gotcoues

With my daughter just turning 19 a few days ago, this post brings tears to my eyes. My condolences to Mary's family, our prayers are with them.

I really enjoyed helping out Saturday, assisting the welder with the fence project was very rewarding and I had fun too. I was going to bring out the trailer and my two boys and stay a while, but Dillon twisted his ankle Wednesday night and now he's on crutches for a week or two. I'm definitely coming to the next project in my neck of the woods whenever that may be.

I wanted to share my daughter’s Javelina hunt with everyone. I planned on us hunting a new area due to the fact my boys came up empty on their jr hunt with no pigs spotted over the first weekend. We went back into an area I had not been in a few years, last time I was in there my friend and I had a herd of pigs we were able to glass up on occasion. Thursday evening, before the hunt my son Dillon and I glassed the evening in hopes of spotting pigs. No pigs were found, but we were able to pick up some deer including 3 bucks. Friday morning we walked to our glassing spot which took about a half hour. I was able to glass up pigs within five minutes or so (probably a family record). We watched them move along at a pretty good pace before the sun was even up. They ended up bedding down before sunrise (don’t ask me?) and we were off and running. The goal was to get 200 yards or less. The last part of the stalk we needed to work up the back of a ridge to get parallel and they were out of sight for about 20 to 30 minutes. We got into position and I started glassing. The pigs should have only been 100 yards or so. TWO HOURS LATER, still no pigs. I was sure they gave us the slip and decided to use a jack rabbit distress call thinking they would surely stand if they were still there. I tried 3 or 4 long sets and still nothing. I handed my pistol to Ashley just in case and we proceeded to move directly towards were I had seen them bed. I had to go see for myself and confirm there was indeed a bed where I thought I saw them lay down. Huge mistake, the pigs busted out in every direction and the predator call just made them run fast this time around. I was shocked at what had just played out, and needless to say bummed! Friday evening, no pigs found and it was a long walk back to the truck. Saturday morning found us glassing the same spot all morning. After failing to glass up the herd we moved over about a half mile and ran into some really nice people, at least one which is a member on the site. We met Scott and Jeff, who are brothers. Andrew and his wife or girlfriend Erika. Turns out Erika was the only one with a tag, so we decided we would hunt together and try for a double. Shortly after introductions and conversation, one the guys (Jeff) glassed up the same herd we were on the day prior, only much higher in elevation. We decided to make the long hike over in the heat and try to find them. We glassed all afternoon at the hillside we thought they would have bedded on, but no pigs were found. A few does and maybe 4 or 5 bucks were spotted that afternoon while in search of pigs. After sunset I decided to turn around and glass the sunny side of the canyon that we for the most part ignored and literally had pigs when I put my eyes in the glass. I don’t even think anyone believed me as kept whispering “I got pigs, I got pigs”. Ashley , Erika, Andrew and I made a mad dash towards the pigs. The others stayed behind as spotters. Erika, I believe was using a 270, but the bipod didn’t get her high enough to take the shot as the pigs were slightly higher in elevation. Eventually we told Ashley to go ahead and shoot, she was set up on a tripod with the gun claw. She had trouble staying steady and I believe there was an intimidation factor sitting behind my 300WSM (BAD DAD!). Ashley never fired a shot, we decided to get Erica behind our gun so she could get one. Same thing, she also wasn’t able to fire a shot and we ran out of light before we could make it happen. After some laughs and tears, we made the extremely long walk back to the truck in the darkness. Andrew and Erika invited us to join them Sunday morning at a different spot where they planned to hunt the morning only. Ashley was beat from two days of extreme hiking in the heat and probably pretty darn bummed from the two close calls as well, so she declined the offer and opted for sleeping in and homework on Sunday instead. About 8:40 Sunday morning I get a text from Andrew, Erika had just put down a pig! Her first big game animal no less! I was thrilled for Erika and Andrew, nothing like the first big game animal. Tuesday afternoon, Ashley and I went out shooting. This time I loaded up our H&R single shot .243. She practiced from 30 yards out to 200 yards, but only off of a shooting stick and tripod with the claw to simulate the hunt. We made plans to give it one more shot on Thursday afternoon. My friend Hank and my son Dillon came with and we started hiking at about 3pm. We glassed our way into the area on a different set of ridges and finally sat down after 4 to glass. Only bucks and does were spotted. Sometime after 5 we decided to hunt our way back to the truck. We had walked by some great country and knew we still had a chance on the walk back. We separated to each side of the ridge as we walked it so we could see both canyons on either side. Right before sunset Ash and I heard some noises from the bottom, we both agreed it could be pigs and started sneaking down for a better look. Ashley spots two pigs at 180 yards in the bottom of the draw, I drop my pack and started getting the claw and tripod ready for the shot. They ran into the bottom into some thick trees before we were set up so we continued sneaking downhill. Low and behold they walked right into us and started to scatter. I tried the predator call and two slowed down after they went back to the bottom. I set Ashley up, but before she could shoot we realized we were surround by woofing and grunting pigs. I handed her the shooting stick and she tried hard to get one in the scope. We had pigs at 30 and 40 yards but they were moving all around. I kept woofing and grunting to keep them from bailing. Finally after several attempts at a shot I saw a lone pig heading for a clearing. I told Ash to get ready and she pointed the rifle and scoped the opening. The pig not only went there, but stopped in the scope for a broadside shot. Before I could even finish “are you on it” BOOM! The pig dropped in it’s tracks from a high spinal hit at 25 to 30 yards! Ashley could barely stand or even breathe. She immediately told me that it was the coolest thing ever and she couldn’t believe how and what just happened. I can’t say enough how happy I was at that moment. I congratulated her as we celebrated her success with only minutes of twilight left. Hank and Dillon quickly made it over to us and after a big round of high fives we got ready for pictures. We slipped the pig into my pack and made an hour or more hike back to truck. This was by far one of the funniest hunts we’ve been on. We busted our butts and came so close twice to getting one and then to seal the deal minutes before the season closed was just unreal! My daughter Ashley’s one word description of this bow hunt, I mean rifle hunt, after it was all over was “wicked” and I’ll have to agree! Thanks again Hank for coming along, you're becoming the lucky charm for sure! (He was with me when I wacked my buck in Jan) Ashley with her first Javelina "The Zoo Crew" My beautiful daughter with her dorky dad This is the picture Andrew sent me Sunday morning (Andrew, pretty sure his buddies Scott and Jeff too, were also part of the mentor crew that helped one of the ladies harvest the javelina from the CWT Women's Ham Hunt, small world) Erika with her very first big game animal Ashley and her friend Kailey me

Good work, this is one big ugly deal and the lies just don't stop!

I got it too DB, I was pissed how they worded the question and then their letter to boot. What a sham!

Congrats on some great success.

Thanks Amanda! I checked out the link and looked into both camps. I sent Denny, the host of the Happy Jack Camp an email with a few questions. It looks like we'll be headed up to 5B for some jr turkey action.

Thanks for the kind words. I just sent the link over to Ashley, I'm sure she'll be checking out the story soon. I'm hoping this spot will produce more pigs in the future. It's a little closer to home and gas is becoming more and more of a factor on our hunts unfortunately. My son Cody still needs to get his first pig. My prediction is one, maybe two will fall later this year on the jr hunt.

Fortunately, I do not follow basketball, college or professional. But, I must say, I like your picture as much as I like mine. Touché

What happened? Did I miss something?

Dang Jim, whackin and stackin is right! I'm jealous, I would love to go pile up some pigs like that! Very cool, especially that monster trophy and the end of your write up... hahahaha

Those are some really cool pictures. I'm assuming your fairly close to the border. Thanks for sharing these

That's a great pic, can't believe he caught her at that moment with only one paw down.

Congrats on your first young man! And put me in Coach! 4 for 4... That's a great job leading the pack

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Congrats on your first animal, my first changed my life forever LITERALLY! I was also 23

Crazy day right there! The memories created while out in the field truly can last a lifetime. Congrats guys

You just have to love Uncle Ted!

News Flash..... ALL CONSERVATIVES, LIBERTARIANS, AND RIGHT LEANING INDEPENDENTS LEAVE CALIFORNIA NOW! Get out while you still can, there its no hope. California has been lost. Let all the liberals, greenies, and illegals have the state. You can't always stop a sinking ship! I have vowed never to take my family to Cali ever again after their calls for a boycott of AZ.

Holy smokes that thing is crazy!

That's unreal James...... Price + turn around time +good mount. You may have just gotten the best deal taxidermy has to offer! You just proved a lot guys wrong, including myself. Very cool buck, love that torn ear too.

What a bummer Jim. That thing is a toad! My boys and I are taking a crash course in predator hunting this yr. Doing a little research on callers and then we're on a mission to lay some killers down. I've always wanted to do my part and just have never made time to do it and learn more about it

I think it'll be this monday at the earliest

I opted to print the receipts as I went, applicant B is on there and I would think they would have to honor it if their system said otherwise. What a bummer deal for people. I hope this doesn't mean they will have to hand out extra tags. I'm sure they'll get a handle on it before the actual draw.

I also like the the pay first method, applications will increase and draw odds will go down with the online draw. Also, for the premium type hunts, I would assume it helps non-residents reach the 10% cap. But with a 1.9% chance of drawing my antelope tag this year with 11 bonus points I guess a few extra apps doesn't make a whole lot of difference! Good luck in the draw to all my fellow cwtailers