Back From The Bigboar Lodge '08

[BT]

really a blur.....thats a good way to put it!
We need to get a Dictaphone for Ray so that he can get his side of the story on this page .... without him having to spend the night writing it

[mtshooter]

Great story Greg man I wish I could have made this trip

[bowman]

great story Greg them are some tough animals.

[jamaltwy]

skipmaster !!

you are one crazy dude !!

As always you are on point with hunting helping everyone recover game and jumping in places most won't tread!!

For those about to rock "WE SALUTE YOU"!!!

[SPIKER]

Yes!! \

Hey Doegirl, let's hear about your experience in the stand..

[jamaltwy]

yes doegirl!!

lets hear your story from first time hog slayer!!!!!

How was it in camp with all that testosterone!! ;D ;D

[Greg Krause]

Day 2

Saturday rolled around and by 7:30am and a few cups of coffee we were all locked, cocked and ready to rock. The guides showed up and we were on our way.
Saturday was a real blurr for me. Lots more walking, stalking and pushing through thick brush and deep swamp.
I split off with Randy and started looking for a good hog to take. It was hot and the hogs sat tight until we started getting in the thick stuff after them. We saw some hogs but only the smaller ones offered shots. we heard news that Doegirl had slammed a nice Russian and Bt's 1st Hog had been recovered. It was looking like a much better day than the one before. Randy and I eventually came across BT standing over a GIANT hog with Mark and David. They told us another good hog had just made it's way up through the pine grove above us. Randy took one side of the grove and I took the other. about 60yds up I saw a few smaller hogs cross the overgrown grassy trail. I got low and moved up to within 20yds of the spot they were crossing. I eased up to look over the grass and a group of hogs with a few good sized ones in it were headed to cross 30yds behind me....where I just came from. I quickly made my way back down the trail and a few 100# hogs crossed 15yds from me. I was ready for a big one to come out when a few tiny football sized piglets came out and spotted me. They snorted and ran back into the pines taking the other hogs with them. I stood up and came to full draw with the Shrew on the largest hog, who was the last one still in range at 24yds, she snorted and turned broadside as went to leave. I released and sent the Phathead tipped Beeman towards her. i hit her a few inches high, taking out her spine. Her back legs dropped and she squeeled like mad. She took off running using only her front legs, i sent another arrow into her at 35yds as she ran straight away. she fell over and i ran up to her. she tried to stand and i drove my knife into he chest, which ended her struggle after one last squeel. The guides came running up to me to see what all the noise was about and strated laughing when they saw my knife burried into it's chest. It wasn't the best shooting in the world but I got the job done.
At this point the guides said that Ray had also taken a huge hog. I made my way up the trail to meet up with him. most of the crew was already there and I could see the bloodtrail from a good distance away! After a few high fives and slaps on the back we followed the grusome spitfire bloodtrail a short distance to a massive hog. He had been waiting in a treestand at the intersection of 2 trails and this giant came lumbering up and turned broadside. The shot was perfect and as the hog turned Ray said he saw blood pouring out of it. A few seconds later he heard the crash.
It was lunch time and we had all tagged an animal except Randy and he decided to stay while we all went down for lunch. After dealing with the animals we had slayed and getting some grub, we all headed back out. Randy came out at that point and wanted to grab some grub and a nap.
a few of us still had a few animals in mind. everyone took a stand except for Frank and I and the guides. I had the Vulcan in hand because i had broken all but 1 arrow for the shrew. after doing a few pushes trying to get some fallow deer near the stands, I decided to try for the Texas Dall I had seen earlier. Frank and I decided he had the best looking horns of the group of the Rams. I started a stalk and I ranged the rams at 50yds. I made my way slowly to what i thought was 40yds when all the Rams but the one I was after jumped up and started to leave. I drew and put my 40 yd pin of the ram, who was laying broadside. I let the Vulcan Bark. I hit the ram high in the back and realized that I had closed the distance to about 35yds........not 40yds. The ram stumbled off and following the others. The stepped into the main trail and were trotting straight away from me, with my ram on the right hand side of the trail. Frank said "texas heart shot" as I came to full draw, wanting to get another arrow in the ram. I aimed high with my 60yds pin as he ran straight away. The arrow was just off center and caught him if the left ham, but not solidly. The group turned and ran down the hill. Frank ran to cut tyhem off and finally got into 30yds but was never offerd a shot. He mover ahead further and I was offered another 60yds shot. i took it and the K&R Anchor tipped with a spitfire took the ram in the back of the ribs. The ram ran off and fell. I slowly made my way down and grabbed my arrow. I tried to pull the anchor through and the ram jumped up ripping the arrow from my hand and ran another 30yds. I hit him again with another anchor, taking out his heart. He took a few steps and fell......what a nightmare! At least i recovered the ram and found that the K&R was strong enough to be dragged by a ram!
I went back with Frank to find the guides and and let them know about my Ram. He was also still on the hunt for a BIG hog. After a little while i went to get Randy and see if he was coming back up. after taklking with him a little bit he decided to take my 30-30. he took one practice shot which was spot on and we were off to the hunting area.
we encountered a few really nice hogs in short order, but wanted to let the guides know Randy had the rifle in the area. we got the "ok" and went back down after a few of those hogs, but we couldn't find them. i did some pushes through the brush but was un able to get any hogs in front of randy. we eventually made our way up to the field where everyone else was waiting on a drive from the guides. A ton of animals came running into the field and Mark pushed Randy into the trail and told him to shoot as the bigger of the Hogs crossed in front of him at a run. as the pig stepped out at a full run, Randy let the 30-30 bark 2 times dropping the hog. He ran up and gave it one more shot to end it's struggle. It was some real top notch shooting!
we did a few more tours around the property looking for some fallow does and giant hogs. we had some close encounters wiith big hogs but no shots offered. it was almost 9pm when we finally called it a day........

It was a great weekend but we were all so beat down and tired by the end that I'm not sure we could have managed another day of it.

[bambeklr]

Wow, you are killing me. These storys are great. I am glad everything worked out. Everything may not have been perfect but it worked and it made for better memories!!!!!!

[bowman]

Thanks for sharing the memories

[SPIKER]

No pics of the Ram?

I had also tried to take a Fallow doe for the meat, and Mark gave us a really good deal for anyone that wanted to take one. These deer were almost impossible to get a bead on...they traveled in a herd, two abreast, so that they interlocked as they ran. If you shot one, you were getting two, or even three...and the does were flanked by bucks. Dave , and I had them run past us more than a few times, and I'm pretty sure that he got them on film.