I could not see anything as I was blocked by the hill, but heard plenty as the hog bottomed out and started to climb another knoll to a saddle. It was big timber we were in and I could see it now as it stopped once and started up again for only a short distance and stopped again taking 3 wobbly steps backwards. I could not believe it didn't go down as it started up again crossing another loggin road to bound over the saddle.
Bad news......basically straight down 150 yards to a mountain laurel infested dark creek bottom. This wasn't good as it was now 7:20 PM. We paused for only a moment and and went to get my arrow for inspection. No doubt I'd passed through, and no trace of a gut shot, and lots of clean blood but no bubbles. I figured a liver shot so we slipped to the saddle to look for blood by a tree it ran by.
While I was looking for blood Keith wandered over an 'looked over the side'. Keith said "Terry, I hear something down there"...I said "There's a creek down there, are you sure you hear something other than the creek"...he said "I've never heard a creek break sticks"! I hurried over and sure enough I heard the racket and then spotted the hog....and I started easing down thinking I might could get another arrow in it but it soon move off breaking stuff along the way again.
I thought it over, and normally would have backed out, but this hog was surely hurt as it didn't move far at all before stopping, and it wasn't moving fast when it did. So, I move down hill again with Keith in tow. It was wet, and I figured we might be able to slip up for a follow up shot.
As we got down the hill a ways, we bumped it again and it slowly and noisily made it's way another 20 yards before stopping again. This time we really crept along before bumping it once more as it entered the laurels. We were gaining on it, but the terrain was turning ugly for the bowhunter trying to get a clean shot off.
While I was looking ahead watching my track to try and remain as silent as possible Keith found blood, and lots off it...and then we found a large pile of blood from the last place it evidently laid down. There was some sort of open area below with a relatively clean path, so we started down again to close in on the bottom Keith later named 'Little Cambodia'.
The 'opening' below was yet another old logging road that would allow us a quiet approach and the blood was leading us right to it. As we we followed the road Keith was leading spotting the blood as I followed looking into the laurel thicket waiting to hear or see movement. I told Keith that if he heard something he needed to just drop to his knees.
There was good blood still as we tried to beat the clock with the daylight. After about 40 yards on the logging road the hog got up not 20 yards away moving slowly and busting stuff in the thicket. I could see bits and pieces, but there was no way to get a shot off. Again, it didn't go far as I saw it stop in a little hole maybe 35 yards away, but there wasn't any getting an arrow in there that's for sure.
That's when I made the call. I told Keith that if this hog wasn't hurt bad, it would not put up with us and would be in the next county by now, and we would come back in the morning and likely find him right where we saw him last. Least that was the plan.
I'm whooped guys....see you tomorrow.....
Topic: Hard Earned Trophy - ORIGINAL!!! (Read 15973 times)
