2014 Hill Gang Hog Hunt

[threeunder]

Wondering just what I missed due to work.  LOL.

Anxious to hear cause I'm living vicariously through all the attendees this weekend!

[Rick Butler]

Waiting patiently for pics.  

[RC]

[RC]

First I got to say I had an outstanding time on this hunt. I regret I did not get to stay but just one day last year so as quick as dates were set for this year I started hounding my Boss. Both of them, the one at work and the one of near 29 years at home. It worked out and I was able to get there on Wed Morning. I planned a bit sooner but would not miss my Grandsons first ever Basketball game.
   I pulled in to camp around 11:00 am and had camp set in maybe 30 minutes. If my Wife had came it would have taken 4 hours....
   I grabbed my bow and went to check a few spots. I had tried to get here some weeks back but could not turn loose. The last time I had been here was the one day last year then 3 days the year before so I did not know what was gonna be hot at the time as pig hunting changes a lot with River Stage and Mast.
   I found a couple of promising areas and then headed to camp to hook up with Darren "Tradlongbow".
   Someone from last year may recognize this ...

   


After a Handshake and some talk we were off for the Swamp. We would be covering ground looking for hot sign and a pig but really needed a day of hunt/scouting for a good start. People often make the mistake of hunting the first decent sign they see , if they covered a bit more ground a lot of times much better places can be found.
  I should have kept some stuff written down so I could remember all but we checked several different spots and found a lot of sign in some and a little in others but every where we went there was pig sign.
   When I say spots that means usually a mile loop back to the truck at least. On my last days hunt I went just over a 5 mile loop.Looking at stuff like this and shooting lots of arrows makes it worth it..

   

   

 In the last pic the River had been flooded a while and had fallen out in about the last 10 days. The trees have a "mud" color to them.

[RC]

WE hunted the evening with no pork sighted then got a mid Morning start the next day after Breakfast. It was maybe 25 degrees during the night and my new sleeping blanket plus the two old ones all bundled together made for a great nights rest.
  We drove to the "town" side of the place to an area I had killed pigs before in years past and made maybe a 4 mile loop. I heard one group of pigs I`m sure way ahead of us head into a huge thicket. I`m sure they winded us because the wind was swirling so bad had we walked with out nose in it we would have never lost sight of the truck.
  The whole end of the place was covered in sign but we did not see any pigs. We did find a neat looking blow down..

   

  After lunch we hit another spot next to a big thicket hoping to catch some pigs coming out to feed near dark. There were still a lot of Water oak acorns on the ground and with the pressure from other hunters we knew they would be coming out late. Right at last light a group of pigs came out between us but it had already got to late to try to get to them.
  Paul "Moleman" rolled into camp at sometime around this part of the tale and we shook hands and a new Friend was made. Paul is a cool guy that is fun to hang with. After another 20-25 degree night I figured the pork would move late Morning so I slept in.
  The other guys in the group pic began to roll in and a fine group of Hill style longbows were there. I shot A Sunset Hill that made me really want to take my longbow making to another level. It was the finest longbow I have ever shot.I also got to handle a one made by my Hero John Shulz.Simple beauty.
  I struck out of camp maybe at around 1:30 and before I got to my planned spot for the afternoon I saw two nice boars in the road. I drove a bit farther down and a sow runs across the road.I`m talking about a two path woods road not a public road. I stopped and looked around.Plenty of cover meaning...THICK. Scattered water oaks and today at least for now a steady wind. I drove on down to the spot I had in mind and decided to check it out then come back to see if I could fine these pigs after they had time to simmer down. There was a very narrow bottom I could walk and listen for pigs through the thick stuff.
  I made a short walk at one place and saw a few deer. I actually saw deer nearly every time I hunted. I looped down to the River and followed a slough that was running into the River..

   

Looked like a good place for a fella to rest his legs ...

   

I then headed back to the "Hilly" side of the place to see if I could find pork where I had seen the ones in the road. This looked like a good place to start...
   

[RC]

I covered maybe a half mile and spotted movement ahead of me in some thick stuff. I got to about 40 yards and pulled out my video camera and managed to get a bit of shaky footage of two small "grill" pigs. I filmed as I got closer and at about 20 yards I came to a place that would be tough to get through without a lot of noise. I was on my knees and leaned around a stump I was behind and saw yellow feathers when they look the best...going through the spot I`m looking at...The small pig ran in the thick stuff and I could here noise in there and I decided to back out as it was only maybe 2:30 or so . I went about 400 yards in the wind and hunted about an hour before coming to take up the trail. Lots of blood...

   

As I was trailing a pig jumped up and stood for a second, I thought it was the one I had shot and maybe my eyes fooled me and I made a bad shot . I had a second to shoot and probably could have made the shot but did not want to risk pushing a wounded pig I knew would lay up close by . It trotted off and I looked to my left and my pig was laying there dead. Man...I should have shot the other one.

   

It don`t look like it in the pic but it very thick in this spot. I was a short distance to where the ridge dropped off and so I took the porker there for skinning because I had plans for coming back to this thicket and did not want buzzards flapping over a carcass and spooking critters the next day.

  Beautiful place. Looks like I`m hunting with my HillBilly Buddies. Try as I might I could not make a small pig look big in the pics. Hey, it was a good shot...

   

[RC]

I got the pig in the cooler  and was off to find more pork. I made a near mile bearing through a thick area and heard pigs coming my way. again I got the camera out for shaky footage . It was a huge sow with maybe 8-10 shoats with her. They were coming straight at me and I had no time to move . The wind was at a bad angle but the sow would come by at maybe 20 yards if she didnt wind me. I was laying my camera down as she got near my shooting lane when she locked up. Woofed and took off. I leaned around the tree and got some going away footage and "woofs" from the sow. Which in pig talk is kinda like laughter...
  I went by several trees like this while there and this one had a lot of "cutter" marks on it..


   

   I hunted till dark only seeing a couple of deer and a big gobbler that could have kilt me if he wanted. I almost stepped on him before he busted.I don`t know if he was cold or just wanting to see if he could care scare the crap out of me...he did.

  I headed on back towards camp and I was almost at the railroad tracks on the paved road..some of you fellas know where that is I saw a HUGE boar in the road. I`m thinking thats the biggest pig I`ve ever seen. It was facing directly away in the middle of the road and was very thick. As I got closer the big "Boar" turned into a Bear. He ran up on the high bank and ran a bit in the thicket. I fumbled for my camera and got a cruddy pic zoomed a bit in low light but it was very cool...

   

Right above where the trees make the X  he is broadside facing left. You can see his rounded "butt" just to the right of the small gray tree. It was very cool.

[RC]

Got back to camp and everyone told of their days adventures. Some fellas had shots and I think all but one saw pigs.We gathered up and went to Hawkinsville and ate at a Seafood Buffet...Man we really roughed it on this trip...
  My last Day hunt was great I decided to take the road to the "WhiteHouse" and when it ended get a bearing and cut through the middle of the swamp hoping some pigs may still be hanging out on some of the Islands. after about 1.5 miles from the truck you hit the River and across is this...

   

Here is a little better close-up. Its a shame for a fella to have to live in a "shack" like this on the River.....


   


I made my run through the swamp and came to a beat down path headed in a thicket. Two steps in and I heard a big pig get up. He was maybe 15 yards and we both knew we were there but I had no shot. He stood a few seconds then woofed and ran. I cut my bearing through the swamp and headed to camp. The other hunters rolled in . I had already broke camp and said my goodbyes and was on the road home.
  I camp here nearly every year around this time of year or the last week in March. Its always fun with some action. I don`t always kill stuff but usually have a chance at something and thats all a hunter can ask for. Thank you Good Lord for meeting new Friends and a safe trip.RC

   

[NOMAD88]

Congrats RC! Great story and great pics.    

[jsweka]

 Way to go RC! Showin' the crew how it's done!

That's the bow you recently made, isn't it?

[RC]

Thank you. Yes it is the same bow.RC

[steadman]

Robert, thank you for the pics and write up. Great shot  

[RC]

The other guys should be home now with some tales . I know of at least 4 other shots at pork...RC

[tarponnut]

Great story and pics RC! Wish I could've made this trip.

[Rick Butler]

Good stuff!  Definitely on my list for next year.

[Killdeer]

Where is everybody? I am starting to worry. Maybe RC and the Moleman barbecued them! They shoulda stayed away from the KoolAde!!!!

Killdeer  

[ChuckC]

I Was  There And Had A Great Time, But Went Home Via Mom In-Law's To Help Out, So I Have No Real Computer Access For A Bit,Just Phone.    It WAs Cold, But Fun.  Great Bunch Of Guys Made It. Killdeer, I Wish You Were Able  To Make IT.

It Was A Great Way To Meet The Folks We Talk With Here And More Should Participate.
chuckc

[Dan bree]

Looks like a great time can't wait for retirement when I'll have more time never hunted pigs before . We have them down south jersey . Feral pigs. Running around the houses tareing up the gardens.   Hey killdeer, remember nj  hackestown school days?   Shot with you at the Baltimore shoot a few times

[Nattybumppo]

I was there for Friday afternoon. RC killed a pig midday Friday. Only one that got stuck that week.

[canopyboy]

Originally posted by RC:
The other guys should be home now with some tales . I know of at least 4 other shots at pork...RC

3 were mine.

Great time.  Will try to sit down and write about it and post some pics soon.  Things a bit crazy at the moment.

-Dave