My Javelina Hunt

By Aaryn Waitman

Well it all started one day when I came home from school. My dad was waiting at the door to tell me I got drawn for a pig tag. I was extremely excited. That night all I could think about is what my hunt might be like. I couldn't wait to go on my first big game hunt.

At Christmas I got a rifle from my dad and mom for my hunt, I went out to practice every chance I got. When it was time for Dad and I to go up hunting it was pouring rain so we had to wait till the second day. I couldn't stand it. Then the next day we finally got to go. Some of dad's friends came along to help out. When we were out there my dad was glassing for pigs when we got a call from my dad's friend Scott saying he glassed up some pigs so we went over to him. We hiked up some mountains to get closer cause we were at least a mile and a half away. The mountain they were on was very tall and rocky. We were 112 yards away from them. I was so excited. I got ready to shoot and they got spooked and ran off. I was a little upset. As we were walking back to the truck it started to snow on us. It was getting late so we went to my uncle Bryan's house to stay the night. We got up early the next morning and went back out. My dad glassed up more pigs about a mile away. My dad looked at me and asked “ How bad do you want a pig?” I said “ LET'S GO!!” so off hiking we went again. We got over by them and my dad took off his pack for me to shoot off of cause I was laying on the ground. They started to walk up the mountain so my dad wolfed at them to try to stop them so I could take the shot and they got spooked and ran off. I was pretty upset again but figured god has a reason for everything.

Before we got back to the truck dad got another call about more pigs. I was absolutely excited! This made two herds in three hours. When Steve called my dad he said he had eight pigs bedded and he would stay and watch them till we got there. We got there and they were bedded in the thicket just below us. Dad ranged them at 95 yards so my dad set his pack on a rock for me to rest on. The plan was for Steve to varmint call them out of the thicket so Steve started calling and the came out single file. I was so nervous waiting for the biggest one to come out. My dad kept asking me “ Do you see them?” over and over again. He told me to hurry cause they were walking out . The last one was the biggest so I lined my cross hairs up on the pig, while my dad was still talking I pulled the trigger. BANG!!! and the pig went rolling down the hill. I was so excited, my first big game hunt and I got one. Everyone was giving me high fives and hugs, I was so happy. We got all packed up to go down the hill to see my pig. I couldn't wait. He was still alive when we got there so I had to shoot again. I shot and he was dead. My dad put him on a rock to take pictures with my pig. My dad and his friends took a lot of pictures. While they were taking pictures I was telling myself how proud I was. When we were done taking pictures me and my dad gutted him. As we were walking back to the truck everyone was laughing and talking about the hunt, I was so happy. We went to the store to get ice to put on my pig. My dad entered me in Terry's big pig contest so we went to get him weighed. He weighed in at 40lbs with being gutted. So he probably was about a 50lb pig. After that we went to Scott's house to skin him. I had to help, I was thinking grouse but I still had fun cause it was my pig. When we were done we ate dinner with Scott then went home to show my mom, she was very happy for me. Now we have the pig in our freezer waiting to take it to be mounted. I was very excited that I got one!

That was my first big game hunt.

I want to thank all of my dad's friends for helping me out. Bryan, Rich, Scott and Steve. And a huge thank you to my dad.

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