I set out this morning on my first hunt of the new season. Small game season came in Friday, which make hogs legal on public land. I planned to ride my bike several miles past the gate in my favorite hog honey hole.
I had gone about 3 miles when I saw one feeding right in the road. I pulled over and got my gear together as quietly as I could. He was about 50 yards out. I stalked up to 20 yards and sent one into the dirt right under him! Must have been further than 20. He didn't go far, and I was able to get up on him again. Same drill for shot number 2!! Good thing I have these hogs for a tune-up prior to deer season. They always appear closer in the open though.
I got back on my bike and didn't make it 200 yards when I heard some boars fighting to the north. Back into predator mode! I decided to shoot a stump or two to get my self calibrated. The first pine cone I picked out was laughing at me! As I came to full draw, I heard an audible "pop", and felt the riser shift in my hand! The shedua had seperated from the osage in my riser, and was being held on by the glass at the fades. I was sick. I used bowgrip 100 for laminating this riser. I'll never use it again! A lot of thoughts ran through my mind. I winced and drew again, this time with a death grip on the bow to hold it together. I lined up on a pine cone at 15 yards and hit it square. I decided I would hunt, but keep my shots close. I eased into the woods and after about 100 yards I could see piggy shapes through the thick stuff. One was out of place. It looked like an old junked volkswagon beetle someone had left for dead, then it moved! The largest wild hog I have ever seen stood before me, and I was holding a broken bow that had lost some cast due to it's injury. There were about 10 hogs. Hogzilla was obviously the boss, and four of the others were mature boars that were probably 175 on the hoof. Hogzilla was literally twice as high at the back. I was rattled a little. The big one was at about 30 yards, and one of his "satellite" boars was coming in between us. I drew and held until he cleared a tree and sent a shaft high through his shoulders. I knew the shot was too high! I froze and the hogs got a little restless but didn't bug out. Another of the little 175 pounders offered a shot and I took it. The hog was walking and I center punched a sapling. This drove them deep into cover, and left me alone with my thoughts. I eased up about 20 yards down the trail where the wounded hog ran and this is what I found.
I figured I had to hit an artery or something, because I know I was over the lungs. I felt like I had nothing but muscle, and decided to push on and try to get another shot. I was in stalk mode the whole time. I lost blood after about 200 yards. After I covered another 100 yards I caught movement ahead. It was my hog up to his shoulder in a wallow. I stalked within 15 yards. I had good cover and he was quartering away hard. I took my time and made a perfect shot at the front of the ham angling straight into the goodies. At the shot he jumped out of the water and spun around and headed my way. He was running straight at me, and I was very still behind an oak tree. He ran by me at 5 feet with about 10-12" of shaft sticking out. That was a kill shot. He can't go far now! I took this photo of the wallow from my shooting position behind the oak tree.
I mentally marked a tree that he ran by about 75 yards away. I eased up to that tree. I spent the next 4 hours trying to find blood or the hog. He vanished with no trail. I did have a doe and fawn walk by feeding at about 40 yards. Sorry for the bad photo.
I could hear the other boars fighting and decided to try hogzilla again. I was able to stalk in amongst them again. I had the big boy at 30 yards several times. I passed on several shots at the remaining satellite boars. After spending about 30 minutes smelling these bad boys, the wind shifted and my gig was up. By this time it was 2 pm and I was border-line dehydrated
On the ride out I rode up on a flock of turkeys.
What a day! I feel bad about losing that pig, but gave it a grand effort. I covered bunches of ground searching for that hog.
Topic: This mornings hog adventure! (Read 433 times)
