Expedition Hog Heaven

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Now how do we entice steve to post his story????  :confused:

[Biggamefish]

Well since he went swimming with his phone down in the swamps of S.C. he might have a hard time. Lol. But I might be able to post at least one story.

[Biggamefish]

On the last day it was hard to get out of bed.  We had put some long hours in stalking pigs rocks and tree stumps in the last two days.  I could see Steve was tired and not really motivated but I told him I had a plan that just might work.

  I told Steve I would do I slow still hunt to him.  We would target one of the big boars I had bumped the day before.  I told him this should take most of the morn and he was good with that.

  Steve took off down the trail to get on stand and I gave him 20 minutes to get settled and ready.  

  I slowly made my way into the swamp basin and started to still hunt my way down the waters edge.  The wind was blowing directly to Steve so I had to start a zig zag pattern so I might get a shot off if I did bump something.  I was on my zag pattern and heading back to the waters edge when I stopped to listen.  Nothing was moving the only thing I could see was the turkey buzzards and hear a few frogs croaking in the swamp.  Then the crash I see a pig get up.  A lone boar goes running out from behind a log.  The palmetto's are like thunder as he crashes through them.  I can only see the top of his back as he beats feet to get out of there. I knew he was big.  He stopped at 50-70 yards then ran another 20 and stopped again.  I stood there watching him go knowing Steve was down there somewhere and the hog was heading directly towards him.  I stood still for 10 min so I didn't push him any faster than he was already going.  Then I started my still hunt again hoping there was a great story at the end of this hunt.

[rbcorbitt]

And........????
What's rest of the story???

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Matt, see you in a couple hours, this way I can beat the rest from you  

[Biggamefish]

Well I slowly made my way to Steve.  I see him and I can tell something went down so I cover the last 100 yards and he says " dude he ran right by me and jumped in the swamp"  

I said so you saw the hog go by?  

 "yeah it worked perfect.  I was sitting here and I had two deer walk up to me.  Then I hear a crash and I see the Palmetto's swaying back and forth.  I thought it was you coming through at first then alls I see is a black back moving through palmetto's.  He is coming right for me and he had to go right or left cause I was sitting on that log right there.  So the pig went left and I knew I had him then.  He came into 30 yards and I needed to get a clear shot.  So I jump over the log and put some tension on the string.  Somehow the pig musta caught my motion cause he stopped for a split second then took off right towards the water.  Just as he is about to jump in I have a clear shot I pull anchor and drop the string.  I watch as my arrow it goes right over his back.  The pig jumped in the water and swam through the swamp".  

  So I ask "where is your arrow"?

  He says "out in the water"

VIDEO
   

[Biggamefish]

I could hardly stand up because I was laughing so hard at this point but it only got better.  Now remember the video earlier in the post of that nice little alligator!

VIDEO
 

[Biggamefish]

Yes you are seeing that right, that is a Yankee swimming in the S.C swamp.  I was waiting for him to start doing the back stroke.  We called it a day after that I could hardly stand up because my stomach was cramping because I was laughing so hard and Steve said he was a little cold after his little dip in the pond!

  We got back to camp and I told Steve that it was up to him if we told the guys he missed again.  He never did but he did say that I could post it here.

  We are both looking forward to getting back there so we can chase those pigs again.  This time though I am going to bring swimmy's for Steve.

  Thanks Ray,Mike,Mike D.,Doug,Brad,Aldo,Ray R. you made it a great trip.

[steve helstowski]

OK ....I can't stand it any longer...I'm actually going to post something..I guess there's a first time for everything.As Matt has already written, a bunch of great guys showed up for this trip,I'm still laughing at some of the things we talked about..seems to me that this trip matt and I had much better game plans..many more hog sightings and shot opportunities(misses)...Sorry guys about posting so late in the story..I learned this time around that the swamps will allow you to move around silently provided the wind is right...just don't leave your smartphone in your pocket while walking through waist deep water...anyway..the last day I was planning on just loading up and hanging out ..Matt dragged me out and laid down the super sneaky game plan..I was to post at the corner of where a strip of palmettos met the swamp..Matt was convinced if he didn't get a shot  that I would..Finding a log to sit on..i soaked in the sounds of the southern swamps..as my mind traveled to far off places a grunt snapped me back into hunt mode..a small group of 30 pounders snuck by out of bow range...maybe matt was right...twenty minutes later I heard something busting through the palmettos... I stood on the log trying to get a better look..my eyes almost popped out when I spotted a huge pig pushing my way...I stepped off the log just as he turned my way...all the pieces where falling into place ..just as I starting to swing into draw the pig spun away.. and jumped into the waste deep swamp..the sight of him swimming away shocked me..I moved up and made a decision to shoot ..the arrow disappeared right were I wanted..I followed the pig as he half swam / galloped another 300 yards..no arrow..no signs of a hit..as stood there fighting of a massive adrenalin dump I see matt ghosting along ...

[Biggamefish]

Here is a a shot of the golden arrow Steve won at his swim meet!!!!!    

 

Another of my pig

 

[Cyclic-Rivers]

 

Thanks for telling the story in person Today.

Great pics.!!

[steve helstowski]

Yes....that miss and story cut me deep! Lol

[Biggamefish]

All in good fun.  Redemption will be sweet.

[Ray Hammond]

So my only chance to get out was Sunday morning.  I leave as daylight begins to break and my plan was to listen to turkeys to keep tabs onwhatthey were doing.

As I near a field edge I see very deep fresh rootings - big time stuff.   I move up where I can glass most of the field and see nothing.  Figuring they've left just minutes ago I continue my birding expedition

As I close on the opposite side of the field I see a bucketful of dirt fly up- HOG!

He is down in a hole digging

I scramble to get one of the few trees in the field between us and move in. As I get to the tree I am thirty plus yards out and drop to my knees as there's no more cover.  

I watch and wait.  The wind is coming from the south so it's a crosswind.   So far so good. But then it begins turning a little toward the southeast so if it continues he's going to get a snoot full in a minute

Now I know better than this- but here's a 300 lb boar- a real giant throwing five gallon buckets of dirt in the air and he's moved to 27-28yards of me- the hog of my dreams isrightthere!!

So I'm on my knees but instead of being sideways to him I am facing at him which you guessed it- is going to move my arrow because I will short draw and I won't be positioned to make my normal shot.  

I let it slip from my fingers- the elevation is good- perfect in fact- but it zips just by him- he immediately does a 180 and stares at the flo green fletch and blue and silver crown and knows that wasn't supposed to be there and does that "snout high and to the side" trot until, stopping a couple times on the way to check his back trail and makes for security cover!

Now I have something to work toward on future trips!

[rbcorbitt]

That's the attitude, Ray!  I still like the idea about utilizing Squirrel Bait to draw that bad boy back out!

If you need a back-up shooter, you just let me know!!

[Joeabowhunter]

Some great stories guy's!  Boy do I want to get down there again!  

[ALDO]

Hey Ray,
Told you to sell that bow!!!
ALDO

[rbcorbitt]

Aldo,

Thing is that I've got right of first refusal!    

I know it's not the bow - it's killed the only two pigs that it was ever shot at   !

[ALDO]

Hey Bob,
It was a standing joke all weekend as I was on the list for almost the exact same bow.  I now have a 2 piece carbon elite I have had for 4 seasons and it pulls 50 at 26" so getting the opportunity to shoot the dark matter as it was set up was almost worth the price of the hunt. Thanks
ALDO

[wapiti792]

As I sit here one week removed from our SC adventure and watch the now 5 inches of snow fall I am missing the beautiful bottom and swamps as well as my new friends.

What a great hunt! I can't wait to go back