Thanks RC!
I was hunting with Matt Schuster back in February. I had been walking most of the morning when I stumbled on a group of pigs in the palmettos (love getting on pigs in the palmettos
). Shortly after starting to close in, a line of pigs started off in the opposite direction so I backed out and started in their direction because my eye caught sight of the red and black beauty up top.
They stopped to feed on some acorns in a small slough that had sparse cover. I knew if I stayed upright they would spot me, but the ground between me and the edge of the slough was thick palmettos. I knew I could get away with more noise than an upright moving silhouette based on my limited experience and from what I have learned from veteran pig killers like Matt and RC,so I dropped down on my hands and knees.
I worked my way, noisily, thru the palmettos and even threw in a grunt every now and then. The pigs looked my way several times but assumed I was just one of the gang. Three pigs were in the group and the red/black spotted hog was my intended target from the get go. I finally made it to the end of the cover which put me about 17 yards from the pigs. I drew back my Bob Lee (recurve riser with longbow limbs) and let the shot go.
This was the first trad shot on a game animal I have any real recollection of and the first to really feel controlled like I practice. I knew I had hit a hair higher than I intended but felt the shot should have got the back of the lungs, but was worried about finding a good blood trail due to the high hit from ground level. Luckily I had an "ace in the hole" with Matt's German Wirehair, Montana. I called Matt and we put Montana on the trail. After a couple of false starts she lead us right to my first non black pig lying amongst a clump of palmettos maybe 100 yards away.
Overall, this was a great hunt with a good friend on a beautiful property. A cool looking hog was just the cherry on top of a wonderful weekend hunt. Doesn't get much better than that!!!!
Topic: Greg Clark up top (Read 557 times)
