I did see pigs, including a group at about 65 yards, which, accounting for the extremely steep hillside, would have put them in range of my 60 yard pin. But that’s a real stretch for archery, especially since pigs almost never stand still. I watched them go, and would have followed, but they crossed the creek and headed toward the property line (where they always go). No way I’d have caught up.

Once again, with rifle in hand… a slam dunk. I love bowhunting, as long as I don’t need meat.

JR, when I go back to hunt in NC, I cut and vacuum pack the meat and have my brother freeze it for me. Once it’s hard-frozen, I’ll get him to overnight it. It’s not cheap, but it’s a great way to ensure it doesn’t spoil. On trips to Texas or Colorado, I generally cut and pack the meat and then load it with dry ice. That freezes it hard and fast, and it’s usually good for the duration of the flight (or drive) back to CA.

If I’m flying, by the way, I take out the dry ice before I check in. Most airlines will allow a certain amount of dry ice in a checked cooler, but you have to check in advance. In some cases, they’ll want you to pay a “hazardous material” fee. Others have rules about how much you can have. They do NOT want people flying with bagged or loose ice, which makes sense. You can freeze soda bottles full of water if you have time, and that will help keep it cold in transit as well.

Bottom line, so far I have not lost any meat on out-of-state trips, including flying fish back from Mexico. However, it can happen… it’s a risk you have to take into account when you travel to hunt or fish.