Shiloh Ranch tomorrow
Hogs
Tomorrow, we head out to Shiloh Ranch for another hog slaying event. My oldest son, Justin and I are headed south with Jon, a good friend and hunting partner. We'll be joined by Mark, and his two sons, Scott and Brian. Mark and Brian went last year, and got a few pigs with a rifle. This year they are bringing bows. Brian had just graduated from the Air Force Academy last year, so we introduced him to Lagavulin 16 year.
We'll let you know how hunting goes, but I've been there plenty of times before, and the answer will be: great. I know where I want to sit, off the road about 100 yards in the woods, next to where a bunch of trails meet. And if my luck holds, there will be carbon flying in the air. (Inbowdude, I'm sure you're happy grading papers instead of pig slaying this week.)
I do a crappy job with these semi-live hunts. If there are animals coming, or nearby (and they are always nearby) I don't want to illuminate anything with the phone screen.
Bad Karma - Mike turned me onto Shiloh a couple years ago and our family will be at the ranch between Christmas and New Years (for our 4th visit). Hopefully the hogs are active! Let us know how things go! I'm counting down the days!
Damn you Bad Karma, I have 175 finals to grade while you are killing pigs. I hope you have a great hunt and post a ton of pictures.
Is the meat processor down there that folks were using last year still available? Our group will be heading down end of February. Good luck this week.
Is the meat processor down there that folks were using last year still available? Our group will be heading down end of February. Good luck this week.
Ok Friday night I sat in the woods. Cover is sparse. Saw literally 120 pigs but no shots. Those that were close we’re moving. 3 pigs down, though. All good sized.
My son missed s hog but got a nice Corsican ram. His second bow kill.
Saturday morning and I’m at six, in the ground blind. Three small pigs come in immediately after the feeder spins. I had extra corn out and waited. Another dozen came in, nothing huge but a couple of chunky medium hogs. A bigger one hangs about sixty yards out. The pigs are bunched up eating but as the corn thins, they are a little more spread out. Like Invowdude, I get weak man’s disease and pick out a chunky sow. The arrow heads out, and I hear a crack. It breaks off at the feeder, so I’m thinking it lodged in the far shoulder. It’s running and disappears east of me. No blood trail but I walk where I last saw her and she’s ten yards further down the hill, Tasty fat sow. Now for a whopper tonight.
There are more pigs here than I’ve seen in a long time. I literally saw 15 or more bunches last night, lost count.
Justin with a nice ram
Justin with a nice ram
Well the boys filled the camp freezer with meat last night! Here are a few pics we took after the evening hunt. Here's Justin with a beautiful corsican ram he shot. Congratulations Justin!
Mark with a real bruiser
Mark with a real bruiser
Mark shot this brute at the pond near stand 2. Good job Mark!
Jon with the big boar he shot.
Jon with the big boar he shot.
Jon put another good one down at stand 4. Good shooting Jon!
Mark and Jon with their first evening results.
Mark and Jon with their first evening results.
Mark also shot this big black boar at Rattlesnake Ridge. When I asked the guys if they'd mind posing for one more picture they answered "Sure Cheryl, we'll do anything you ask us to". So naturally I said "Okay, then stand on one foot and out your hand on each other's head". Wouldn't you know, they did it?! Sorry guys, but I couldn't resist posting this...lol.
Ok Friday night I sat in the woods. Cover is sparse. Saw literally 120 pigs but no shots. Those that were close were moving. 3 pigs down, though. All good sized.
My son missed s hog but got a nice Corsican ram. His second bow kill.
Saturday morning and I’m at six, in the ground blind. Three small pigs come in immediately after the feeder spins. I had extra corn out and waited. Another dozen came in, nothing huge but a couple of chunky medium hogs. A bigger one hangs about sixty yards out. The pigs are bunched up eating but as the corn thins, they are a little more spread out. Like Inbowdude, I get weak man’s disease and pick out a chunky sow. The arrow heads out, and I hear a crack. It breaks off at the feeder, so I’m thinking it lodged in the far shoulder. It’s running and disappears east of me. No blood trail but I walk where I last saw her and she’s ten yards further down the hill, Tasty fat sow. Now for a whopper tonight.
There are more pigs here than I’ve seen in a long time. I literally saw 15 or more bunches last night, lost count.
And while walking back, I saw another big hog. And having weak man disease, another arrow later, and I’m happily got another hog down. 2 others went down today.
So I go to 5a tonight. At the feeder was a hog. I get set in the blind. In 5 minutes, three hogs show up. In ten minutes they find my corn. There’s a small one. Broadside he moves so he finds a fast arrow headed his way. Perfect heart shot. He runs 20 yards and drops. A whopper. 32 lbs. he will be tasty cooked slowly on the smoker.
Kevin with the big boar he shot near stand two.
Kevin with the big boar he shot near stand two.
Ground hunter- directly abovw the elbow and in the bottom 1/3 of the chest. You'll end up with results like this... This is Kevin (bad karma) qith the big boar he shot while walking back to camp this morning.
Yes, a fixed head is most effective for hogs. Here is Scott with another big one taken at stand six.
Scott went back out to stand 1a and shot this big hog tonight. Congratulations on your first bowkills Scott!
Wow, that is so great! Weak man disease indeed! I like to think of it as critter control. Looks like a fantastic time. Glad you guys are putting those hogs down but save some for the rest of us.
Very successful hunt with some great trophies and memories. Congrats
Looks like you guys had a great time . Save me a few. Surprising my 11year old with a trip there in May .
The acorn crop is poor. There are more pigs than I've seen in a long time, if not ever. I saw better than 120 hogs Friday night. And didn’t get a shot in the woods. Was sitting not stalking. They just were moving fast.
One more note. I love sneaking up on bedded hogs and sending an arrow in their vitals. Couldn't do it this trip. The ground was noisy and crunchy, like walking on Doritos. Sitting at a stand and waiting was the best option by far. I did manage to approach one hog, but I had a big tree blocking his view, and a dirt covered pathway.
But the good news is that Matt will tell you how and where he thinks you should hunt. And if you listen to him, your odds are very good that you'll get an opportunity. He rides the roads every morning, and has a good idea where there will be chances to get a nice hog.
Good luck, I hear that is a great place to go.
Shiloh Ranch is fun. The only way to not have fun there is to be a jackhole, or have a jackhole or two in your hunting party.
Bad Karma looks like another great trip for you and the guys. I had to give up my end of January hunt next month unfortunately. Going to make a quick run down with INbowdude in March though it looks like.
karma,
What is the difference in a "jackhole" and an "asshole"?
Are jackholes an endangered species- never heard of such a creature.
It's a more polite way of saying the same thing.
This thread got me going! Thanks for sharing! We'll be leaving for the ranch a week from now and hunting next Thursday!
Familyman, there are plenty of hogs. Wind is your enemy, so play it soundly. And listen to what Matt says, as he genuinely wants you to kill pigs and tell your friends.
They have a new helper there, Les, aka Country. Nice fellow, will skin and quarter your game. We left some antelope mole for him, he came by to thank us, and gave us some crappie to take home. Les was new, first week, and we got along with him well. He was busy past 10:30 one night skinning some big hogs. And anyone that gives Matt and Cheryl a little relief is good in my book.
I won't suggest a spot to hunt, as the wind will determine some of that. The woods are too crunchy to sneak up on much more than a lame, blind and deaf turtle, so plan on sitting. And bring twice as much corn as you need to the blind.....
1/12/18 can't get her soon enough, this will be 16th or 17th hunt with Matt and Cheryl can't remember for sure they all run together. Glad to hear about number of pigs will hopefully take a few off their hands myself in no time.
Bad Karma- Thanks for the tips and encouragement! We'll give it all we've got and see how it goes! 2 chest freezers in the truck to make sure we have enough room...
You don't need my help. You'll all get into pigs.
Hey FamilyMan, How about an update?
Mike- Just stopped at BPS in Springfield last night. We have tickets for the new "Wonders of Wildlife" museum @ 10AM today. They say it takes 3 hours to walk through it all! Will arrive at the Guest House after dinner tonight (after picking up my 13 yr old son's ram mount from the taxidermist). Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll be in a blind tomorrow afternoon... I'll aim to post updates in the evenings...
BPS in Springfield...hmmm seems like I know someone else who sleep in that parking lot cause they forgot stuff at home. Sorry INbowdude that still makes me laugh. Looking forward to the updates of your hunt Family Man!
Thanks for reporting on your hunt and thanks for the pics Bad Karma. I haven't had time to check things out in a while. Hunting and guiding got in the way. Good luck Family Man. I think we are scheduled to be back at Shiloh Feb. 15-17. We sure are looking forward to it.
Looking forward to report only 16 more days!!!
I've been going to Shiloh Ranch since 2003. It's never been better, IMO.
