Stone Creek Hunting Ranch in Edgar Springs MO review / hunting trip
02-25-2014, 04:23 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 3
Stone Creek Hunting Ranch in Edgar Springs MO review / hunting trip
I searched for reviews on Stone Creek Hunting Ranch in Edgar Springs MO with little luck. I decided to take a trip down there and I wanted to share my experience.
Stone Creek Hunting Ranch http://www.stonecreekhunting.com/ in Edgar Springs MO is a high fence exotic game ranch. They have many different species of game but their primary focus is on wild hogs.
The ranch occupies 474 acres with 404 of those inside the high fence. The lodge is approximately 2,200 square feet and includes 2 bedrooms, each have 3 sets of bunk beds and their own bathroom with shower. The lodge also has a pool table, big screen tv, couch, dining tables and a fire place. the walls are covered in trophy's including hogs, white tail, rams, and even a buffalo.
Stone creek offers several hunting packages including 1 day hunts and 3 day 2 night all inclusive hunts. All hog hunts include 1 hog of any size and skinning, quartering, caping and cold storage of the hog until you leave. We chose the 2 night 3 day hunt. With our hunt we received a grilled bratwurst and hamburger dinner the first night with all the fixings. We also had breakfast the second and third morning which consisted of bacon, eggs, sausage and biscuits and gravy. Lunch was provided the second day and was leftover hamburger's and brats, with potato salad, chips, etc. Dinner on the second night consisted of a roasted ham with potato casserole (awesome), deviled eggs etc.
Justin the ranch owner and main guide is a very nice guy. He is very knowledgeable of the ranch and the hog patterns. Uncle Bob the lodge caretaker is also very nice. When he was not helping us out he was setting and talking with us.
Stone Creek guarantees a chance at a hog. Justin went out of his way to make sure we were happy and got that chance. After dinner each night we all set around and watched tv, and talked. Justin and uncle Bob hung out with us and by the time we left felt like old friends.
The hunting grounds are heavily wooded with a main field running right down the middle of the ranch. There are multiple ponds and the area is very hilly. Typical ozark country side.
The ranch has a lot of hog activity. While hunting we found hog signs everywhere. We saw lots of hogs and other exotic game animals.
During our hunting trip we spot and stalked during the day, sat at the feeders in the evenings, and a few guys even ran around in the ranger looking for hogs. It was definitely an action packed trip.
The ranch is beautiful.
A little background about me. I'm in my late 30's with a couple of boys. That is why I got into hunting. I love to take them hunting with me and they love to hunt also. I am a novice hunter. I do a lot of small game hunting and I am rather successful at it. Squirrel and rabbit hunting with air rifles are my passion. I'm not talking a little red rider bb gun, I am talking .22 caliber pcp an nitro piston rifles. I have taken squirrels out to 45 yards, crows to 55 yards, and coons and possums at 30 yards with these airguns.
I have been hunting white tail deer the past couple of seasons and while my success has not been extremely great we have had a great time and I did manage to get a nice 7 pointer.
I decided to take a hog hunting trip to Stone Creek for several reasons. My father has been talking about hog hunting for quite a while and I wanted to take him. I also thought a hunting ranch would be the perfect place for a novice hunter to see some aminals.
My father, my father-in-law and I decided to take a trip down there and check it out. We went in mid February. The weather was unseasonably warm with daytime highs in the 50's.
Upon arriving at the ranch we were greeted by Justin the ranch owner and uncle Bob. Justin was to be our guide an uncle bob would be taking care of us while we were at the ranch, cooking meals and stuff like that.
We were shown to our rooms and given time to change into our hunting gear. Then we were given a run down of how our stay was going to play out. We were given the rules (if you shoot it and there is blood it is considered a kill even if you do not recover it) and taken outside to the range to site in our weapons. I was shooting my .243 and at the 70 yard range I was dead on. After we were all sighted in Justin gave is some pointers, pointed us all off into different directions and we were off for the hunt.
I slunk slowly through the windy woods for a few hours. I was traversing a rocky valley bottom when I saw a big fat pig butt and 2 ears about 30 yards away. I had come upon a big sow bedded down under a cedar tree. She had several piglets (I would say around 60 lbs or so each) with her.
I slowly flanked to the right to try and get a shot at her. Just as I started to move the wind stopped blowing. I slowly crept across the valley floor step by step keeping her in my scope the entire time.
I made it approximately 15 feet to the right and got to a small clearing in the underbrush that gave me a clear shot at her although it was a very sharp angle. I was trying to decide if I could make it any further up the valley to get a better shot when the winds picked back up and started swirling from different directions. Seconds later she picked up her head and looked directly at me.
Now was the time to make a decision quick. I knew this was a big pig. I knew the angle was way to sharp quartering away. I knew within second she would be gone forever. I steadied the rifle far back to give me a clean line in to the vitals and squeezed the trigger. My ears heard the loud but distant sound of my rifle fire.
Just as I register what had just happened she jumps up an off she goes. Let me tell you pigs can move!! She takes off, then multiple piglets take off after her. 3 or 4 I couldn't tell in the excitement. I see her run off over the hillside and she disappears.
My ears still ringing I went to the location she was laying at when I shot her. NO BLOOD, NO HAIR, NO NOTHING!!!! Did I miss?? I managed to find the tracks she made as she was flying out of there and with much disgust and disappointment I called the ranch to tell them I shot at a pig.
Justin had ran to town to purchase some corn for the feeders so I had a short 10 minute wait before he was back. When he got back to the ranch he hopped in the ranger and headed down my way to help me out. He found me on one of the roads they have on the property near where I made the shot and I walked him in to the location. I gave him a quick run down of the sequence of events and we started to walk. We separated by about 50 yards and walked through the woods. After about 5 minutes I hear a yell "you got her".
What!!! Did you say I got her??!!! Justin called back, "Yep you got her, here she is."
Wool hooo!! I knocked down a 225 lb sow!! She was about 75 yards from where I had shot her.
The rest of the trip was great. My father-in-law shot a nice little 65lb sow. He shot it within 30 feet of where I shot mine. I think it was the piglet of mine.
The next day my father and I went out hunting for his pig. We saw alot of signs and several pigs but they were very elusive. I was getting worried that he may not get a shot. That night after our roasted ham dinner Justin told my dad he would take him out and get him a pig. Justin's confidence level was high, however I still worried a bit as rain was in the forecast.
We slept a good night and the next morning I awoke to find that it had rained overnight but the sky's were clear. We had a big breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs and biscuits and gravy and off Justin went with my dad in the ranger.
About an hour and a half later while out on the covered front porch I heard the faint sound of the ranger in the distance. Up pulls Justin and my dad laughing with smiles on their faces. Justin had led my father to a real nice 195 lb boar.
In short we had a great time. We all got a pig. The ranch is a very nice place. The food was great, and Justin and Uncle Bob were very accommodating.
I would definitely return. We had an awesome time and they just don't get any better than Justin and Uncle Bob.
My pig.
Stone Creek Hunting Ranch http://www.stonecreekhunting.com/ in Edgar Springs MO is a high fence exotic game ranch. They have many different species of game but their primary focus is on wild hogs.
The ranch occupies 474 acres with 404 of those inside the high fence. The lodge is approximately 2,200 square feet and includes 2 bedrooms, each have 3 sets of bunk beds and their own bathroom with shower. The lodge also has a pool table, big screen tv, couch, dining tables and a fire place. the walls are covered in trophy's including hogs, white tail, rams, and even a buffalo.
Stone creek offers several hunting packages including 1 day hunts and 3 day 2 night all inclusive hunts. All hog hunts include 1 hog of any size and skinning, quartering, caping and cold storage of the hog until you leave. We chose the 2 night 3 day hunt. With our hunt we received a grilled bratwurst and hamburger dinner the first night with all the fixings. We also had breakfast the second and third morning which consisted of bacon, eggs, sausage and biscuits and gravy. Lunch was provided the second day and was leftover hamburger's and brats, with potato salad, chips, etc. Dinner on the second night consisted of a roasted ham with potato casserole (awesome), deviled eggs etc.
Justin the ranch owner and main guide is a very nice guy. He is very knowledgeable of the ranch and the hog patterns. Uncle Bob the lodge caretaker is also very nice. When he was not helping us out he was setting and talking with us.
Stone Creek guarantees a chance at a hog. Justin went out of his way to make sure we were happy and got that chance. After dinner each night we all set around and watched tv, and talked. Justin and uncle Bob hung out with us and by the time we left felt like old friends.
The hunting grounds are heavily wooded with a main field running right down the middle of the ranch. There are multiple ponds and the area is very hilly. Typical ozark country side.
The ranch has a lot of hog activity. While hunting we found hog signs everywhere. We saw lots of hogs and other exotic game animals.
During our hunting trip we spot and stalked during the day, sat at the feeders in the evenings, and a few guys even ran around in the ranger looking for hogs. It was definitely an action packed trip.
The ranch is beautiful.
A little background about me. I'm in my late 30's with a couple of boys. That is why I got into hunting. I love to take them hunting with me and they love to hunt also. I am a novice hunter. I do a lot of small game hunting and I am rather successful at it. Squirrel and rabbit hunting with air rifles are my passion. I'm not talking a little red rider bb gun, I am talking .22 caliber pcp an nitro piston rifles. I have taken squirrels out to 45 yards, crows to 55 yards, and coons and possums at 30 yards with these airguns.
I have been hunting white tail deer the past couple of seasons and while my success has not been extremely great we have had a great time and I did manage to get a nice 7 pointer.
I decided to take a hog hunting trip to Stone Creek for several reasons. My father has been talking about hog hunting for quite a while and I wanted to take him. I also thought a hunting ranch would be the perfect place for a novice hunter to see some aminals.
My father, my father-in-law and I decided to take a trip down there and check it out. We went in mid February. The weather was unseasonably warm with daytime highs in the 50's.
Upon arriving at the ranch we were greeted by Justin the ranch owner and uncle Bob. Justin was to be our guide an uncle bob would be taking care of us while we were at the ranch, cooking meals and stuff like that.
We were shown to our rooms and given time to change into our hunting gear. Then we were given a run down of how our stay was going to play out. We were given the rules (if you shoot it and there is blood it is considered a kill even if you do not recover it) and taken outside to the range to site in our weapons. I was shooting my .243 and at the 70 yard range I was dead on. After we were all sighted in Justin gave is some pointers, pointed us all off into different directions and we were off for the hunt.
I slunk slowly through the windy woods for a few hours. I was traversing a rocky valley bottom when I saw a big fat pig butt and 2 ears about 30 yards away. I had come upon a big sow bedded down under a cedar tree. She had several piglets (I would say around 60 lbs or so each) with her.
I slowly flanked to the right to try and get a shot at her. Just as I started to move the wind stopped blowing. I slowly crept across the valley floor step by step keeping her in my scope the entire time.
I made it approximately 15 feet to the right and got to a small clearing in the underbrush that gave me a clear shot at her although it was a very sharp angle. I was trying to decide if I could make it any further up the valley to get a better shot when the winds picked back up and started swirling from different directions. Seconds later she picked up her head and looked directly at me.
Now was the time to make a decision quick. I knew this was a big pig. I knew the angle was way to sharp quartering away. I knew within second she would be gone forever. I steadied the rifle far back to give me a clean line in to the vitals and squeezed the trigger. My ears heard the loud but distant sound of my rifle fire.
Just as I register what had just happened she jumps up an off she goes. Let me tell you pigs can move!! She takes off, then multiple piglets take off after her. 3 or 4 I couldn't tell in the excitement. I see her run off over the hillside and she disappears.
My ears still ringing I went to the location she was laying at when I shot her. NO BLOOD, NO HAIR, NO NOTHING!!!! Did I miss?? I managed to find the tracks she made as she was flying out of there and with much disgust and disappointment I called the ranch to tell them I shot at a pig.
Justin had ran to town to purchase some corn for the feeders so I had a short 10 minute wait before he was back. When he got back to the ranch he hopped in the ranger and headed down my way to help me out. He found me on one of the roads they have on the property near where I made the shot and I walked him in to the location. I gave him a quick run down of the sequence of events and we started to walk. We separated by about 50 yards and walked through the woods. After about 5 minutes I hear a yell "you got her".
What!!! Did you say I got her??!!! Justin called back, "Yep you got her, here she is."
Wool hooo!! I knocked down a 225 lb sow!! She was about 75 yards from where I had shot her.
The rest of the trip was great. My father-in-law shot a nice little 65lb sow. He shot it within 30 feet of where I shot mine. I think it was the piglet of mine.
The next day my father and I went out hunting for his pig. We saw alot of signs and several pigs but they were very elusive. I was getting worried that he may not get a shot. That night after our roasted ham dinner Justin told my dad he would take him out and get him a pig. Justin's confidence level was high, however I still worried a bit as rain was in the forecast.
We slept a good night and the next morning I awoke to find that it had rained overnight but the sky's were clear. We had a big breakfast of bacon, sausage, eggs and biscuits and gravy and off Justin went with my dad in the ranger.
About an hour and a half later while out on the covered front porch I heard the faint sound of the ranger in the distance. Up pulls Justin and my dad laughing with smiles on their faces. Justin had led my father to a real nice 195 lb boar.
In short we had a great time. We all got a pig. The ranch is a very nice place. The food was great, and Justin and Uncle Bob were very accommodating.
I would definitely return. We had an awesome time and they just don't get any better than Justin and Uncle Bob.
My pig.
Last edited by Bradyman1; 02-26-2014 at 05:16 PM. Reason: Spelling
02-25-2014, 05:28 PM
#4
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 3
5 total hunter were there, 6 pigs were killed.
The place is nice, the guide and staff is great.
We had a blast and I would love to go back sometime.
