WOODSAZ

I remember the first time I got to head out into the deer woods with my Dad. I wasnt hunting but got to just go along and hang out, waiting in the stand with him. We had one doe come in that morning, and it walked into about 20 yrds and fed on by. I remember that feeling I got, the blood pumping andrenline rush we all look forward to every year. I remember that morning like it was yesterday and always think about it til this day. One thing that never crossed my mind about that memory was how it made my Dad feel, having his son in the woods with him. Well I got to have that experience this past weekend with my son, Conner. The whole crew, consisting of Conner and I, Ron and his little boy Ryan, Rob, and my father set out of our sons first huntin trip with Dad.

Last year Ron and I kind of started a tradition. We decided to put in for the HAM pig tag instead of the archery tag in order to focus on deer during the archery hunt and be able to take our daughters out on the pig hunt with us. Unfortunatly last year the weather didnt cooperate much and keeping little girls entertained is tough to do on the side of a mountain in the rain.

So this year we decided to take the boys with us. Ryan just turned 4 and Conner is only a few weeks behind him. We were worried that it might be too soon but decided that the main goal for the weekend was just to make sure they had fun , and if we got a pig it would be a bonus.

We planned on the area we would hunt, a spot Ron had hunted before with success. One of the issues we had with taking the gorls out the year before was manuvering around cactus, So we decided to bring our bigger packs(Eberlestock J104 and a Blue Widow) and put the boys in the packs in order to get arounnd easier. Then we got to thinking that we could very well just sneak up on the pigs with the boys and shoot with them on our backs. So know this is the plan. As I was packing for the hunt I put Conner in my pack to see if shooting would be an issue. it seemed it would work great and everyday up until the hunt Conner asked me if we were going pig hunting yet and if he could get in my backpack again. I was excited about seeing him so excited.

So the day came when Conner asked if we were going pig hunting today and I finally got to say yes. We loaded in the truck after work, kissed Mom and sis, and headed down the hill to meet up with the rest of the hunting party.

After a quick bite to eat with everybody we headed out and set up camp. We got the boys in bed, had a couple brews while figuring out the plan of attack for the morning.

In the morning we started the trek into the desert to our glassing point. The boys walked some but the Dads ended up carrying them most of the way. We got set up and started glassing. The boys occupied themselves with a pile of sand and two railroad spikes that Ron found on the hike in.


W glassed for the entire morning seeing nothing at all. We were getting a little frustrated but the boys never said once they were bored. They were perfectly happy just playing in the dirt.

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WOODSAZ

We continued to glass but no luck. The heat of the day set in and we stopped to have a bite for lunch. Getting frustrated with not seeing anything and having drug the boys a good mile and a half into the desert, we were getting worried that we were pushing them too hard. I asked Conner if he wanted to head back to camp. He looked at me and said " No, I wanna go pig hunting".



So to the next ridge we headed, Ron and Rob stayed behind to look out a different direction. When my Dad, Conner and I made it to the next ridge, it looked good. We sat down and I combed the cut with the glass and Conner would take over some. Everytime I asked if he saw anything he just said "cactus".



Rob, Ron and Ryan met us at the top and sat down to glass some more. We sat overlooking a big cut. The boys sat down and started building a house out of rocks. After about 30 mins I thought I heard something. I asked Rob if he heard it to. He said he did but couldnt tell what it was. Ron with his highly tuned engineering ears said it was a car coming down the road.....

After a few minutes we heard it again, coming from the big cut we were overlooking. It sure sounded like pigs to me, Rob agreed. So we told the boys we had to be REAL quiet. A few minutes later we heard that distinct sound of pigs squabbling. YES!

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WOODSAZ

We had pin pointed the sound and started making the plan of attack. Once we decided the route we asked the boys if they wanted to go chase after those pigs. "Nooo, we want to stay and build our house...."

So we rephrased it, and asked if they wanted to get in the backpacks, sneak up and shoot a pig? Now the answer was a definite "Yes".

As we started unloading the packs o make room for the munchkins Conner was adiment that he needed face paint for the stalk, so we painted up the boys and they were ready to go!




So the stalk was on, and we worked our way down the hill. The boys were great the whole time. They never made a sound.

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WOODSAZ

So we worked our way down and within about 80 yrds from the edge of the cut, Ron catches movement and sees about 5 pigs turn and head back over the hill.

Thinking that we were busted already Ron headed up the hill to cut them off and Rob and I stayed low, slowly working into the tree Ron had seen them.

As we get to the edge of the cut we could see Ron making hand gestures saying he could see pigs in two different spots. Rob and I slowly worked over the edge.

Wanting to get this hunt on film Rob was running the video camera. We could hear the pigs moving down below us but the brush was so thick we could see anything. I asked Rob to range a small grassy areas where we could hear the pigs moving around. Just as Rob switches the video camera out for the rangefinder the pigs start to rustle the bushes 10 yards below us. Immediatly I go to full draw and as soon as I did pigs were coming out of the woodwork! I picked up on one and it turned running straight away. It was within 20yrd so I put the 20 pin on the back of its head and the 30 and fourty pins on its body and shot. Got it! I could hear the pig pile up and die within seconds. Unfortunatly it all happen too soon to get on film.

There are still pigs all around us. Ron has one run and stop 10 yards from him. As he gets ready to draw he notices Rob directly behind the pig preparing to draw on the same one! Ron whistles to get Robs attention and the pig darts into the thick brush over the ridge we had just came from. Unfortunalty the brittle brush ws so thick and tall, most of the time all you could see was the brush moving as the pigs ran through. I followed Rob over the ridge towards the pig and Ron focused on the other side of the cut. He had a few within range but none would stop for a clear shot.

After and attempt to call them back in it was over. Rob headed off to try and catch up and Ron, me and the boys headed down to look at my pig. It didnt go but 30 yards. Here is a pic of the boys walking up to it for the first time.

Rob worked his way back, and we headed back up the hill to get the rest of the stuff and my Dad, who watched from the hill above. We set up for our photos and watching the kids reaction to the pig was priceless. They wanted to feel the hair and see the teeth. They thought it was pretty cool.







Conner, my Dad and i stay to clean the pig and Rob,Ron and ryan took off to hunt the remaining daylight, hoping to catch back up with the herd. Unfortunatly they had no luck.

We made it back to thew truck and headed back to camp for the night. Needless to say the boys were pretty tuckered out. Ryan fell asleep on Rons shoulders for the hike back. He woke up as the got to the truck, looked at Ron and said "wow, that was easy...". I dont think Ron agreed with him at that moment.

We got back to camp and i couldnt even wake Conner up for dinner. He slept for 13 hrs!

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WOODSAZ

Unfortunatly the rain came in and hit us pretty hard during the night. We didnt end up getting out until about 9 the next morning once the rain broke. We glassed for the few hours with no luck until we had to break camp and end our weekend adventure.

We got camp broke down, had lunch and let the boys shoot a little.



Its a bummer we didnt fill all the tags but at least we got to give the boys a taste of what we love to do. Hopefully Ron can get out next weekend and fill his tag.

We asked the boys as we were leaving if they thought this hunting stuff was pretty cool. The responded with an emphatic yes! Im sure alot of you have already experienced hearing that before but for those who havent yet, it will send a chill down your spine and put a tear in your eye.

Thanks for reading, and hopefully Rob and Ron can chip in some too.

Pass it on,

Jay

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JLG61

Pretty darn awesome, Great story and pictures, JLG.

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The Odyssey of the "Little Fiash", 2006,2007,2008 & 2009 56 trips 599 fish.

The Odyssey of the "Little Fiash", 2010, 6 trips, 31 fish.

"Fiash" Record 80 trout 2008 Summer AZSJ Camping Trip.

Dove 2010 31 of 57

Days out 72-2007 88-2008 79-2009

Days out 2010

Hunting 11, Fishing 5, Scouting 10, Camping 2, Shooting 2, Brass 0, Helping on Hunts 4, Boating 0, Hiking 2 Total 37

Starting Weight 4/27/10-229 Current 182

maydayretrievers

THIER ARE NO WORDS THIS ONE BEST STORYS EVER PUT ON HERE ..
HATS OFF TO SOME GREAT DADS
AND GOES TO SHOW YOU THIS SITE HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER SOME GREAT FRIENDS
FRIENDS YOU CAN CALL FAMILY..

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Payson 10 Hunting Fishing Family Friends

Western Az gun dog President WAZGD or WAG

Douglas A. Burt

Jay, what a great trip you had. Hats off to you and Ron for packing those little guys into the hills. I'm sure you're beat today! We didn't fill tags this weekend, but I might drag both kids with me for some "glassing" on Saturday, so hopefully, I can share that feeling of the hunt with the youngins. Nice work!

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Hunting History
Javelina - 1, via .357 (video link)

muskrat

Awesome story! Thanks for sharing

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Marshall MacFarlane
Desert Rat Blog