TXSweat group 2- tales of adventure

[Missouri CK]

Here are some pictures of my brother before and after a stalk on some javi's.

Here is a view looking down the barrel

   

     

Ready to draw

     

After the shot.  Trying to catch his breath.

     

I wish I could post the picture of this javi. I'm confident that it was a leathal hit after seeing the javi twist and turn and hearing it bark and pop its teeth.  Unfortunately as luck would have it this was the only negative aspect of my sweat hunt...we were never able to recover this javi or my hog.

My guess is that we just didn't hit them good enough. What looked to be a good hit by whitetail standards was too far back on a javi and not quick enough to prevent them from heading so far into the brush that it was nearly impossible to find them.  

Chris

[Whip]

Great pictures of that stalk Chris!  It's cool you were able to share that with your brother and I'm sure it was at least as exciting for you as it was for him.  Although there was no meat brought back to camp it will be a memory for you to share for a long time to come.

I know what you mean about the disappointment with the recoveries.  They sure are tough little animals, but we can hope there were more like the one that Terry hit that ended up being OK after all (Until he ran a second arrow through it the next day!)
 
I remember before the trip all the talk from the vets about using big giant broadheads for the javies, but to be honest I didn't take it seriously enough.  Shot placement is certainly critical, but I can also see where a huge broadhead would help put them down quicker before they have a chance to bury themselves somewhere deep in a pile of thorns.

I'm going to be playing around with some different broadheads before I go down again.  What were you and Andy shooting?

[Ray Hammond]

Good shooting, Norb! Happy you guys had a great time out there. Those javies look tough...I want to get out there and get some javelina sausage for myself someday soon.

You did the "Zipper squad" proud!

[Terry Green]

Chris,

Those are some great photos.......and that looks like a full grown Javie.  Thanks for sharing.

[deerfly]

wow Chris, that does look a brusier of a javi. Don't beat yourself up over it too bad tho, it happens once in while. - eric

[Littlefeather]

Those are really cool pics Chris. Glad you and Andrew share such a close bond. Must be really cool!

Here are a couple of my highlights while I hunted the second hunt. I must say that some of my highlights came after dark while tracking for others. Sorry I didn't get any pics of those outings but here are some daylight activities. I stayed in camp one evening to rest. Dad rolled video as I long-shot for frogs. I think we got 9 impact shots on video.

 

That was cool just knowing all those shots were burned into film. Poor Dad has hours and hours of film to sift through.

I had found an arrowhead on the ranch while I was there. Artifacts are to remain on the ranch so I decided I'd have Vinson Minor resharpen the head and I'd shoot it into an animal. The head was estimated to be 700 years old. The film crew documented the progress from sharpening to placing on a rivercane arrow to hunting afield. The first evening I called a coyote to within 12 feet of me but he hung up and I didn't get a shot. They captured the whole event on video and could see the coyote better than I could. The second day while film was rolling down my arrow shaft I loosed the 700 year old arrowhead and watched as it hit a javi in the crease of the shoulder at 5 yards. Film was rolling and sucked in tight as the arrow BOUNCED OFF the javi's shoulder. I have never been in such disbelief. I lean forward and grab the arrow. The only thing I can figure is that the head contacted shoulder blade so I ready for another approaching group of javi's. About 2 minutes later another javi enters my lane at five yards. Camera is still rolling as I release on a 1/4ing javi and connect behind the shoulder. Javi spins, howling and snapping and the arrow dropps to the ground. I may have gotten 2" of penetration before the javi ran across the road and stood looking back to see what the heck was going on. He was unhurt for the most part and went on to fight another day.
After gaining my composure and telling the film guy we wouldn't be airing that footage, I grabbed another stone head. The 700 year old head had a round point and I obviously wasn't using unough bow(45#) to drive the head home. This second stone point was pointy(Thanks Leo Schmaus). About 7-8 minutes later, another group of javi's come pouring in and as one enters my shooting lane at five yards, I run him through. He drops instantly but I can see he is going to get up. I didn't have another arrow so I jump up and decide I'll finish him with a knife. Bad idea!!!! He gets to his feet as I reach him and the fight was almost won by the javi. Remember, film was rolling the whole time. I'll leave out the gore! Here is the final results and after all the editing is done, the film will air on the local Saturday morning hunting show.

 

[beachbowhunter]

Man, Curtis you and GK got this hero pic thing DOWN!  I was watching my bootleg copy of the video with the peanut gallery comments and it is one of the coolest/funniest damned things I have ever seen. I am still in disbelief about the whole series of events....thanks again for everything.

Norbie

[Whip]

Monday afternoon found me back at the same spot Norbert had taken his javie from earlier in the day.  My plan was to corn the road on a stretch that would allow me to sit at the top of a rise so that I could watch both directions.

After a couple of unsucessful stalks I settled in to wait during the magic last hour.  One small javie came out to feed but I waited for more to show.  As light started fading quickly I decided I might as well try to see how close I could get to the one in the road - maybe he would look bigger up close!

I hadn't gone 20 yards when I glanced behind me and saw two hogs in the road headed my way.  They were a good 100 yards out, and not moving much at all.  I didn't think they would make it to me before dark, but there was no way to move on them from where I was.  All I could do was sit and wait.

Pigs being pigs, it didn't take long for them to get competitive for the corn.  One would move ahead of the other, and then the second one would move up in front.  Back and forth they went until soon it was almost a race.  Before I knew it they were trotting past me at 3 yards.

I waited until they got well past me and started to draw.  Immediately they scattered to the other side of the road and turned to see what spooked them.  I was at full draw, and a thought crept into my mind wondering if I could slip an arrow into the sweet spot of the closest pig.  The idea had barely registered when I saw the last 4 inches of my arrow sticking out of that exact spot on his shoulder!

The hogs spun and tore out of there squealing and making a huge racket.  He stopped after maybe 20 yards, and squealed some more before all got very quiet.  I stood frozen in place and just listened for the next 10 minutes.  Eventually I heard what I was certain was labored breathing and gurgling coming from the area I had last heard the hog.  I very slowly slipped out as quietly as I could to give him the time he needed.

We returned to camp for dinner, and afterwards came back accompanied by Curtis and "Sweet Spot".  We had some blood to follow through the cactus, and this is what lay at the end.
 

[Scott G]

Good job on the hog Whip!

Curtis,
When do we get to see the video!?  Can't wait to see the knife fight!

[beachbowhunter]

Allright Joe! Been waiting for you. Now you need to finish the job and dont forget the haircut! hee hee

Joe, I'm pretty sure the Kinslow boys were shooting Wensels. Bob Walker, South Texas Ranger was shooting Interceptors and Razorcaps. His hog got "capped". I was shooting Stingers, 2 and 4 blade. I've had good success with the 2 blade on good size hogs and after using the 4 blades on these javies, I would even think about using them on hogs too. Charlie was really surprised with the damage that these "small" (compared to the Simmons, Ace, Ribtek....) heads did. I got passthroughs in both directions  

[Whip]

I was thinking something more along the lines of that spear point Vinson knapped up that afternoon for the camera crew!  Now that was a head!     Not sure I could pull the bow I would need to drive it home though!  I think you already quoted Vinson on the delivery of one of those  - "...these were designed to be inserted manually.."  :D  
Here is Vinson showing his skills for the camera crew.  When they say "Action" that boy is ON!  That was the best knapping demonstration I have ever watched!  In a matter of minutes he had taken an oddly shaped rock and transformed it into a perfect spear point.
 

[IB]

WHO'S UP NEXT ????  

[Charlie Lamb]

Gotta say I loved the company of the group 2 guys. You could have mixed and matched group 1 and 2, though and it wouldn't have been any different. Great bunch of hunters one and all!    

Also love the photography by everyone. Really catches the essense of the hunt.

Chris... outstanding photos of Andrew's stalk. Very cool!!!

[Missouri CK]

I'll throw out one more group of pictures from my trip.

This was the last evening hunt and Andrew and I went back to our old faithful pond site that had provided most of our encounters.

Sure enough the hogs started milling around. Andrew saw several including a white hog that never came in but he said was huge. The sow in this picture move into position and just about the time I was going for a shot I saw a big boar moving in to my set up. He looked to me to be the brother of Charlie's hog. Coal black, huge head, and nice body. They both milled around and I was aware of my thoughts that were telling me to make sure the sow wasn't looking when I made my move. Unfortunately a short time after that thought the boar stood broadside and my reservations were lost as I decided to go for it. Turned out to be the wrong move at the wrong time. The sow spooked and I was caught at full draw with a boar that was now looking head on at me. He wheeled to the right and  started to leave. I sent one through him at 10 yards.  The shot looked good but after two hours of diligent tracking by Curtis I knew the sign we had found pointed to a shot that obviously wasn't good enough.  he had traveled greater than 100 yards and I was unable to locate the exact location of a group of coyotes then next morning so I never recovered the boar.

It's a lessons learned the hard way about heeding the warnings of CK and others about waiting for a quartering away shot. The moments adrenaline has a way of making you forget things like that.

Here is the picture of the sow. My brother said he was too excited to try any pictures when the boar came into the set up. If you look hard you can see me on the right hand side of the deadfall.
   

The next is the only hero shot that I have from this trip even though their is no game in the photo.  Finding a good compatable hunting partner isn't easy. My brother will always be that and more to me.  We both learned a ton on this trip and will be better hunters and trackers because of  it. Even though their was no meat in the cooler at the end of the day this trip was the best hunt I have ever been on. Great group of guys from whom I learned a lot and a great place to hunt. Andrew and I will be counting the days until the next sweat!

   

[Charlie Lamb]

[Terry Green]

 

[knife river]

Whip, is that a Blacktail you're carrying?  Mighty nice looking bow!

[JC]

Great pics guys....thanks for the story telling too. I miss it already   :(

[Whip]

Woody, Yes, that is a Blacktail, and thank you.  Norm sure soes build some pretty bows.  Almost too pretty to hunt with - Almost, but not quite!

I know that some people question the use of corn to hunt.  Baiting is not my favorite way of hunting either, but down in South Texas it really didn't feel like we were baiting.  The technique was to drive a sendaro and trickle corn out very slowly.  The idea was to simply have enough corn to keep the javies out in the open, but not so much that they just stayed in one spot, making it difficult to move on them.  This is a picture of corn in the road, and actually this is taken at a point where it had been applied to thickly.  We discovered latter that less is more when it comes to corning the sendaros.
   

[Charlie Lamb]

Joe... a lot of people don't understand that goin into the brush down there is near impossible at worst and like whizzin into the wind at best.

They also think that once you get the little musk hogs into the open, that stalking/shooting is a piece of cake.  :D      

I wish everyone could experience it. It's the only way to understand.