| Down and Dirty in Dixie | |
|
||
|
||
Back to Page One: Spearing a Hog at Night
Friday's Hunt
On Friday morning, Ryan and his parents arrived. Ryan was another young hunter lined up by the USSA. Born without a right hand, he was here to take part in this special opportunity that Kenny had so generously provided for disabled and terminally ill folks.
Even before we could get Ryan to his stand for the morning hunt, a big porker was spotted in the trail ahead, and Ryan had soon put that porker on the ground, his one shot true and on the mark. I have rarely seen a happier hunter than Ryan was after his first big kill! His fat, healthy hog weighed more than two hundred pounds.
A proud Ryan with his first big kill!
Photo copyright 2007 Russ Chastain, all rights reserved
No other hunters connected that morning, although several heard hogs in the brush nearby. After bidding Ryan and his folks farewell, we spent some time together in the air-conditioned lodge getting to know one another better and catching a few catnaps. The evening still-hunt turned up nothing more, either.
Dealing With Disappointment
Mike and Chris, our two remaining USSA hunters, were visibly disappointed that they hadn't made contact with any swine. There had been previous - unsuccessful - hunts at other hunting preserves, and they remained doubtful that they would connect with any hogs here. They didn't know who they were dealing with on this hunt, though, and didn't realize that Kenny, Clint, and I were prepared to do anything it took to get them their hogs.
Saturday Morning
Saturday morning turned up nothing visible at the stands again, so we reconnoitered after an hour or two and gathered the hunters together. As we made our way back towards the lodge in a procession of trucks, two big hogs stepped out into the road ahead - their final mistake. Mike soon put one down with a beautiful shot between its eyes, and Chris dropped his moving broadside hog with a well-placed shoulder shot and a swift finisher as the stubborn sow tried to leave the scene on three legs!
Kenny, Mike, and Chris sharing a laugh after the morning hunt.
Photo copyright 2007 Russ Chastain, all rights reserved
Now that all of the USSA hunters had made their kills, the Carolina crowd was taken on a truck tour of B4 Ranch, enjoying all of the exotic deer and antelope in the high-fenced Ranch preserve. Tensions were broken now that Mike and Chris had nailed their hogs, and the overall feeling was one of satisfaction with their successful hunt. Kenny wasn't done with these folks, though.
After Clint and Kenny took care of skinning and quartering the hogs, we again spent some time in the lodge, laughing and joking and enjoying the delicious breakfast that Jackie had prepared. By 10:30, though, Kenny announced that it was time to run the dogs and show these folks some sure 'nuff down-and-dirty hog hunting!
Heart-Stopping Action!
First to kill on that mid-day hunt was Mike, who popped a nice porker that catch dog Gyp had nabbed, while Kenny and Gyp held it.
Next, Chris followed as I plowed a path through the thick of the swamp to get to a hog caught by old Gyp and Trigger, several other men also fighting their way forward and blasting a route through the thicket by brute force. Chris used the big Sunrise River Boar Hunting knife to slay a big black hog in a swamp brawl that lived up to its name, and soon afterward Bobby did the same. The adrenaline was running hot and heavy on that hunt!
Not long after we emerged from the swamp, Big Mike shot a sizable hog that bay dog Goldie had handled all by herself, the fight ending in the deep black water of a wide ditch. Two truckloads of tired, dirty, sweaty, and thoroughly happy hunters then returned to the lodge for lunch and another round of skinning and quartering.
Chris and Mike with their noontime "swamp brawl" hogs.
Photos copyright 2007 Russ Chastain, all rights reserved
Saying Goodbye
It wasn't long before the Carolina crowd had packed their gear and were ready to depart for their long drive home. More than one tear was shed as we parted with these fine folks we'd known for less than two days, and it felt as if we were saying goodbye to old friends rather than new acquaintances.
We had tried our best to make this hunt something special for them, and in fact they had made it special for us. It seems that the feeling was mutual, just as it should be, and although Chris said he blamed me for getting him addicted to hunting hogs with a knife, he did so with his characteristic grin and a proud glint in his eyes that was the best thanks a man could ever ask for.
As our last two USSA hunters drove away with their family and friends, I fought back tears as I considered what had taken place over the past two days. Lives had been touched, hearts had been changed... and a group of fine folks headed home with six hogs in their coolers. If that's not an incredibly successful hunt, I don't know what is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Special thanks go to Cold Steel, Head-Lite, LLC, Sunrise River Custom Knives, Muzzy Products, National Wild Turkey Federation, and The Mintt screen printing company (727-845-1465) for their help in sponsoring this hunt and adding to its success. Thanks also to volunteers Clint Wood, John "Wild Man" Lance, John Hock, Rick Cagle, Sharon "Kitten" Grantham, Becky Strickland, and Homer Chastain for their parts in making this hunt safe, fun, and successful.
To Kenny Banaciski of Slaughter Brothers Wild Hog Hunts, a big fat thank-you for your generosity, and for allowing me to help out on this special hunt. And of course I can't forget Brigid O'Donoghue, who, in founding USSA and arranging hunts like this one, has changed more than one life for the better.
Russ Chastain
