Wensel Bros pig gig

[Charlie Lamb]

I don't remember what I did before I had my Trad Gang friends. I'm positive I don't know what I'd do without them.

While the gathering at Woodie's house gathered momentum Rob "Robtattoo"Peel wandered over my way.
Extending a beefy fist full of something he said in his delightful brogue, "I made this knife and I want you to have it."

Wow!! You could have knocked me over with a pin.
I've watched Rob's evolution as a knifesmith with great interest over the years and what he held before me was a true treasure.

Hand forged and ground, slabbed with English yew pinned to the tang with Rob's distinctive rivets, with a razor keen edge, it is a thing of beauty.
 

Thanks buddy!!  

[Charlie Lamb]

Arrival at camp was fairly uneventful the next day except for a few late comers to greet. Camp went up quickly and efficiently as all present are experienced outdoorsmen and no stranger to camp life.

A brief run down of rules and directions interupted set up.

The brothers Wensel had asked if some of us would like to take a short ride and look around. Without much fanfare we were soon winding out of camp in a long convoy.
I don't think anyone stayed in camp.

It would be a non hunting jaunt for most as five day permits weren't effective until the morrow.

A few of us had annual permits in our pockets from previous hunts so we were designated shooters.
Though with the long line of vehicles, their noise and the billowing cloud of dust that enveloped our column there was little likelyhood of any shooting action.

[Gatekeeper]

Alright! Keep it going guys and thanks for sharing.  

[Charlie Lamb]

Smiley, Whip and I didn't waste any time dropping out of the procession as we noted hog sign on the road in quantity.

We were pretty sure that many if not all of the others would follow Gene and Barry to the end of the ranch road (some 20ish miles distant)if that's where they led we figured sign was sign and it was all good.

Soon we were cruising remote sendero's and leaving "incentive" for hogs and Javi's in those places that looked enviting.

Looking back on the hunt and how we approached it, the consensus was that we should have laid down a heavier stream of corn the first day or two.
Give the hogs and Javi's plenty in the hopes that they'd return believing there was the likelyhood of more.

As it was we barely trickled the corn. That worked alright. We just figured to refine our process.

After scouting enough territory to keep us busy when we returned in the morning we headed back to camp to finish set up and enjoy a refreshment and our brothers.

[Jim Jackson]

Keep it coming!!! Sounds like a blast!

[knife river]

Originally posted by Doug Campbell:
I got to shake the very talented hand of one of my idols. Woody is not only a great knapper but a great guy also, hope to get to call him Friend for many years to come.

No one should believe this stuff. Doug Campbell is not to be trusted!  He'll offer you a delicious piece of buffalo tongue when it's actually chocolate fudge.  That just ain't right!!!        

[Doug Campbell]

Now I don't care who ya are that was FUNNY                

You ever inspired me to break a rock today, first time in six months or so. Just reminded me how talented I wasn't     Thanks Buddy

[tippit]

Now for all you who don't understand this scenario, you had to be there.  Woody absolutely arbors chocolate fudge!!!  He was even stuffin' raw onion down to remove the taste    I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard...well maybe with Hormoan at last year's sweat.  Doc

[Charlie Lamb]

The details of any hunt that's as busy as this one was run together somewhat. However, after a hearty breakfast on the first morning Wayne, Joe and I were off to check out sign and possibly spot a hog or javi.

It wasn't long before we found what we were looking for. The diminuative tracks of javelina dotted the dust on one of our senderos.

The corn had been cleaned up everywhere we had spread it, but most the the guilty parties were the prolific deer that seemed to bust from the brush as we passed by, vacuuming up the corn almost as fast as we could lay it down.

There was little action that first morning, but we did spot a distant javi or two as I recall.
Lunch time found us back in camp discussing and expanding the plan.

It seems that everyone had had some kind of action or other. Stories were flying fast and furious as we wolfed down sandwiches and readied our gear for the afternoon.

[Charlie Lamb]

We probably spent more time scouting for decent spots than anything the first two days. I think it was at the end of the first one that we came upon four javelina crossing the road near a stock tank.

As often is the case on these ranches, the tank had a leak in it and a substantial puddle of water formed a semi circle around it's back side.

The tiny tracks of the most recent visitors overlapped the blunt rounded spoor of hogs and the water showed a chocolate milk brown from recent activity. It would be a place for me to start.

I soon had set up my Double Bull against the nearby fence line under the overhanging limbs of one of the mesquite that wove in and out of the barbed wire barrier.

For  while I thought I was going to melt down in that camo pop up, but soon had the screens adjusted to allow a nice breeze to enter my hide.

This spot would work, of that I had no doubt, but the first day passed slowly into night with no sign of pig or javi. Only regular visits by the red cardinal like birds that I can never remember the name of and a host of doves who cleaned them selves in the cool water.

Day two was pretty much a repeat of the first with the exception that I tucked into my blind after our morning sendero check and passing on lunch stayed for the entire day.

Joe, always the thoughtful one, brought me a sandwich and cold drink when he and Wayne returned in the afternoon.

Wayne would post on a sendero a mile from me while Joe wandered off to parts unknown. Once again the day passed with only birdlife to keep me occupied.

I took the time to touch up the edge of every bladed instrument in my pack, quiver and pockets. Heck, I even gave myself a manicure with my broadhead file.

Soon I was waiting for my ride, watching the pale blue daylight turn to pink and finally as the sun dipped silently below the western horizon the light of the full moon glowed bright and yellow to the east.

[Whip]

I'm sitting at a motel computer and won't be able to add any pictures to my story, but I'll try to tell one anyhow.  You'll just have to use your imagination........

I think it was the second morning of actual hunting, and we were making the rounds.  Driving sendaros adding corn where the deer, javi's and hogs had vacuumed the roads clean, and hoping to catch a straggler still out.  

We drove in on one of our spots from the first evening's scouting trip and arrived at the end of it without seeing a thing.  Turning the truck around we headed back toward the Pipeline road.  "What's that balck spot up ahead, another deer?"  Seems the deer thought the sound of the truck passing was a dinner bell, and it was common to see them on the road shortly after we passed.  But this spot was different.  It was a javi!

The javi eased into the brush and I dropped Charlie and Smiley off, as I continued on ahead with the truck.  Often times the animals will just move off a bit and filter back out when they think the danger has passed.

On down the road a bit I was paying more attention to my rear view mirror than what was ahead.  At least I was until I noticed a mass of black a couple hundred yards in front of me!  A whole herd of javelina were in the road with snouts in the dust.

I slipped from the rig, and crawled under the fence to get the wind more in my favor.  The cover on this side was sparse, and it wasn't long before I ran out of options.  All I could do was hope they would come to me.  I tucked behind a scrawny little bush and hoped it might be enough to break my outline.  I was very, very wrong....

The leader of the pack was a large boar.  He didn't even seem to be concerned with the corn.  It was more like he was the advance scout for the rest of the herd.  Long tusks protruded upwards from his jowls, and as he came broadside at 15 yards I could see another unique feature.  In addition to the normal collar around the neck, he sported a broad blond stripe just behind the shoulders.  Javi's are not necessarily known for their beauty, but this guy was stunning!  

Another few steps would provide a perfect shot, but just about then he realized that the scrawny bush had a massive hunk of something hiding behind it.  A sharp snort and he turned to run, taking the rest of his compardres with him.  

But I now had a goal.  Blondie would be the focus of my attention for the rest of the trip....

[Ray Hammond]

boy this sounds like a fun trip. I'm gonna try to make it next year.

[hill boy]

Bob after a tracking job in the dark, getting the thorns out. This is the knife Bob gave me that really turned the mojo in our favor. I just want everyone included in this camp to know that I ejoyed each of you and there wasn't anyone there that isn't welcome in my camp anytime.

[Whip]

The following day Charlie and I decided to tag team on our little stretch of road.  We built a blind and set up some comfortable chairs for the wait.  It sure did seem like the full moon was having an affect, and game movement didn't begin in earnest until the sun was low in the sky.

Eventually a group of javi's were on the road and we made our move to get in position.  I left Charlie with one group while I worked ahead to another, but before they got close to my ambush position the whole group filtered off into the brush.

I eased to the edge of the road trying to figure my next move, and Charlie snuck along the edge to catch up with me.  Suddenly the javi's came back to the road, led by Blondie!  But we were caught flat footed, and were busted before we had a chance.

Blodie sounded the alarm again, and the herd scattered, but Charlie and I were right behind them.  We each moved to cover openings in the brush, and within seconds had javi's trying to work their way through us.  As one tried to slip through to my left I tried to slip an arrow into his shoulder.  

At the shot I could see I had maybe 12" of penetration, and he bolted for cover.  I gave him a little time, and eased forward to where I had last seen him.  A rustle of branches and my arrow clacking as he went told me my shot hadn't been as good as I had hoped, and I backed out to give him more time.

With less than an hour of daylight remaining I moved back in, and jumped the javi again.  It didn't seem like he was moving very well, and I made a snap desicion to try to get another arrow in him.  But we were in a hell hole of a tangle of brush, and try as I might I couldn't manuver into position for a finishing shot.  He moved forward from one thicket to the next, and I was always just a split second too late.  I did manage a snap shot as he ran at one point, and another time caught him in the open but with no arrow on the string.  

Ulimately, I had made the worng choice.  I should have just backed out and waited until morning.  But now I had a real problem.  With no landmarks to go by, and focusing so hard on following the animal, I wasn't sure where I was.  To compound matters I had left my pack with compass and GPS back at my chair.  I was on my own.

The story would be almost as long as my walk, but the short version is that I came very close to spending an uncomfortable night in the bush.  I was foolish to be so illprepared, and will not make that mistake again.  

It was my night of poor choices.  Poor shot selection.  Poor tracking decisions.  Unprepared to be in the bush.  And wrong decisions on which way to go.  But I did make it out just as it was getting too dark to see, and was happy when I finally made it back to my hunting partners.

[knife river]

I need to tell a story about JC.  On the ride out, he told me about one of the Moderator Melt hunts he'd been on in Texas.  There were javies everywhere on that hunt.  Everyone had five and six stalks each day.  People darn near got tired of seeing one javie after another.

I told him that I'd be pretty tickled just to get a good look at one.  After moving to Texas 18 months ago, I'd had one glimpse:  as soon as I realized it was a javelina, it was gone.  One of my biggest goals for this hunt was to see some, but if I could stalk one, that'd be even better.  And if I could put an arrow in one, well that'd be better than gravy on ice cream!

Thursday morning, JC and I corned a few choice spots for hogs and then decided to look for javies.  A couple guys had generously shared some info with us and invited us to look at their areas.  They'd seen dozens of javies and had multiple stalks.  So to the south end of the ranch we went.

We came around a little curve in the road and there stood Steve Tottingham.  He said it was a primo area and had several close calls already.  He suggested we drive down the road a bit and have a look.  

Sure enough, we topped the next little rise and there stood a big boar javie in the middle of the road!  We glassed him for a minute before  backing the truck over the rise out of sight.  JC turned to me and said, "There's your javie.  Go get him.  But that shirt of yours won't work.  It's too close to white and he'll nail you at thirty yards.  Take mine."  And with that, he peeled off his camo Sitka shirt and handed it to me.

Now there are lots of generous souls who enjoy seeing their friends' success.  But it's another big step from that to literally giving the shirt off your back to help your partner succeed.

I didn't get that boar.  Never saw him again after he stepped off the road into the cactus thickets, so after returning the borrowed shirt, JC and I drove a couple other roads that were bordered by flats of prickly pear.  It wasn't long before we spotted dark shapes moving in the road at a distance:  four, perhaps five, javies.

Once again, JC pushed his shirt at me and encouraged me to have at them.  As soon as I stepped away from the truck, I realized the wind was completely wrong -- it was blowing directly to them.  The stalk would be over before it even started.

We quickly decided to try something that had worked on Monday with hogs:  I would stand on the truck's running board while JC drove past the animals.  Then with the wind in my favor, I'd step off and slip-hunt back to where they'd been on the road.

Nice plan, but the javies weren't having it.  They never came back to the road even after a thirty minute wait.  So it goes with hunts.  Some are momentary sizzles of hot hope while others are burned in our memory like lightning strikes.  This little hunt, such as it was, was memorable in that it gave me a couple minutes to watch javelina do their javelina things.  But the most valuable thing I took away from it was the selfless gesture of a friend.  

And that pisses me off.  Now I'm gonna have to be nice to the bugger next time we hunt together.        

[DesertDude]

Thank you for sharing this trip.  Can't wait to move to Texas.

[JC]

Awww shucks Woody, twernt nothing between brothers! Lest it go unmentioned, Woody is as caring and selfless person as anyone could meet. Woody and his wonderful family welcomed me with open arms; it felt like finding a long lost part of my clan. I will always treasure the friendship I cultivated with Woody during our week together. God has truly blessed me with a friend of his caliber.

I too have a life-store of memories from this hunt; absolutely incredible time. The primary joy was simply the time spent with so many old and new friends. If you have never been on a hunt like this, trust me...it will literally change your life. From the moment on after you enjoy cameraderie like this, you will forever be searching for another excuse to join together.

As others have said, the hunting was spectacular! The killing was a little slow    , but I can only fault my ineptitude and the literal winds of chance.

That said, soon as this hectic week is behind me, I'll post some pics and comments to add to the already fine stories here.

[Grant Young]

Hear Hear JC- barely have had time to check the latest posts, much less to compose one. This weekend should bring on lots of new tales.

[knife river]

Ese vato!  You need to tell the story about the eights cabritos gordo and the giggling corn tree!!    

[Whip]

You sure nailed the essence of this hunt JC.  As you said, hunting was good, killing a little slow, but the comaradarie in camp was as outstanding!  

It's been four years since my first Trad Gang group hunt, and they just keep getting better.  The friendships made will last a lifetime (I hope) and I look forward to the next time we can do it all again.  

As always, we all wish for good hunting, but are more than satisfied just to have been a part of a group like this.

I did have some exciting hunting, but I think the memories that will burn brightest are the "Night of The Wind", the early morning coffee sessions before heading out, and the evening meals we shared.  Listening to the stories of others, and belly busting laughs.  Those are the things that really made this hunt so special.