I'm a little late updating and as a result, have so much to say that this may become a jumbled mess of rambling on about various topics. I still wonder how I got so busy and why it seems I have so little to show for all my efforts! I need to get out and do something fun-after all, it's been 2 weeks! Well, not that I've been bored really, the time just seems to fly by and next thing you know, a new month rolls around. I have been putting a lot of mental energy into a new project though. The reason for the high amount of mental energy is because I don't have much in the way of extra money to finish the project quickly. That's a good thing though because I like research and obsess over every detail... The project is a new pig killin' rifle, which all got started because my buddy Glenn got a new pig killin' rifle, and then FORCED me to use it. Yep, twisted my arm.
Now you might be wondering why somebody would hand a new toy off to a buddy to kill critters with-after all, wouldn't everybody want to play with their own toy? The difference here is that Glenn likes to get our hunts on film, and we're short on cameramen! Filming isn't so bad when things go well and certain people can hit what they're shooting at! For the rest of the time, the footage makes for some good laughs and even a little embarassment. I think I look goofy on film, at least stills can be set up a little easier to enhance the best features of the subject! Ok, relax and just hunt as normal (whatever that is). Well, this time the objectivity of the camera would point out that even the most seasoned hunters can be fooled by a pig just doing what it normally does!
So, two weeks ago I left work only slightly early, with just enough time to travel and make it to the pig wallows by prime time. We've been in a really bad drought, and the heat has been almost unbearable for days on end. That means our hunts are centered on ponds, creeks, sloughs, any place where water is still left. It also means there's no reason to sit there sweating it out for hours on end because the pigs aren't moving till very late in the day-almost dusk!
We set up on a pond on the edge of the woods. In general, this is a good type of setup, but even better here because the woods behind the pond are crisscrossed with trails and dry creek channels that could make good trails for an army of pig ninjas to converge on the pond..and we were ready! We watched a snake hunting around the edge of the pond, making it's way all the way around the pond a few feet at a time. Might sound boring, but if you watch and listen, there are so many things in nature that while you know occur regularly, you rarely get to see. So in our boredom of waiting for pigs to get there, we talked (whispered) about the lack of pig sounds coming from the woods. The normal pattern seems to be that the pigs make a small amount of squealing and grunting on their way to the pond-remember, the woods are thick and the terrain is excellent for concealment and protection. Under pressure, pigs don't seem to sound off quite like they do in areas they have to themselves, but they're always making some noise..we just weren't hearing any of it.
You can probably guess what happened next. Yep, our ADD kicked in and we decided to go after the pigs. We paused as we crossed the dried up center bank of the pond because there was some sort of thick liquid that had been poured, peed or leaked out by SOMETHING. It was kind of cool in a way and the bees really seemed interested in it...I mean they were really into it and working that dirt over like it was the best thing around..huh? What was that? We heard a VERY small noise and turned around just in time to see a black pig disappearing back into the woods!!
Forehead slaps, shoulda-woulda-coulda's, and chuckle later, we decided that we wouldn't let that pig get away with outsmarting us! Through the woods we went, me whacking my head on low branches but still being somewhat stealthy (yeah, right), and Glenn right behind me with the camera at the ready. Well, sometimes you can beat pigs at their own game in the woods, usually it works out better if they don't know you're there. OK, plan B time.
Glenn knew of another pond not far from the woods. This pond was much more in the open, although right next to some thick woods. We figured it was worth a shot, even though the chances weren't nearly as high of seeing anything. After winding our way out of the woods, we paused at the open field and planned our approach. You ALWAYS need to plan your approach in any stalk! I would always put more weight on the WIND than I would exposure. After all, a pig may not see you from a distance but he WILL smell you, and if he catches the slightest scent-he's gone!
So we skirted the woods taking note of the cows in the field, and even a coyote that we managed to sneak up on (I'd rather be lucky than good)! Everything seemed quiet, both in the field and the woods next to us. Admittedly, our hopes were low for finding any more pigs. Light was fading fast and we really weren't all that far from where we spooked that last pig after all.
Finally we made it to the pond. A quick scan revealed nothing of note. We saw no pigs, no wallows, just a cattle pond that might make a good fishing spot sometime. We walked a little closer to the pond and we noticed a stump in the shallows that looked like a good place to run a spinnerbait in better times. Well, shucks, we looked at each other and started talking in normal voices about how we wished we had waited just a little longer at that last pond, blah, blah, blah.. Suddenly, we heard a sound, turned around and observed the tree stump in the pond suddenly rise up, morph into a pig and start running for the woods at Mach 3! Have you ever SEEN a pig run through the wide open? It's a sight to see-this isn't Wilbur down on the farm who's been confined to a pen! I'm not sure how fast a pig can run, but it's fast enough that everybody should practice shots on running animals! So there I was, AR in hand, Eotech holosight doing exactly what it should do, and me..not..doing..well..I was shooting but just not hitting! Such is hunting, and now I know I need to get in more practice!
So our lesson for the day? You can SEE something and not really SEE it. Sounds silly simple doesn't it? Well, I don't mind sharing a story of being outsmarted by a pig because it underscores something myself and Glenn have laughed about many times over the years-it's our perceptions and what we think we know about critters that limits our success! I mean, marksmanship aside, we HAD all the tools. An AR15 in the AWESOME 6.8 SPC caliber, custom built by a company called Specialized Dynamics and competition accurate, an Eotech holosight zeroed and beyond doubt DEAD ON, shooting sticks to be steady when needed...we just somehow left our amazing powers of observation and clear thinking back at the truck!
So here I am, 'the Great White Hunter', no pork for the freezer but a great field lesson and fun memory under my belt! I treasure every time afield and every cut, bruise, rash, splinter and cactus spine that comes along with learning how how to outwit God's creatures. I can chuckle at myself because I know that the pigs didn't truly outwit me and Glenn, we outwitted OURSELVES!
Oh and the rifle Glenn forced me to use? I know he knows my weakness for AR15's, and I know he has recognized how impressed I am with the 6.8spc.. So I'll blame him if my wife gets irritated at me for the multiple UPS shipments of parts, tools scattered all over the kitchen table, catalogs scattered all over the place, and mysterious transactions that seem to have no source of funding! Hey, the government can do it after all...this will be my BLACK PROJECT!
