PORKSHOP 2005

Ok, I didn't want to copy the HOGFEST brand name so PORKSHOP it is...learn some hog hunting tactic while you shop for chops.

This is really just a continuation of pruhdlr's suggestion in the panhandle thread but let's take a shot at a hunt east of the Mississippi.

Possible locations, East TX, FL, Southern AL, Southern GA

No unreasonably small ranches with fences, no dogs, no swamp buggies. Property should be managed for both meat hogs and trophy hogs to permit hunters a chance at their individual goals...choice of firearm.

We'll shoot for a long weekend approach close to the HOGFEST time frame because we wouldn't want the Southwest folks to get away with thinking their piglets took the prize (trash talking intended).

I'm more than happy to spend some time researching ranches and outfitters and keeping a communication chain going for the hunt. If you're interested and are closer than me to a potential site than you might be asked to make a drive over to check it out.

With all that being said - let me know if you are interested and any comments you want to throw my way. Let's get a hunt together, fill some freezers, and meet some new friends.

Elkloco,

Piglets indeed sir!! Duel at noon. :D

Dave :cool:

I think VTDW is just jealous that he isn't in the southeast!!! I would prefer southern GA or FL for the sake of driving distance. Cost will be a factor with me as my wife and I are hoping to start construction on a new house sometime within the next year and a half

It looks as if we have about 5-8 people interested so far. Looking into a place now that has very reasonable prices for either trophy or meat hogs. One place in particular even has a $7.50 a day campground if you really want to cut back on price. As soon as word is back I'll post it here.

jb12string, Stone Fence, pruhdlr, density1 - in ten minutes you'll have a PM on a hunt I'll be looking for feedback from you on.

VTDW, Don't confuse the groundHOGS in the southwest with the HOGS here in FL...:)

Aw shucks!! :D :D :D :D

Im there, guys.

let me know the details.

sounds like fun (except for the hogs!)

PORKSHOP is booked for March 26th, 27th, & 28th. Check your email or PM's for details.

Time to shop for another freezer!

I'd like details on the hunt. If I can make it, and afford it I'd love to go, infact my bro in law might want to go also. Email or pm, or post back, or telagraph.... I need more info :D

mattpair - just sent you an email.

1 week to go and I have not heard from anybody in a while.

Me and my friend O.J. will be in Cedar Key midday on the 26th. We work the mid-night shift Friday and will leave Atlanta Saturday morning. We will be using O.J.'s RV to camp in.

Who all will we be meeting up with at the Porkshop?

I won't be able to make it. Unfortunately I have commitments on Sunday morning (other than the fact that my wife won't let me go on easter weekend). Get a big one for me guys, have a great time, wish I was going to be there

You'll see pruhdlr and myself. We both arrive Friday the 25th but are staying off site. If you arrive Saturady afternoon we'll most likely run into you first coming out from the morning hunt. Glad to see some others could make it.

You boys have any luck? Send photos! :D

You boys have any luck? Send photos! :D

Yes, we did. Just got in. Photos will be supplied shortly. Had a great time.

Lots of pork - I have some photos also - will reduce the size and post. Wait until the magic bullet stories start...2 monsters - 1 bullet!

Lots of pork - I have some photos also - will reduce the size and post. Wait until the magic bullet stories start...2 monsters - 1 bullet!

Hey Marc,

Do you have a place you want to post to? Give me a PM to the site and I will download my pictures to it.

Dave

I am beginning to think you guys showed up the hogfest crew, they said they have pork, but we haven't heard any details

Way to go Porkshop Boyz,

We had 7 hunters and got 6 hogs. One trophy boar, no magic bullets and no 2-fers. I have been waiting on the fellas to post about Hogfest but they do not seem to be writers. I will do a write up in the next couple of weeks about our hunt. I am still waiting for pics from the fellas and my digital isn't making connection with my puter right now for some reason.

We did have a really great time and I believe everyone enjoyed each other's company and hunting with each other. Here is a link to some of the fella's thoughts about our hunt.

http://marlinowners.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=7015

Dave :cool:

Hey all - I've created a webpage that shows some of the pictures from the hunt and also tells my story of the hunt. It won't be up until tomorrow April 1st and is a work in progress but just wanted to let you know it was out there. Check it out at www.chiefbluejacket.com

Site is up early but you'll need a T1 Line, Cable Modem, or DSL until I lower the quality of the images. Performance testing says 9 minutes to download on a 56k line.

www.chiefbluejacket.com

Site is up early but you'll need a T1 Line, Cable Modem, or DSL until I lower the quality of the images. Performance testing says 9 minutes to download on a 56k line.

www.chiefbluejacket.com

Good site Elkloco. Here is my little adventure while there.

Cedar Key Hunt

After getting off work, O.J. and I set off from Atlanta to Cedar Key FLA. We hit fog south of Macon and it stayed with us until we hit hard rain going into Florida. It rained all the way to Cedar Key. We got there about 12:30 and met Lance. At camp we met Marc and Bill and walked around the place some to get a feel of what to expect. It was pouring down buckets of water so we retired back to the RV we had come down in. That afternoon it let up some on the rain. Marc and O.J. went out on the swamp buggy to look around some. Along the way they spotted some hogs and Marc got one of them. The hunt was starting out good so far. Later, I went out to sit by a road to watch for anything that might cross it. Nothing came out, so after a few hours, I returned to camp.

The next morning we got up early and Lance put me out in a stand. The water level was high everywhere. You really needed tall waterproof boots to get around anywhere. About 8:10 I heard a shot. I wondered if someone had already got something. I waited all morning in the stand but saw nothing. It was stone dead. So, about 10:30, I decided to return to camp to find out what was happening with everyone else. I found out O.J. had got a nice hog with his Mosin-Nagant. He was happy with his first hunt. Marc got another nice hog later in the middle of the day and decided he was done. I had not seen anything and was wondering if I was going to come up empty on this hunt. Lance said he was going to take me to the “other side of the world” this afternoon.

About 3:00 we loaded up on his ATV and took off down the road. He took me back a good ways into the heart of the swamp. The water was really high back in there and the ATV bogged down in one deep mud hole. Lance got it out and we continued on. Finally we got to a road that had turned into a river. Lance told me there was a big black hog in here along with some other big ones. He said no one had been back in here for awhile. The stand was 60 yards down the road/river. He said good luck and took off. I started down the road/river trying to find the highest spots for walking on. The water was deep and my feet were sinking into the mud on the bottom. It was a matter of pulling one foot out, stepping forward, pulling out the other foot and stepping forward. Slow going. There is thick growth on one side of road/river and open swamp on the other side. Halfway down the river, I jumped something big and black. I would have jumped too, but my feet were stuck in the mud. It moved like a shot and growled. I got my old Mauser ready. I could do nothing else as my feet were glued to the bottom of the road. It was about 4 feet from me in the heavy growth. I stood there for a minute pointing my rifle at it. It stood its ground too. I wish I had the bayonet for this thing on. I slowly pulled up one foot and placed it down. Then I pulled up the other foot and started down the road. Carefully, I made my way to the stand and was ever so happy to climb up into it.

Soon the place came to life. Two small grey pigs came into view. They wandered all over the place playing around. Then a large grey hog came into view. He looked so much like the two smaller grays that he must have been their dad. Behind him came a larger black and white. I got out my binoculars and looked him over. He was in rough shape. He had half an ear torn off and many wounds and scars. As large as he was, whatever did that to him must be a real monster. I look back to the large gray and think about maybe taking him. I decide to wait to see what else comes in. The gray comes to the base of the stand and gets a whiff of my scent. He jumps and looks around. I could spit on him now he is so close. He starts moving toward the road in a slow and casual way. He gets to it and starts down in it a little faster pace and does not look back. Smart pig. Hoping I have not blown my chance at a big pig, I look back at the two small grays and the old black and white. Then, coming into view is a very large black. I look him over and he has some nice cutters. I decide in him. I get the old 8mm and wait for a good shot. I forget about the other pigs and concentrate on him. (Dumb mistake). He steps full broad side to me and I squeeze the trigger. He screams and runs off across the road into the heavy cover and towards the swamp. I track him as far as I can. I look back to where I shot him and there going face down into the water is the crappy old black and white. WHAT THE? What’s happening here? I know I hit the black one solid. My good pig’s gone and I’ve got this one! I don’t believe it. How am I going to explain this?

Some time later, Lance comes wading toward the stand. I climb down and try to explain that the black and white is not the one I shot. Maybe it had a heart attack. The one I shot went tearing through there. He wades over to the black and white and looks at it. It has a bullet hole under its left ear and an exit wound down on its right jaw. He then goes over to where the big black ran into the cover and finds large blood stains on the side of a tree. (I knew I had hit it.) He sends his Jack Russell terrier into the heavy growth to find the hog. He says “If it’s alive he will start fighting with it. If he comes back, it’s dead.” After about 10 minutes, the little terrier returns. Lance goes in now to look for the hog. After a 30 minute search he finds it and calls me to get a crane or helicopter. He is about 75 yards into the heavy stuff and needs help to get it out. I look for the best way to get to him. Maybe across the open swamp? No, the water starts to get too deep. I go back the other way through the brush and finally get to him. There, lying on the ground is a huge black mound. We discuss the best way to get it out. He tries to carry the thing on his back. We get 25 yards to the edge of the swamp and stop. Carrying it is not going to work. We will try to float it out across the swamp the rest of the way. We tie a rope to it and ourselves and pull it out into the water, going across logs and stumps. The water is getting up to my thighs and my boots are filling with water. My feet are heavy and the hog is hung up on something. Lance stops and looks around. He then says “There’s a big gator in this hole somewhere.” Now he tells me. “How big” I ask. “Oh, about 12 feet.” Great! Now I am dragging a gator’s lunch right by it. He points out “I think it’s over there”. I start pulling harder. Finally we get to the road and Lance’s truck. We load up and head back to camp. The black and white will have to wait till tomorrow. We are tired and it is getting dark. At camp we look over the big black. He has holes through both rib cages and his lungs are gone. Lance wonders how he ran so far. Apparently, the 200 grain Partition had gone through the black hog and hit the black & white hog in the head when it came up on the far side of the black hog.

Two pigs with one bullet.

<font size =3> I always heard coyote meat tastes like chicken, but if you ask me it tastes more like pork..... go figure.

Sounds like an interesting hunt. I spent some time flying over that country low level trying to get around a line of thunderstorms. I saw plenty of large gators! Funny how these hogs find the nastiest place to live no matter which part of the country it is in!

Great photos and website. Great stories. If you're interested in starting a FrogFest, I'm your guy! I've been Giggin frogs for yers!

I've never been frog giggin but sure like the taste of frog legs....maybe there's a future for FROGFEST.