Ghost Monkeys and a Big Boar
A few weeks ago on eof my wife's co-workers asked her if she knew anyone that would like to help them with their hog infestation. Since Lindsey is a wonderful wife she hooked me right up with 1000 acres of prime hog country in Leon County just east of Normangee.
On Saturday I went with the Rancher, Mr. Bailey and got the grand tour of the property that I am allowed to hog hunt until rifle deer season. The property is a long rectangle that runs north and south with dense forests and creeks along both long ends. While mostly cleared pasture there is a small wood near the north end which is peppered with deer hunting stands and broadcast feeders. South of this is a large pasture and then another forest that spans the width of the property where caney creek runs from east to west. About 1/3 of the property is sounth of Caney creek and as such apparently is home sweet home to a bunch of pigs.
Jeff and I arrived early in the evening, I drove him on the same tour I got from the rancher and we shagged up 4 does while driving the pickup. When we reached the area of caney creek we got out of the truck and walked through the forest and into the two back pastures. All the creek beds in the forest were completly covered with pig tracks and there were large areas of extensive rooting in the forest near the creeks. We advanced back to the southern pastures and Jeff was awestruck at the level of pig rooting which had occured there.
We explored a bit more and found a plethera of set up spots for box traps and sitt'in with rifles or more likely shotguns. We found another pair of does in the forest and moved to within 25yards of them before they decided to move on. We returned to the pickup, got a drink of water, saw three more deer and a bunch of long tailed tree rats and then we decided to set up at early dusk near one of the creeks in the forest and JEff was tormented by the large numbers of squirrles that lept from tree to tree.
Suddenly we heard a curious noise in the creek bottom, I for one was certain it was the scream of a monkey but it could have been a pig. Both of us trained our .270s on the bend of the creek bed and waited but nothing happened so we snuck around and found yet onther great spot to set up a pork ambush but no sign of the monkey.
Having allowed the ghost monkey to evade us we moved back to caney creek and set up a second time right on Caney creek but the forest fell silent but for a few curious noises to the distant south. Somewhat dissappointed we gave up on Caney creek with the notion that they must come through quite late at night. I convinced Jeff to take one more look in the back pasture just as the daylight faded. By the time we got into the open of the back pasture it was quite dark and we could find nothing but cattle. We (Jeff mostly)would occasionally hear something that was decided un-bovine but we would go in the direction and it would vanish.
We gave up after many attempts to find the noise makers and started to leave. When suddently the pigs let out such a racket that we had no trouble determining their direction. We walked up the the low fence dividing the pasture and shone the red light back and forth but found nothing, they mus tbe on the move. We went around the fence and moved into the pasture in a rush to close the distance. After a long dash we hear no more pig noises so we stop and shine around. We give up for the third time that night and as a last ditch effort I remove the red filter and shine 360 degrees when we see off the the right a low black swarm of pigs. It is possibly the largest group of pigs I have ever seen at one time, at least forty adults, likely many more and lots of piglets. The most unusual part is that they are completely oblivious to the million candles that are lighting them up. Jeff is taking aim when I tell him that we can get alot closer than the 100+ yards we are at. We turn off the light, and quickly but quietly close to within a 100 yards, I light 'em up again, Jeff quickly chooses a target that is quartering toward him and lets a round loose. Chaos ensures as pigs go in every conceivable direction. We follow some to the left but the head straight for a buch of cattle that are curiously watching so no more pigs are shot.
We shine back to the right and jeff sees a piglet very near us that he chases and tries to tackle, but when I can't keep the light on the piglet it makes it's escape.
We Find the pig and it is at least one size bigger than the standard ones seen in Gause or the Kuder road pig hole. It is 8:30 pm when we walk back to fetch the pickup. When laid across the tailgate the boar is six inches shorter than the gate, I reckon it is about 150lbs or more.
We find an old bent up T-post that we use to hang the pig from a low branch. The big boar has .277 inch diameter hole on his left side just a little back of the third rib, inside one lung, stomach and liver are in bad shape, There is another considerably larger hole through the short ribs on his right side. After all the fun is done we head out and reach the highway at 11:00pm.
On Saturday I went with the Rancher, Mr. Bailey and got the grand tour of the property that I am allowed to hog hunt until rifle deer season. The property is a long rectangle that runs north and south with dense forests and creeks along both long ends. While mostly cleared pasture there is a small wood near the north end which is peppered with deer hunting stands and broadcast feeders. South of this is a large pasture and then another forest that spans the width of the property where caney creek runs from east to west. About 1/3 of the property is sounth of Caney creek and as such apparently is home sweet home to a bunch of pigs.
Jeff and I arrived early in the evening, I drove him on the same tour I got from the rancher and we shagged up 4 does while driving the pickup. When we reached the area of caney creek we got out of the truck and walked through the forest and into the two back pastures. All the creek beds in the forest were completly covered with pig tracks and there were large areas of extensive rooting in the forest near the creeks. We advanced back to the southern pastures and Jeff was awestruck at the level of pig rooting which had occured there.
We explored a bit more and found a plethera of set up spots for box traps and sitt'in with rifles or more likely shotguns. We found another pair of does in the forest and moved to within 25yards of them before they decided to move on. We returned to the pickup, got a drink of water, saw three more deer and a bunch of long tailed tree rats and then we decided to set up at early dusk near one of the creeks in the forest and JEff was tormented by the large numbers of squirrles that lept from tree to tree.
Suddenly we heard a curious noise in the creek bottom, I for one was certain it was the scream of a monkey but it could have been a pig. Both of us trained our .270s on the bend of the creek bed and waited but nothing happened so we snuck around and found yet onther great spot to set up a pork ambush but no sign of the monkey.
Having allowed the ghost monkey to evade us we moved back to caney creek and set up a second time right on Caney creek but the forest fell silent but for a few curious noises to the distant south. Somewhat dissappointed we gave up on Caney creek with the notion that they must come through quite late at night. I convinced Jeff to take one more look in the back pasture just as the daylight faded. By the time we got into the open of the back pasture it was quite dark and we could find nothing but cattle. We (Jeff mostly)would occasionally hear something that was decided un-bovine but we would go in the direction and it would vanish.
We gave up after many attempts to find the noise makers and started to leave. When suddently the pigs let out such a racket that we had no trouble determining their direction. We walked up the the low fence dividing the pasture and shone the red light back and forth but found nothing, they mus tbe on the move. We went around the fence and moved into the pasture in a rush to close the distance. After a long dash we hear no more pig noises so we stop and shine around. We give up for the third time that night and as a last ditch effort I remove the red filter and shine 360 degrees when we see off the the right a low black swarm of pigs. It is possibly the largest group of pigs I have ever seen at one time, at least forty adults, likely many more and lots of piglets. The most unusual part is that they are completely oblivious to the million candles that are lighting them up. Jeff is taking aim when I tell him that we can get alot closer than the 100+ yards we are at. We turn off the light, and quickly but quietly close to within a 100 yards, I light 'em up again, Jeff quickly chooses a target that is quartering toward him and lets a round loose. Chaos ensures as pigs go in every conceivable direction. We follow some to the left but the head straight for a buch of cattle that are curiously watching so no more pigs are shot.
We shine back to the right and jeff sees a piglet very near us that he chases and tries to tackle, but when I can't keep the light on the piglet it makes it's escape.
We Find the pig and it is at least one size bigger than the standard ones seen in Gause or the Kuder road pig hole. It is 8:30 pm when we walk back to fetch the pickup. When laid across the tailgate the boar is six inches shorter than the gate, I reckon it is about 150lbs or more.
We find an old bent up T-post that we use to hang the pig from a low branch. The big boar has .277 inch diameter hole on his left side just a little back of the third rib, inside one lung, stomach and liver are in bad shape, There is another considerably larger hole through the short ribs on his right side. After all the fun is done we head out and reach the highway at 11:00pm.
posted by steven-hoffman | 3:49 PM
5 Comments:
Damn monkeys!!! I think they are in consort with the squirrels.
Nice hunt!
You should have posed the pig upright so we could see the razor back.
This wasn't a real razor back, I have seen them mounted on a wall and they look like they have a mohawk. I would probably call this a ridgeback because it looked much like the breed of dog by the name of rhodesian ridgeback. The ridge of fur wasn't really noticable from a distance, however, the vertebre were very noticable once the skin was off. Perhaps I just haven't peeled enough big boars to recognize this as a somewhat normal trait
Bryan,
You should get in your truck and come up here with your SKS some night
Jeff was very good about carrying the light all night long but I wanted to take the red filter off and take a look with the full 1,000,000 candles. Since I had rigged the filter to the light with some tape I thought it would be easier just to do it myself. So I took the light, removed the filter and started shining around. When we saw bacon I didn't have the forethought to tell Jeff it was my turn. Besides, I would rather get one shot and a dead pig than have us miss any action because we were swapping jobs while they ran away.
The bullet came out of Jeff's rifle case so I don't know. But after being punctured the ham did not have enough energy to travel more than a couple feet.
I concede that I owe ya a pig or two so come and get 'em.
Post a Comment
<< Home