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Jesse's Hunting > Hunting Articles > Tales from our Members > Jesse, Rich and Doug's 2002 Tejon Hog Hunt
Jesse, Rich and Doug's 2002 Tejon Hog Hunt
June 07, 2002
Tejon Ranch California Hunt June 7-9 2002
Day 1: Arrived at Tejon main office to check in around 11:00. Waited for our turn at went through the process with Barbara, also met Sandi. Both nice people. Did not meet Dan until we checked out Sunday. All very nice people. Did the exhaust inspection. Actually, as soon as he seen that I was driving a Turbo Diesel, it was an automatic pass. Not sure why, didn't ask. Got to gate at 11:55 am. We were about the 25th car in line. There was a group of around 15 people going into the south area. Doug visited with them while waiting in line. Gates opened right at 12:00 noon. We drove to the camp site. Our initial location was not good. Apparently, past hunters left their pig parts behind and really stunk up the place. It was not in the back area, so I know it wasn't JHPers. We ran into Doug at this point and decided to set up camp across road where it was more pleasant.
We left for the area that was talked about in the May hunt up the property just north of Bear Trap Canyon. We drove the ridge road to look for sign and animals. It was in the upper 80's this day and we did not expect to see anything until later in the day. When we reached the top, a minimal road split to the left and the main road kept going. Most people were going straight up the main ridge road. So, we decided to check the minimal road off to left. There were two canyons to right of road that looked promising with a saddle ridge separating them, this saddle also had a road going down the middle of it. I walked down the saddle road to check it out. We then went back the main ridge road to look at it. There were some nice open spots. We seen a couple of people driving along there. Doug's GPS showed a spring past two huge tanks on top. So, we decided to walk down towards the spring and set up. We found the spring and set up to watch the area for evening. Saw a coyote about 400 yards off, tempted, but I was hunting pig. Evening came and we decided to go back to camp, ran into three more coyotes, but they eluded us, no shot. We got back to camp and did not seem to encouraged about our scouting trip. I decided that we would hunt the two smaller canyons off the minimal road in the morning, then try the area HOOK got his pig in the evening. We all agreed to get up at 3:30 to be out there before sun up.
Day 2: We head out for the small canyons at 4:00 am. We get there about 4:40 am. We walk out and I realize we have walked to far. It was dark and my light was not to helpful. We walk back and find the fence gate and walk down onto the ridge road separating the two canyons. I put Rich onto the southern canyon up a little higher where he can have a good vantage point looking down to the bottom of the canyon under the trees. Further down, I had Doug go to a finger looking down the same canyon. I went over the ridge road to watch the other canyon. We set up right at day light. I sat down under a tree. After about two minutes, I notice huge ants crawling all over me. I dust them off and move to another tree. I did not like the vantage, so I decide to go over to an outcropping to get a better view of the canyon. I could see good from here and noticed some open areas down below with a jeep trail going through them. One small open area was about 100 yards out, the other big open area would be at about 1500 yards. There was lots of cover and the upper ridge road had lots of hair on the fence. So, I figured this canyon would be a decent bet. I sit down and start glassing. I notice something big and black about 1000 yards out near big open area in some trees. My gears start rolling once I figured out it was a pig and not a cow. I was planning my stalking strategy when I hear something moving through the grass straight behind me. I slowly twist around and see something moving towards me brownish in color. I get my rifle and twist back again. As soon as I get the cross hairs on the thing (at this point, I'm assuming its a coyote and was going to shoot something) I notice its a pig all by itself. I shoot right away ( I rushed it) and missed. Damn it. I stand up and shoot three more times at it. I know I missed because I would have knocked it over if I had hit it (shooting 300 Win Mag) Four shots and I missed, I was bumming.
My last shot appeared to have sent it over the ridge towards Rich and Doug. I hear no shots though. I run up and meet Rich and ask if he seen it, he answers no. He thinks he hears four shots, the last one about 5 minutes after three. We initially thought all four were mine, but that last one was Doug, which I did not hear. My legs were all wobbly at this point from the excitement.
Well we thought it sneaked by us and I took Rich to outcropping where I was sitting at. I showed him where I seen the first pig down the canyon (which was gone by now) and where the other one was that I missed. He was at about 30 yards. (Don't rush a shot boys and girls when your not in a good position) (But this miss was crucial as we will soon find out) At this point I'm doubting my rifle also. We sit and five minutes later we notice a pig in the big open about 1500 yards away four little ones follow behind it, then four more big ones behind them. Nine. It was a hot bed down there. I tell Rich to run up to main ridge and cut them off, I'll give him 15 minutes and try to get Doug also. We had watched them walk into some trees and I would then go down and herd them up to Rich and hopefully Doug. After 15 minutes, I walk down to the jeep trail and make my way to the big open. I make it to the small open I mentioned earlier (about 150 yards into the walk) and then look up to see something big and black about 45 paces in front of me crossing the jeep trail. I bring up my gun and methodically (this time) flip open scope covers, aim, put safety in fire, then shoot.
I notice hooves in air and thought (redemption, I was thinking that I would not get another chance after missing that first one). I go to edge of trail and notice the sow about 10 yards off the road where she rolled down. She was twitching and I decided to let it twitch a little more before going down (big mistake). I whistle to see if I can get Rich to come back, at this the pig starting thrashing and up and over it started to roll down. Nooooooooo. I run down and it goes into some trees where the grade got really steep. I hear leaves and twigs crashing and the "Hell Hole" comment creeps into my head, but the sounds stops suddenly. I go into trees and the hog was stopped by a tree and some branches. Past the tree, all down hill for about another 100 yards at least. Phew, well this is what I would call a "semi hell hole". I dress it and go back up to get the guys. I make it to the lower ridge road and Doug is driving down, he tells me he shot one and it ends up being the one I missed. It did end up going down between Rich and Doug, and that last shot Rich heard was Doug's shot. He gives me a ride back up to my truck to get my game cart, I pick up Rich and we head down to get Doug's pig first. It was rough, but the cart made all the difference: Here is Doug with his pig...(107 lbs dressed )
We then try and go to drive down to my pig but the road was blocked. We then start walking down with cart and notice that the road was really steep and it would be really tough since I was pretty sure my pig was bigger. Doug decides to see if he can get through from other side of canyon and leaves us. Rich and myself manage to get the pig half way up the grade towards jeep trail when Doug shows up and helps us the rest of the way up. It was only about 30 yards from where the pig was to the road, but it was steep. Doug ended up about 70 yards from us where another tree blocked the road, but it was all down hill from us to his Jeep. That was better. We take both hogs back to weigh station. I'm thinking my pig weighed at least 1000 pounds. Man is it heavy going up hill, ended up being 135 dressed out, nice meat hog, here she is:
Well, after hanging and skinning, we decide to put Rich into the big opening in that canyon since we seen quite a few pigs walk through there that morning. We get him in there around 5:00 PM We hear a shot at around 7:00 PM and Rich gets on radio and excitedly tells us he got one. By the way, he also shot it near a road as instructed. Thanks Rich.
It was a great hunt. I think my missing the pig put everything else into place. We would not have sit down and watched those other pigs crossing which led to the other events. So, overall we were all very happy, tired and hurting, but happy. Doug, it was a pleasure.. Hope to hunt together soon again. JHPers, thanks for all the advice, would not have been possible without you. 14 pigs were taken Friday evening, most in Bear Trap Canyon. One guy shot one from camp. No pigs taken between our pigs on Saturday. We did see some come in after we checked Rich s in. Looking forwards to next hunt.
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