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Author Topic: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)  (Read 1915 times)

Offline paleFace

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #20 on: March 02, 2010, 05:58:00 PM »
It was about 11am by the time we made it back to the car and we were feeling some hunger pains. Since we had not packed our lunch we decided to head back to camp to see what Ron & Bill had up their sleeve for the afternoon.  

Back at camp we found the grocery list gone a long with Ron & Bill.  We needed some supplies so I tried to give Ron a call but the cell service is shoty at best. I did manage to get him on the phone and he said they had just finished at the grocery store and would be back in a bit. Thinking they were bringing back stuff to make lunch we started to just hang around until they got back, but at the last minute decided we needed some secret items for out hog baits as well as some gas so we took off for town.  

Rolling through town who's vehicle do we see parked out in front of the DQ? yup our camp mates were chowing down on a hot meal before bringing us back cold cuts. Well we spoiled their plan cause we rolled right up in there and ordered us up some Texas size DQ burgers.

By the time we had finished lunch and making our other stops the snow had ended and we could see some breaks in the clouds. We hurried back to camp and gathered our gear then headed for the hunting area.

Hard to believe but the snow had completely melted when we arrived back in our hunting area even though the temp was hovering about 38 degrees.  

     

Since it was still fairly early and we didn't expect to see any action until late afternoon we spent some time driving around the area to better familiarize ourselves.  We saw some game but no pigs showed.

     

 

 

Did I mention the cows?  They were every where in our area.  We even had to shoe them away on several occasions.  I wouldn't want this big boy to get an attitude with me:

   
>~Rob~>

"Dad, I need to sit down I'm shaking to bad" my 12 year old son the first time he shot at a deer with his bow.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _

Online Jack Denbow

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #21 on: March 02, 2010, 06:30:00 PM »
This is getting good.
Jack
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Offline paleFace

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2010, 06:31:00 PM »
We dropped Buddy off then headed down towards the river. As we came around past Stone House we spotted some hogs in the distance.  

     
(the hogs were about half way between the smallest building and the top of the picture in the open area)

It appeared they had already been by the bait located at Stone House and were now headed towards the river. The wind was wrong blowing from us to them so we quickly made a wide loop around them to the east loosing sight of them. We parked the vehicle a long the top of a ridge that runs east to west and headed out on foot circling around through the thicket attempting to get down wind of the last location we had seen them.

We quickly made our way down the ridge to a creek bottom where we could see well out into the open landscape. NO PIGS! We both glassed for a few minutes then decided that they must have beat us to the crossing at the creek bottom. At this point we side hilled back to the east hoping that we might catch some more pigs down in the bottom.

Bo was about 75 to 100 yards of me and higher up on the ridge when the entire group of hogs busted out of the thicket to his rear. They had turned and worked they way up hill into the thicket that we had just come through and some how had not caught our wind. The only problem now was we were now up wind and in the open. It didn't take them long to figure out we were there and the headed back south towards Stone House.  

I made a wide loop and tried to cut them off but they were just to fast for me. They made it back across the road and up into the draw that ran parallel to Buddy's bait so we backed off. The sun was just sitting on the horizon when I got back to the vehicle. Bo had worked his way on down towards the river, so I just slipped into the brush a few hundred yards from the truck and waited until dark. It was a beautiful sunset and the wind had just about died completely.\\

   

Day 2 had ended with yet another close call with the same hogs from the previous days stalk. The white pig had now beaten me twice in as many days. It was time to turn it up a notch.

               Pigs 2 / Bowhunters 0
>~Rob~>

"Dad, I need to sit down I'm shaking to bad" my 12 year old son the first time he shot at a deer with his bow.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _

Offline paleFace

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #23 on: March 02, 2010, 06:33:00 PM »
Day 3 coming soon to a computer near you.... Stay Tuned gotta fix some vittles for the young man....

Biggie, i forgot to mention that Gene has your workout spoon... how the heck you can eat with that thing is beyond me.    :biglaugh:  

Jack you need to join us for this hunt next year, it's a blast.  This made my 6th trip to Texas. The 1st was with you back in 2004.
>~Rob~>

"Dad, I need to sit down I'm shaking to bad" my 12 year old son the first time he shot at a deer with his bow.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _

Offline Guru

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #24 on: March 02, 2010, 07:27:00 PM »
Beautiful pix Rob...I'd hope to have another "shot" at Lambhead(under "normal" conditions would be nice)
Curt } >>--->   

"I love you Daddy".......My son Cade while stump shooting  3/19/06

Offline paleFace

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #25 on: March 02, 2010, 08:40:00 PM »
I hear ya Curt.  You guys really did have it rough for hunting. The hogs were still locked down for us until Wednesday.  Speaking of it's time for Day 3!

Day 3 dawned clear with the promise of warmer temps and sunshine. The wind however would still be a factor with the weather man predicting 10 to 15 mph. We had meet up with Gene & Barry the night before.  Mark Mitten hopefully will chime in at some point with his story and maybe even a few pics. Regardless things were looking up as the rest of the weeks forecast was for clear and dry weather.

We made the rounds freshening up the bait sites and looking for hogs then we decided to check on a new area known only as the green wheat field. Least that's what the Twins were calling it. We had attempted to locate this field the day before without any luck. Finally after driving around for what seemed the entire day we located the wheat field.

There were numerous places where hogs and probably deer had crossed under the barbed wire leaving clumps of hair. We looked the area over and decided that we needed to stick with the area we had started with. Since we were not going to set up any new baits here we decided to still hunt between the field and the base of the hill which ran parallel to each other.

Right off the bat i picked up this handsome pair of bone.

   

I had was working the base of the hill with Bo in the middle and Buddy out close to the edge of the field. It took me a little over an hour to cover the entire distance and as came to a draw at the far end I had just stopped to glass the terrain in front of me when I caught movement. I quickly slid my binocs around to my side and eased an arrow out of my stalker quiver and on to the string.

The coyote was trotting down of the side hill on a game/cattle trail. If he continued a long this trail he would pass by me at about 15 to 18 yards. Perfect! I've not taken a coyote and was really hoping to get my first chance. As he dropped down into the bottom of the draw and just out of sight I tightened my grip on the bow string and went to a kneeling position. Just seconds later he emerged headed straight towards me. My heart rate quickened    :jumper: .

It was one of those times when I was just dead positive I was going to loose an arrow. As he closed to within 30 yards he hit a place on the trail where it forked. I hadn't noticed the fork at this point, if I had I would have re positioned myself. Any way the gods were with the coyote as he veered off to the left and just out of range.  He trotted on off and out of sight unknown to him he came very close to meeting his maker.

I just sat there with my chin on my hand and took it all in. That was cool. "Close Encounters of the Coyote Kind".  Sorry no picture this time, I was in bowhunter mode with the camera securely in my pack.  I made may on around the base of the ridge then cut back across towards the wheat field where I met up with Bo.  He hadn't seen any hogs and we were getting a little hungry so we headed out towards the road looking for Buddy.

After packing some lunch back at camp we headed back towards Stone House. I hiked up to the top of this ridge just south of Stone House to do a little glassing.

   
>~Rob~>

"Dad, I need to sit down I'm shaking to bad" my 12 year old son the first time he shot at a deer with his bow.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _

Offline paleFace

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #26 on: March 02, 2010, 09:24:00 PM »
Bo would be hunting the bait we started down a long the river and Buddy was back at his spot just to the west of the above ridge.  I hadn't yet decided where I was going for the afternoon, but looking down on Stone House and checking the wind I made the decision to hunt the corral bait.

   

This bait had been getting hit on a regular basis but the wind had been wrong each day up until now. The Twins had been getting set camera pictures of lots of hogs during daylight hours. We had cleared some brush on the opposite side of the stone wall and trimmed in a shooting lane to the bait.

Around 3:00 I made my way down to the corral and got everything set up. I downed a bottle of water and some cashews then took my vest out of my pack and rolled it up for a pillow then I sprawled out on the ground and took me a little cat nap. Being inside the corral and out of the wind with the sun shinning on my face I dozed right off.

   

I had been snoozing for about 45 minutes when I was awoken by a herd of cows that felt the need to interrupt my nap with their loud and obnoxious mews... Sitting back down on my seat made from several of the rocks that had fallen off the wall I put on my game face and readied myself for the wait ahead.

   

I had a good feeling don't ask me why just something told me that this afternoon was going to be good.

This is a photo taken the day before of Bo & Buddy adding the magic ingredients to the bait site. Something about pig liquor and kool aid with with corn and other favorite hog mixtures.

   
>~Rob~>

"Dad, I need to sit down I'm shaking to bad" my 12 year old son the first time he shot at a deer with his bow.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _

Offline Bowmag

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #27 on: March 02, 2010, 09:34:00 PM »
Great photographs. Especially the hawk. That's a shot tougher than hogs in snow.
Really enjoying the story. Hope we have it that exciting next week.
Colburn

Offline Jerry Wald

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #28 on: March 02, 2010, 09:40:00 PM »
great stuff

Offline paleFace

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #29 on: March 02, 2010, 09:57:00 PM »
Looking at my watch it was now almost 5:30 and I hadn't seen a thing with the exception of those pesky cows, especially a calf. At a distance they can fool you for a minute into to thinking they just might be a hog. Any way the wind had died down nicely and the temp had fallen enough that I slipped my vest back on and zipped it up.

I had just glassed off to the east when I heard the distinctive sound of a pig squealing coming from behind me to the south. I eased over to the rock wall to a point where I could see back up across the road and there they were. Two solid black hogs running down off the hillside across the road. At this point they were about 300 yards to my west and paralleling my position.

When they got even with me they stopped at which point I noticed there were several more hogs in tow. I slid back down onto my rock seat and settled in on them with my binoculars. I was sure they were going to keep heading North towards the river when they suddenly turned and were headed right to me. Holy $#!^ they are coming my way. I quickly set my binoc's down and grabbed my bow nocking an arrow.  

As they closed the distance I noticed THE HOG.  Yep it was the same hog that I had had the close encounter with on the previous 2 days. Thinking to myself 3 strikes and your out. Just who was going to be out was the question. Would this pig give me the slip again or would redemption be my fate?  At 100 yards the white hog had taken over the lead and was almost on a dead run coming right to me. As the group crossed down through the creek bottom my heart started pounding in my chest.

I melted into the background as they made their way closer. 50 yards then 40, then 30 and now at 20 yards they had stopped and were checking the wind. Come on, the wind is perfect I was thinking to myself they can't possibly smell me. I not only have the wind in my favor at this point which is blowing steady at about 5 mph, but I also have the rock wall keeping my human shape totally concealed from them. Then the pigs started to move again coming closer still. I sat back on the rock seat so that all I could see at this point was the bait site. I was waiting for them to arrive. The adrenaline had kicked in and I was ready and concentrating.

The first pig to show was one of the medium black coats then a group of about 5 piglets charged in. Where was that big white hog that had busted me Monday night?  It was whitey or none. Then suddenly there it was standing broadside at 12 yards. It was the closest hog to me and in a perfect position for the shot. What happened next seemed like it went down in slow motion.

I slowly drew my Kwyk Styk back reaching full draw then I eased up off my rock seat to clear the rock wall and zeroed in on a black spot just behind the white pigs front shoulder. Then the arrow slipped from my fingers and it was gone. I watched as my arrow connected just an inch above my aiming point and then the area around the bait site erupted in hog chaos. Grunts, snorts, squeals a long with hog butts and elbows as they tore out of there.

I watched as the group of about 12 hogs exited back the way they had come in. That's when I got a surprise. I don't know what happened but as the pigs were running away I noticed that a brown hog, not the one I had shot at mind you had my arrow sticking out of it's right side with only the fletching left inside. How could I have possible missed the hog I was aiming at and hit this slightly small hog. I watched in amazement as it circled around to the left away from the rest of the group and at about 60 yards fall over stone dead.

Don't get me wrong I was pumped, I had taken a pig with my bow. But what the heck happened. I was pretty sure of the shot but had this hog jumped in front of the white hog just as I released. Must have!  I waited a few minutes then eased over the wall and took up the blood trail. That wasn't really necessary as I saw the pig fall over, but I like seeing how well my broadheads work.  The wensel woodsman had done it's job well. The blood trail was awesome.

My brown hog taken with my Kwyk Styk, 53# @ 28" using gold tip arrows tipped with woodsman broadheads. The shot was 12 yards broadside and I got almost a full pass through.

   
>~Rob~>

"Dad, I need to sit down I'm shaking to bad" my 12 year old son the first time he shot at a deer with his bow.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _

Offline paleFace

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #30 on: March 02, 2010, 10:21:00 PM »
I sat there with my hog thinking about what an awesome hunt this had been already and I thank our creator for this opportunity to match wits with one of his creatures. I snapped a few photos using my pack as a tripod of sorts. Then I just sat back I tried to replay the shot and what happened. I just couldn't get it out of my head that I had seen my sight picture, watched my arrow as it struck home and then watched as the pigs ran off.

What took place next will no doubt be a highlight in my bowhunting life. I walked back to the bait site and began looking at the sign around the bait. There was blood immediately and it was easy to follow. I walked a long the red swath down through the creek bottom just as I had done before only this time as I exited the bottom the blood trail split. One trail headed south west to the location of my brown pig and the other went more to the west. What the heck? Now my mind was really playing tricks on me, but I took up the trail any way.

I followed it about 80 to 100 yards when I noticed a big white form lying in the brush maybe 20 yards in front of me. Thinking to myself, "This can't be". Sure enough there was that white hog deader than a door knob. As I walked up on it I was still in shock. I rolled it over and sure enough I had hit right where I thought I had, just behind the front shoulder an inch above where I was looking when I loosed the arrow.

   

My arrow had passed completely through the white pig taking out both lungs in the process then entered the brown pig just a hair lower on the body right behind the shoulder taking out the top of the heart and almost completely passing through the opposite front leg. All that was left in pig number 2 was the fletching and nock.

I had not seen the second pig as I was so focused on whitey that everything else was a blur. If anyone has any doubts about the lethality of a sharp broadhead, this should be proof of the killing power. No question in my mind had my arrow not hit the off shoulder I would have had a double pass through.

Was this luck, You bet and I am one thankful bowhunter. I will most likely never have this happen again and even if I do ever have it happen to get two vitals with one arrow is nuts. I am still in awe of just how this happened.

lucky for me I was able to drive the vehicle right up to the hogs so I only had to drag whitey about 60 yards and that was enough.

     

Day 3 ended, Hogs 2 / Bowhunter 2
>~Rob~>

"Dad, I need to sit down I'm shaking to bad" my 12 year old son the first time he shot at a deer with his bow.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _

Online PV

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #31 on: March 02, 2010, 10:24:00 PM »
Well done Paleface  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Offline robtattoo

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #32 on: March 02, 2010, 10:50:00 PM »
Single bevel my arse!  :D   :D   :D

Awesome story telling so far Rob!
I believe I spent a few hours playing around with that very same hog! Never close enough for a shot though.

A twofer like that is amazing! I would've put it down to a good campfire story if I hadn't seen the pictures  :D
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Offline knife river

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #33 on: March 02, 2010, 10:51:00 PM »
Very, very cool!  And great photos!!!     :thumbsup:
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Offline Jerry Wald

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #34 on: March 02, 2010, 10:56:00 PM »
That's an awesome story Rob - glad you shared it.

I almost got two gropers like that once (two does) I had two non-trophy tags....shot one and the arrow went through and just about took out the one beside her - if they had a been side by side I think it would have worked.

Great shooting and great penetration too.

JB

Offline Wary Buck

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #35 on: March 02, 2010, 11:02:00 PM »
Outstanding stuff.  Great story and even better pics.  Thanks for sharing.
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Offline Whip

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #36 on: March 02, 2010, 11:29:00 PM »
That is absolutely incredible!  Great story and pics Rob!  
I hope you're not finished yet - this is too good to stop now!
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Offline Shinken

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #37 on: March 02, 2010, 11:35:00 PM »
GREAT PHOTOS and an even GREATER STORY Rob!

Thank you for sharing what would be a hunting experience of a lifetime for many.

The field photo of you with the speckled WHITE piece of pork is just *spectacular*!

:~)

Thanks again for takin' the Trad Gang along Rob!

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Offline TxAg

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #38 on: March 02, 2010, 11:39:00 PM »
Awesome story and pics. Wow, a 2fer. That's awesome!

Offline Jack Guard

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Re: Pig Gig week 3 (more snow)
« Reply #39 on: March 02, 2010, 11:46:00 PM »
Way cool, I really enjoyed that story !

Congrats on the twofer!
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