Carpsniperg2: 2013 Cali hog hunt amazing trip!

[carpsniperg2]

I have hunted hogs in Cali more then a couple times and had lots of good trips but this one takes the cake. This is my first time hunting in the spring as most of the time I hunt in the fall/winter months. The feed was everywhere and the hogs were pretty spread out so we did not see as many as normal and we spent part of the time hunting a virgin ranch that my buddy had never set foot on. So we had that learning curve as well.

After rolling into camp mid day Thursday we got all the gear unloaded and got ready for a evening hunt. It ended up being just me and my buddy Ed. Since my other buddy got into a car accident Monday and was not able to make the trip. We set out on the home ranch to see if we could spot a boar at last light. We saw a good amount of the local hill hogs that wonder around but nothing we wanted to take. Since we were both willing to eat our tags to hold out for some big cutters.

Morning number 1 came and we headed to a virgin ranch that my buddy just got the o.k to hunt on. It is a cattle/wheat/rice ranch of about 10k in size. Not the ranch that I planned on hunting but with stuff going on with rice harvest the other land owner did not want us on that ranch so we were happy to test out the new ranch. We were setup in the big canyon that runs for miles. We spent all morning glassing and has high hopes since the ranch does not hardly get hunted at all and only by ranch family members in the past. On the way out after a few hours of glassing and not catching any hogs moving we were puzzled. As we were driving out I spotted a big hog moving from the oaks to the impassible chaparral brush. We shut off the truck and only got a glimpse of him but we knew it was probably a big boar. We took off and make the steep hike up to the break of the canyon top to see if we could find him. On the way up the biggest hog fight broke out and there was 2 big boars fighting like I had never heard before.

We got up even to them but that brush is so dense we could not see anything for hogs. Knowing there was 2 big boars in there we backed out and made a game plan to come back that evening. We hiked back down to the truck and then headed out and went back to camp and had a good lunch and a nap and then headed back out. We got in there way before needed but we hoped the hogs would be up and on there feet early since they went to bed so early into the morning. We got below the oaks and waited over looking the cattle pasture below us. I got tired of sitting as the shadows grew long. I stood up and looked up the hill to see one large hog go into a brush patch and 2 other mid sixed hogs hot on it's trail. It was game on! They were heading down hill to the pasture where a crack in the pipe made a little wallow we had noticed on the way out from the mornings hunt.

After rounding the bend a bit my buddy mike spots a sow just clearing the edge of the hill. Ed and Mike were infront of me and we planned on ed taking the first hog. He wanted something to mount so when a big rubbed up boar with big cutters steeped out to the sow. I took over and decided it was a trophy boar and one I had been looking for in California. The boar started walking our way and he was only 100 yards. So we all had to move together so they could get off to the side to let me get enough by them to make the shot. The boar was closing distance as I inched forward to get past them and when I stuck my sticks up and slung my gun onto them he caught the movement. He was at 65 yards, I quickly got my rifle to my shoulder flipped the safety and lined up just as he turned broadside. I touched off my black widow 340wby spitting out 22g accubonds and man did the dust fly! The thud that the bullet made was incredibly loud! The bullet stuck him perfect threw the middle of the lungs and just touching the back top part of the heart. The hog bellowed and turned and ran! I could not believe this and jumped to my feet to give chase. He made it around the little knob right by us that blocked our view back up the side hill and just as I rounded the corner I got to watch him do a flip and start rolling down the hill.

I keep packing my long range guns down there and every shot I get it less then 150 yards. Cracks me up. He is a outstanding trophy boar with thick cutters and I am very proud of him. He is a old battle scared warrior and it was a amazing hunt.

After some time skinning and gutting back at camp we cooked a late dinner and went to bed.

We hunted the next morning on the home ranch and saw some hogs but nothing we wanted.  So we beat the heat and hung out at camp and waited for the night hunt. I know the  property well and wanted to hunt my favorite area that evening. Mike turned me loose with Ed and I set out for my favorite spot. A tall knob over looking to canyons and thick brush on both sides. After sitting in the heat and swatting at flys for about 2 hrs the shadows of the mountains started to hit the valleys and canyons we were over looking. We spotted a large sow dart threw one of the small holes in the brush and that got us excited. After getting a few more glimpses of hogs I caught a glimpse of a hogs back end going into the brush. I knew it had to be a boar with the long guard hair I saw down it's back and side.

I looked to ed and told him we had a big boar below us. Little to my knowing this big boar was a giant monster tusker! We sat waiting and waiting and then all of a sudden ed said matt I can see the back end of a hog in the hole to the left of that tree. I scanned and found what he was looking at. I told him that was for sure a boar and to be ready for a snap shot. I needed to see more of him before giving him the ok. The boar was stiff in posture and listening to the surrounding. I knew he was a good one by the way he was acting. For some reason this boar let his guard down and started to back up into the hole he was sticking out of. He was quartered away at 10 o'clock. As he started to back up he swung his head around moving left to right. I told ed read he said yes. The boar turned to a quarter away shot at 2 o'cock and he showed me his face. Big mistake as it took 2 seconds for my brain to relay the words shoot to ed. The boar had the most amazing teeth I had ever seen in all my years hog hunting with around 2" of visible tusk hanging out and huge top stone. Ed fire as soon as he heard me say shoot. I walked the hog dropped in his tracks and start rabbit kicking. I did not see the shot but could tell he had probably hit him in the very front point of the shoulder and went out the neck. It ended up being just a couple more inches forward and just going threw the neck and taking out the spine.

I watched him roll a couple times into the thick brush and down the hill out of sight. I was so jacked up and was yelling at ed I was so excited. I kept screaming you know what you just shot a monster! He saw the teeth but being a first time hog hunter I knew he did not know what he had just shot. I had to realy it tom him in inches. I told him that hog is a once in a life time boar and like shooting a 200" buck. He did not think I could be real and I told it to him over and over again as we walked down to where my buddy was going to pick us up at dark. When ,y buddy pulled up he knew the look on my face and I told him what ed had just shot. He is use to people thinking oh my hog is big, but he knows that I know hogs and do not joke like that.

We climbed down into the draw where the boar had rolled and the look on mikes face as he spotted the boar first was un real. He said OMG what the heck did you guys just kill! I stood looking over the hog with a dazed looked. He was even bigger then I though a true giant of giants. He is top 5 for the ranch in the  thousands of hogs that have been taken off the properties in 20+ years. Not by body size as he was a old boar and probably 170lbs but by size and score of his teeth, that is how you score hogs.

A amazing boar and my buddy decided to get a 3/4 life size mount after listening to us tell him over and over again what type of animal he had.

It was a great trip everything went perfect. We did not see as many hogs as I am use to but killed a trophy and a monster boar all in one trip. I hope you all enjoy the pictures and stories and if you ever need a hog hunt I am happy to set you up. I go down here 1-2 times a year. Always happy to have members join me or set  you up on your own trip.

[carpsniperg2]

Pics

[carpsniperg2]

pics

[MLBowhunting]

Very nice hogs 

[RadSav]

That's some dang ugly bacon you got there Matt!  Insane teeth on Ed's boar. Maybe the best I've ever seen in CA.  I still think one of these days you are going to need to get a bigger pig gun

Sorry I could not make it this year.  Would have been great to see that big monster in person.  Been a while since I put the hurting on some pork.  Makes me feel good you guys had a great hunt...Congratulations

[carpsniperg2]

Thanks guys and Bryan, we will get you down there one of these days. He was indeed not to pretty and rubbed and scared up from fighting. Ed wanted something pretty to mount and I just love big teeth. So I could not turn him down. I love skulls anyways so dug will be getting another skull from me. Just happens that ed got a boar with it all. The teeth the hair and the looks to make a amazing mount.

[RadSav]

Pigs aren't suppose to be pretty...are they   I think mine are beautiful and the wife won't let me display them anywhere that someone might see   Dang women just don't understand the beauty in an ugly pack of bacon!  And of course her big deer is the first thing people see when they enter our house

[RadSav]

 

[carpsniperg2]

 

Nope I love battle scars on my critters just builds character

[RadSav]

You need to get with the program in posting the weight of a pig   You said 170#.  Now I have watched a lot of pig killing videos and I can tell you with certainty that is not the way to post a pigs weight.  A wild pigs weight is black bear weight + 30% +/- a variable!!

Let me explain that clearly so you understand...

Black bear weight is actual weight times two.  So in this case 170*2 = 340#.  Pig weight is black bear weight plus 30%.  So in this case 340*0.30 = 442#.  Now the tricky part of posting pig weight is the variable and how to round up or down depending on the tooth length.  Now if that pig had teeth 2" or shorter he would be rounded down to a mere 400# hog.  2.01" to 2.99" you keep that weight at 442#.  But since the tusks are 3" or longer you are allowed to round that figure up. 

So what you have there my friend is a 500# hog.  Absolutely no doubt about it

[BigD]

Very nice hogs Mat. Is that Ed from the called?

[BOWHUNTER45]

CRAZY.... Definately some cutters on those critters ... good job ! 

[Huntboy]

Nice hogs, looks like you had fun.

[h20hunter]

Some great boars. Beautiful area.....to bad you didn't get the shot on film.

[WAcoyotehunter]

nice teeth! 

[pianoman9701]

You're a stud, Matt. Nice hogs. Great cutters.

[Bigshooter]

Congrats Carp.  Looks like you had a lot of fun.

[carpsniperg2]

Thanks guys. Bigd not sure if your question.  Ed is the mobile slaughter guy in this area.

I wish I had my camera because both shots were perfect for film.

[JohnVH]

awesome, pigs are fun hunting! Id love to go do that again

[BigD]

That's who I was talking about. Hope he brought his knife, he can skin an animal pretty dang quick.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Those look mean! Good shooting !

[carpsniperg2]

That's who I was talking about. Hope he brought his knife, he can skin an animal pretty dang quick.

Yeah he is amazing at taking care of a animal quick! When you kill 1200+ animals a year you better be quick lol.

[cohoho]

Awesome Matt...  As posted to you earlier, one of these days...  Again..

[Greenhorn]

Awesome!   

[Beardo]

No bow???  Nice pigs!

[lhrbull]

my cali hog was missing a front leg had lost it in a fight when yunger

[carpsniperg2]

No bow???  Nice pigs!

I don't get a chance to pack a rifle to many times each year,since I am mainly a archery guy. So this is one hunt I like to pack the big stick I have killed some great boars with my bow as well. I might pack it with me when I head back down in a few months. They kill a lot with bows down there but those big boars are tuff to get within archery range.

[Ripper]

Nice piggy and write up.

[C-Money]

Awesome!

[Beardo]

No bow???  Nice pigs!

I don't get a chance to pack a rifle to many times each year,since I am mainly a archery guy. So this is one hunt I like to pack the big stick I have killed some great boars with my bow as well. I might pack it with me when I head back down in a few months. They kill a lot with bows down there but those big boars are tuff to get within archery range.

  sounds like fun.  Something else for me to add to the list of hunting trips haha.  You get decent amounts of meat off those? 

[bearpaw]

Matt, looks like a great hunt, congrats... 

[carpsniperg2]

Thanks guys.

No bow???  Nice pigs!

I don't get a chance to pack a rifle to many times each year,since I am mainly a archery guy. So this is one hunt I like to pack the big stick I have killed some great boars with my bow as well. I might pack it with me when I head back down in a few months. They kill a lot with bows down there but those big boars are tuff to get within archery range.

  sounds like fun.  Something else for me to add to the list of hunting trips haha.  You get decent amounts of meat off those? 

You get some great meat off of them but the hogs down there are not fat like a fair hog. They run them hills day and night so most avg boars are 125-175. You get one going over 200 that's getting to be huge for a wild boar down there. The meat is very good and this spring boar even being a trophy boar is still pretty tasty. Those bigger older boars are best for sausage most of the time.

[Killercolin]

So cool. I cant wait to go do something like this. Just got to talk my old man into going and doing a father son out-of-state hunt.

[lhrbull]

where in California do you hunt

[carpsniperg2]

By Willows CA. It's about 8.5hrs south of Portland OR.

[carpsniperg2]

So cool. I cant wait to go do something like this. Just got to talk my old man into going and doing a father son out-of-state hunt.

You guys would have a great time down there with us. I have another trip on the books if you talk to him and want to go I can get you into my party.

[Beardo]

Thanks guys.

No bow???  Nice pigs!

I don't get a chance to pack a rifle to many times each year,since I am mainly a archery guy. So this is one hunt I like to pack the big stick I have killed some great boars with my bow as well. I might pack it with me when I head back down in a few months. They kill a lot with bows down there but those big boars are tuff to get within archery range.

  sounds like fun.  Something else for me to add to the list of hunting trips haha.  You get decent amounts of meat off those? 

You get some great meat off of them but the hogs down there are not fat like a fair hog. They run them hills day and night so most avg boars are 125-175. You get one going over 200 that's getting to be huge for a wild boar down there. The meat is very good and this spring boar even being a trophy boar is still pretty tasty. Those bigger older boars are best for sausage most of the time.

very cool thanks for the info