Well, I woke up late on Saturday morning and it took too long to load up the 4-wheeler so I didn't get to hunt, I just set up a ground blind 17 yards from the feeder back in the tree line, and left it.
Went back Saturday evening (late again) but corn still on the ground, nothing had come in yet. So I sat, and sat, then it rained, then it poured. Finally, the rain stopped. At just about 9 PM the biggest hog (Sow I think - judging from her posture - but she was by herself so it could have been a boar - TOO DARK) I think I've seen came out and just stared at me (my blind). It new something was different. Further, she heard the unfamiliar clapping of raindrops falling from the tree limbs to the roof of my pop-up blind. With all the uncertainties in her highly intelligent pig mind she wouldn't commit to the feeder standing 17 yards in front of me. So, she stood on the tree line directly across from the feeder looking at me.
Finally, she turned broadside and started to walk next to the trees and I knew she was going to go back into the woods. I drew and did my best to line up a good shot in the extremely low light conditions. I spotted her and pulled the trigger on my release. The arrow flew straight and true. It looked like it was going to be a good shot, but she didn't squeel. I heard the arrow rip through the thick treeline. She was much further than the 30 yards. I shot underneath her!
I pulled a rookie hunter move and didn't range everything around because I thought she would commit to the feeder. That was a tough lesson learned from something that normally is 2nd nature to me. In my haste I didn't get my necessary yardages. "Walk on the rocks that I stumble on." GET YOUR YARDAGE.
I would have estimated this hog to be easily 300+, probably closer to 400. OUCH! She was so fat, I could see her neck all the way around her head as she faced off with me. She even had those big floppy fat pig ears folded over! She was just plain fat!
If only I had my Weatherby, right? At any rate, I climbed out, looked around for blood to make sure I missed...I did. I still haven't found my arrow...There goes another 15 bucks! On the long trek back to the truck...I got rained on...HARD! Still, it was better than being at work.
Stay tuned. I'm gonna' get that hog sooner or later!
You missed but you still loved it! I'm just up the road from you. I think I'll try to get out this Saturday on my lease in Prarieville. That is if I can get all my stuff unpacked after this move! I too have set up a ground blind and just left it by a feeder. After about 2-3 days they act like its not there.
Yeah...better than work. Hope to go out again this weekend but don't know yet. I'd like to find my arrow at least!
You are right up the road, perhaps we can hunt together sometime. That's the good thing about these forums.
I'm pretty newto bowhunting but love it. I plan to get that brown one. My wife's going to visit her folks in Western Montana (She goes in the summer, I go in NOVEMBER!). While she's gone you can bet I'll be working hard on that brown hog! I just hope she really is as big as she looked.
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The future of hunting depends on the actions of hunters and nonhunters alike. if we don't police the morons and slobs ourselves, we invite outsiders to step in and do it.
My Saturday Evening Quest
