Hey Guys, sorry I took so long, but I had ALOT of work to do when I got home. We had a situation that made things a bit tough. After all of the rain they had down there, the hogs began to feed on a bright green grass. I'm not positive, but I'm fairly certain it was some type of a bullrush relative. I'm going to look it up. Anyway, this stuff was growing in some of the nastiest thickest stuff around, and all of the hogs were in there. The only cover I have ever seen that was as thick as this was in Texas. Luckily, I had some pruners, so I was able to get in there, and hunt, but the blackberry thorns made for tough stalking. I kept getting near to hogs, but mostly jumping them, since I could not see too far in the thick cover they were holding in. I jumped a bunch. On Saturday, I finally got within range of a BIG sow. I mean at first I thought it was Rosie O'Donnell. She turned broadside at just under 20 yards. I was just about to draw when out stepped a bunch of football sized piglets! I had to decline the opportunity. As I mentioned before, I don't know much about hog hunting, but I have been on 3 hunts. I have NEVER been anywhere that had more sign that Rays place. This place just gets no pressure and it's ALOT of land. There are tons of them there, but we just had a little tough luck. Camp was full of great guys. No crybabys or anything! Ray is an awesome guy. He's not just a bowhunter. He's a naturalist. He's smart. He knows alot about the plants and fauna of the area, and I learned some pretty interesting things. He can also cook a steak that would make a vegetarian salivate. Damn, that steak was good! I'm going back for sure. I MIGHT even take a little break from the whitetails in early October to try the hogs again down there, when they are out feeding in more open areas where you can get a stalk on them. Lisa is pretty much in on that, so as long as we can swing it, we'll be back. Bill Dugan is a really cool guy. For whatever reason, I was preoccupied, and never even tried out his bows, but man they are pretty and the quivers he makes are unreal. He offered to let me stay at his house on the way home to break up the drive, which was very nice. Guess he did not realize I was a bow theif, and that I would most likely make out with the goods! Just kidding Bill! We had lots of laughs, drank some cold beers, and just had a great time. Beachbowhunter brought down some fine California wine, but I'm more of a busch light kinda guy. He's a great guy to be around with great conversation. The critters did not cooperate, but on a 3 day hunt you could not ask for more. I'm tellin ya they are there in staggering numbers. I really like the country down there, but I gotta tell you southerners, I don't have the slightest idea how I would go about hunting deer down there. I think that anyone who can kill an old buck routinely in the south really knows his stuff! I found a shed antler which was cool. Ray said it was from a 3.5 year old. If it were an Illinois buck it would be a 1.5 year old. But an old buck is an old buck no matter how big he is, and judging from the lack of pressure on the property, I'd wager there are a number of old bucks hanging out in there. I've got some pretty good pics that I will post later on, including a big snake that I saw in the swamps. Ron, from KME sharpeners was there, and he GAVE us all a knife sharpener for no reason other than he's just a nice guy! We have some good dudes in our ranks. Turkey hunting. There is another thing I don't know too much about. My county in Illinois was the last to get re-stocked, and our season has only been open for 5 or 6 year. Ray decided to go with me. Probably he wanted to laugh at my lack of turkey hunting ability, but I was more than willing to have someone call for me. My calling sounds like a blackbird getting hit by a lawnmower. So we get out there and set up my blind and decoys. Birds are gobbling on the way out. In fact, that was more birds than I have ever heard in a season here. Anyway, Ray sets up over to my right. He's got a shotgun, and I've got an arrow with one of those new bullhead broadheads that magnus makes. Like I could hit a turkey in the head! Ray stars calling. He's a Damn good caller. A gobbler from like 250 yards away starts coming right to us. He gets out about 20 yards in front of Ray. He has not seen my decoys yet, but is looking, and coming. I can just barely see him from time to time. I'm ready. I'm holding my mouth right and everything. All of a sudden, his wife comes up from behind and yelps loud one time. Ray told me that's turkey for "get your ass over here!" And he did! He turned on a dime, folded up and went right to her! At this point, I had no chance, and he was moving. Ray took a shot at him but did not connect because he was pourin' it on trying to make his wife happy. Good times were had by all! You guys that are going next...bring your earplugs....Ray "Got's the sleep apnea!"
Topic: Headed to Ray Hammonds (Read 3566 times)
