Youtyh piggie hunts this year

[coueshunter84]

I dont have the pics yet. But my 11 y/o nephew filled his very first big game tag yesterday. Not exactly sure what happened but he drew his second choice from the left over tags. A week later there were still tags left for the JR. hunt I had him put in for first choice. Go figure???

No matter. He drew a HAM tag in unit 32. After a long walk with his dad on Friday without seeing anything but deer. He was a little put out about not seeing any pigs.

He has the normal attention span of an 11 y/o boy. And started the day off yesterday in somewhat of a sour mood. We glassed all day and put about 5 miles of rough terrain under our boots. Of course with no pigs sighted. I kept him occupied by showing him every animal I was able to pick off the mountain. Most of the time he picked them up right away in the binos. He was also the first one to pick out a buck, after I showed him a bedded doe I had glassed. He looked a little longer and picked out a nice little ( 95ish) whitetail buck lying under her about 20 yards. ( yep he bumped the binos LOL).

Anyway, hour after hour of lots of deer, and no piggies finally got to him. And we decided to come down off the mountain and head home. He was more then a little bummed about not seeing any pigs. No matter how many deer I showed him. Plus 3 yotes and a badger, he wanted something to chase. Needless to say he was real quiet on the way down the mountain.

And as luck would have it. On the way out I found some fresh tracks crossing the road. We pulled up the road a little and parked, with the thought of following the tracks. My nephew was having none of it. He had already decided that he wasent going to even see any pigs much less get a shot. We spent several minutes trying to motivate him. The tracks were about as fresh as they come. I guessed they were no more the 1/2 hour old. After telling him this several times, and coaxing and coaxing. He finally agreed to give it a shot. At this point we only had maybe 30 minutes of shooting time left.

As we started to get out of the truck, my Brother-in-law said he thought he seen something moving on the opposite side of where the tracks were going. We waited another 30 seconds or so, and out comes a pig, from behind a mesquite. He was about 50 yards off the road.

I dont know if any of you have ever seen an 11 year old escape the back seat of a Nissan extended cab before but its quite the wreck. My nephew about ran over my brother-in-law, smashed his head into the door post about 4 times, twisted himself into a pretzel, and finally made it out of the truck. I had no idea there was an ejection seat in my truck. LOL.

The Javy saw all of this going on, but didnt seem to mind all that much. He stood there with his hair all puffed out, but never clacked his teeth. It took us a few moments but we finally got my nephew under control, and started hatching a plan to get a little closer. The pig now had about had enough and was starting to move off in the direction he had come from. I put my nephew in tow and placed a couple of little mesquite trees and a clump of crecote between us and the javy, and started the stalk. The javy was not real decided as to what he was going to do. He wanted to trail the herd and did not like us following him. He zig-zagged until we were about 250 yards from the truck. My nephew was about as quiet as a herd of elephants on a 7 day caffine high. I had trouble getting him to stop when the pig stopped, so the javy would bust us about everytime he stopped and looked back. We finally got within 50 yards, and I set my nephew up on a mesuqite tree as a rest. Took several attempts but he finally got the .357 set up and readied for a shot. The javy busted us again and started off one more time. I pulled out my call and started squealing. The javy turned around, hesitated a moment and gradually started coming back.

Then my nephew, in his loudest of excited whispers, asked me if he could shoot. This stopped the javy at about 50 yards. As the Javy started to turn away, I gave my nephew the go ahead and told him to hold right on. I was watching the javy through the tree as he touched off the round.

One shot dumped the javy in his tracks. He spined him right above the shoulder. quatering away. Then, in what really impressed me. He reholstered the pistol and set the snap before he went off on a victory type dance.

Was as high a moment for me as I can remember. My Brother-in-law had been following about 100 yards or so behind us. He came up and congrats were handed out all around.

When we made it up to the pig it had moved about 10 feet, and required a second round. My nephew handled it like a champ. The second round went right in behind the shoulder.

I will leave the cleaning part out, as it was his first time. He did ok with his 2 fingers. and took us nearly till dark. But we got it done without any epigastric problems or cut fingers from our newest hunter.

As its his frist My brother-in-law told him he could get it mounted. At the taxidermists, we started trying to figure an age, and came up with dirt+ He had no teeth left on the bottom front they were so worn, and the top ones were just nubs and had several that were missing completely. His tusks were razors and worn down to about 1 1/2" He was all skin and bones. No fat at all. We figured him about 6-7years old, maybe older and probably would not have lasted much longer. Hanging weight was 38lbs, and the skull will get measured as soon as he gets it boiled. I dont know if it will make book, not that it matters. But wow what a pig. older then any I have ever taken. We guessed he had been run off from the herd by another boar and was just tailing them trying to get back in. I would have liked to see him in his prime.

Man what a day. After my daughter not getting a shot during the archery season I was hoping to get one of the youngsters tags filled. Then to have my nephew make a 50 yard shot with open sights, with a pistol he has fired less then 1000 rounds through. I was way impressed. And to have him be safety minded in the heat of the moment. cudos to the Hunters safety instructors who taught his class.

Now all I have to live with is my oldest rubbing it in that I was able to get her cousin on a pig and not her. Which makes her more then ever determined to get a deer with her recurve in Aug. What a perdickerment to be in. LOL.

 

Me being the forgetful type forgot the camera at home, so we dont have any real field photos. But I will post what we took at the house as soon as I get things figured out on here.

 

 

 

Shane

[DEERSLAM]

Great story

Thanks for sharing. My son is 10 and I can really relate to what you went through. Congrats to you and your nephew. Can't wait for pics.

[More D]

Great story! Congats to you and your nephew. Your story reminded me of my wifes first javie. Can't wait for the pics.

 

 

 

 

 

[stanley]

Sweet! Congrats to your nephew!

 

S.

 

[daryl_s]

Congratulations to your nephew. I still remember my first like it was yesterday(about 10 years ago). Hope he has many more succesfull hunts.

[coueshunter84]

I hate computers,

 

 

Seems my computer is having a spat with my camera. I was not able to dowload anything off of it. So I took the card and had them developed and then scanned the pics. They are still to big. Anyo of you who are computer literate and good at whitteling pics want to give this a try? I will be more then happy to mail them to you, and would be thankful if you could get them on here.

 

 

SHane