Talk about one for the books.
I was stuck between hitting the NGTB 3D shoot or go chase some afternoon pigs on Fort Stewart. Based off the 8hr drive to Gainsville I decided to screw on the broad heads and go out in hopes to stalk some hogs. I headed out a little after lunch and luckily the roads were dry enough to pretty much go anywhere my Tacoma would take me. I would drive to an area, get out and check for sign and then move on with the end state arriving at my primary area I wanted to hunt. For about 3 hours I drove around and found more gators then hogs, but that was fun as well. Here you will see the first gator I came across and then this little guy was curious.
Luckily this guy’s momma was in the other pond, because she looked at least to be a 9-10 footer…..
Fast forward and another 8 gators later I decide the afternoon heat is beginning to cool and I better get to hunting. After pulling into the area I wanted to hunt, I start the walk down a tank trail that the animals have also become fond of littered with dried up sign. As dry as it’s been here it made it hard to tell how old it was, but based off the amount of it I knew this area had to be good. A few hundred yards later I find some newer sign.
It’s getting to be about 5:30pm and I continue down the trail making my way carefully as to not step on any dry sticks or make too much of a racquet. Walking quietly in dry crunchy terrain usually keeps my head down, so as I make my next step I look up and see a small dark black patch in the grass up ahead. I slowly grab my binoculars and soon realize its old piggly wiggly enjoying some local eats. I make my way to the next skinny burnt pine to have a little bit of concealment between myself and the hog, which at this point is about 80-100 yards from me. I soon realize this lone sow has two other pigs with her and they are all munching away with about 15 yards between them.
I watch them for about 10 minutes and realize they are comfortable and aren’t going anywhere, so I begin my stalk.
I quietly slip off my backpack and thermacell and begin to move towards them carefully placing my heel and roll onto my toe. The terrain was open with multiple skinny burnt pines that I would bound to moving forward. The hogs were in some knee high grass and busy eating, which provided the ultimate stalking opportunity. As I approach to what I thought was my last spot of concealment, the pigs start moving to my left slowly. I reassess my approach and begin to move closer in hopes of being able to shoot to the left and shoot towards the middle if the far right pig decided to hurry back to the group.
The far right pig was doing his own thing, so I decided to isolate him. I figured less ears and noses around would help, so off I go. Carefully not trying to crunch dried up pine needles and grass I get to about 20-25 yards. I draw back and get to anchor….. kkflump! The arrow looks promising left and right and goes just under her belly!!!! Son of a… She snorts and runs to some thick brush basically swinging around to my 9 o clock at this point and towards the other two pigs.
The benefits of a quiet bow sure did help me here. The other two pigs were still feeding and I decide if I can retrieve my arrow it will provide me a great path to flank the other group. As I begin my next stalk I soon realize I was in a larger sounder than I thought. I ended up counting at least 10 pigs in all feeding. The momma Sow was a little cautious after hearing that first sow snort and she would kind of push the group a little here and there. I was able to get to about 25 yards.
I watched these pigs feeding trying to find the right time to push forward for about 25 minutes. Talk about being stickbow close. What a rush. Big momma pushes the group out of range except for one more straggler. It was if the tradbow gods were watching, serving me up redemption on a silver platter. I began my attack, bow in hand moving forward a few feet at a time ensuring this lone sow had her head down. I got to where I thought I could make a clean shot and what do you know…. Another Sow comes out of nowhere from a low spot and walk towards me. I’m busted! I have to shoot this sow or it’s over. She walks towards me moving left to right, so I come to anchor! FFlump! The arrow again looks magical. Left and right is perfect….right under her again!!! Without skipping a beat my instincts kick in and I have another arrow knocked and ready as the pig I was originally stalking in on charges straight for me!!!! I draw and swing with the pig as its within 7 yards now..ffllump!! Right over her!!!!! I sat there and watched the last hog move off into the thick brush.
At this point I decided to wave the white flag and come back out another day. I have missed a few hogs before, but for some reason I wasn’t as mad about this encounter. Being able to get in that close and get some solid shots was amazing. Don’t get me wrong though I will be out for blood next time!
And there you have it gang, the Hat-trick! 3 clean misses!!! I know I got a few of you good on this one. Lord willing next time it will end differently.
P.S. I have been practicing with a 3 blade VPA in the back yard and shot 3 blade woodsmans on this hunt. (Hindsight I have no reason why I didn’t practice with the Woodsmans) On a whim I weighed my heads at home and there was a 10 grain difference from the VPA and woodsmans. As a gap shooter this could have been the issue, or just me, but who knows. I did confirm at home that night the woodsmans were shooting low and the VPAs were money. Live and you learn I guess. Thanks for reading!
PSA: If anyone wants to chase pigs on Fort Stewart and doesn't mind warm temps, spiders, snakes and gators I'm all in.
Topic: The Hat-Trick.... (Read 1909 times)
