Here piggy piggy piggy.
Massachusetts
Well back to FL. in a couple weeks for a vacation and a pig hunt once again. Been doing it more than ten yrs now. I have used outfitters all over the state. Some great some total rip-offs. Pig hunting is a tough game for a bowhunter or I just have the worst luck of any pig hunter ever. One hunt as an example was in south Fl. in the everglades. The hunt fee was like 125 bucks and another 150 if you connected. We didn't know at the time there would be rifle hunters there as well. They stuck us out back outa the way cuz they knew the rifle guys would connect making them more money. We never saw a single pig but heard lots of gunfire. 3 rifle hunters shot 4 pigs. They offered no discount or any explanation and took the cash.
On the other end of the scale We hunted Sebring on a 7000 acre cattle ranch where the ranch manager did pig hunts only on wk ends to make some extra money for his family. He had the ranch owners permission to do it. It made him some extra cash and helped control the pigs. We opted for an afternoon hunt. I believe it was 175 for any size pig no trophy fees,,, all inclusive. The only stipulation was if you shot and drew blood you owed the money. We were in a home made ground blind for a couple hrs before anything happened. I was filming and my female cohort was shooting. Late in the afternoon the pigs started filtering in. Soon we had 40 or 50 pigs around us. Yeah you read that right 40 or 50. They were 25 yds. away. Talk about an adrenalin rush. I wasn't even shooting and was shaking so bad I didn't know if the film would even be watchable. We picked one out for her to shoot and she took aim. One thing about pigs is that they never stand still. Their always running around the feeders fighting for the feed. Anyway she shoots and just as she does the pig steps forward. She hits this beast in the shoulder amour and the arrow bounces off but drawing blood. Bye bye 175. All the pigs run off.
I feel bad as she has yet to get a kill and tell her she can shoot again if they come back. Half hr. later here they come again. They returned 4 more times before dark but she never shot not liking the shot opportunities. The ranch manager finally came to get us. We told him our tale of the amour shielded pig. He looked at the arrow and said you don't owe me anything. I tried to make him take the money but he would not take it. I told him we would come back next yr. but when I contacted him the following yr he said he stopped doing pig hunts cuz it took him away from his family too much.
Enjoy Drslyr - have a blast in the sun and palms!
Cool story. This sport is about adrenalin!
Any recommendations for place? I am leaving next Friday visiting family in Florida and would like to get some pork.
Nice....I'm leaving in 2.5 weeks for my annual pig hunt. We go to. North Carolina. As much as I love bow hunting I also love my fire arms and pigs are largely nocturnal, tough and taste so good! Hence the I usually take a rifle and a nv set up. 1st year I took 2 hogs, last year I took 3, ( 4 of us got 7 pigs) . This year we are trying a new outfitter in same area that is a little more geared towards night hunting. In years past I did better then others in our group only because I had a nv setup and stayed in stand after dark. When I get back I usually take all my ground hog and make all my venison sausage and bologna etc.... with the wild pork.....yum!
Last yr my pal and I went on a free range hog hunt. Jrdrslyr is right about the night hunt. Around 11pm here comes this 300 lb black monsta. We were in stands 25 yds apart. We decided that whoever it came closest to would shoot. My pal had a 25 yd shot. He held at full draw quite awhile while the guide illuminated the pig with green light. Finally whack the arrow goes down range and we watch the luminock sail just over his back. He took off as fast as a deer. Hunt over.... after he said he held so long cuz he couldn’t see his pin
