Excalibur vs Texas Hogs

[Hunt it]

Gene,
I'll give you a bit of a run down on our hunt. First off, I have hunted these two ranches for past 15 years. I originally started hunting there with a group of trad bow only hunters. The two ranches give us over 70 square miles of hunting. Many water holes and tanks on the ranches. We hunt from ground blinds, pits we dig and platforms in windmills at water holes. Years ago we camped on the ranch but know have a bunkhouse with full spam, washroom and beds for 15 hunters.

The hunting is mainly done in the late afternoon and into the night as late as one can sit. The javelina are hunted in am and mid day when hot. Shots are normally under 30 yards. This year we had 8 guys in my group from Ontario and 3 other guys from WV sharing camp. The WV guys where all traditional shooters. I had borrowed two Excaliburs this year as two of my son's friends that are new to hunting joined us. They both took thier first ever animals on this hunt and did very well. The rest of my crew had been there and done this before in past years with me.

Our first night of hunting was fast paced and exciting. I had over 50 hogs come in in the first three hours. I kept shooting till my 4 arrow quiver was dry! By 8 pm I had to start dragging pigs back to truck. my son and one of the other guys bagged pigs that night. Our second night was busy as well, my son had the hot spot as he arrowed 4 good boars that night and he emptied his quiver. I arrowed another one that night as well and one of the new guys took his first game animal. Night three was the night I bagged the big boar in the pictures. He came in about an hour after dark and the only shot he gave me was 30 yards quartering on but the Executioner/G5 Striker did the job out of my 380 and he only made it 80-90 yards. Our other new Hunter arrowed two pigs that night as well. Couple of the other guys had good luck at thier spots as well. Night four produced a few more hogs and a javelina. Day five another javelina in the am and no hogs that evening as it was windy and it being our last night in camp we had some packing to do and called it quits at 8 pm.

All the pigs get gutted and hung overnight and then we skin and quarter them each morning and load camp freezers. Clean up skulls, boil and pull tusks and caped out one javelina for shoulder mount. We bring all the meat home in coolers and have processed into bratwurst sausage, which is great on BBQ.

As mentioned in first post, all guys shooting Excalibur bows, most pigs killed with G5 Striker broadheads and the others with bolt cutters. Couple of pigs tracked and shot with 45/70 - still alive when found. All others piled up inside of 80-90 yards some as close as 15 ft. 18 total, 16 pigs , 2 javelina, + 2 hogs and 1 javelina not recovered. I arrowed 7 hogs, my son arrowed 4 and the rest spread out between other guys.

The weather was great, 70 to 80 everyday and night time temps in 50-60 range. It was the week leading up to full moon so bright at night and most of time the lighted cross hairs did the trick. We all have red or green lense flashlights rigged on bows for dark spots if needed.my so arrowed all his with crossbones scope/ no light - young eyes are good! I used the lighted cross hairs in my Vortex XBR for every shot I took.

It's a long drive down and back but well worth the fun and an annual event we try very hard not to miss. Hog hunting is my passion, I've hunted pigs in Africa, Australia and Texas and there is something about a big old narly boar that does it for me!

[j.krug]

Some serious pork on the ground there...way to go!

[robertyb]

Great story. Congrats on all the pigs.

[xcaliber]

Congratulations on a great hunting trip, looks like a lot of pork chops!

[Hunt it]

Tusks from big hog.

[Canuck Archer]

Any trouble with getting pork meat across the border?
Congrats on all the nice hogs! Looked like it was fun.

[mingle]

looks like it would be a lot of fun..Maybe someday I might get to try it.Congrads

[Hunt it]

No problem at border and never have in past. Tell them what you have and they either say yuck get outta here or cool but never have asked to see license or the hogs.

[paulaboutform]

That is AWESOME! Those pigs sure get my heart pumping! AWESOME!

Paul

[L. E. Carroll]

Thank's for the hunt story. I really enjoyed it as I'm sure others here did also.

Gene

[tremps01]

Thank's for the hunt story. I really enjoyed it as I'm sure others here did also.

Gene

X2

Marcel

[Sandman]

That's awesome - Congrats

[Normous]

Great hog controlling in Texas and after reading this thread twice I have a renewed interest to participate in another hog hunt at some near future time.

[Hunt it]

Once you've arrowed a few big old boars they get in your blood and you just hafta keep hunting them.

[Timbrhuntr]

Thats awesome ! I hunted rio grande turkeys in the spring on my buddies lease in texas the past 5 years. He is always saying to shoot the hogs if I see them. But I must be snake bit as I have only seen their tracks. I don't hunt anywhere near the feeders or water holes so I guess that could be why I never see them.