My 2012 Cali Hog Hunt

[carpsniperg2]

Well everyone, On the 31st of October I made my annual trip down to northern California to chase wild boar.  I would be joining my long time friend and owner Mike on my hunt and hunting along side of some clients we had booked into camp. I was getting into camp a day early to do a little scouting and a little hunting before the clients would arrive the next day. I made my way to Redding California where I would spend the night and recharge my batteries  for the next's days hunt.

Day 1 11/1/2012

I was a little later getting into camp then I had hoped. I hit some solid traffic and road work that slowed the final leg of my trip into camp. I pulled up with my widow down to see my buddy standing out the back side of his cabin. I yell to him and say "what's up amigo" He then yelled back SSSSSSSHHHHHHHH get your rifle. I thought he was joking since I just pulled into camp and everything was packed away in my rig and I was just in plain clothes.  After looking at his face for a second or two I realized this was no joke! So after scrabbling around a little and doing some digging I got to my rifle and walked over to where he was standing. He told me with a look I rarely see on his face that he saw a monster hog, just seconds before I pulled up. Now mike has been guiding hunters for about 10 years and is a hardcore hog man. When he says big, it's really a monster tusker. He knows how much I love big boars and big teeth!

 After we glassed for a few minutes we put a plan together and started out on a stalk that would turn into a climb and a half. Mike is part mountain goat and is amazing shape. I knew I had to get into good shape to even try to keep up with him. Even the pounds that I had left back in Washington were not enough to keep up with this mountain goat! We got about 100 yards from the top and I had just started to think oh thank you! when we hear brush snap to our left. Mike yells to me to come on we got to get up there. We ran as quick as we could go and came to the crest of the hill. just to catch a groups of hogs skirting the side hill. I threw up the rifle just to catch a nice boar going through the scope and around the corner. Mike said that none of those hogs were the one he had seen from below.

We worked our way down the rock and shale slides to the large patch of brush that he had seen the hog slip into. after pounding that brush with every stick and stone within grabbing distance. Mike made his way through the thick brush in one last ditch effort to try to flush the boar for me. It was to no avail and the boar had dispread like a ghost sometime during our climb up the mountain. We made it back to camp later that afternoon and got switched into some hunting cloths and headed back out for the evening hunt. The evening hunt was great and we saw lot's of hogs but no shooters. Well let me elaborate on that a little. When it comes to hogs I am pretty picky. I have taken many nice boards and some real trophy boars over the years.

 Mike had headed up the hill to take one last look around as I undercut the hill heading back to camp. On mikes place there are feral hill hogs, cross breeds and true Russian lines.  The Russians are known man hunters as mikes scars will show you. As I came around the corner there was a small feral sow with a piglet by her side. Most hog hunters will tell you that hog don't have great eye sight and this is very true. Most hogs will also go the other way when given the chance. I noted them and kept walking down the hill on a trail that would lead me right past them. When I got a little further down the hill I noticed a very large hog to the left of the two I had already noted. I raised my rifle to see this beautiful Russian sow. I thought to myself what a great breeder sow to leave alone as she will pass her great genetics along to many piglets. Why it is legal to shoot a sow I try to find a big tusker  on my hunts. I put my rifle back on my shoulder and continued on my path.

 As I neared the hogs the 2 feral hogs started to move off and head the other way. The Russian sow however stood her ground with a cocked head and stiff posture. Now I have spent a lot of time around animals and have guided and hunted hogs more than the average guy. Something did not fill right about this hog, She stood motionless as I passed he by . I kept eye contact with her the whole time until I had reach the part of the trail where it drops back down to the cabins. I then took my eyes off of her and looked forward. Lucky for me I have very good hearing as I heard her start to run. I thought that is funny that only now she would run since I was already past her. To my surprise when I looked over my shoulder she was not going away but coming straight for me. I like to think as myself as a fighter and got myself out of a few bad spots with animals over the years. The only thing I could think of was RUN!!!! So that is exactly what I DID!!!!

 I ran as fast as I could go to the bottom of the trail which was about 50 yards. As I came to the bottom of the trail I release the tension strap on my holster and drew my revolver. I turned to the charging hog and squared to her, bring my gun into my line of sight at the same time. This startled her and she came to a stop about 25 yards away from me. I started to yell at her and what I was yelling at her is not the kind of stuff you say in front of children and ladies. She started to snap her jaws and pop her teeth which a lot of hogs will do when ticked off or threatened. She walked a little to the left and I did the same then she turned and walked back to the right. I did the same keeping myself square to her making myself look as big as possible. She stopped and looked straight into my eyes and then turned and walked away. I have never had a animal look so deep into my soul before. There was a pure hatred in her eyes and I felt that as she turned to walk away.

 I holstered my side arm and thought to myself. Why in the heck did I not just shoot her, well I think it comes back to the management mind set I was in right before she flipping chased me LOL. Shortly after my buddy mike came off the hill and I looked at him knowing he had at least heard me yelling at her. He said to my surprise that he got to watch the whole thing. I looked at him and kind of sighed to myself.  He noted this and laughed out loud. I said what's so funny? He said I didn't know who's faced looked more serious, yours or the hogs. We both had a good laugh and headed back to turn in for the night.

Day 2 11/2/2012

With the clients coming in around mid day I was really hoping to get a hog by the time they arrived so I could spend some extra time hunting and guiding with them. Crack of dawn broke into my window on my comfy bed. I arouse to turn on the light and start getting dressed, I know yada yada yada why am I writing this. Well if I am going to tell you this next part you better listen to me yaw on!!! LOL. When I turned on the light I caught in the corner of my eye a yellow spot on the roof that I had not noticed the night before. I took a step back and wiped the sleep from my eyes. As my eyes came to focus I noticed a few more details about what I was looking at. The main feature was 8 legs!!!!

For you that don't know me and spiders do not mix well!!!! I noted the very large venom sacks and thought to myself dang that is just a flat nasty spider and it probably had enough venom to take me out! I decided that it was best to kill this spider and not have to share a room with him for my remaining nights. Now looking back I wish I had thought this threw a little better, I blame it on just waking up! I look around and to my pleasant surprise, I spot my extended shooting sticks. I thought what a wonder tool they would be for ending  MR Spiders life. As I was getting ready to smash him I thought for a second  well I better get a picture to share with people of this nasty spider. So after taking the picture you see in this story. I grabbed the sticks to end the little buggers existence.

 Boy do I feel stupid now! My shooting stick sure proved to be the opposite of the prime spider killing stick. As I jammed the sticks towards the spider, right before impact I realized oh no!!!! There is a notch in the middle of these sticks! WHACK!!!! The sticks slam into the roof and Mr Spider is safe in the middle of the v that supports the rifle. Also to my surprise the roof lifted up when I hit it. It was those cheap square white boards that just sit in supports to make up the roof. As I pulled the sticks back down towards me the impact of the roof tile was enough to knock Mr Spider loose!!!! Then he decided to bounce off my shooting sticks that were angled right back at my face and land squarely into my face.

 Against my better judgment for fear of future  teasing on the site I tell you this. I screamed like a girl, not just any girl the loudest most high pitched scream I think a man has ever yelled. I proceeded to tear my shirt off why beating the heck out of myself ripping my clothes off. After a good to minutes of cussing  and stomping on my cloths. I stopped to take a break and look for the spider. To my surprise I lifted my shirt and out ran the spider. I could not believe he just took that beating and was still going. Heck I was half knocked out by the punched I was throwing at myself LOL! I then did what came nature. I stopped on him!!! Well that was a mistake as well since I only had socks on! After about 2 good stomps I realized this and then proceed to cuss some more and was surprised I had not got bit in my dumb efforts to kill this simple spider.  I knew it was going to be a good day after that!!!

 Well after packing some water and telling mike about my near spider death encounter we headed out on the 2nd day of my hunt. I told him I was going to be happy to take any large hog I had the chance to. I really wanted some pork to bring back to Washington. We saw lots of hogs from first light tell mid day. Just as we were starting to head back to the quad to head in. I spotted a nice boar diving into a brush thicket. We blasted down the side of the hill to the other side of the brush where I threw the sticks up to get a good rest. Just before the hogs broke cover they smelled us and turned and headed right back where they came from. We cut around the under edge of the brush and got to the other side where a old road cut the brush in half. I threw the sticks up again and settled the cross hairs half way up the trail where I guessed they would break cover. I knew my shot would be a quick running shot. I knew that my 340wby would handle the job if I could. A moment of quite then all hell broke loose!!!

 The first hog out was a very large hog. I pulled a lead and touched it off!!! I heard the thud of my 200 grain accubond finding it's mark. I saw the hog buckle on the shot and as it crossed the road go down on its shoulder and slide down the hill. I chambered another round and ran to the edge. There laid my hog about 10 yards from where the monster 340wby had stuck it. We went back and got the quad and headed back to meet the clients. I had just finished dressing the hog when they pulled in. The new hunters were very excited to see my hog and head afield.

The rest of day 2 3 4 and 5 would prove to be some of the best hog hunting I have been around. Me and mike were able to guide our 4 other hunters onto 1 avg sized hog, 2 large tuskers and 1 monster boar! The 3rd largest ever shot on the ranch. With teeth and grind stones like I have never seen! I was also able to take a exotic ram on this trip and look forward to heading back down again next year. I am doing a spring hunt this coming year and it promises to be a good one.

Here are some pictures from the trip and some of the fine animals we took. If you guys would like to hunt north Cali for exotics and hogs. I would be happy to help you get booked into your trip for a monster tusker of your own!

[carpsniperg2]

pic

[RadSav]

Sweet!  Though I think you could have used a bigger gun

[Machias]

Nice!!!  I think I may be going down to SC for a hog hunt.

[carpsniperg2]

Sweet!  Though I think you could have used a bigger gun

I still have 1 or 2 bigger yet I took my long range rifle to do some cross canyon shooting but both my shots were under 100 yards I packed that heavy son of a gun all over northen cali Man do they make a whole! My entrance on that hog was the biggest entrance wound I think I have ever seen!

[sirmissalot]

Normally I wouldn't ask but it appears you're selling these hunts. What's the price? Have been talking about a hog hunt for years

[carpsniperg2]

Yeah I sell them. There is a listing in the sponsor area. If you go in there and search hog hunts. It should pull up the whole thread. It has a ton of pictures in it as well. With all the details, but the price is 750.00 That includes the tag and license. He is working on a big ranch right now to add to his operation. If he gets it and people want to hunt it instead they will have to buy the Cali hunting license and pig tag which is around 300 if I remember right.

[Todd_ID]

Cool story.  How's the meat tasting?

[carpsniperg2]

Pretty good I have had store bought and farm raised. The hill hogs are a little different. They are still good tasting to me but it really depends on the size of the hog and time of year. I bet the spring hogs will be the best. There was not to much feed around with all the fires and the hogs were a little leaner on this trip.

[RadSav]

Pretty good I have had store bought and farm raised. The hill hogs are a little different. They are still good tasting to me but it really depends on the size of the hog and time of year. I bet the spring hogs will be the best. There was not to much feed around with all the fires and the hogs were a little leaner on this trip.

Most of my Cali hogs have been spring hogs.  I believe it does make them taste better after a month or two on green grass and prickly pear fruit.  Took me a few years to get used to store bought pork again after my hog hunting days.  Still have a hard time with the salt injected stuff.  Nothing better than a 30# Catalina hog for eating except maybe a cabbage fed Arizona javelina.

[carpsniperg2]

I still need to shoot a musk hog one of these days! I keeping putting of texas but one of these days

[RadSav]

I still need to shoot a musk hog one of these days! I keeping putting of texas but one of these days

They are pretty cool creatures.  Though I would never shoot one again in Texas.  The ones in AZ are clean, taste good, and for the most part free of vermin.  The ones I've taken in Texas practically crawl away after they hit the ground from all the ticks and various other discusting creatures living on them.  And then there are the chiggers   I hate chiggers!!

Hunting AZ in the triangle between Safford, Wilcox and Bonita has produced pigs over 50# regularly.  Quite a bit larger on average than the Globe/SanCarlos pigs.  In the triangle you can spot & stalk the mountains, stand hunt trails between the hills and cabbage fields or still hunt the flat land drainage hogs in the catclaw thickets (where the real big boys live)!!!  You will find fox, bobcat and coyotes galore as well as some of the best quail and dove hunting north of the Mexican border.  Word of advice - When hunting behind the Fort Grant federal prison it's best to let the guards know in advance if your going to be carrying a shotgun and sneaking around in full camo.  It's not illegal, but it sure puts them in a BAD mood if you surprise them

The other big draw to the triangle is very few jumping cholla.  Those are almost as bad as chiggers