NJ Saltwater Fisherman Forums
NJ Saltwater Fisherman => Non-Fishing Discussions => Topic started by: harbison on January 31, 2021, 02:58:35 AM
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First hog hunt of the new year
For a Florida native who has been hunting hogs for well over half a century there is no better way to welcome 2021 than harvesting a trophy wild Florida boar hog. First let's take a look back. My first serious hog hunting club was Crystal River's Southwood hunting club. The hunting was absolutely fantastic. At Southwood I learned how to use corn feeders. Many established game trails ran along fence lines. Southwood was cross-fenced; that's where I set up my stands and feeders. I hunted Southwood for two years. I saw every tree in the entire 6,000 acres. Decided I had to have more land to hunt. Buck & Boar offered 16,000 acres, a shaded camp ground, walk-in cooler, a bath house, electricity, and more hogs than you could ever imagine. Fantastic!One of our many stands. It was a great one. (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/1(127).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/476bb9c4-3ad6-4974-bac9-46acfd878fc5)Serious hunting requires a great deal of time and effort. My wife, Thelma, and I were a team, we shared the work load at Buck and Boar for twenty years. Shortly after our twentieth year cancer took her. With age catching up with me and being alone I could no longer do the work required to be successful; my hunting was over. Or was it?Enter Perry Florida's Two Guys And A Hog. They do all the work; we have all the fun. (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/3(102).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/04e89015-a5b1-4310-9480-0747901bc001)We were married December 24, 1970. On December 24, 2020, I harvested, in her honor, his & her hogs:(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/2(113).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/d33d49d6-553f-45d6-bdb7-be81d7e69690)Like Buck and Boar I found Two Guys to be the best of the best. Six years later I am still hunting with Two Guys. The hunting is very good and my guide, Francisco, is fantastic. This man from Guatemala gives 110% on every hunt, and it shows. Like Southwood I have a well used game trail running next to a long fence line. Been hunting the same stand for six years. As we approach my home away from home for the remainder of the day, Francisco is on guard:(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/4(93).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/9e6186a2-ed0c-4519-9d60-f352cb83d775)Feed them and they will come. We hope!(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/5(87).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/e46d2ab3-001b-402e-880c-52148fabca96)Looks like they are hungry:(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/6(83).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/79d393dd-7212-459a-8738-e14131523528)To me sharing is every bit as important as the hunt. (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/7(81).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/c845980c-032c-430e-ab90-eea118e9b63d)That BIG boy has my name on him. But he is tricky. After posing for a couple of seconds he takes off like a bullet. I'm not too sure he thinks too much of the idea of being shot. (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/8(72).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/17eebe63-e1f3-4135-b1b8-5875d825b6a3)Now this is getting personal. Before running off again he looks at me and smiles:"I am better than you; you can't get me." (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/9(28).JPG?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/66bc692d-fa3b-408d-b093-3f0075606a18)Want to bet?The next time he gives me that big smile before he has a chance to take-off I release the awesome power of that 1895 Marlin Stainless Guide Gun. With a mighty blast, and the kick of a mule my 300 gr jacketed hollow point does its thing:(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/10(67).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/ac84e96c-54a1-45d9-87b8-4c6424a2efb9)Hog down; down and out:(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/11(61).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/d2edc087-2238-463c-b45d-83b41df3c3ce)At one time Thelma and did this by ourselves:(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/12(65).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/b9e8cd39-06ba-40d1-8c5c-60c9b9b60b1a)Wish we still could.(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/13(66).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/b6d0e596-228d-4f85-9990-599c8261041d)(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/14(57).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/ae16c67b-7513-46a0-b079-654cc984838c) Now this is getting personal. Before running off again he looks at me and smiles. Never Again!(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/15(54).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/bf412802-5903-40ca-ab5b-f164d92314c7)Talk about roughing it...Now there is something to smile about... The best burrito an a fanatic roast beef sub. (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/16(51).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/08ebf8fd-06ae-4d9e-b8b5-0b6f52ec1702)(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/17(48).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/672d50dd-430a-4128-8fb0-ecdd26d22197)Check out the in-the-woods video of this very exciting hunt. If you listen closely you can hear me pull back the hammer before the shot:
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/uu162/harbisonphoto/18(42).jpg?width=590&height=370&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/harbisonphoto/a/6fda4977-e846-420c-b865-af085650096c/p/831ed556-aafb-4aeb-8910-9e54199566e1)
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t^ ........................... chrz