My First Trip to Pig Paradise!......All Done...

[Richie]

   

[awbowman]

I guess watching the video on my phone was blurred.  I thought it was a better shot than that.

[Guru]

Here's the shot...
 

He really wanted to shoot the pig with his arrow in it again...he felt bad about it toting his arrow. But as you saw, it never presented a shot before it moved off with some of the others...

Now the other hog with the arrow in it....we'd seen it the evening before when Cade put the stalk on this group at this stand.  I could see with bino's that it was stuck solid and I couldn't see any evidence of it sticking out the other side....it limped....but was eating corn...

So when this one stayed to eat....our focus shifted to it.....Again Cade shot a bit high.

I'm sure he was a little shook from his earlier shot, and maybe distracted a bit by all the other pigs and the arrow waving around....anyway his arrow sailed just over and with a loud "crack" hit the hog behind it!

It took the arrow with it, and ran hard up the road and was gone in a second!

This shot I wasn't too sure about....I was having a hard time keeping Cade's spirits up...he was feeling really bad about his two shots.

I managed to keep him in the stand for about another 10 minutes...then I knew we had to get down....

So I got down and was waiting for Cade to get ready to get down I walked to the feeder and found the start of a bloodtrail about 5yds. from shot.  I could also see it was bleeding out both sides...

I walked back to get Cade out of the tree and told him the good news....his spirits were immediately lifted      

So after we got everything organized and back in our packs I showed Cade the blood and we followed a bit.  Again it was easy to see that it was a 2 sided bloodtrail and it was steady.

We went back to the stand area to wait on Terry.

It was almost dark when the troop came back for more corn...no shots though....then we saw Terry's flashlight coming.

We got him up to snuff on everything and since we had to walk out on the same trail the bloodtrail went on....we followed....

We went about 100yds when the trail took a turn into the woods and we could suddenly hear rustling on the palmettos....we back out...with a nice cool night ahead of us...we knew it was best to leave this till morning.

Needless to say, Cade was a little quiet around the campfire that night...
•  

[RunninWild77]

Great read great read,      love the suspense. Cade your doing great!

[jonsimoneau]

Nothing to feel bad about there. Those hogs can be tough targets when they are all grouped up like that. Then there is always the pressure that is felt when hunting a new species on a hunt where time is limited. I'd say your doing great Cade!

[Dick Langer]

Guru II which presents a more stationary target a white tail or one of those hogs ,them hogs can be tough ?

[Dick Langer]

Guru II which presents a more stationary target a white tail or one of those hogs ?

[Guru]

You bet they're tough Mr. Langer!!

The weeks leading up to this hunt we watched every video clip I could find of hogs(including some of Bill's) so he could see for himself just he could see what he was up against....it helped I'm sure....but...when you're in the moment...it's still very, very tough!

While I was getting Cade all snuggled up in his sleeping bag for the night we talked about the next morning. We knew we had a hog to look for....that was a given....

But then he asked if I thought it would be alright with both Terry and I if he could go hunt with just Terry.  It was just fine with me(as I said earlier, I was hoping for that from the beginning so he could enjoy some one-on-one time with "Uncle Terry"), I gave him a kiss goodnight and told him I'd ask Terry when I went back out to the campfire....

[coaster500]

 ..........  Had to be hard for Cade to get to sleep that night....

[Don Batten]

Pumpkin Bread? I'm in.

oh and Great story so far Cade. I bet you its a lot warmer down in SC than at your house.

[Guru]

I had no idea so many liked Pumpkin Bread....lets all get together and hunt.... and I promise I'll make some for all of us!!!    

.....Terry was was more than happy to take Cade the next morning. Around the fire on this night is when I told Terry about what Cade had said about him earlier in the day....I could tell it warmed his heart to hear it...

After a quick bite the next morning we were off to corn. That done, Cade and Terry were off for their adventure....wait till you hear that one!!!
•  

Me, I was just going to stay back and hunt "Woods' Stand" and hopefully film myself killing a hog...
 

•  
•  
•  

Absolutely gorgeous morning that I enjoyed the heck out of in the stand...but no hogs showed.

After a while I got down to work my way toward another stand to see if there was anything around.

Checked that feeder and still hadn't seen anything. About half way back to "Woods' Stand" I heard the 4 wheeler.

It was getting closer so I double timed it toward them....I was excited to see how they'd done....seemed early for them to be back....  

[BrushWolf]

Nice hog Terry. Awesome story guys but don't stop now with the great adventure..  

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

keep em coming guys...can't wait to hear what's next!

[Izzy]

Congrats on another hog T. Ill check back on the NY fellers progress tomorrow. Enjoying this thread immensely.

[stujay]

Enjoying the story and pics.

[bill langer]

Good times Gents!!!
Keep it coming!!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Cade,

It's hard to focus on a small spot when you have not only a moving target but a whole bunch of movement around it.  Can make a fellar down right Dizzy.

You are doing a great Job telling the story, keep up  the great work buddy, I am really looking forward to the rest.  

I was down your way today.  It's a good thing you stayed home, lots of cars in the ditch.

[Terry Green]

I was really excited to take this young and budding hunter this morning.  Being that I don't have a son, and that Curt would even allow me to do so.

Cade was taking to this hog hunting really fast, and was VERY brave for a 12 year old, especially since he'd been hearing the larger hogs grunting and growling at us in the thickness of the bedroom and we couldn't even see them!!!

We parked at the Triangle and just shortly after we started our walk I told him not do be discouraged if we didn't see any hogs on our 1st pass as there was a heavy frost and the ground was frozen.  I told him sometimes they wouldn't move early when it was like this cause they couldn't root in hard ground.

We didn't see or hear any hogs all the way to Rob's stand and it was nearly 8 AM....the time the feeders are set to go off.  So, I asked him if he wanted to climb and sit for about 30 minutes as I figured the hogs would come running to the feeders 1st till the ground thawed.  He said 'your call'....I pondered for a minute or two, and started glassing the bottom and then the feeder went off.

I asked him if he wanted to climb, and he said 'let's do it'!!!....So, I heaved him up to the 1st limb and stood below to catch him if he fell.  He had some new boots that were a little clunky and not much good for tree climbing.  I stayed till he got all his gear secure, bow hung, and was safely seated, then I scrambled up Rob's stand.

I whispered to him we'd sit a while, and if he got cold to let me know and we'd get down and stalk some more....he gave me the thumbs up and replied 'They'll be here soon" with a big grin across his face......and I could only grin myself.  This was fun.

       

[Mike Gerardi]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
[qb] 'They'll be here soon" wit a big grin across his face......and I could only grin myself.  This was fun.

AWESOME.        

[Terry Green]

We weren't up there 10 minutes when I turned to Cade and said 'Here they come'.....now this was a different group than the evening before, but they came in scurrying and leap frogging each other down the road till the feeder was in sight....and then it was a foot race.....

They piled in and it was like watching a tennis match....glancing right at Cade and left at the hogs, back and forth - back and forth.

I'd spied a blond hog with some spots on it, and I just knew Cade was going to pick that one out.....I saw Cade waiting and waiting and I whispered to him to shoot....and he whispered back 'I've picked one out'....I told ya this was fun!!!  Here's a 12 year old not just satisfied with just any of them, he's already being selective....gotta love it!!!

I saw him draw and slowly back down....FOUR times.....but the FIFTH time he drew I looked back just in time to see the shot and the arrow looking good on its way to that spotted hog that was quartering away......

Your up Cade!!!