Fla Hog Hunt GT

Gunner46

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Well, the Great Fla Hog Hunt GT is now just a memory. In short, I personally had a GREAT time, after a very hard and challenging week.

I'll let the other members posts their lies, but here's my version, and I'm sticking with it :

I was supposed to meet Smitty and gang, Fri evening, but ran into a 'little' problem with the new ride. $750 and 14 hrs later I was home, but still not packed, nor anxiuos to make any 2 hr drives, so I called the ranch and told them I would be there in the morning.

Up at 2AM. Meet the crew (5AM) at Rooster's Resturant (the official meeting grounds for Collier's Ranch) for intro's and breakfast.

My morning went slow, no pigs, but I did have 4 does saunter in and entertain me for awhile. Weather was a tad on the chill-ish side, till the sun broke through around 10AM.

Evening hunt was different. I was on a different stand. Nice cottonwood hammock. Not 10 min after I setteled in I witnessed a BIG (repeat BIG) Osceola Tom trying to make whoopy with a hot hen, about 50 yds out! Puffed up, strutting, being a bad a$$. At least a 8-9" beard.

Mr Tom hang around for quite awhile and kept me planted dead still, cuz I didn't want him spooking. Around 4:30 I caught a glimpse of movement at 10 o'clock! PIGS!! Coming in fast.

The 44 Carbine came up and I was counting pork bellies. Small-2, good size-3, can't tell-1..3 black, 1 calico, 2 saddle backs.

Just as they got the the edge of the tree line to where I could get a nice clear broadside side shot they caught my scent, the wind was just wrong.

The calico (about 80-90#) was in front, not spooked, but not happy with the situation either. He stopped for a sec, then started to turn and exit the scene. Wait there, just a sec buck-a roo... The crosshairs were right behind the ribs, on a quarter-away shot when the little Mag went off.

Piggy's went scattering in all directions!!! A fat little butterball Razorback lead the pack, and did the 50yds to the Palmetto swamp in about 2.6 seconds!!

Climbed down form the stand, looked, looked .....looked. What the ?????

No blood, no hair, NADA!!

I missed? Nahhhh

20 minutes later. I miissed? Reality sets in. I missed!!! 17 yrs of flawless shots and I had to do it on the Great HuntTalk GT!!

Got back on the stand and waited for the 'taxi' to pick me up at dusk, but I did have fun watching a spunky young coon try to defend his turf against an ol' timer. Jr got his a$$ whipped pretty good, but i have to say the little guy hung in there for a good 15 minutes!

Great time, met some really nice, funny, and 'good-time' people. Thanks for coming guys. I'LL BE BACK

P.S. That 357 Maximum Contender was impessive, but that's not my story.......

[ 02-22-2004, 17:32: Message edited by: Gunner46 ]
 
Well, Gunner,
Hate to do this to you BUT.....you see without pictures to PROVE your story I have to put my own spin on your "yarn."
4 does? No picts?? Well sounds like field mice movement got your nerves on edge and the mind is a terrible thing to go to waste!!
Big Tom?? No pics?? Well, could very well have been one of them New England Robins strutting his stuff before migration but most likely just a big ole pigeon.
Six lil pigs?? No pics?? No carcass?? Well, when you were sound asleep in your "hammock" and started SNORING, you probably instilled those lil piggies in your waking dream and were just too embarrassed to admit you fired on the way down from falling out of your "bed"!!
That MY story and unless you've got pics, I'm sticking to it!! :eek: :D :D

Chas
 
Well Chas... I got the pics:)

I sat in the same stand Gunner did and trust me ... htere's turkey and pig!

Now here's my story....

Left work at 12:30 Thursday and went home to get the BF and the camper. We left at 2 and were in Wauchula by 4. Called the ranch foreman Tima nd then went and found Roosters, the meeting place. We met at 5:19 AM the next morning... we were late by 4 minutes. I have never seen so many gobblers and turkey in my life... yes.... I have pictures! Have to get them developed. Our guide was a last minute switch becasue Tim had double booked the hunt that day... Tim did a quail hunt so Mike and I were guided by JW.... now we learned all about JW the night before when having dinner at roosters becasue JW's girlfriend is a waitress there so we were old friends by the time we met. Well I was dropped off first and walikning up to the stand there were hogs under the feeder! It was dark and I thought the largets hog was about 50 lbs and I decided to wait for something bigger. Well the hogs turned out to be a very tame pack of shoats... the biggest only 30 lbs but most were 10-15 lbs. They entertained me all morning but I knew they were best for a child's first pig so I left them alone... and yes I have pictures!


JW came and got me off my stand at 8:30, early but he had found me a big one! WE crept up to where the board had been snacking all morning and lo and behold.. he had left.

So we walked and still no pigs then we went to go pick up Mike and as we were pulling up... I spotted 4 hogs about 700 yards down the road.... across a fairly deep creek so now there's 3 of us and we have to all the way around the whole area nd jump over a smaller creek.... JW walked us right up to the hogs and then guess what? Well the boys wanted to see me get the first pig so without even telling me, I knew I was going to be the shooter. It was not a pretty sight.... a 20 yard shot but I had to shoor between a 5 or 6 inch gap between 2 trees... I shot and skinned 2 of em withe one shot! :D I say skinned cause that what my bullet did... is skinned both trees that I was shooting between:D Dang gumed bullet barely hit the one treee then ricocheted off the other:D Just as well thought because the big pig we thaought was about 60 lbs was fully piggy and I would not have shot if I knew.

So now it's the evening hunt... I saw 3 armadillos and 4 coons... no turkey, hogs or deer. But I heard a shot! YES! Mike got a nice 145 lb sow.... nice and fat!

The next morning I sat where Mike was the day before..... a doe was at the stand greeting me when I walked up.... she did not even bother to run, just let me get n the stand and she kept right on feeding. I saw the bigg toms all struttin for thier harem. I saw 3 does and a yearling buck getting his first nubs... all within 20 feet of my stand. I did not see any more pigs. Same stand Sat night... turkey gallor... no hogs:(

We ended the day with my BF Mike as chef over a wild hog backstrap ..... mmmmmm, he's a good cook;) Think I'll keep him!

Well I did not come home with a pig but I had a wonderful time! I will definitely go back and thanks so much Gunner for making the introduction!

Now for the 357 story... well I will have to get James on this website and let him tell it.... it was a very nice shot and a very nice hog!
 
I had a good time as well, even though I didn't get one either. I hunted Saturday afternoon only - saw 6 little piggys, 6 turkey hens, and 2 does - but no shooter hogs.
Next time the hogs won't be so lucky..

PS. I had a great time meeting/hanging with the Florida crew and I can't wait for the next GT.
 
I can't believe he brought home the bacon and roasted the loin! :rolleyes:
 
Hey, it sounds like you all had a great time. Sorry Gunner, just couldn't resist. Some of my best hunts have been when I haven't had a shot. My favorite was having a Red-tail hawk land about five feet away in my blind. He stayed for about 5 minutes checking me out.
Glad you all enjoyed it.

Chas
 
120846081oMUEmI_th.jpg

WHERE'S MOOSIE??
Gunner, Jack Jarome, Mark (aka James(edited cuz of Smitty)), Mike, Smitty

[ 02-28-2004, 04:53: Message edited by: Gunner46 ]
 
The picture lists "thumbs" in its properties. Is it hosted somewhere in "non-thumb" or a larger format? If you want to email me the picture, I can probably get it posted.
 
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