Dang computer.
Early afternoon found Ray and myself out putting up a stand and steps near where I was the bruiser the night before. Driving in we kicked up a medium sized boar out of a ditch. We set the stand up in a great spot. Just in the woods from the feeder, overlooking the hog trailing running along the perimeter of the field. Could also see the trails leading into the field for hogs coming from the swamp. I had high hopes.
By the time we got finished setting up the stand, it was time to gather the troops for the afternoon hunt. Squirrelbait had laid claim to the sofa and could only be removed by Mike's interrogation techniques. We headed out and I got up in my stand, thankful to be our of the heat and praying that the large boar would return for a tasty morsel of corn. The feeder went off like clockwork, and this time I didn't jump nearly as far. A little time goes by and here come the storm clouds with thunder rumbling in the distance. At this point I've got mixed feelings. We really need the rain to help with the stalking and to bring the hogs out, but I don't want any changes to these particular hogs routine. I think to myself, this storm might pass over. Sure it might. I get drenched and thunder and lightning are going off like crazy. I look up and the tree that I'm in is just as tall as any of the surrounding trees. Can you say lightning rod? Being extremely foolish, I decided to stay in the stand. I figure I would have to be pretty unlucky to get struck and I don't want to miss out on this hog. Doing what I can to protect my fletching and thermocell from the rain, but otherwise I get soaked. The rain lasts for maybe 30-45 minutes, but it is more than enough. I wait and wait, but no piggies come. $%^#^#%$# rain! About 30 minutes of light remains and I decide I want to see if any hogs have hit the wallows along the road that we put corn in early in the day. As I'm getting down I hear a hog squeal across the field. I make my way away from the swamp to the road along the feeder field. As I arrive at the road I see Tim about 100 yards ahead of me, looking into the woods to our left. He moves away from me and I figure he has probably already checked the area out between him and me. I start walking at a normal gait towards him to see if he knows why that hog squealed. I get about 30 yards then stop dead in my tracks when I spot 3 hogs to my left about 5-10 yards away, completely oblivious to me. I look away from the hogs to concentrate on my bow and load an arrow up in a nanosecond and I'm drawing as I look up. The hogs were quartering toward me when I first saw them and starting to turn broadside. Now two of them are facing directly away from me, but one is quartering away at about 5 yards. I let her rip and man did that thing squeal. I saw my arrow sticking out and a part of me thought, wow, no pass through at this range. My AD trad arrow (courtesy of Ted Fry) with brass insert and 125 grain silver flame head for a total of 590 grains shot out of my RER TD Vortex(which is about 58# at my 29" draw) had about half of the shaft and my pink Fred Eichler style fletching waving at me as the hog darted just inside the woods and parallel to the road away from me for about 10 yards before crashing down. I went up to Tim and told him the story. I waited about 2 minutes (OK maybe a little less) and decided to check on the hog since it was getting dark and I forgot my flashlight at camp. No trouble finding the hog. Turned out to be an 82# boar. The silver flame broadhead had stopped at the far shoulder. A few more minutes of shooting light, so I quickly laid him next to a tree, took a pic, and continued down the road looking for more piggies. None to be found, so I waited for my ride. Squirretbait picked me up and we headed back to camp for a steak dinner. Gotta love it. First tradkill and a great meal. What more could you ask for?
Topic: Hoggin' Adventures with Ray Hammond at Hog Heaven- June '08 (Pics) (Read 7063 times)
