Gettin' Excited - Ray Hammond's Hog Heaven

[BowHunterGA]

Originally posted by kbetts:
Yea, my wife just loves the fact I'm literally unreachable for four days......
 

Mine is actually pretty happy to be rid of me for 3 or 4 days. I'd say the honeymoon is just about over at this point......  

[sticksnstones]

They are now a couple of days into the hunt and the weather report looks promising. I sure hope that new ice maker is getting some good use about now!
Thom

[Ray Hammond]

Two folks have success stories and someone else has the yips!!!

[BowHunterGA]

Can't wait to hear the tales.  

[sticksnstones]

Originally posted by Ray Hammond:
Two folks have success stories and someone else has the yips!!!

That's awesome! I can't wait to read these stories!
Thom

[Bud B.]

Here's a rundown of my sighti9ngs:

Armadillo - 2

Turkey - 3 (didn't turkey hunt)

Deer - three (one was a large bodied buck with a droopy right ear and nubs where his antlers used to be. We jumped him while he was bedded in rivercan that was in a hardwood stand of old Oaks)

Coyote - 1 (near the Jon boats in the hardwoods)

Buzzards - about 20 on Saturday at about noon eating the hog hit by a speeding car Friday night. WHACK!! Bumper undercarriage remains on the shoulder)

Alligator - 1 (about a five footer near the
statue)

Antler shed - 1

Big coal black boar - 1...ask Todd    


benny and Dennis have some tales....I'll let them jump in....

Still unpacking and drying out.

[sticksnstones]

[Rick Butler]

 x2

[Mike Vines]

Just got home.  I have to spend some time with my wife, so just a teaser from me...Started Thursday in Estill about 4 hours before I was supposed to get there, so what better to do then get some fried chicken then head into town and strike up a conversation with a couple local women.  Went EXACTLY (no chit) like this.

Me- What's there to do in Estill for a few hours till my buddies get into town?

Her- What ch'all doin?

Me- Hog hunting

Her- My husband once fed me hog nuts...

And the trip only got better from there.  Tell some more tomorrow.  

Oh yeah, got to meet Woody (kinda funny to follow a hog nut story with one that starts with a woody) he is the best flint knapper I have ever seen.  He made me a head for an arrow I made up for all the attendees, and a couple others either made their own to mount on their arrow or asked woody for some help.  All around great bunch of guys.

[Mudd]

 

God bless,Mudd  

[kbetts]

Ummmm, someone has to be awake by now.

[Bud B.]

I took a few photos.

Here are some.

Buck rub near the turkey foot split.
 


A wallow in a dried up swamp trough. I found this Friday morning. We set up on it Friday evening. That's when the lone black boar came in for a mud bath. Todd has the Paul Harvey on that.
 


Andrew, the property owner, said the place was logged back at the turn of the last century. I would have like to have seen this log. This cypress was about 14 feet wide at the base. Not all of it is in the frame.

 


A well photographed lady of the swamp.

 


Hog trails viewed from my climber stand.

 
 

Flowers that scatter the area.
 

Humidity was high in March. Storms passed through. I feel for you guys that hunt in the dead of summer. But Ray says its a good time to hunt.
 

[Bud B.]

My only photo of the group

L-R

Dennis, Ray, Mike (with turkey spur necklace), Larry, Mike, Benny, Todd, Woody.

A few seconds before this shot, Woody was preparing an arrow shaft for a stone head. Every eye was glued to his working hands. I wanted to get that shot but was about 10 seconds too late.


 

[Bud B.]

A better view of the large cypress stump.

This is Todd.

 

[benny]

Boy what a weekend!
First I would like to think Larry Surtees for paying for this hunt and donating it to the St Judes aution. It was an honor to meet and share camp with you sir and also you cook great breakfast. THANK YOU.

Now for this hunt you had three choices.
First-Hog hunt at Hog Heaven
Second-Turkey hunt (should also be called Turkey Heaven)
Third-Flint knapp with Woody Blackwell

I choose to turkey hunt first and try to learn from Woody. Then do a little hog hunting.

Sorry guys, having to use my work computer. Laptop at home not acting right. Bear with me.

[Ray Hammond]

Bud those are some great photos...I especially like the one of the hog trails through the prescribed burn.

Most folks think those burnings mess up the hunting but that photo proves the opposite.

Most of the time critters are as curious as people and want to see 'what's going on'.

I've seen turkeys in a burn while it was going on picking up 'hot' fried grasshoppers and other bugs as well as toasted seeds...when they looked like they'd get their beaks scalded they were so close behind the fire!

I sure enjoyed getting to spend time with everyone and many thanks to Larry and Chris' children for putting this hunt on in memory of their son and father-Chris Surtees, and for the kids of St Judes.

[Mike Vines]

Ok, where did I leave off?  Oh yeah, Hog Nuts...

We all met up at Wiggins, like was determined but Ray was running late so the land owner picked us all up.  Andrew is trully a Southern Gentleman.  He is a fine example of what "Southern" folk are, and man can he cook.  Probably the best beef stew I have ever had the pleasure of eating.

After we all got aquatinted, it was time for aerials.  If any of you have never seen Benny run, try having him throw aerials.  That boys flat out knows how to get out of the way.        

Saturday found me in the swamp.  If I was squirrel hunting, I would have had a ball.  They were everywhere.  I got to see the resident gator in Blue Lake and even got a few pictures of it.  No pigs were seen by me on Saturday, but my main reason for going was to not only meet everyone involved, but to actually see a wild pig, and I did just that.  I did pull off the best stalk of my life on Todd and Bud though, but I will see if one of them will chime in on the details of that one.  I will say that they thought they were in the middle of nowhere and "ain't nobody gonna find us".

Sunday I decided to not hunt, but instead drink coffee and listen to the turkeys gobble all around the property.  

I really enjoyed the flint knapping course taught to us by woody but it is alot harder than it looks.  Coming in from hunting, I could hear the guys around the firepit chipping away and talking.  My only comparison would be to that of women sitting around knitting, just a much cooler aspect of it.  After trying my hand at knapping, I respectfully asked Woody if he could make me a broadhead to mount on an arrow.  I made up 1 arrow for all the guys in attendance to have as a keepsake and memory of the great times we had.  A couple of the guys already have their broadheads mounted on them, maybe they can upload a picture or two of them for the thread.

I'm very greatfull for Larry to get the ball in motion for this hunting trip to start, for he was the beginning of the adventure.  Ray and Mike did an outstanding job, and made sure there was never a dull moment while in camp.

Thanks to everyone involved, and last but not least, a huge thank you to Delaney for the absolutely best pound (5#) cake I have had.  It topped off a fun filled trip with an awesome group of guys.

Being the only northerner there, I will now read everyone's posts in a whole new accent now.  Heck it's even started to rub off on me already.

Anyway, I'm fixin to get back to work, I'll have to wait till my next trip to get something kilt.      

[Ray Hammond]

"Hey, Maaik, you 'bout as sharp as a mashed podado!"

Just thought it would make you feel like you were right back at camp...I know after thirty years I still go through withdrawals when I leave there...it has to be tough on newbies!!!  

[snakebit40]

[kbetts]

Just when I was considering passing on turkey hunting, it looks like I'm going to have to dig a little deeper into the kitty...