I had posted this under a reply to my last post. Then I thought....most people on here won't even see it, as it's kind of buried.So here it is again.
I went back to the same place last Friday. Was late leaving due to ....uhh...overnight company.....so didn't get to the woods until about lunch time. I got there, loaded Monkey and an 8 month old pup on the 4 wheeler and went to check out a feeder the bears had messed with a while back. Once I got off the road I let Monkey out. It was about 12:30 PM at this time. He trotted off ahead of me and I drove to the feeder which is out in an overgrown clearcut.
I got to the feeder, the bears hadn't tore it up...again...so I started filling it. I put a couple bags of corn in it and thought I better check on Monkey. There was corn on the ground from when the feeder went off that morning and it didn't look like anything had been there since the night before. Anyway when I looked at the Garmin Monkey was over 800 yards away just beating the clearcut down like a bird dog. Making circles loops and just covering ground looking. He was getting farther away so I drove back out to the main road (in the club) and drove to a crossroads, turned left and drove down towards where he should have been. I turned the scooter off and ..what's that?? Monkey bayed at about 712 yards from me.
I drove down the road until I was about even with him and stopped. I could hear him baying off in a thick clearcut planted in young pines about 15 feet high. This block is thick as hair on a dogs back! Briar patches, vines, dog fennels, pines, it's got it all. I left the pup on the 4 wheeler and started in to Monkey. He was baying like it was a big hog. It was about 1:15 at this time and starting to get warm. I tried to hurry to Monkey but it was so thick it was slow going. And naturally, I was by myself! I got closer and could hear hogs rallied up and talking. I like hearing that! I eased in and could see Monkey some but couldn't see the hogs in a thick patch of waist high briars. But I could hear them talking and heard teeth popping!
I tried to get closer without getting me or Monkey in a wreck. There were no trees big enough to climb as the pines were not very big around! He started crowding the hogs and a couple ran out at him. A couple big sows and another toothy barr hog! Then the hogs ran back into the briar patch. There were still a couple hogs that didn't come out so I would guess there were 5-6 hogs in that bunch, maybe more. All good big hogs.
I had my pistol but it was thick and I didn't want a repeat of the above hunt, so I got my hands on Monkey and left them standing in the briars. They were still talking as I led Monkey out, much to his dislike. He didn't want to leave those hogs there. Got back out to the 4 wheeler and Monkey was hot so I loaded him up and went to check another feeder. Got on a dim woods road and let him out to get a drink and just eased along headed to another feeder. He pulled out and bayed about 300 yards from me. I drove close as I could and hurried to him. He had three sows and some pigs bayed in a swamp. Two of the sows had pigs but one was a fat young sow without pigs. A guy I know had asked me to get hima good eating hog for Christmas and she fit the bill. One shot and she was down for the count. Now why didn't that work for the other barr!!
I could get the 4 wheeler close so I drove in and loaded her on the front of the scooter. She was probably 100 lbs or so and fat. Was a good hunt. Glad I didn't have the young dog out on the first hogs as they were big & aggressive. Wished I had her out on the second bay! She is only 8 months so I am taking it slow. She will get her chance!
Here is Monkey and the young dog on the scooter with the sow.
Here is Monkey getting in a last bite after I gutted and loaded the sow on the truck. He is starting to look old.
