown cows, ...well, they were all brown. But I was after pigs and it didn't take me too long before I bumped into some. After following a small stream and working along the north side of that gully's edge, I spotted a piglet 25 feet away. This one was your typical black piglet. Then another came out which turned out to be red with a curly tail. "Wow, you don't see that too often out here. Where's mom?" All in all, there were three or four, one or two of which were reddish brown in color. The momma was nowhere in sight and with the wind swirling, likely smelled me some time earlier

I continued on my way passing by numerous little depressions with reed-filled ponds. Some were dry, some were wet, one ended up having about 8 piglets playing in it. They had been playing in the same spot for so long that a little 5 foot wide circle of dirt was worn into the earth. Now, I made a big mistake and was sort of expecting another group of lone piglets. As I tried to get closer for a photo op, mom made a threatening grunt from the bushes on the left side of the swamp. And there she was, not 25 feet away through the sticks staring right at me, a black sow about 130 pounds. I think she thought I was going after her babies and not her. The strait line to her forehead was blocked by a network of thin dry branches but as I crouched down to get a clear line of sight, she made one more loud grunt, turned and bolted away from me through the sticks before turning and running right through her pack of piglets. I followed and fired the first shot of the day, a running shot that I regret trying to make. I checked for blood and found none but then came across one of the little black piglets laying on the ground. At first I thought that I might have accidentally shot it but when I noticed it was just hiding, I went to grab it. But the little guy saw me reaching for him and moved just as my hand was getting close. I had him for a second before he squirmed away squealing. Suddenly, the whole place around me erupted with little piglets and they all ran in the direction the mother had gone. Mom gave another loud noise from on top the hill. I had made another mistake; if I would have just backed off, she probably would have come back for them or at least given her position away while calling.

I continued on and found a cut trail and flagging out in the middle of nowhere. For an hour of two, I followed this trail upwards, or so what I thought was upwards. I got bored with the trail and decided to try going against the wind in hopes of finding more pigs. After all, fresh sign was everywhere. Too bad 20 yards was about as far as I could ever see. But I figured that I must be getting close to the pastures at this point and it should be clearing up.

At some point later, I was walking in the stream gully and spotted a branch shaking up ahead. Turned out it was a fallen sapling about twenty feet long and at its base was a big bull shaking it. He was just coming around the corner and looked in my direction through the sticks. Two slugs got loaded into the gun as a precaution in case he got nuts. But the big guy, about 900 pounds or more, casually walked out without a care in the world. I made some movement in the hopes that he might see me and spook. He stared for a while and actually seemed quite tame. But he was funny looking; the coat was darker brown than normal, the only white on him was a white-speckled collar on the bottom of his neck, he had curls in the fur around that same area, his horns were not very wide, and he looked very skinny in his rear end. After a couple minutes, he just wandered off leaving me thinking that he was a tame cow. Then it occurred to me, perhaps he was part Beefalo??? He did look it and in hindsight, I'm very disappointed to have never taken a picture of him. He looked like a weird skinny cow but was probably raised around people. The Nobrega ranch could easily have had him free ranging where he could wander into adjacent forests.

My theory at first was that if I followed the little stream gully, I would eventually hit the pastures. That tuned out to be wrong. When I finally double checked my map, the stream had at some point turned crosswise against the slope of the mountain. I needed to cross the gulley and head directly west uphill if I were to ever get there. So I did and soon after came across my next cow, a huge red and white bull with stub horns and a forehead that looked two feet wide. After I made my presence known, he wasn't happy and walked a couple feet in my direction as he blew his nose in a threatening way. By the way, he was approaching the 15-hundred pound mark. I slowly backed up to the nearest large tree. ...Not that I could climb the tree even if I had to, I just figured I could keep behind it if he tried to attack me. But after a three minute stare down 40 feet appart, the behemoth moved off, initially slow but I heard him take off running as soon as he got out of sight. After that, I saw wary cows everywhere. They always spooked before I saw them and the times that I did see them far away, they would quickly spot me back. The forest came much more open as I neared the pastures with green grass growing on the ground. The trees thinned out and soon looked like matchsticks. Exposed to strong winds, there were many blow-downs and broken branches laying on the ground. At the fenceline, I told myself I had better start heading back. I looked uphill one last time before heading back and HOLY COW there’s a boar heading right towards me not 70 yards away! I hopped behind a tree but the wind was blowing slowly in his direction. I had better make a shot and soon if I was to have any chance at him. I positioned another tree between us and moved ten yards closer. The boar just kept lumbering in my direction with his ears perked up as I snapped a couple pictures on the still camera. There were a couple times where I thought I was busted for sure, but after each time he began rooting again while working in my direction eventually just 30 yards away. I rested my gun on the ground and prepared for a shot and when he finally turned broadside, I let him have one. BOOM! He turned and started quivering before spinning in circles. I couldn't see where I hit him but it didn't look good so I waited as he spun. As soon as another broadside shot came up, BOOM!! Nothing. ...BOOM!! Some debris bounced off the ground near his feet and his spinning began to slow until he spun himself down to the ground and stopped moving. I walked up and finished him with the knife. It was bad shooting on my part; the first shot hit high in the liver area, although I don't think it hit the liver at all. It did mess up the nervous system in some way or other, damaged the spine, and certainly caused much blood loss which slowed him down further. The two follow up shots seemed to have both missed. He was about 140 pounds with dog-killer size tusks, about 1.5 inches. I cleaned him, took the meat and the jaw and started on my way back. That was the last pig I saw that day. Me and Doc Met up at the trail and walked out. ...well, Doc walked out. My legs were going out from continuously walking for 8 hours so I took a brake under a fallen tree to gain my strength back, eat lunch, and hide from the rain. It was real cold and wet and I resorted to using trash bags under my clothes for added warmth.

The walk out was a bit nerve-racking because a large crowd of people were shooting at the firing range at the trail head and you never know if they might be shooting in your direction or not. As it turned out, they were not shooting in our direction, per say, but one of their targets was up on a hill where, if the bullets ricocheted off the ground, could fly in our direction. I did hear a couple faint zingers while we were walking out. When I did get out, I walked over to see who was causing all the racket and there was a good size group of local looking people, most of whom looked like they were in the army, plus a haole college kid and his girlfriend. I ended up talking with the haole kid and we shot each others guns. He had just taken the hunters safety course the other week and we had a little laugh at how we were both uncomfortable with taking skyline shots while the rest of the guys were blasting away at them. Sometimes it gets a bit scary when your trail head is adjacent to an illegal shooting range. You know too that most people don't know there is a trail nearby. I was ready to blast shots in the air if I ever heard any bullets fly past. Doc made it out at dusk.

I left the jaw in the back of my truck overnight and in the morning a hungry cat had apparently cleaned most the meat off for me.

This first picture is of some bird that I've never seen before. You never know when you might see something that people thought was extinct. ...as for this bird, I've never seen it's picture in any books yet. Almost looks like some kind of hybrid, like a Japanese white-eye and a native bird.

Here's the area as I approached the bottom of the cow pastures. As you can see, the remaining trees are tall and fragile with lots of broken trees laying on the ground. Grass grows on the forest floor.

Here's the boar stopping to listen and smell. I thought for sure he would smell me.

And the boar after:

Looks like the shot was about 8 inches off the mark. Good thing is hit where it hit and not anywhere worse.

And this last picture is just of his curls under his coat. I'm not sure if this is typical of the Polynesian Boar which originated in SE asia, or if it's characteristic of Eurasian Boar. Anyone know?

Sorry for the long post.

 

[irishhunter]

great story nic , you write so well,you are so blessed to live in such a place,good luck

 

[DEERSLAM]

Great story and pics

Dandy hog, congrats

 

[Speckmisser]

Nicely done once again, Nic!

Doc, I see you lurking...are you too sore to type?

Let's hear your tale of woe.

 

[doccherry]

Well, Speckmisser and others, here's my tale of woe. First, Nic, you did a great job telling the story and sharing your photos. I really enjoyed reading and seeing what you experienced. I didn't see a single critter larger than a bird, other than Nic, that is. What I want to do here is try to paint a picture of what these hunts are like physically, specifically this one.

I left my home at 3:45 AM and met Nic at the trailhead at about 5:30 AM and we were on our way by 5:40. I was carrying a pack of about 28 pounds [full of survival and hunting gear in case I needed to spend the night out in the boonies] and carrying a rifle of 8 1/2 pounds. Nic had about the same. The hike in to the river is about 2 1/2 to 3 miles over some of the most grueling terrain I've ever experienced. Nic took off at the speed of light and within 10 minutes it became obvious that I could never keep up with him. I suggested that he continue at his pace and I would continue at mine. He reluctantly agreed. Off he went like a gazelle sprinting downhill and off I went like a crippled tortoise crawling uphill. Initially, the trail was up and down over softball-sized boulders but within 1/2 mile we entered the rain forest where vines and logs and mud and slippery rocks and up and down made hiking really tough. It's very much like Southeast Alaska, if you've ever been there. It's really tough walking, and I made the mistake of using a large freighter pack that hung up on every vine and every bush I passed under. I'd take ten steps and then get tangled up and then have to crawl or back up or bull my way through. Everything was muddy and slippery and I fell several times and slipped 50 times. Two hours and 15 minutes later I got to the river where Nic had been for 1/2 an hour getting ready to hunt. I was really pooped, but the day was young and my safe, secure little world was about to take a nosedive.

Nic headed upriver and upland and I headed downriver and upland, making my way west, paralleling the river about a mile inland. Nic hiked 1/2 way to China and I never saw him or heard him until we regrouped at the river 7+ hours later. Pig and cattle sign was everywhere and I hiked down into gulleys and up gulleys and over logs and under logs and throught the mud and through thick brush, all bushwacking with that horrible freighter pack because there are no trails. By noon, I ran into a bit of a problem, to say the least. And I was out in the middle of nowhere.

I'm in pretty good shape for an Old Fart [I ran 10 miles last week] but for the past 8 years I have had episodes of irregular heartbeat when I'm under intense physical stress. It can be life-threatening [one episode sent me to the hospital where I ended up with paddles on my chest and tubes sticking in me in 1/2 a dozen places] and I take daily medication for it, 25 milligrams of atenolol, which keeps my natural pacemaker operating normally. I'm much more fortunate than most, taking a small daily dosage and having very, very few problems. Anyway, by about noon I had been hiking under terribly difficult conditions for about 6 hours, carrying a pack, getting rained on constantly, soaked to the bone, climbing, crawling, slipping, falling---you get the picture. I had taken 50 milligrams of medicine that morning---twice the normal dose---as a precaution, something I do before really strenuous hunts. It saps my energy, but I rarely have heart problems when I do that. On this trip, however, I was so physically exhausted by noon that my heart went ballistic. I knew immediately that my heart was beating out of sync because I could feel it and I became lightheaded and faint. I sat down beneath a tree and waited about 10 minutes and sure enough, it went away. Good news. Then I got up and hiked 50 feet and it was back, this time more irregular and with a strong, rapid pulse. Bad news. I took another 25 milligrams and sat down. By now, I had taken 3 times my normal dosage, something I had done a couple times before but something that makes me uneasy because too high a dosage will also stop your heart, which can ruin your day. I turned around and began hiking back toward the river, repeating the up and down into and out of deep gullies and crawling over and under logs and brushbusting through the deep mud. By the time I got to the river it was almost 3 PM and my heart was still out of whack. I tried using the radio to contact Nic but no go. I took another 25 milligrams because it was now a really bad medical situation and coupled with the fact that I was alone in the middle of nowhere, stringent measures were in order. I had now taken 100 milligrams, which I had done once before under similar circumstances, but that was the limit. Anything beyond that would be Russan Roulette. I had that new PLB to signal rescue people but the clouds were down to 100 feet overhead and it was pouring rain---no chance of rescue. I sat down beneath a tree and waited to see what would happen. By now my pulse was noticeably weaker and slower, but the irregularity was much less. It took an effort to walk 50 feet because of my exhaustion and because of the huge dose of atenolol and I still had that horrible trail to hike back along and the fact that it had been raining for 3 or 4 hours straight would make the trail slippery and treacherous. Not a pretty picture.

Nic showed up at about 3:30 and he was totally exhausted. He had been hiking for almost 10 hours straight and had covered a lot more ground than I and was carrying a pig in his pack. I casually mentioned taking all the heart medication and downplayed the seriousness of the situation. Nic desperately needed food and rest so he crawled under a downed tree and took a break. I packed up and headed down the trail. Nic caught up with me an hour and 1/2 later and by then my heart was beating normally but I was done in, both due to exhaustion and to the medication. Nic continued on, disappearing in the forest up ahead and I plodded along as best I could. I finally made it to my truck at 6:45 PM, just as it was getting dark. Nic had kindly waited for me to appear and showed me the boar's skull and the photos. He said goodbye and left. I took off my sopping wet clothes, dried off, and put on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals. I got in the truck and drove an hour and 45 minutes to my home in Kona, arriving at about 9:00 PM.

So there you have it. The actual hiking---remember, this is really tough going---amounted to about 12 hours. That's after 4 hours of sleep the night before and that's carrying a cumbersome, heavy pack and carrying a rifle. Throw a pig into the pack and you'll see what Nic endured. My heart is fine now---no after effects at all---but no matter how good my physical condition is, this particular hunt is simply too much for me. I'm glad I experienced it but I will leave future bull hunts to younger hunters with tickers that are still under warranty.

Nic, let's try Laupahoehoe for pigs sometime soon, before you head back to Kauai. That hike is 1/10 as hard as the cattle hunt and you will get a nice fat pig.

Aloha for now. I don't think you'll read any more cattle hunt stories from me.

 

[doccherry]

Speckmisser:

I forgot to mention that I have no sore muscles at all. I run 4 or 5 times a week, often up in the mountains, so I'm in pretty good shape in terms of muscles and wind. My heart muscles and valves and arteries are in great shape---I've had to undergo stress echocardiograms as part of my annual heart exam and everything is perfect except for the sinoatrial node, a little cluster of nerves that is the heart's natural pacemaker. Something is out of whack there and that's my problem. No amount of physical conditioning seems to improve it much. But I have to say that hiking back into wild bull country is no longer worth the medical risk for me. Been there---done that. It's back to pigs and goats and sheep for me, and maybe a deer or an elk on the mainland from time to time. I actually wonder if Nic is interested in much more of this wild cattle hunting. It's a huge physical ordeal and Nic seems to prefer pig hunting, which in Hawaii requires much, much less effort. I'd like to read what Nic has to say about all this.

Again, Nic, thanks for the hunt and great story/photos.

 

[larrysogla]

Doc and Nic,
We are much obliged and grateful for both of you sharing the stories and photos of your hunts. They are terrific. However we know how difficult and challenging those hunts can be(through your generous story sharing). Doc, we are gratified of your decision to skip those very demanding Vancouver bull hunts. We want your health preserved and you living a good, healthy long life. Of course your pig, sheep and goat hunts are still, as you say, doable and convenient. I am myself 58 years old and I now skip those tall mountains hunting deer. I prefer the rolling hills of Hunter Ligget and Camp Roberts, they are much more doable for me. We definitely have our limitations. As always, I will keep praying for you and Nic's and Uncle Ji's and Ev's safe adventures and a blessed, prosperous life. 'Nuff said and God Bless.

 

[hatchet1]

awesome!

 

[Speckmisser]

Doc,

Well written as always (and as one might expect), despite that the tale was a little darker this time.

Bummer about the ticker. Is there any possibility of an implantable defib to help regulate that tachycardia?

You need to stay upright and breathing at least until you've had the chance to guide me through some of that jungle after a few of those fat, fruit-eating hogs.

 

[Nic Barca]

Doc, when you told me your heart was acting up earlier that day, I got really concerned for a moment, but then remembered you had told me about your heart before. I just passed it off as not being a big deal and really had no idea of the severity of the situation.

Hunting laupahoehoe would be great and I'm up for it any sunday from the 29th till the end of may, which is when I plan to move back to Kauai. As for me and wild cow hunting... I had a little streak of steak during which I caught few pigs and was growing sick of beef, which isn't even my prefered meat. I like pork, second only to fish. And after shooting that huge bull last week, I had pretty much done everything there was to do when it came to cow hunting. But the hiking to remote places is more of what thrills me. I like to explore. ...I mean, I really really really like to explore back country areas. Even when we go to laupahoehoe, you can bet I'll head strait up the mountain towards no-mans'-land until I get something or until the mountain wind switches to trade winds, if it even does that up there.

But my favorite hunting over all is bowhunting goats, something I haven't done much over here because there's so much people in the archery areas (a discouragement to me). Also, I recently switched to recurve and I'm just not skilled enough with it yet to be very deadly on sheep, which requires longer shots. I grew up bowhunting goats and pigs down the Na'pali coast on Kauai and in a way, that's sort of what shaped me. So when I go back to Kauai, you can bet I'll be back to my old training grounds to hone my skills with my recurve. Pigs have been fun, but I've been on a pig hunting streak for the past 4 years. The 2 years before that, I was really into bowhunting goats. I actually shot 100 in one year when I was in full swing. Then I had a two year run at pig hunting with dog and knife, mainly because that's what my friends were doing, but also my filming played a huge role. I was addicted to filming hunting trips and couldn't miss a hunt out of fear that I'ld miss out on capturing something truly spectacular on film. And now for the past two years, its been me and my shotgun on the big island. So far, pig hunting seems to be my favorite type of hunting over here but I know there's a lot of other hunts that I would love and just haven't gotten around to doing. I wish I could go on overnight trips to say, the top of the treeline above Ka'u for sheep. That would be really cool. And while hiking there, the forests below would have pigs and wild cattle as well.

 

[beastslayer]

Doc & Nic,

Nice stories both.

Doc - Take care and God bless.

 

[RLL]

Interesting and well written. Very enjoyable.

But the contrarian in me wants to scream "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?". You're taking heart meds and basically hunting alone in a distant and difficult environment. Why? Shouldn't you at least have a hunting partner?

Nic. You sound like a young, strong, competent hunter. But was it responsible to leave Doc on the way back? Shouldn't you have been more concerned about your fellow hunter instead of going on ahead and waiting for him at your truck?

I think both of you are solid guys. But I question both of your decision making.

 

[doccherry]

RLL

Thanks for your reply. I can certainly understand your concern for my decision making. But allow me to clarify a couple of matters. First, Nic did not make the decision to leave me on the hike in. I made that decision and he was against it. He walks so much faster than I do that I was an anchor tied to his boots. I insisted that he move along at his own pace, which he reluctantly did. We then met up at the river. He was going to go way back into the boonies, another 7 hours of tough hiking, and I was going to stay closer to the river and wander around. On the way back, he was exhausted and needed rest and food. I needed to get back to my truck before dark so I took off and he caught up. He then proceeded ahead because my heart was back to normal and he waited for me at the trailhead. All the decisions about splitting up were mine, not Nic's.

About me hiking and hunting alone even though I'm on heart meds, let me say a few things. I have never had a heart problem of any magnitude on any other hunt, and there have been some really tough hunts, physically speaking. This hunt turned into a bit of a nightmare because the rain, which started well after we were on our way, turned everything into a swamp, which really drains your energy while hiking. Secondly, I stay in top physical condition---certainly for my age---and can out hike most guys 20 years younger. I routinely run 5 times per week, sometimes 6-10 miles at a crack in the mountains and part of one of my runs involves elevation gain of 500 feet over rough terrain. I have never had a single irregular heartbeat on any run and I push the envelope. Third, and this is the crux of the matter, I cannot for the life of me find a single soul anywhere here, of any age, who will accompany me on the tough hunts, other than Nic. They just don't do that in Hawaii, even the young guys, and that's a fact. So, in essence, either I go alone or I sit at home.

I'd much rather die at the age of 58 on a wilderness trail in the middle of nowhere with my pack full of venison or pork or beef and my mind full of exciting outdoor memories than die at the age of 100 in some Old Fart's Home, having traded away my future hunting adventures for a few decades of sedentary longevity.

That may not make any sense to a lot of people, but that's how I intend to live my life. When I got out of the Marine Corps 35+ years ago, they said my leg would never work properly again and to avoid walking---let alone running or hiking---whenever possible for the rest of my life. Then I broke my back in a motorcycle accident [got run over by a drunk Jeep driver] and the doctors told me I'd never run or hike again. Then I had knee surgery 3 years ago and the doctors said I'd never be able to hike or hunt again. And then on September 1, 2005, I got rear-ended by an "undocumented worker" driving a Chevy Suburban who was talking on her cell phone while I was sitting quietly at a red light. I had so much nerve damage in my right leg that the doctor told me I'd never run again or hike again. And do you know what? I told them all---metaphorically speaking---to get screwed and for the past 35+ years I've hiked and run and hunted all over this planet and will do so until I drop dead. Take away my hunting and wilderness experiences and you take away my life.

I wrote recently in this forum about seeing 17 pigs, some of them large boars, in a relatively small area around some natural waterholes up on Mauna Kea. It's about 800-1000 feet down some really tough terrain from where I'll park my truck. But come Saturday or Sunday morning, that's where I'm going to be, hiking down that mountain and then back up again, hopefully with a pack full of pork. I'll have my heart meds and PLB if things go badly, which I think is a very, very remote possibility, but I'm going after those monster boars. I've invited several hunting buddies and they all think it's way too much work. So, I either go for the brass ring all by myself or I sit at home and stare at the TV.

RLL, please don't consider the above to be any form of argument against your concerns. Logically speaking, you are absolutely correct. Nobody in their right mind should go off alone into the wilderness. But I'm a hunter---a predator---and hunting is as much a part of my life as breathing is. I'll continue to push the envelope as long as I'm alive but in the end, do you know what? I will have lived a life that people reading this have only dreamed of, even if that life ends tomorrow on some wilderness trail.

 

[Nic Barca]

like I said before I didn't know Doc's condition was that serious. And your right to be critical of our decision making. I can't speak for Doc, but I know for a fact that I'm a crazy young fool. And at 5'8" and 120 lbs, I may be strong for my size but the world is big.

 

[doccherry]

Nic:

5'8"? You're nuts!! I stand 5'11" in my socks [maybe take off a 1/2" for old age shrinkage], and I look UP at you!! Have somebody who's not drunk measure your height. I think you're in for about 3 or 4 inches of surprise.

I'll get together with you on a specific date for Laupahoehoe in the next week or so.

Aloha.

 

[Surfswest]

I can honestly say that form hearing about all of your adventures out there doc, that you are of sane and competant mind to be doing what you do. You wouldn't put yourself or anyone else intentionally in any extreme danger. And I think that you are the most competant person that I know that could handle being out in the jungle by yourself and that you would manage just fine.

Nic, you are a real tough trooper and also are competent to make sane and sound judgement calls. Yes Doc didn't tell you the severity of his condition out there. Had he, I'm sure you would have dropped your pack, thrown Doc over your shoulder, and ran him back out to the waiting vehicle just to ensure his safety.

Yes he SHOULD HAVE said something, but he didn't. Thankfullyyou both made it out okay. Life goes on and we now can all learn from this experience. Be honest with your hunting buddies!!!! If I'm out on a hunt and a medical emergency arrises, health and safety definately take precedent over a hunt that can be done another day. Remember, it's not just putting you at risk, but everyone around you.

Now for other matters. Nic, I seriously think that you should combine your hunting adventures into a DVD, I know that I would buy it. It only makes me jealous to know that what you can do everyday as just another hunt, is what most of us only dream and spend months if not years prepping and planning for.

Thats all for now.

 

[RLL]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (doccherry @ Apr 18 2007, 07:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

About me hiking and hunting alone even though I'm on heart meds, let me say a few things. I have never had a heart problem of any magnitude on any other hunt, and there have been some really tough hunts, physically speaking. This hunt turned into a bit of a nightmare because the rain, which started well after we were on our way, turned everything into a swamp, which really drains your energy while hiking.[/b]

Doc. Did you read your own post? You took 100mg in total. It wasn't the first time. So maybe you are in some mild denial. You sent him on ahead because "your heart was back to normal". Huh? Does that sound like "not having a heart problem"?

Still, I have no qualms with you taking on the hunt. Or even dieing on it. It is your choice. But consider the impact on Nic if you died along the return route ... after he had left you. How much anquish and guilt would he be saddled with? For how long? Surely that is not the way you want to impact the young man.

It is irresponsilble on your part to have a serious health issue occur during a hunt and NOT let your hunting partner know so that they can take appropriate actions and be better prepared. You owe him more than that. It is not weakness ... or less than manly ... to tell your hunting partner that you have experienced an irregular heartbeat ... that you are feeling weak ... and will have to travel slower back to the truck. It is the right thing to do ... for both of you. Doc, your decisions aren't in a vacuum. They impact your hunting partner too.


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

I needed to get back to my truck before dark so I took off and he caught up. He then proceeded ahead because my heart was back to normal and he waited for me at the trailhead. All the decisions about splitting up were mine, not Nic's.[/b]

Nic ... my comments to you are the same I would make to my 27 year old son. It is one thing to decide to hunt in different areas and at different paces. But when you have met back up ... and headed to your trucks ... and dark is approaching ... never leave someone behind ... especially just to get back to the trucks to wait for them. NEVER! It is unacceptable! Whether they told you to or not.

What if you waited at the truck ... and waited ... and waited. It gets darker and darker. You are very hungry now. Do you just leave? Do you wander into the dark woods ... which were difficult to traverse in daylight ... to look for them? Do you call for help? All your options now look bad ... so which bad option do you choose? Your mind would fill with regret over your prior decision to leave them in the first place.

Yeah, if you were my son you could expect a good 10 min ass chewing! Explicit, profane and unequivacable. I would tell you that if you couldn't travel at your partner's slower pace while returning to the truck then you should not hunt with others.

Nic, I think you are a nice guy ... but think about how you would have felt had Doc gotten into a difficulty after you had left him ... just to get back to the truck quicker. Consider all the issues next time. Besides, you might enjoy the views and treks if you slow down a little.

Bottom line to me. Hunting partners are responsible for themselves and to each other.

 

[inchr48]

Always great stories from our 50th State. Keep after them boys!

A birthday shout-out to Nic Barca. I got guns and wrinkles older than you!

 

[Nic Barca]

RLL, thanks for the scoldings. I took them in, thought about them, and you are right, that is undeniable. This is in no attemp to justify what we did. I'm not trying to argue in any way on such a serious topic. I think doc might have also sent me ahaead because I would have been a temptation for him to push himself to go faster. ...doc??. it's a double edged sword. I would have walked back in looking for him if he hadn't came out within the hour. And yeah, at the time, it would have had a big impact on me, but now I think if Doc croaks on a hunt, I'll be okay knowing he went how he wanted to go. ...plus all the free hunting gear will ease the pain, hahaha, nah, I'm kidding.

Surfswest, I have been seriously considering making a DVD for some years now. We almost did a pig hunting dvd back in the day but I wasn't very proud of what I had put together: too long and drawn out with too many dogs on the pigs. It was like watching raw footage. Sometimes we had 12 to 15 dogs holding the pigs! I'ld feel a lot better with 8, ten maximum. Now I have just gotten a lot of new footage in January and February and editted things to cut out all the unimportant parts. But the tapes of some of my favorite hunts of old are either missing or not playing right. I have one tape where I was bowhunting goats by myself and got one with a 25 inch spread after setting the camera on a rock to capture the shot. But the tape has a bunch of large lines horizontally and I don't know what's causing it. Still I think I've built up more than is neaded for a DVD but I'ld like to give people a run for their money.

 

[bighog]

Doc and Nic,

Thanks for the great stories. You both are very good story tellers and your honest approach and attention to detail makes me feel like I'm right there in the tropical forest with you. I hope both of you have many more hunting adventures , both apart and together, which you will be kind enough to share with those of us not as fortunate as you, to live in such a paradise.

I would also like to add, and I probably don't need to say this, but do not be discouraged from posting because it brought forth a few critical responses. In this case I believe they are heartfelt (pun not intended) and sincere, with only your concern in mind. I think most folk's who read this are hunters and we all know it is far easier to sit at our computers, fully rested, in a warm, well lit, dry house and make decisions after the fact. Exhaustion, weather, terrain, injury, pending darkness and many other variables, all play a critical role in our decision making process. I'm sure every hunter who reads this thread has a story they could relate where they did not make the safest decisions out in the field. And afterward began to second guess or regret their choices. The important thing is we learn from them and move on.

That said, I have heeded those responses and will go away from your experience and what others had to say about it, a wiser hunter. Glad you and Nic made it out OK. Many thanks and props to all of you..... Keep up the good work.