2017 Hog Hunt Day 3

After another atypically good sleep, I woke up early for coffee and read for a while until everyone else starting stirring.

Rick, Rob and I headed out a little earlier than normal to feed stands.  Most of the stands looked terrible.  It isn't unusual to have a couple pig stands not be touched, but most of the stands had no visible activity.  In addition to being unusual, it was somewhat alarming and even frustrating.
We checked all the stands and put corn out to the few that had been hit.

Back at the lodge, we had a bit too much time to lollygag around.  I took a walk down to the river and back.  The lack of activity through the day in pig camp can be a bit much.

Another hunter, Jim, came into camp later in the afternoon.  He wasn't hunting, but was getting ready for the next three days.

We headed out again for the afternoon hunt.  I was dropped off first on the stand by the Great Pee Dee River.  It was cloudy with extremely pleasant temperatures - much cooler than the previous day.
After a little over an hour, I finally had movement.  It wasn't pigs, but seeing deer at least gave me something to watch.

They hung around the corn pile for about 20 minutes before moving off.
About another hour passed before a coyote came out onto the 2-track.  I watched it, trying to decide if I should shoot it.  But I wasn't going to eat it - I really don't want a coyote mount.  Indecision made the decision as he disappeared into the small pine trees.

As it started to get dark, the phone started to buzz as we discussed by text what everyone was seeing (or not), including commentary by Joe.
This was followed by a quiet period, then a text from Rob that a pig was down!  At least someone got one.

At dark, I quietly got out of the stand and walked back to the rendezvous point.  As I waited in the darkness, I heard a pig squeal from the direction of my corn pile.  Too often, just a bit too late.
I was picked up, and we headed back to the lodge.  Cody's pig was a big fat red and black spotted sow.

Cody lost his bag somewhere along the way, Rob and Cody went to look for it and didn't find it anywhere obvious.  He must have been too excited about the pig...

After the pig was gutted, we all sat down to Will's Axis Deer steaks.  With Jim in camp, there were more lies to be told (and he is even originally from Michigan!).