Just spent the weekend at Hunt Wild Things, and had a great time. Andrew is a generous host, a good cook, and a fine gentleman. The food was delicious and plentiful, so plentiful I think I put on a few pounds. The accomodations are very comfortable, nothing like a nice hot shower after a long day of hunting.
Of course all that is great, but it is really about the hunting, so here's my story.
I arrived early on Thursday afternoon, and Andrew met me at the hardware store at 430pm. When we arrived at the camp, Charlie said he had just seen a pig, so I grabbed my bow and Andrew dropped me off near where the pig was seen.
I was in the woods, but still in the day to day, and I was moving too fast. I had gone about a quarter of mile, and my pace kicked up a couple of deer who showed me their flags and disappeared. Finally, I started slowing down.
I had gone about two hundred yards at this pace, and spotted a pig. He was about 60 yards out and moving at a walk away from me. He crossed a trail, and disappeared into some heavy brush. I moved that way, SLOWLY. I don't know where he was going, but he was gone. I continued to hunt until dark when Andrew picked me up. I was pretty pumped. I had been there only a couple of hours and had already seen a hog.
That evening, Andrew reviewed the maps and aerial photos with me, pointing out areas of heavy hog activity. The plan for the next day was set, Andrew would drop me off near a clear cut and I would hunt back toward camp.
The next morning came and Andrew took me to my drop off point. As I hunted the edge of the clear cut to my left was a low lying area that had a lot palmetto, but no bedding pigs because of the water level. I continued the plan, but the wind was not cooperating, and was steadily blowing from behind me. As I reached the end of the clearing, I noticed some palmetto that had some dry ground.
I thought there had to be something bedded down in there. I carefully approached, but didn't feel good with the wind direction. About 50 yards away my thought was confirmed. A nice 6 point buck stood up. He looked my direction, but didn't see me, but the wind was sending my scent his way, and he decided to leave the area slowly walking away.
After, getting busted by the wind, I decided the plan wouldn't work. I turned my face into the wind and spent the day hunting into the steady wind out of the north.
By late afternoon, I had moved into the area I saw the pig the night before. I was just stepping out the woods onto a trail when I saw about 30 yards to my right a pig was feeding on the other side of the road. The body was still in the brush, but the head was clearly visible.
I slipped across the road hoping that the cover on that side of the road would give me an opportunity to get close. When I reached the other side of the road, a few other pigs made their presence known.
About 30-40 yards into the woods a red pig was in clear view feeding. In the brush just off the road only 20 yards away were a couple more, and I could hear MORE.
I decided the red pig 30 or so yards into the woods away presented the clearest shot possibility, so I eased into the water filled ditch between me and the woods. It became quickly apparent that was a bad decision as I slid on the mud, and the ditch was much deeper than expected. Somehow, I extricated myself before the water came over the tops of my boots and without scaring off the hogs.
Plan B. I decided the two in the brush just off the road were the next best possibility. I headed their direction, but as I got closer I realized I would have to move out in the road to get a shot. 10 feet and I could take a shot, slowly very slowly moved that direction. 5 more feet, and I could be there. Busted! The hog farther down the road didn't like it, and grunted and started to move away. The two I was stalking got the message and moved too. As they trotted away, I was left with the red pig who was still feeding.
There was no way I could take that shot nor get across that ditch. I watched it feed for awhile, and then walk away with nothing I could do about it.
It was getting late, so I headed back to camp arriving in the dark, tired and hungry. Andrew made a great dinner which took care of the hunger, and I had a great night sleep waking ready for the next day.
I woke to a light rain, so I hunted out the camp, planning on doing a loop that would bring me back to camp in time for lunch.
Despite the rain I was comfortable and enjoying my time in the woods, and resetting to woods time. It was a rather uneventful morning. Saw a small doe who decided I wasn't good company, and left the area. I saw 6 turkeys, and tons of hog sign, but no pigs.
After a nice lunch, I decided to head to the area that I had seen the pigs the day before. Andrew dropped me off to the north of the area and I started the hunt. I had moved about a quarter of a mile a long the road nearing where some corn had been left a couple of days before, and there were pigs, the stalk was on.
As I moved closer the pigs finished their feeding and walked away from me. They moved about 10 yards and began feeding again. Again the stalk was on. As I got closer, again they moved away, and stopped to feed again. We played this game two more times, and I never got closer than 30 yards and no shot. Eventually the group (including piglets) moved off into the woods. I let them go.
I took about a ten minute break, and decided to head to the edge of the swamp, and hunt my way back to camp.
I stayed with my slow movement as I moved down the road, and kept my eyes peeled. I had moved about 300 yards, when I saw a hog about 75 yards into the woods. Here we go again, the stalk is on.
I crept into the woods. I had moved about 5 yards into the woods when I saw two more pigs including the red one, and I wasn't sure how many piglets. This stalk just got interesting, that's a lot of ears, eyes and noses to worry about.
Using the scattered trees in the area, I slowly moved toward the feeding group. After I don't know how long, I was about 35 yards away from the group, but I was out of trees. All that was between me and them were some leafless scrub trees.
Things really got stressful and slowed down. By now, I knew there were 5 piglets, so I tried to time my movements when 8 animals were not looking, and made sure the wind wouldn't give my scent away as they were slightly spread out.
The next 15 yards took an eternity (at least it felt like it), but now I was about 20 yards away from the larger black pig. Could I get closer? Because of where the piglets were and the wind, I decided to take the shot.
I slowly drew, anchored and released. NOOOO! I blew it, I simply shot right over the hog's back. I did everything right, but one thing. I didn't pick a spot, and I MISSED.
I knew what had happened, but the hogs were unsure. After an initial jump, the pigs stopped. I thought I was going to get a second shot. The hogs were agitated and nervous, and unsure of the situation, so they gathered up and moved out of the area at a trot, and another shot never presented itself.
I went back to plan of heading to the edge of the swamp to continue my hunt. Frankly, I wasn't really hunting. It is difficult to hunt when you're kicking yourself in the rear for a stupid mistake.
Anyway, I moved back toward where Andrew had left me some coffee. I sat down, had a cup and calmed down. The weather had warmed and the sun was out, so I did see a gator basking on top of the water, but no pigs.
I set up on a feeder on the way back to camp, but all that came in were a couple turkeys. I went back to camp to tell my tale of woe, and comforted myself with a great steak.
The next morning I had Andrew drop me back in the piggy area, hoping to get one more shot at them. The morning was very anticlimatic after the previous days excitement. I made it to the pickup point seeing only squirrels.
As I sat in the sun waiting for Andrew, I contemplated my time at Hunt Wild Things. Despite my disappointement, I had a great time, and hunt. There is nothing like hunting for fully participating in and enjoying the natural environment.
Finally, if you have been thinking of going to Hunt Wild Things, do it, it is not to be missed. Oh yea, and don't MISS the hogs either.
Dave
Topic: Hunting Wild Things (Read 314 times)
