Success?

[Crittergetter]

Been raining for the last 2 days off and on. So when the rain stopped today around 1:00 I grabbed my hickory bow and went to the nearest wma to try some spot and stalk on pigs! I was confident they would be on the move with the rain letting up. Walked about a mile when I found really fresh sign. Turned up a trail with the wind in my face and went another 400 yrds or so and spotted some hogs feeding my way. Steeped off the trail and waited what seemed like forever before a black and white pig about 70 lbs came walking by and presented a 18 yrd shot. We'll, I missed! Shot right in front of him!  After they scampered off I pick up my arrow with a smile on my face. To my surprise I wasn't upset! After about an hour of walking around I ended up back on the main trail and to my surprise there was the same group of hogs feeding my way. I couldn't believe it. Stepped off the down wind side of the trail and waited . The same pig I missed earlier walked by at 10 yrds. This time I connected but was a little higher than I would have liked! After abor 30 min I picked up the blood trail and found the fletching part of my arrow. Trail was a little hard to follow with everything so wet. Followed about 150 yrds or so when it turned down into a really really think thicket. Ended up dropping all my gear and was on my hands and knees going where no man should try to go! I continued in for about 30 min before I realized I could go no farther! So with the light fading I surrendered! Fought my way back to my gear and headed for home. Though I'm saddened by not retrieving my first trad animal I know I gave it everything humanly possible! So I consider today a SUCCESS !!

Keep after them! Pigs have a very high will to survive. Good luck on your next one!

Bisch

[tradarcher816]

Well done, keep at it!

[Orion]

I mean no disrespect, but I don't think you gave it sufficient effort.  So you ran out of light.  Did you still have blood when you quit?  It's still out there.  Why not go out tomorrow morning and try to find it.  If you give up after a half hour, you're going to lose a lot of animals.

[Crittergetter]

I waited 30 min before I picked up the blood trail, followed the trail for about an hour. Like I said it was hard to follow due to the wet conditions. Then when I got to the thickest stuff I followed on my hands and knees for about 30 more min thru the thickest stuff I've ever been in in my life! Only when I could physically go no farther ( couldn't squeeze thru) and was getting dark and could no longer see blood did I turn around. Sorry if my previous post wasn't clear. I feel I gave it 110 percent and am not at all disappointed in my effort. I would love to go back in the morning but with work it won't be possible!

[fredhill]

I'm confused. How is this a success?

[Crittergetter]

I don't measure success in the number of animals I harvest. I admit my failure in not retrieving my game. The success for me lies in the adventure. After all that is what I am truly in pursuit of. In each and every moment that i am in Gods creation with a bow in my hand. To be so close to his creation that you can smell them, see the glint in their eyes, and hear them breath! The sight, smell and sounds of nature! The closeness I feel the the land, the connection I have with everything around me!  Some of my most memorable hunts came and went without a single arrow being nocked! Those moment and feelings is what I am after! The taking of game is a bonus. So, yes, yesterday I was successful in my adventure but I failed to retrieve my game! I apologize if anyone has found this thread offensive or abrasive in any way! And I will gladly remove it if others are of the same opinion!

[buckeye_hunter]

The following is just my opinion and you all may have other ideas.

The recovery was unsuccessful. The hunt WAS successful to him because I'm sure he learned a thing or two. Also, he was able to get a shot on a live wild boar not once, but twice.

The brush became impenetrable and he wasn't able to get the hog. Texas brush has thorns we can't imagine in deciduous forests!

A slightly high shot on a hog will leave you looking for a long time if you find it at all. The fact that he searched for 30 minutes just to get a blood trail at all is telling of the effort he put in to find this boar. Most people would have stopped after a few minutes without locating any blood.  

He then crawled into a pig tunnel through the brush UNARMED to try to recover the animal. I believe he worked hard to recover this pig. In my mind, the hunt itself was successful.

If you have ever shot a hog with a bow, it is WAY different than shooting a deer. They have a will to live and a toughness that FAR surpasses a whitetail.

I watched a 200 pound hog trying to pull my arrow out of it's side a full 50-60 seconds AFTER I double lunged it! I have never seen an animal live that long after having both lungs taken out. I have 3 witnesses to testify to it. There were right there with me and we watched the sow go into the ravine and try to work the arrow out of herself.

Upon autopsy she had been, in fact, double lung shot and still lived roughly a full minute. Bottom line...pigs are tough and less than perfect shots lead to a recovery rate far worse than deer.

Whether or not you consider it a success, he does.  Only he knows how much was learned about tracking or hunting wild pigs during this outing.

[buckeye_hunter]

I wouldn't pull the thread. There are things to be learned here.

1. Difficulty of tracking in wet conditions.
2. Durability of a pig.
3. Understanding shot placement.
4. Not giving up on tracking an animal just because you don't see blood quickly.
5. Success means different things to different people.
6. You stated respect for the animal in your post.

These are important points to consider.

[David Mitchell]

I don't think you should pull it either.  I have hunted, and killed, lots of hogs.  One thing I can tell you for sure--you will have difficulty recovering any pig shot "a little high".  Vitals are very forward and low.

[Tom]

Agree with buckeye.Sad the animal wasn't recovered but unfortunately under similar conditions it isn't unusual. I would go out the next day and adequately armed would give it one more try-just for my own satisfaction.One reason I don't hunt in wet conditions.

[Pat B.]

Good hunt !

The brush and briars get so thick you'd swear nothing but a rattlesnake could get through..

[fredhill]

It begs the question though, since you are from TX I assume you deer hunt. If so what if this was a 150" buck? Would you still put in the same recovery effort? Or would you take a half day or full day off work to look for it? FWIW I know all about hogs and thick brush, swamps, etc.