Hog Hunt 2005 with Curtis Kellar

Curtis Kellar was gracious enough to allow me to invite myself to his place for a night and a half day of hog hunting as an addition to a business trip to Harlingen TX.  He lives near Runge, TX which is in the middle of God's nowhere.  It's a beautiful place about as far removed form Indiana as far as terrain as you would want to find.

This is Curtis' shop.  Inviting, ain't it?  My bow didn't show up in the mail so he was fixing me one up before we went out for a coyote calling stint within 1/2 hour of me showing up.  He set me up with a bow of his making named "Dream Keeper" if I recall correctly.  The coyotes didn't cooperate so we headed to a hog hunting blind for some nighttime hunting.  Here's the blind in the daylight.

We spooked a hog off the area as we headed in but he stuck around and kind of just sniffed around.  He stayed around and Curtis figured if he left, maybe the hog would think all was clear and then he'd come in.  It worked sort of but as the hog was getting real close, like less than 10 yeards away as we discovered by tracks in the morning, a mouse ran across the floor of the blind and knocked over a pop can.  The hog skeedaddled and I left shortly thereafter.  Sure is awesome in TX at night with the coyotes howlin', stars shining, bullfrogs croaking in the creek, and God knows what sneaking all around the blind.  Makes you feel alive!  I had the biggest possum hanging around the blind for the longest time too.  Very cool to watch.

Here's the shot of us heading out in the morning.  Gotta be something to shoot in there.

Our first setup was calling for varmints.  Here's Curtis setting up the "decoy".  He called for awhile and then a fox popped his head up but never came in.  After awhile, we gave up on him but at least we got some fur.

This is the decoy that is tied to a branch and gets wiggled.

The next setup was the most interesting thing I've done in a good while.  We walked through to an area that had been frequented by hogs and busted one out of a nap.  Curtis gave him a grunt and he answered so Curtis said to "get down"  He proceeds to call to this pissed off ho for a while and the thing comes in.  It's tought ot tell but the pic below shows the holw in the brush through which I could see the hiog.  Curtis had his head down so he couldn't see that I had a shot at about ten yards.  I stood abit to shoot and the hag saw me some I think.  Curtis keeps grunting and this hog gets really mad.  Then Curtis squeals on the varmint call like a piglet and the hog charges.  RTight at the last thing he saw move.  Which was me!  He gets within about 8 feet before I rise and bump my back into a mesquite tree, run my leg into a cactus and fling one at about 10 feet.  I missed!  But the hog turned and didn't run me over.  Curtis tried a shot as he fled to no avail.



Here's how Curtis saw me.

There rest of the hunt was fun but didn't really compare.  We snuck up on a coyote and some possums. 

Waiting on something to show.

A big mesquite tree.

The cow setup.

Curtis by a cactus.

Curtis after a fun  hunt.