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Just saw on Pow Wow there are slots open for the Wensel's Pig Gig Mar. 12-16. Anyone interested in riding along to share gas and hotel? Check out the thread Wensel Hunts on Pow Wow for info if interested and PM me. There were four slots open and they will probably fill quick. Thanks, Gary
Posts: 484 | From: Grand Haven, Michigan | Registered: Nov 2009
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St. Joe River Bows Oliverstacey Strings Swafford Knives Michigan Longbow Association Posts: 4189 | From: Michigan | Registered: May 2006
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posted
I'll be at the 2nd week hunt. Been 3 times and wouldn't miss it for the world. Was at the at the Spike Box ranch last year and it was loaded with pigs. Shot two, missed a few more than that. Barry and Gene are getting up there in age and you just never know.......If you can, take the opportunity to hang out with these guys. No one tells a story better than Barry, and he has a few.
And I fly down there. $266 round trip from Lansing.
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killinstuff, I was thinking about flying. How do you get the meat home? Are you able to take a certain amount on the plane? The only other problem is I was planning on camping and don't think I would be able to take the necessary gear on a plane. Thanks, Gary
Posts: 484 | From: Grand Haven, Michigan | Registered: Nov 2009
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Most pigs you see are under 150#. On a 100# live weight pig you might get 25# of boned meat if you dig. I don't bother with shoulders and cut out the back straps and bone out the hams right in the field. I don't gut or bring them back to camp. I might take the ribs to eat at camp. I'll lay my bow on the pig, take a pic with my phone, put the meat in a bag then in my pack and I'm hunting again. Back at camp I clean up the meat and drop it in the freezer.
My suitcase is a 120Q cooler with wheels. Everything I need for the hunt is packed in there plus a large duffle bag. For the trip home I just put the meat in my big cooler and move some gear to the duffle bag and check two bags. Keep your bags under 50#'s and you're all set. If you are a killing machine and have a lot of meat you can buy small coolers and check them as an extra bag. I also have a carry on backpack that has a change of street clothes, shoes, computer and whatever else I can stick in it.
I have also camped at the Texas Sweat pig hunt south of Midland Texas. I have back packing gear so tent, sleeping bag, thermarest pad and all my gear went into the cooler and on the plane. You can always buy a cheap sleeping bag, foam pad, cooler and chair at Wal-Mart if you had to when you land. And you could rent a mini van and sleep in that saving your need for a tent. You'll be cooking in a regular kitchen so no need for cook gear.
Barry and Gene will also start a private topic page here on TG were you can chat with other folks hunting during your week. Almost always someone who is driving will offer to haul a few things for you if you ship it to them. That's nice deal.
If you just like to get out and hunt all day these pig gigs are for you. You might not ever see a pig (not likely) but you will see all kinds of game and critters. Barry and Gene try very hard to find places that have little hunting pressure but you still need to hunt hard. At night, sitting around fixing dinner, drinking a few beers with guys that like to hunt the way you like to hunt you'll say this is worth every penny.
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Thanks for the tips killinstuff. Sounds like you have the system down to a science for sure. I'm going to price flights and vehicle rentals. I figure it would cost about $450 total for gas to drive, but 19 hours in the truck would be tough.
Posts: 484 | From: Grand Haven, Michigan | Registered: Nov 2009
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Sounds like LOTS of Mt Dew and Snickers for 19hrs!!
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St. Joe River Bows Oliverstacey Strings Swafford Knives Michigan Longbow Association Posts: 4189 | From: Michigan | Registered: May 2006
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The drive down is fun but the drive back is a huge drag so that is why I fly. Nothing worse than driving back to cold and snow from a nice warm sunny place. Depressing. Since January I've driven to Georgia, Quebec, Ontario, and Pennsylvania for Denton Hill and it does take it's toll on the truck. If you do drive you might want to take two spare tires and have them ready to use, a can of fix a flat and tire repair kit. The stories about thorns are facts not stories and you'll get stuck. Do not pull thorns from your tires, just clip them off at flush and hope for the best. Most ranches have an air compressor so you can pump up your tires each morning.
Also us pale white folks from the north get sun burned quickly when exposed to the sun for the first time in months. I go and tan 3 or 4 times before the trip to keep from looking like well done bacon the first days down there. The weather can run from snow to 90 degrees but you can count on sunshine. And wind.
quote:Originally posted by killinstuff: . No one tells a story better than Barry, and he has a few.
I got a chance to hear a story while in the line for the vendors dinner at the K-zoo Expo. Barry was behind me, telling me a good one about a 180 inch buck. I can't fathom a deer that big and he was just chilled, like it's an everyday thing. One of those people you felt like you've known for a while.
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St. Joe River Bows Oliverstacey Strings Swafford Knives Michigan Longbow Association Posts: 4189 | From: Michigan | Registered: May 2006
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posted
I just flew down to Dallas with my oldest son, and it was $300 each roundtrip, and I brought 120# of boned out meat home in 2 checked coolers. My main travel suitcase is a hardsided golfclub case. couple that with a couple big carry ons (1 each), and it was simple. I even got one of the heads in the golfclub case for the flight home. So simple to do, and very inexpensive.
-------------------- Michigan Longbow Association, Life Member
U.S. ARMY Military Police '90-'94
Ask me about the PBS, We Stand for Ethics. Posts: 4147 | From: Michigan | Registered: Sep 2005
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Mike, So you checked 3 bags; 2 coolers and the hard side golf club case? Did they charge extra for the 3rd bag? The hard side golf club case sounds like a good idea as the arrows and take down bow could go in there.
Posts: 484 | From: Grand Haven, Michigan | Registered: Nov 2009
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posted
I Flew on American Airlines. I checked a hard sided golf club case as my first checked bag ($25) and a 60 quart cooler on the way home as my second bag ($35). My son checked a 50 quart cooler there and back as his baggage ($25 each way). And we had 2 packed...read that as punching to get in the overhead bin...carry on bags. Both coolers packed weighed 60# each (per the weigh scale we hung our deer from) and I know my golf club case weighed alot more coming home and they never weighed any of it. TSA, however, did open each of the checked bags to see what was in each of them, then used their tape to put it back together.
In the golfclub case, I had my arrow holder(" (4" PVC), my RER take down longbow and also my Two Tracks Ambush recurve. Being it is so short, it fit in the case perfect.
-------------------- Michigan Longbow Association, Life Member
U.S. ARMY Military Police '90-'94
Ask me about the PBS, We Stand for Ethics. Posts: 4147 | From: Michigan | Registered: Sep 2005
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Seems like a takedown is a must for air travel. I would refuse to fly with a one piece bow getting beat to snot.
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St. Joe River Bows Oliverstacey Strings Swafford Knives Michigan Longbow Association Posts: 4189 | From: Michigan | Registered: May 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Arwin: Seems like a takedown is a must for air travel. I would refuse to fly with a one piece bow getting beat to snot.
My 1 piece Two Tracks Ambush fit right in the hard sided golfclub case just fine. I never hunted with it down in Texas, I just wanted to have a spare just in case. The 1 piece didn't get "Beat to snot" at all, I have even hunted all gun season long with it.
-------------------- Michigan Longbow Association, Life Member
U.S. ARMY Military Police '90-'94
Ask me about the PBS, We Stand for Ethics. Posts: 4147 | From: Michigan | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
I would be afraid of the baggage people, LOL! Wonder if I can fit in your suitcase????
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St. Joe River Bows Oliverstacey Strings Swafford Knives Michigan Longbow Association Posts: 4189 | From: Michigan | Registered: May 2006
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