What price, glory?
I got this tale in yesterday’s email from my friend, Lt. Dan. Lt. Dan is one of the fortunate folks who gets to hunt over on Vandeberg AFB, which is open to active and retired military and contractors. Until last year (I think it was), the base was also open to escorted guests, but that program has been shut down.
That’s neither here, nor there, I guess. The point is, everytime I hear from Dan about a hunt at V-berg, I get a little jealous. Not only is the place loaded with pigs, it sounds like a beautiful piece of central coast landscape… the kind of place where just getting out there is its own reward. But remember… every reward has its price.
So anyway, here’s Dan’s tale. Enjoy!
Ever had a bad case of buck fever? You get the shakes and the cross hairs always seem to point at sky? I’ve had that. I’ve also had swine flu, similar but the cross hairs seem to rest on the dirt.
This is the first time I’ve really had a bad case of Spring Fever and it’s different. Spring Fever makes you do stupid things, things that defy the bounds of common sense. That’s how this story begins….
So I’ve had a case of Spring Fever for awhile and been dying to hit the field and chase some hogs. Scheduling and weather have been thwarting those efforts until last week when it all seemed to come together.
I gave my buddy Jim a call and as it turns out, he was suffering from the same illness and it’s off to Vandenberg we go. A friend of mine lives up in Lompoc and is some sort of hog guru. He’s got the golden pig touch, so we give him a call to get the latest hog report.
I swear that guy should just make a recording, “Hi, this is Al and here’s Friday’s hog outlook. Area 4 is looking good, with fair to medium sized sows with the occasional sighting of boar expected…..” Anyway we got the report and made it one of our favorite spots, and the one spot Al advised AGAINST.
It’s about 5:30, early yet. The wind is absolutely whipping down the valley and over the edge of the cliff. I mean, it’s a cheek flapping, g-force, nostril burning kind of wind. We quickly decide to try a different spot and spend about an hour and half in a quiet little valley seeing absolutely NADA. The big fat zero.
As it gets closer to dusk, the wind starts to ease off and we head back to our little rock perch and sure enough, no sooner had we rested butt cheeks on rock when Jim calls “HOG”.
He describes it as black and silver and of course, I don’t see squat. We go through that famous litany all hunters know, “…see that yellow bush? Next to the dead branch? It’s right there!”
Of course, all I see is tall vegetation, much taller than I remember from our last trip. Suddenly, a big brown hog steps into a small clearing and I grab the Tikka, and just as quickly, it disappears. Jim doesn’t see it, but we know there are two hogs down there. A minute goes by and into the clearing steps the silver and black hog Jim saw. The hogs steeply quartering away and I’ve got maybe 3 seconds to make the shot. I throw the rifle up settle the cross-hairs and let fly. It’s 7:30.
Jim almost fell off the cliff. In retrospect, I should have warned him of the impending shot. Did you know that 30-06 is loud? Apparently so.
Anyway, the hogs down at about 150 yard and a -27 degree angle and I realize I’ve done a stupid spring fever thing. I’ve got to go down the cliff in failing light…and it’s steep. Almost vertical.
Jim stays behind to guide me to the hog and I begin my descent. Quickly, I realize that it’s REALLY steep and the only thing preventing me from plunging to my death is the lush vegetation. Ever go down a water slide and have the swim shorts ride up the crack of your butt? It’s like that, except no water, just….poison oak! Aww, crap. I knew that green stuff looked familiar! My pants legs are riding up to my knees and lots of bare leg exposed, but I’m committed, and gravity knows no master.
Jim takes the truck down to the end of the valley, unloads the cart and brings it back and helps me drag the hog the 100 yards to the cattle trail. It takes an hour to bust through 100 yards of brush and poison oak and another hour to the truck. Took the shot at 7:30 and got to the truck at 10:00.
We vowed never to hunt that spot again, this late in the spring.The boar weighed 144.6 dressed and had ½ inch gristle plates. The bullet went in behind the left shoulder and lodged under the right ear.
My doctor’s appointment is in about an hour. I know what Spring Fever does. It causes the strawberry colored blisters forming on my legs. It also causes the smile I’m wearing today.
Tikka T-3 lite, 30-06
Winchester 150 gr E-tip
Nikon 3x9x40 BDC
150yds, -27 degrees.
