tjhunt2

Thanks for sharing. That had to be an awesome trip no doubt. TJ

That's definitely is an awesome buck with great main beams. Thanks for posting and thanks for sharing. Welcome to the site as well. This site is full of good information and some of the best hunters in the world. TJ

Same here. TJ

Congratulations Andy on your first archery buck. That truly is a trophy for sure. There is no doubt it's just the beginning of good things to come your way. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the kind words but you did all the work my friend and deserve all the credit. Now that is the way to start off the new year. TJ

I was in bed by 8:30 New Year's Eve leaving my wife to host a house full of people. It was the night before pig season and I was more excited than the night before Christmas as a kid. The partiers knew how much I love to hunt these things so it was no surprise I put in earplugs and left them to bring in the new year. Up at 4:30am and I could hear parties still going on as I pulled in to pick up my partner. I made sure he had his license this year so we didn't have to drive back home like we did last year which got us a very late start. I'm going to cut this story short so I can get to why I'm actually posting this. Scott kills his pig and I miss a 30yrd shot straight up hill. I know better than to shoot that far but the excitement of all those pigs whoofing and running around had my head moving like a bobble head on a dashboard. Scott's pig After some pictures of Scott I headed for where I figured the pigs would go. I thicket from he!! that I knew quite well. My plan was to setup and call after Scott made his way to the truck and back to be my spotter. We were now in position and I was getting ready to call when Scott motions me to stay put and get ready. The pigs were moving out of the thicket to get the last light of day and to feed since they didn't get a chance to do so since we messed up their daily routine. I pass on a couple smaller pigs and was holding out for a larger one feeding in my direction. I almost blew it by letting pigs get on both sides of me. The wind changed and the whoofing began and pigs were running everywhere. I turned and caught one standing still at 20yrds and I twisted my body and let an arrow fly. I should have taken the time to reposition my stance but rushed the shot. I wasn't sure of the shot but did see the arrow sticking out as it ran back into the thicket. I walked over where I last saw the pig and wasn't happy with the color of the blood even though it looked like you were pouring the blood from a coffee can. The only two pictures I have thanks to my brother. This is my nephew Nathan who had never seen a pig before. Now to get to the reason I posted this in the first place. Not just to share another pig story but to share why you should never give up on a wounded pig. I would have waited much longer but as it turned dark I was not really looking forward to crawling thru this thicket since I've been here before but in the daylight. 1 hour had passed and I now was on my hands and knees in the pitch black hoping this pig was dead but knew in the back of my mind I was probably pushing this pig. I just wanted to get it over since we had an hour walk back to the truck. As expected I push the pig from it's bed with lots of blood. I lay there in the dark for another 20min and then continue on thru the nastiest thicket you could ever imagine. I'm now on my stomach pushing the bow ahead of me and wondering why I even tried to bring it thru here. After 1 1/2hrs of crawling thru pig crap and stuck several times I wonder to myself if I was in my right mind. It was all I could do to lift my head as I push the pig from yet another bed where it probably would have died if I wasn't so crazy stuck in this mess. I decided to get out and head back to my partner and quit pushing this pig. We arrive back at the truck at 8pm and I know my decision to come back in the morning would leave me with a spoiled pig. Scott had to work and I found myself back in there in the morning and found where it bedded but then left no blood after it left it's bed. It was now going on 9pm and I was all but ready to call it quits when I see a broken limb in front of me. Something had broke it and as I turned around I was standing 2ft from my pig and it scared the daylights out of me. It wasn't quite stiff to the point I expected and did not stink. I had hit it behind the ear and it bled out with the head in the down hill position. I decided I would gut it to determine what it smelled like so I tagged it. To my surprise it didn't stink at all and had zero blood in it. I began to think I was just not smelling it because of wishful thinking? Got back to the truck in an hour and started to skin it. The meat was cold to the touch so I decided the hide would be better left on since I had forgotten to buy some ice so I headed for the nearest store half hour away. I loaded the cavity with ice and was home in another half hour. Peg had the walk-in on and I skinned it right away. It still didn't stink so I had Peg smell it. She couldn't smell anything so I let it hang over night and knew by then if it was any good. Being that it got down to 32deg and I believe the thin skin along with where the shot placement was is the only reason this didn't spoil. The sausage turned out awesome and I tried it on my neighbors just to be sure. My message here to all you hunters who are just getting started. Every animal you hunt deserves the up most respect and if you give it your all and you can't find it then you don't have anything to be ashamed of even though it hurts. I've lost animals and so have all the archery hunters I know. It comes with the territory but you will sleep well at night knowing you gave it 100%. I hope my experience can be of some help to you if you ever find yourself in a similar situation. TJ

I bought mine at Sportsman Wharehouse. 25 in a pk for $4&change or 100 in a pk for $9&change. TJ

Happy Birthday Ryan. I'm not sure how I missed this topic. Congratulations on a very nice buck. I hope your Birthday is a good one. Happy New Year as well my friend. TJ

Started hunting big game when I moved here from Ohio in 1973. Gun Archery 1 buffalo 4 turkey 1 bear 1 lion 12 plus turkeys / not sure? 6 cows / 14 bulls 1cow / 1bull 1 doe / 7 bucks 3 lions 41 pigs 30 plus deer /not sure? 2 antelopes 3pigs _______________________________________ 54 gun ? 74 archery I only went 1 year not being drawn for deer because of archery kills. 2017 was the first I can remember not getting a deer during a rifle hunt but I never hunted. Some years I shot 2 deer. Been drawn 30yrs straight for elk. Never actually wanted to shoot another bear. TJ upddated 06-30-2018

That's a great picture of you two Debbie. Congratulations on the birds. TJ

Thanks for sharing the pictures. I have family living in Grand Junction. I like it there. Any other pictures of hunts where you live? TJ

I got 12.30lbs of pig meat out of 35lb dressed out pig and added 13.60lbs of pork. You won't get any more meat than that out of a pig with no blood shot on a 35 dressed out pig. I like to match the same amount of pork as I have pig. TJ

Bummer on the pig tag but at least you got my turkey tag. Good luck on it. TJ

Thanks Andy and when do we get to hear your story and pics of your first bow kill.?

That's a trophy buck in my book. Congratulations on getting it done. Wish I lived up in your area. Thanks for sharing and I'm sure you are going to enjoy the meat. Did you draw a pig tag for your unit? Good luck if you did. TJ

Glad to hear your brother is doing better. Thoughts and prayers for a full recovery. TJ

Congratulations on a rare trophy for sure. Thanks for sharing. TJ

Congratulations Connor. You have achieved a lot for your age and my hats off to you . I never killed a buck till I was 25. Good luck the rest of the year. TJ

Congratulations on a beauty. TJ

My congratulations to your helpers and a huge congratulations to you Scott. What an awesome buck. You certainly deserve this one for holding out and what a close call to the end of the season. My hat is off to you and the patience you showed and determination. I just wish I could be a 1/4 of the hunter you are. Don't know what else to say but I am extremely happy for you and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. TJ

Holy crap Tim, that thing is beautiful. Congratulations on the buck. It was great you had your sons with you to share your hunt with. Memories forever along with a lifetime of a buck. TJ

What a way to end the year is right. Congratulations on you and your dad's bucks. That buck of your dad's is a beauty. You are blessed to have the opportunity to hunt with your dad and brother. Can't wait to see what this year brings to you all. Thanks for sharing. TJ

Can't wait to hear how your hunt turns out Matt. Shoot straight my friend. Wish I could help on your hunt but never step foot in the unit that I can remember. TJ

Congratulations to your dad on another successful pig hunt. Thanks for sharing. I hope you both have many more memorable hunts together. TJ

Great pictures and thanks for taking us along on your opening day. You already have had a successful hunt seeing them deer. I hope you get to use your tag and make it even better. Good luck! TJ

Now that is the way to start off the new year. Congratulations and thanks for sharing. TJ