# Ossabaw Jan hog hunt



## Danny Leigh (Jan 23, 2013)

Went on the hog hunt on Ossabaw last week. Met a few fellow GON members and had one group of guys next to us from Michigan and several from NC.

Dad and I had a great trip and even though we have gotten more hog on other trips this one was a little different in that it's probably the first time in 20+ years where it's just been us on a hunt. We took all pre-made meals or meals we could cook quickly so that we spent less time actually cooking a more time just sitting around the fire.

The first day of the hunt started off a little warm and sunny, but by the end of the day it was rainy and windy. Luckily, the front that had been hanging around the northern half of the state for about a week passed the island in only a few hours and it was clear again. Certainly cooler and windy, but at least not the lingering rain.

I shot a medium sized hog the first morning as it came out of the marsh at 10am at about 30 yards. The pick-up was at 11am so I didn't have too much time to waste with the half mile drag back to the pick-up location.












Dad found some good sign in the morning and after setting up for the afternoon hunt had a nice boar come trotting down the trail at 3:40 at about 15 yards away. I love it when they don't wait for dark to come out!







Next morning dad stayed in camp with the wind and cold and I ventured a little further out in the marsh. Missed a really nice boar as we both startled each other as it came out of a palmetto patch and I rushed my shots.

Did run into 2 more boars before 8am as they crossed a small marsh onto the finger I was on, and I was able to shoot the follower as they were moving at a fast trot. Ran about 30 yards before piling up.










Ready to make the 7/10 mile trek back to the pick-up area.






Really nice looking area with palmetto patches, some wallows, and tons of trails out in the marsh.









Nice round-about










Day 2 and day 3 afternoons I saw some pieces of hogs but nothing taken.

Did see several gators on this trip and in places where I wasn't expecting them. Most of the freshwater ponds are dry, but there are still plenty of gator holes near the old ponds. The first one I found had a decent sized female along with some babies. She ran in the hole before I could get a picture of all of her.













The next hole I found was huge and the first time I saw it there was evidence of gators using it, but I couldn't see anything with the flashlight. That evening there was one sitting at the entrance that was probably 10'+ and unfortunately it was too dark to get a picture.





About 5 minutes after seeing the big one move further back in the hole a 4' gator comes walking through the woods and went in the same hole. It wasn't exactly moving very fast and looked pretty skinny. Not sure if it knew what else lurked in the hole.


Can't wait for the next trip to the island!


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## ekr (Jan 23, 2013)

Sounds like a wonderful experience.  Great job on the hogs.


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## trhankinson (Jan 23, 2013)

What areas did you have?


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## FNKMLo (Jan 23, 2013)

Nice kills


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## fredw (Jan 24, 2013)

Danny, sounds like another fine trip to Ossabaw.  Great pics!  Thanks for sharing.


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## nick220 (Jan 24, 2013)

Sounds like you had great trip. We should go this year for the deer hunt.


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## manok (Jan 24, 2013)

What did you & your Dad shoot the hogs with  ?


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## Danny Leigh (Jan 24, 2013)

manok said:


> What did you & your Dad shoot the hogs with  ?



We were both using Remington 7400's in 30-06. Did see several guys with those "Evil" AR's, but then also had one of the traditional bow guys shoot a nice sow with a long bow.


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## hambone76 (Jan 25, 2013)

*Congrats*

Congratulations to you and your father on getting your hogs. My first trip to Ossabaw went well despite the weather. My friend and I shot 2 apiece. It was a pleasure meeting you, your father and all others there. Thanks again Danny for your help. I cant wait to go back. 
Here is one of my hogs that I killed. She wasnt big, but I was glad none the less that I could carry her out on my pack frame.


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## deadend (Jan 26, 2013)

Thanks for the story.  Did you use Kilkenny?


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## Danny Leigh (Jan 26, 2013)

deadend said:


> Thanks for the story.  Did you use Kilkenny?



We used Kilkenny, but we took our own boat.


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## stumpjumper3d (Jan 28, 2013)

Glad you had good luck. We`ve been going for about 20 years on different hunts and the hogs are getting to be smaller and alot less of them. They are on the way to getting rid of them on the island as dnr said they want to. I was also on this hunt and took two small sows, but they both had at least 8 pigs each. Also saw alot less deer than normal.


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## Danny Leigh (Jan 28, 2013)

Stumpjumper, I agree with you that the average size of the hogs has certainly gone down in the 13 years I have been going. Obviously the DNR would love to have all of them gone, but we all know that would probably never happen.

One trend I have noticed over the years is that more people are shooting piglets and many just leave them in the woods. The DNR does the same thing.

The DNR statement of "if you don't shoot them, then we will" pretty much gave several a reason to shoot piglets. Not me. I'll shoot them with the camera instead and make the DNR work a little harder.


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## GMARK (Jan 30, 2013)

Great post!  Thanks for the pics and the video.  Can't wait to show my two boys.


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## doehunter (Jan 30, 2013)

awesome pics!! those trails always amaze me!!!!


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## skoaleric (Jan 30, 2013)

Danny Leigh said:


> One trend I have noticed over the years is that more people are shooting piglets and many just leave them in the woods. The DNR does the same thing.
> 
> The DNR statement of "if you don't shoot them, then we will" pretty much gave several a reason to shoot piglets. Not me. I'll shoot them with the camera instead and make the DNR work a little harder.



Exactly one reason I have never been back to Sapelo Island. When DNR tells a group of guys WITH KIDS that they want you to shoot something and just leave it lay there, I can't help support that message!
I won't shoot anything unless I plan on eating it. Maybe thats why I find deer dead laying in public woods.....they were shot and left laying there?!?!?!?!


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## Curtis (Jan 30, 2013)

Wow! Thanks for a great read. Sounds like you guys had a blast. You are a good story teller, nice pics too.


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## tlee22 (Jan 31, 2013)

anyone knows what the biggest pig killed on that hunt weighed?


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## Danny Leigh (Jan 31, 2013)

tlee22 said:


> anyone knows what the biggest pig killed on that hunt weighed?



There were 3 boars that I would consider "trophys" with tusks nearing 3" long. What looked to be the biggest one I only saw the head in the cooler and then the 2 and 3 biggest ones were probably around 100-115# dressed weight. Both of those boars looked more "Russian" than any hogs I have seen on the island with course brown hair, tall manes, small hams and big shoulders. I am guessing those two may have been siblings since they were bedded together in the same palmetto patch. I wished I had gotten a picture of them!


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## arkie1 (Feb 6, 2013)

Love those islands its all about the experience.  And those piglets taste great just cook like a rabbit or squirrels.


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## Ace1313 (Feb 7, 2013)

They want the hogs gone so the sea turtles have a nesting chance. DNR has a full time hog manager that shoots and traps them I think 9 months of the year.


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## GaAdventurer (Feb 13, 2013)

*What compartment or areas did you hunt in????*

Looks like a great hunt. Congrats!
Our group is headed to Ossabaw next week. What areas on the island did you and your Dad hunt in?

And how was the water crossing from Kilkenny?


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## grouper throat (Feb 13, 2013)

Good job with good eating hogs. 

I remember the only time I went to Ossabaw was with my dad on a youth/adult deer hunt. They didn't want you to shoot the hogs and I bet we saw 20 each hunt then (mid 90s). My dad stated they will ruin this place if they don't eradicate them, and he was right. The deer hunting was going downhill even then.


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## Danny Leigh (Feb 13, 2013)

grouper throat said:


> I remember the only time I went to Ossabaw was with my dad on a youth/adult deer hunt. They didn't want you to shoot the hogs and I bet we saw 20 each hunt then (mid 90s). My dad stated they will ruin this place if they don't eradicate them, and he was right. The deer hunting was going downhill even then.



We started hunting Ossabaw in 2000 and at that time the island was still overrun with hogs. By the next year the drought and constant pressure had really taken a toll on the hog population. The deer herd did suffer from the drought as well, but the island was probably carrying too many deer also. Overall the deer herd is in great shape with the body weights and anter sizes up from the 90's when the hogs ruled the island. One of the former biologists, Jim Simmons, said in the mid 2000's that it was the first time he has seen live oak seedlings actually growing on the island since he had been there. 

GaAdventurer, we hunted mainly route 1, but the other routes seemed to do better than our route. I would concentrate on the areas with marsh and areas that might have fingers or islands out in the marsh. Also, areas with dry ponds. 

On the Jan hunt there were still some acorns on the ground, but the hogs were spending alot more time rooting than on the trip we took at Thanksgiving. I imagine that on the Feb hunt they we be rooting more and using the marsh more.

Hunt the thickets! Palmetto thickets, tall marsh grass, wax myrtle, dog fennel and the scrub bushes along the marshes are good places for the hogs to bed and feed.

It's a little less than 7 miles from Kilkenny to the dock at Ossabaw and depending on how the winds and tides are will determine how good or bad the ride will be. Winds 15-20 can create some pretty good waves in the Bear River, but you're only in that stretch for 2.5 miles.


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## Mac (Feb 28, 2013)

Great post and pictures,  I enjoyed the read.


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