LTR 2025 - The Madness has begun!

[pdk25]

Well, just leaving the ranch now. It was an interesting hunt and a lot of great guys. Pretty good success I think 10 Havelina were shot during the week. I will just speak to my experiences and let the other speak to theirs.

The first two days were rough for me with the weather. I didn’t see a single Havelina during the first two days although there were plenty of deer to eat every bit of corn up.

I had two different shoulder surgeries last year from which I am not completely recovered and I decided to use my lightweight Paul Bunyan bow for this hunt for the most part. It is only 40 pounds and 29 inches because of how it is cut and the fact it is a sour fiberglass bow. I was using 600 spin arrows with 300 grain tips.

on Tuesday night conditions were great for a stalk on hogs, but I had no idea the size of the hog.  By far the largest Hog that I have seen in South Texas. Not that there aren’t bigger ones around, but I have never seen them there. In any case, I rushed the shot, even though I had plenty of time, I short drew the bow, probably only 27 1/2 or 28 inches even though I draw it 29 inches left-handed. The combination of decreased strength in the solid, fiberglass bow, probably under 38 pounds, with the arrow not flying straight due to poor tune and shelf contact, even though the shot was properly placed, the Hog ran off with no blood trail, and I was unable to find him. Fortunately, he showed back up Wednesday night, but the battery for my light died, and I couldn’t see him to shoot. Last chance I got him. What a monster.

[pdk25]

So back to Havelina. I went all day Wednesday practically and didn’t see any Gina until mid to late afternoon when a small group came towards me and either winded me or saw my vehicle. They headed the other way and I was able to get to the north of them and was able to put a good shot on this sow.
She had a good grace to only make it 12 yards and not go in the thick cover for which I am thankful. It appears that the Paul Bunyan was adequate for this, lol. I was using an a super express Broadhead.

[pdk25]

Thursday came and I did not see a Havelina all day until I was driving out and saw a small group on a road that I was driving on right at dusk. I kept that in mind for later. The conditions for stocking hogs at night were terrible with swirling winds on Thursday, so there was no luck there.

Friday came around and I spent most of the early part of the day prepping for hog hunting that night because I had high hopes. I eventually made it out to the spot that I saw Havelina on the road and I was clearing out prickly pear, and Mesquite for a place to sit, and while I was doing that Havelina came out to the road. I quickly moved my car out of sight and hurried back into the , makeshift blind and it wasn’t long before one came around and gave me a shot. The arrow zipped right through it and the Havelina didn’t even know it was hit. Stood there for around five seconds and then took off like crazy. I thought that it went down in 20 or 25 yards with all the noise I heard but turns out it was more like 45 minutes of painful tracking through thorns and cactus.  can’t complain. It was good. It’s just something that happens.

[pdk25]

So tagged out on Havelina last day of the hunt, and had time to get it back to camp, skin, quarter and debone the meat and be ready for hogs. I had already decided that I was going to give The Paul Bunyan another chance because I really felt that it was a combination of a huge hog, short, drawing the bow and the arrow not flying straight. Anyway, write it dark or just a little after I had a picture of a Hog and decided to drive out there and make a stalk.  Conditions were perfect with maybe a 12 mile an hour wind in a good direction and a quiet approach. When I got the picture they were for hogs, but when I got there, there was only one. It was halfway laying in the water, just looking for corn kernels that were in the water. It was the only way that I could keep deer from eating the corn before the hogs got there, but that isn’t the bigger problem. If the deer are stacked up there on the perimeter while the hogs are eating, it’s almost impossible to get a good approach without getting busted. it worked and there were no deer there, and I was able to close the gap to around 10 yards. Not the greatest position that the hog could’ve been in, but I shot the hog, it jumped up and ran a little ways and flopped along the bank. I got in front of the light and put more arrows in it because I have seen hogs get up and runoff and I wanted to be sure. Unfortunately, he broke the additional air hose off and flopped into the water, I knew he was dead but then I had to go back to camp and get something because he was about 7 feet into the pond and was pretty cold and muddy. I ended up putting trash bags over my legs and dragging them onto the beach I would say somewhere between 5175 pounds. Make him look smaller, but it is what it is.  this time with me taking my time and coming to draw, one of the errors I shot got full penetration with the tip sticking out maybe 10 yards on the other side of the Hog. I really wish I would’ve gotten another chance with that monster hog to see what it would’ve done.

[Terry Green]

Does anybody old enough to remember the Romper Stomper days? 

[rastaman]

Way to go Pat!

[trad_bowhunter1965]

Congratulations on your Javelins and hog.

[Roger Norris]

Awesome Pictures! Awesome trip!!!

[elkken]

Well that was a lot of excitement  Congrats and thanks for sharing 

[Terry Green]

Week two has started today.And we will be reporting in soon, if anything happens. And I have a confession to make a little later on....

[Terry Green]

Okay, I did something that I haven't done and I long long time....

I wanted to shoot the biggest black hog in this picture. However, after quite a few minutes of no shot due to quartering to me or being guarded by another hog. I decided I would shoot the spotted one if given the chance as you never know when the wind will change. The longer you stand there, the more chances of something going wrong.

Finally, after several minutes a spotty, one begged me to shoot her....

I pulled a rookie mistake. The hog may have had spots, but I failed to pick one myself. As always, the windage was perfect, but I shot an inch over its back. I kinda chuckled to myself, because this is a reminder that it can happen at any time to anybody. I caught some good rising from Patrick, which was all in good form.

I am seeking revenge.
By the way.... 

[Terry Green]

Dan Raney, Asbell wise guy #3....

[Flingblade]

Congrats to the Week I gang. Sounded like there were plenty of Javi's. Congrats Gary on Javi #2. Well done ! Safe travels home guys.

Thanks Mike!  We missed you this year.  Had colder but better weather with less rain and mud than last year!  It was a blast again!

[Terry Green]

Hello.....

[Flingblade]

Thursday was one of those beautiful days in south Texas.  Temps in the 60's most of the day and sunny.  I was sitting at the hub of a wagon wheel watching four spokes that we had corned.  For those that haven't been there the wagon wheel is a set of senderos (lanes cleared of brush) going out in different directions from the hub where there is usually a blind placed.

 I was sitting in my pacseat below the blind when I spotted a group of javelina come out about halfway down the sendero to my left.  I grabbed my bow and quiver and the stalk was on!  Over the next hour or so I had three different blown set ups where they sensed something wasn't right or just decided to turn and go in a different direction.
 
 These little jokers are incredibly fun to hunt but also incredibly frustrating at times.  They really are a cool little animal that I have much respect for.
 
 The javies moved from the sendero I was on to the one next to it through the brush and I followed as quietly as I could.  I ended up toward the end of the sendero and they popped out halfway down but turned and started to head in my direction.  I had to find a place to hide quick but there wasn't much in the way of clear areas where I was, so I backed up to a mesquite and got down on my knees.  I could hear them crunching corn as they came.  There were 6 or 8 of them and a couple that were decent size but the rest small.  Less than four yards was the distance from where I was kneeling to the corn sprinkled in the sendero.  The decision I had to make was whether to let the group feed to less than four yards in front of me and try to not get busted or take the first one that came into view.  Glad I made the decision I did or I'm pretty sure my crockpot would be empty tomorrow.  And I think the stew I'm planning to make will be delicious regardless.  The arrow hit behind the right shoulder but he was spinning at the time, and it came out the hind end.  The next thing I heard was light growling that sounded like it was coming from the brush across the sendero about 10 yards in.  I gave it about an hour and Terry helped with the blood trail.  It had gone less than 10 yards into the brush. 

I was really happy to make a good clean kill shot and that the recovery was as easy as it was.  And I'm really trying to smile in this picture, but I had several sharp thorns poking me in the hind end at the time making it difficult.
Kind of humorous that the biggest guy in camp shoots the littlest javelina.

By the way, Asbell Wool Wise Guy #1 was wearing a Pathfinder in Timber Ghost size 3X and shooting Easton FMJ arrows tipped with Simmons Great White broadheads out of a Black Widow PSRX Osage recurve, 61 lb. @ 28".


     

[Terry Green]

The canoe coat is pretty awesome. It seems to be a felted cool fabric that comes in two weights. This is the heavy weight. I really love the extra length and the huge front pockets. She's at Kalamazoo right now showing off the new coats there. I'm not sure what all colors and plaids she's going to make, but this coat is a winner for sure!

[Terry Green]

Well, the last twenty four hours for me was an absolute comedy of errors.  I stalked a nice group of javelina, and the last one that was passing me was the biggest one, as I couldn't get a shot at the other eight.

Well, he looked up and figured out that he was being left behind and he was going to catch up.And he just began slow walking. He kept walking through the first gap in the prickly pear, and I started to draw as he was behind a prickly pear still walking. As he strolled into the next opening, I finished my draw and released at the walking target. We'll, at release he decided to just stop for no apparent reason and the arrow flew right in front of his chest.

The entire group decided to go into the bush, only opposite side of the road from me. 2 minutes later, they come back out. Of course they're out of range but headed toward Joe. Joe had one in range that was see me lay honor mary go round and never gave him a shot, and for some reason, they decided to turn around and come back toward me.

I immediately backed in to a makeshift hard.It turned out to be perfect. I was on my knees as they started into my shooting lanes and I had my bow up and ready to go. There were 4 of them kneeling around, and I was just waiting for one to turn perfect for me broadside side at twelve yards, the same distance as the one I shot in front of.

Then someone decides to call my phone that was on vibrate only. The first vibration and all of the heavies raised their head, and the second vibration, they all started looking around confused it seemed. The third vibration synthem packing. 1 minute earlier, it would have been fine 1 minute later. It would have been fine. It just so happens.This person called me at the worst possible moment. So please cut your phones on airplane mode when you stalk.

Hopefully, things will come together for me, because everything that has happened and could have happened has already happened. I only have one way to go, and that's up from here. 

[Terry Green]

The badger is slow cooking...

Asbell wise guy #4 - Donovan Watson

[huckbuck]

Like Flingblade said, the week started off slow and cold but ended nice and sweet!

[Terry Green]