MAGNIFICENT HAWG HUNT II
A GATHERING OF FRIENDS! by CLAY HARRISON This article first appeared on The Bowsite in 2000.
Jeremy and I, along with our guide, Bill Welch, had been following this group of Russian Boars straight up hill since the hounds had locked onto them near a creek bottom that seemed about twenty miles ago. I’m sure, in reality; the distance was only a few hundred yards. The fact that we’d been all the way to the bottom and back to the top of this hill twice now, and the hurriedness in which we were moving, only made it seem further.
As we begin to move closer it becomes apparent that Jeremy, known as Dakota Kid on The Bowsite (The place all of the hunters on this trip had met) was going by me like I was standing still. As I watched him draw, release his arrow, and race to the downed boar, I thought, “I’m way to out of shape to continue this much longer”.
With that in mind, I locked onto the three hogs left and resolved to catching and taking one of this group, getting the chase over with while I still had some chase in me.
Two hundred yards and a whole lot of mountain laurel later found me alone with two hogs bayed up by the dogs in a thicket that I really shouldn’t have been in. As I drew my first arrow, the broadhead caught on a limb causing me to attempt a let down. Wrong move! The bowstring slammed forward and the arrow launched, smacking another branch and ending up who knows where.
With two hogs standing broad side less than seven yards away, I remember thinking “ take one now or get the heck out of there”. I managed to launch the arrow at the smaller of the two just as the larger hog began his charge in my direction. The arrow found it’s mark and the following few seconds were filled with the craziest chain of events: As the charging hog came within reach, I slammed down on top of his head with the bottom wheel of my bow, let out a yell, and stumbled off to the left. The hog careened away from and right past me. As I regained my balance, I realized that the hog I had just arrowed was now making his run at me. OLE Yeller (real name) attempted to intervene and went for the hog, which promptly put on the brakes less than one yard from me, staggered, and fell.
One and one half-hours into the MAGNIFICENT HAWG HUNT II and I had my first boar.
The story behind this hunt is far more interesting than the hunt itself. While I will forever remember the two or three minutes of events in the laurel, I enjoy even more so the camaraderie and friendships realized at this gathering.
Two years ago, while searching the Internet for The Pope and Young Club home page, I stumbled across The Bowsite. At first glance this place appeared to be just a gathering place for others bitten by the bowhunting bug. More detailed review revealed much, much more! This truly great website is more like a community, a place to share technical and political information, and sometimes-personal heartbreak and accomplishments with other bowhunters from around the world.
This particular gathering, held at Caryonah Lodge, near Crossville, Tennessee was put together by bowhunter and Bowsite regular, Jeff Coggins, or TennBow, as he is known to his friends on line. This was by no means the first gathering as a result of friendships created at The Bowsite. However, this gathering did appear to be one of the more interesting. People traveled from great distances to participate. From as far away as Hawaii, California, North Dakota, Canada, and Pennsylvania, to name a few. A web page was developed to give others not able to participate the chance to tag along. Four days of bowhunting fellowship forged friendships that most of us will cherish for the rest of our lives.
Upon arrival on Friday, we were greeted by earlier arrivals. The customary handshakes and introductions followed. People spent the remainder of the day milling around in small groups, fine tuning equipment for the following days hunt and just getting to know one another. Jeff had spent considerable effort to insure that people bunked and hunted in teams apart from earlier acquaintances, thus allowing the making of new friendships.
Early Saturday morning we awoke to the breakfast bell and gathered in the dining hall. After a huge breakfast of eggs, sausage, biscuits, coffee, and “scrapple”( a secret mixture the guys from the northeast brought along to educate us southerners), we broke up into teams of five or six hunters. Each team was gathered by their guide, loaded into the trucks, along with a pair of dogs, and headed out for the hunt.
The ensuing day was spent chasing (and being chased by) hogs around the hillsides of Tennessee. Some of the highlights of the day included, Seeing Kate Belfy (Eagle) arrow her first hog. Seeing Joe Voelker (MDJoe) so elated back at camp after taking his first hog, that he appeared to be walking on air. The fact that all of the hunters who loosed an arrow recovered their game without long slow trailing. The guides seemed very impressed at the skill this group showed with their archery equipment. The way we all (Compounders and Traditionalists) hunted side by side. The hog attack Steve Spicer (One Arrow) survived with only bruises while filming TennBow and Danny Muzzey (CAM) taking large hogs with traditional equipment. I’m sure there are others who came away with their own set of memories from this hunt.
Upon our return to camp we discovered that out of 26 hunters, 24 hogs were taken. Two members of the gathering chose not to hunt. Rather they came all the way from Texas just to meet others from The Bowsite!
After a brief break, some very much needed rest, and showers, we were off to town for dinner and more socializing. We then returned to the lodge, where TennBow and others spoke on subjects ranging from thanks to Pat Lefemine for starting the mechanism that brought us all together, to all the people who helped bring this particular hunt to fruition. More time was spent with people getting to know each other, and reviewing videotapes and photos of the day’s hunt.
The next morning we were again awakened by the breakfast bell, and after another huge breakfast, we began saying our good-byes and loading up for the trip home.
I think I can honestly speak for all involved by saying that I feel truly blessed to have participated in this gathering of bowhunters. We are all extremely thankful to Pat and The Bowsite staff for all the hard work involved in making The Bowsite the great place it is. I left this place in Tennessee with many more friends than I had when I arrived !
Special thanks go out to the following;
Jeff Coggins (TennBow) for bringing us all together!
Rob Williams (Cat) for providing the humor!
Bob Findley (Panhandle Bob) for the T-shirts!
Mike Wilson (MikeW) for the pins!
Steve Spicer (One Arrow) for the video commentary!
Old Yeller for the help!
And….Jerry McCormick (AJMSC/Jerry) and Rich Wolven (Bowyer)….for the SCRAPPLE