Georgia Hogs

My mom's side of the family is from Georgia and my dad's side is from Florida.  I kind of like it that way because it's almost like having a secondary home.  Just before the new years I headed up to Georgia with the goal to hunt and kill a feral pig. There's some family land that's got pigs on it so I wanted to harvest and process one with my primitive bow and arrow and a stone knife, all of which I have made with my own two hands and all the stone worked with antler tools.  

When I got here I was eager to hunt the morning and every single day.   The first morning I got up early and got in the woods before the sun came up.  I stalked through an area that had good wind and I saw nothing.  I spooked one deer when I wasn't paying attention and the wind began to get shifty on me.  I decided to go scout another area and as I headed down the hill I saw a feeder.  There's another guy that hunts that land that traps the pigs.  As I got closer I noticed there were 4 pigs under the feeder.  I was instructed not to shoot pigs under the feeder as the others will get feeder shy and become difficult to trap.  So I watched for a little then decided to see how close I could sneak up on them.  Finally they spooked and ran off into the woods.  I'm not really interested in shooting pigs off of a feeder anyway.  I might as well use a rifle if I'm going to do that.  

I decided I'd come back that evening and hunt back in the woods where I saw them flee.  That way I could get them when they were on their way to their food source.  I waited and waited that evening until I heard some commotion behind me.  The pigs were beginning to move.  They came closer and closer. Behind me and on my right I was covered by two palmettos so I wasn't really visible from those directions. The pigs were so close but I couldn't move until one came around the side or in front of me.  I half expected to feel one sniffing my leg.  Finally one comes up on my right.  Just a few more steps and it would be out in front of the palm frond and I could take my shot.  It stops and sniffs... then turns away from me and walks away.  My heart had been beating almost out of my chest and I wouldn't be too surprised if the pig heard it.   

The following days I continued to hunt but either the wind was finicky or I just wasn't getting myself into the right scenario so I was unsuccessful.  However, it's not all about making the kill.  I still continue to learn and one day I even gathered up a bunch of river cane for arrow shafts.  I found a few rocks that may produce a sharp edge as well.  It was a good time in the woods.  When I get home I will hunt the small game season.  I need to make a kill soon, otherwise all this work in making my primitive bows and arrows is almost useless.

Thanks for reading and I will have some more videos soon.  Until next time, find a new way to appreciate nature!