Tradgang/Mule Creek 1st Annual Hunt

[Terry Green]

And that's exactly what I did. ....barely.

I caught movement in the clumps of tan grass to my left and the javi was in range....then movement straight ahead just out of range....then movement to my right again in range.

Now the grass was alive as javies were appearing and disappearing in front of me.  Yes, there where plenty of shot opportunities during this time.... but too many eyes......

Hey....where was Joe???

[smokin joe]

I knew Terry was up ahead and diagonally to my left. He was closer to the road than I was by about 30 or 40 yards. I expected that one or two of the critters would walk into the bush and stop often to check its back trail, and i figured that if I was slow and quiet enough I might get a good shot on an animal that had no idea I was there. So, I was stalking through the bush slowly, carefully -- scanning ahead for movement. The wind was in my favor....

[Terry Green]

I'd been concerned about Joe since we took off for the javalina...  And again  I was hoping to get him on them so he could score  His 1st.... I had no luck whatsoever in finding Joe during my pursuit to get on these javalina....

 At this  Point I became the hunter. The javalina started milling toward me,  And I had no choice but to take possession of being the hunter.

[smokin joe]

A little bit of movement in the brush ahead and to my left caught my eye. It took me a minute to figure out that I was seeing terry slowly working his way through the cover with an unmistakable hunter-looking posture. I figured he didn't know I had seen him.

[Terry Green]

It was really cool, I was in the midst of a sea of javalina.... And I'd just seen the biggest javi had ever seen that was jet black....this dude was HUGE!!!....broadside and in range...but still too many eyes!  This guy looked like he just walked out of a GQ magazine.... He was the biggest a most beautiful javi I have  Ever seen.

I glanced to my right and there was Joe!!!

[Terry Green]

I'm going to have to step of here for a bit.  I  need to comment on the outfitter and his partner.

Jacob and James were above and beyond. These 2 were much more then just Outfitters, they were gracious hosts willing to chip in and help in any way they could.  They both were very knowledgeable and willing to do whatever it took to put us on game in an enthusiastic manner.

 These 2 guys added and enhanced the hunting experience while we were there.They made the hunt complete.

Many thanks you two!!!

[smokin joe]

Yes. Jacob and James are first-rate. They really know their stuff, and they are great people too.

I saw Terry look at me and he pointed at the thick mesquite scrub in front of him. Game on!

[Terry Green]

Yes, when I 1st saw Joe he was looking forward still searching for javalinas.... Once he fixed his eyes on me, I made a very deliberate point in front of us to let him know that there was a javi in between us   Right there...I mean RIGHT THERE!!!

[goobersan]

 

[Terry Green]

I'm going to let Joe  Tell the rest of his tale before I move forward....

[elkken]

I am not getting any younger, I need you boys to start coughing up the good stuff … 

[smokin joe]

I saw Terry point into the mesquite scrub, but it was so thick I couldn't see anything. Then I heard hooves on the ground and I saw the javelina run and then stop behind a mesquite. It turned back and was looking in Terry's direction. It was about 15 yards from me, and it had no idea it was there. It was pretty large.

I took two quiet steps to my right and that cleared the rear half of the critter for a shot. I figured that one and a half or two more steps to my right and I would be able to expose the chest while keeping the head behind the thick stuff -- pretty much an ideal shot. Arrow on the string, draw a couple of inches to be ready, start the first step, the animal was alert and looking at Terry's direction -- completely distracted and unaware of me.

Then, suddenly, off it goes to my left. And this time it didn't stop to look back. Then I felt the wind and it had changed. The breeze was now blowing directly from where Terry was standing to where the javelina was standing. I followed the javelina for a while, staying downwind of where I thought it went, but it was long gone.

The experience had been very exciting, and the javelina had used its incredible nose to make a getaway. I will give the javi's this -- they don't think twice once they wind a human.

What a thrilling experience.

[Terry Green]

Yes, being on these Javis for a while before I saw Joe, I had a pretty good idea on where they  all were to some degree.

  I was pretty sure that 1 Of the 7 had already slipped between Joe and i going back the opposit way.

[Terry Green]

Once the gig was up at this point on this javi, I proceeded to move forward to find the rest of the group, and the elusive Doctor Tuxedo...

[smokin joe]

...and I trailed the one that ran off — just in case. Maybe he would stop again, since he was aware of Terry but not me.

[Hud]

This is where Spot and Stalk is truly hunting.

[Terry Green]

When the one Joe was trying to shoot left I looked back at the 1 I was spotting to the left and it was gone.   A kind of hot footed it in the direction he and the others were headed. 

 After about 30 yds  I spotted  them moving ant a little faster clip and not milling around like before......

[Terry Green]

They were heading for corner of a barren patch of ground which had an oil rig.

 There were 4 of them skirting the barren ground just inside Bush making their  way along and staling  for about 3 minutes when they were level with the oil rig.

 They then proceeded to march right out to the oil rig.

[Terry Green]

Bear with me...I'm Valentine-in 

[Terry Green]

I was in the edge of the brush still at the corner of this barren ground watching to see what they were gonna do.

Then I heard rumbling and realised Joe and I had been at this game for 30 minutes....Jacob was right on time.

Jacob came into the barren pad in  his truck to pick us up....and he slowed when he saw the Javis. Then he saw me in the corner waiving at him with a big smile.  He threw his hands up, shook his head and put it in reverse....And Mr GQ  barked and they all scaulded out of there.

Jacob wa perflexed about his timing...I told him no worries that the gig was pretty much up.....That we had gotten the goodie out of them.....

Now back to camp to get fortified for the evening hunt....