Our troop met up on Friday evening at Stretch A String outside Tyler, Texas, grabbed a quick bite to eat, showered and headed to our stands. One lady saw some of her first wild hogs and was too excited to shoot. 
Another lady was able to shoot one, but as we all know too well, hogs jump fast and this arrow landed squarely on the shoulder. 
While wounded, the hog was not going to die and will be back to root and eat. I personally didn't see or hear any hogs, but I did watch an armadillo scamper around under my tree stand squealing and grunting with all he had to dig up and eat. He was kinda' cute. 
Sometime in the night, I heard something walking in the creek next to me and lapping up a drink, but I never did figure out what it was.
On Saturday, we went to the stands and blinds at about 6:30. One lady who was hunting with us was set up in a blind on the edge of a creek, in front of a funnel crossing. The hogs came in through the creek and walked underneath her to the crossing and then came up out of the creek. At 8:05, she shot her first hog. We were so excited for her, we could not wait for the next text message about how they tracked and found it. Unfortunately, her shot wasn't good in fact it was not a kill shot. After some solid tracking that night (and for 2 hours the next day), we all concluded the little booger would be back soon. We concluded that the shot sliced the bottom of the hide, but did not actually penetrate the hog.
Big sister was in a tree stand that was so comfortable, she stayed in it dern near all night. Unfortunately, she did not see any hogs, although she heard one.
I was in a ground blind that had seen better days. I also quickly found out that the feeder was jammed, the clock and timers were 2 hours fast, and the feeder was almost out of corn. I shook the feeder to get some corn into the spinner and set it off. I eased back to the blind and sat down, thinking I was going to have to stalk that night. With the full moon it should be fun, but almost everything was under the canopy of trees which cast a lot of shadows. Extra shadows and strange noises had me thinking Big Foot was about to walk up to my blind.
I thought, "I think I'll stay where I'm at for a little while." 
At about 10 pm, I decided I was ready to go back to the house and sleep, thinking I'd get up to hunt some more at 4 am, or 4:30, no, wait, I think 5 am sounds good.
I packed everything up, leaving a Carbon Express Maxima 3D Select nocked on my Mathews Drenalin - just in case. Hogs move fast, so I wanted to be sure I was ready at a moment's notice. At 10:15 pm I was ready to go, but I heard what I thought was a grunt. Hogs? Then I heard some more grunts and they were getting closer. Definitely hogs. Squeals and more grunts indicated they were coming in at a run.
I hoped they didn't spook when I lit my Hawg Lite, because the other hunters had said the hogs were jumping at it. Within seconds, there were 6 x 100 pound hogs and 2 or 3 x 60 pounders about 12 yards away. Without a light, there wasn't any way I could make the shot. (btw - Extreme makes the Trophy Hunter with the purple haze light which is perfect for lighting sight pins.) I drew my bow and looked to the center of the group. I slowly pressed the Hawg Lite pressure switch and a red beam of light lit up 2 or 3 hogs. I couldn't find my peep! Turning off the light, I focused on having my anchor right. The hogs never even moved. I turned on my Lite, saying, "Trust the anchor. Trust the anchor. 'Luke, trust the force.' Trust the anchor." I turned the light on again. One hog stayed broadside, then turned slightly quartering away. Hoping he wasn't about to jump, I released an F15 fixed blade tipped arrow which flew perfectly into its side, as evidenced by my lighted nock. He squealed and the entourage took off. They ran back where they came in. My lighted nock disappeared quickly, but I knew they broadhead had gone all the way through and the arrow went most of the way. I quietly and quickly loaded another arrow.
Within seconds, the hogs had come back, this time they circled the blind, staying just far enough away to be heard, but not close enough to turn on the light. After several minutes and some very frustrated grunts, all went quiet. Score! Hog down, I think. Time, 10:25. After texting big sister several times, I checked the time - 11:05. Time to go see if my arrow was where I shot, or maybe close by. I went to where the hog was when shot. No arrow. Naturally, the only light I had was a red light on my bow. I always forget the flashlight. I couldn't even think about looking for blood. I looked up to where the hogs had run to and about 60 yards away my lighted nock shone brightly! I quietly stalked to the arrow, thinking a hog was not too far from it. No hog, but the arrow indicated a good lung shot. He shouldn't be too far away. But, using a red light and not being able to see blood too good at night, I called for help. The outfitter could not be reached. One hunter was about to go in, but she agreed to help find the hog. She is absolutely the best person I've seen when it comes to looking for blood. She can see a blood spot the size of a pinhead when it is pitch dark out.
When she arrived, I met her at the truck. "Get your bow, there's more hogs headed to the blind!" I said excitedly. We stalked along the tree line, in a utility power right of way, following the grunts and snorts. Just before we arrived at the trail to take us to the blind, we heard them cross the creek and head in our direction. Hearts racing, we both got ready to draw. Twigs snapped, leaves were crushed. Closer. Then all of the sudden a large black cow raced by us. Several other cows followed her. We laughed. That's not the first time I've stalked cows in the dark.
We went to the arrow, which I left where it had fallen. My co-hunter went to work, looking for spots of blood. Very few were to be found. I started walking in circles, trying to sweep the area for the hog. I knew it was a great shot and the hog had to be around close. After 2 hours of looking, my expert had moved about 10 yards from the arrow. This was not looking good. The blood trail led to the utility power right of way and the brush opened into a overgrazed grassy area which was about 40 yards wide. The dirt was seeping up all liquid. The other lady said she was ready to give up and wait until morning. I called big sister and sadly said we can't find it. One final thought, we would check the other side of the right of way to see if it was laying in the tree line or if we could quickly find some decent blood. The full moon lit the area nicely and when I got to the treeline, I saw my hog! The shot had been a perfect center, double lung shot.
Funny how much bigger they look when you are on a short stool on the ground and they are 12 yards away! Before the shot, I guessed him to be about 100 - 120 pounds. Now, standing above him, I changed my guess to 90 - 100 pounds. We loaded him up onto the four wheeler and headed to the house. Sure enough, he was 90 pounds.
It had been a great weekend for all of us. Everyone had seen, heard and shot at hogs. And, we had great food, comfortable beds, and good friends to share it with.
Next weekend - deer season opens.
Another lady was able to shoot one, but as we all know too well, hogs jump fast and this arrow landed squarely on the shoulder. While wounded, the hog was not going to die and will be back to root and eat. I personally didn't see or hear any hogs, but I did watch an armadillo scamper around under my tree stand squealing and grunting with all he had to dig up and eat. He was kinda' cute. Sometime in the night, I heard something walking in the creek next to me and lapping up a drink, but I never did figure out what it was.On Saturday, we went to the stands and blinds at about 6:30. One lady who was hunting with us was set up in a blind on the edge of a creek, in front of a funnel crossing. The hogs came in through the creek and walked underneath her to the crossing and then came up out of the creek. At 8:05, she shot her first hog. We were so excited for her, we could not wait for the next text message about how they tracked and found it. Unfortunately, her shot wasn't good in fact it was not a kill shot. After some solid tracking that night (and for 2 hours the next day), we all concluded the little booger would be back soon. We concluded that the shot sliced the bottom of the hide, but did not actually penetrate the hog.
Big sister was in a tree stand that was so comfortable, she stayed in it dern near all night. Unfortunately, she did not see any hogs, although she heard one.
I was in a ground blind that had seen better days. I also quickly found out that the feeder was jammed, the clock and timers were 2 hours fast, and the feeder was almost out of corn. I shook the feeder to get some corn into the spinner and set it off. I eased back to the blind and sat down, thinking I was going to have to stalk that night. With the full moon it should be fun, but almost everything was under the canopy of trees which cast a lot of shadows. Extra shadows and strange noises had me thinking Big Foot was about to walk up to my blind.
I thought, "I think I'll stay where I'm at for a little while." At about 10 pm, I decided I was ready to go back to the house and sleep, thinking I'd get up to hunt some more at 4 am, or 4:30, no, wait, I think 5 am sounds good.
I packed everything up, leaving a Carbon Express Maxima 3D Select nocked on my Mathews Drenalin - just in case. Hogs move fast, so I wanted to be sure I was ready at a moment's notice. At 10:15 pm I was ready to go, but I heard what I thought was a grunt. Hogs? Then I heard some more grunts and they were getting closer. Definitely hogs. Squeals and more grunts indicated they were coming in at a run. I hoped they didn't spook when I lit my Hawg Lite, because the other hunters had said the hogs were jumping at it. Within seconds, there were 6 x 100 pound hogs and 2 or 3 x 60 pounders about 12 yards away. Without a light, there wasn't any way I could make the shot. (btw - Extreme makes the Trophy Hunter with the purple haze light which is perfect for lighting sight pins.) I drew my bow and looked to the center of the group. I slowly pressed the Hawg Lite pressure switch and a red beam of light lit up 2 or 3 hogs. I couldn't find my peep! Turning off the light, I focused on having my anchor right. The hogs never even moved. I turned on my Lite, saying, "Trust the anchor. Trust the anchor. 'Luke, trust the force.' Trust the anchor." I turned the light on again. One hog stayed broadside, then turned slightly quartering away. Hoping he wasn't about to jump, I released an F15 fixed blade tipped arrow which flew perfectly into its side, as evidenced by my lighted nock. He squealed and the entourage took off. They ran back where they came in. My lighted nock disappeared quickly, but I knew they broadhead had gone all the way through and the arrow went most of the way. I quietly and quickly loaded another arrow.
Within seconds, the hogs had come back, this time they circled the blind, staying just far enough away to be heard, but not close enough to turn on the light. After several minutes and some very frustrated grunts, all went quiet. Score! Hog down, I think. Time, 10:25. After texting big sister several times, I checked the time - 11:05. Time to go see if my arrow was where I shot, or maybe close by. I went to where the hog was when shot. No arrow. Naturally, the only light I had was a red light on my bow. I always forget the flashlight. I couldn't even think about looking for blood. I looked up to where the hogs had run to and about 60 yards away my lighted nock shone brightly! I quietly stalked to the arrow, thinking a hog was not too far from it. No hog, but the arrow indicated a good lung shot. He shouldn't be too far away. But, using a red light and not being able to see blood too good at night, I called for help. The outfitter could not be reached. One hunter was about to go in, but she agreed to help find the hog. She is absolutely the best person I've seen when it comes to looking for blood. She can see a blood spot the size of a pinhead when it is pitch dark out.
When she arrived, I met her at the truck. "Get your bow, there's more hogs headed to the blind!" I said excitedly. We stalked along the tree line, in a utility power right of way, following the grunts and snorts. Just before we arrived at the trail to take us to the blind, we heard them cross the creek and head in our direction. Hearts racing, we both got ready to draw. Twigs snapped, leaves were crushed. Closer. Then all of the sudden a large black cow raced by us. Several other cows followed her. We laughed. That's not the first time I've stalked cows in the dark.
We went to the arrow, which I left where it had fallen. My co-hunter went to work, looking for spots of blood. Very few were to be found. I started walking in circles, trying to sweep the area for the hog. I knew it was a great shot and the hog had to be around close. After 2 hours of looking, my expert had moved about 10 yards from the arrow. This was not looking good. The blood trail led to the utility power right of way and the brush opened into a overgrazed grassy area which was about 40 yards wide. The dirt was seeping up all liquid. The other lady said she was ready to give up and wait until morning. I called big sister and sadly said we can't find it. One final thought, we would check the other side of the right of way to see if it was laying in the tree line or if we could quickly find some decent blood. The full moon lit the area nicely and when I got to the treeline, I saw my hog! The shot had been a perfect center, double lung shot.
Funny how much bigger they look when you are on a short stool on the ground and they are 12 yards away! Before the shot, I guessed him to be about 100 - 120 pounds. Now, standing above him, I changed my guess to 90 - 100 pounds. We loaded him up onto the four wheeler and headed to the house. Sure enough, he was 90 pounds.
It had been a great weekend for all of us. Everyone had seen, heard and shot at hogs. And, we had great food, comfortable beds, and good friends to share it with.
Next weekend - deer season opens.
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