# Ossabaw Island Quota Hunt!



## eavega

Woot!  Selected for the Ossabaw Island feral hog hunt in January!  Anyone else?

-E


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## JonathonJEB

I got January also. Congrats to you. I was just down there on the archery hunt. It should be good in January.


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## Cwill15

93% of hunters on the first hunt had to use 6 pts to get selected! And I thought I had a chance with 3 ?


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## david123abc

I didn’t get picked wagering 5. I think the results last year said 100% of hunters with 5 points were picked. Crazy. Seems like eventually you’re going to have to have 20 points to get drawn for anything.


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## JonathonJEB

They reduced the quota by a third this year due to covid. This is going to cause point creep for several years. Maybe next year the quota will be 100 again.


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## ChidJ

Didn't get picked. Good luck to all those selected!


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## Dennis

I'm gonna be to old before I get enough points it looks like


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## eavega

I bid all 6 of the points I had, thinking I would get in with 5 or less.  Glad I went all-in.  
I did notice it was only 30 hunters for the hunt, which I thought was somewhat low.

I'm going by myself, so anyone that got selected coming from Atlanta area want to partner up, let me know.

-E


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## Para Bellum

I got picked.  Never been before.  Anyone else ever been?  I've heard the fishings better than the hunting.


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## Dennis

Been there several times  but never fished but each time I wish I had brought poles. But then again you have to bring bunches of stuff and you will handle each item several times just to get to camp so I never bring fishing equipment. As far as the pig hunting goes I have never been when I did not have a opportunity to kill pigs and if I had brought firearms I could have killed plenty. But I bring a longbow and still have brought home some meat occasionally.


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## Rich Kaminski

I got picked and already partnered with a guy from Alpharetta, GA. Only 30 people - this should be a great hunt.


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## Luvntheoutdors

Had one of the best hunts of my life on the deer/hog hunt in December 2 years ago. Bring a lot of ammo and a *hand held compass*. You cant rely on gps there. I had my best luck with my 12ga and 00buck. Seen 30 hogs easily in 2 days. Killed 4hogs, wounded 10 and killed a doe. Action was non stop.


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## Dan30257

Luvntheoutdors said:


> Had one of the best hunts of my life on the deer/hog hunt in December 2 years ago. Bring a lot of ammo and a *hand held compass*. You cant rely on gps there. I had my best luck with my 12ga and 00buck. Seen 30 hogs easily in 2 days. Killed 4hogs, wounded 10 and killed a doe. Action was non stop.



I use my GPS there all the time, but always have a compass as backup.


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## Dan30257

A buddy I served with and I got drawn for the deer/hog hunt next week.  We'll be down on Tuesday.  It's an every other Marine Corps Birthday/Veteran's Day tradition.  It's generally not hard to figure out who we are.  Stop by and chat for a bit if you see us.


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## eavega

Dan30257 said:


> A buddy I served with and I got drawn for the deer/hog hunt next week.  We'll be down on Tuesday.  It's an every other Marine Corps Birthday/Veteran's Day tradition.  It's generally not hard to figure out who we are.  Stop by and chat for a bit if you see us.



Expecting a full report when you all get back next weekend!!  I'll be out there for the January hog only hunt.


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## eavega

Metro Trout said:


> I got picked.  Never been before.  Anyone else ever been?  I've heard the fishings better than the hunting.



I'm bringing a rod with some Gulp shrimp and a popping cork.  Never pass up an opportunity to wet a line!  Of course hunting is the priority but in case I max out on meat, there will be time for fishin'


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## Peytonemma

Dan30257 said:


> A buddy I served with and I got drawn for the deer/hog hunt next week.  We'll be down on Tuesday.  It's an every other Marine Corps Birthday/Veteran's Day tradition.  It's generally not hard to figure out who we are.  Stop by and chat for a bit if you see us.



Me and a buddy will be there this Tuesday as well


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## Dan30257

It was a wet week early on, but we got there and set up on Tuesday in pouring rain.  I killed 6 pigs Thursday and my buddy got 3 pigs and 2 deer.  Pigs were all over, and there were only 3 deer killed total until Saturday morning.  I think 5 deer dropped Saturday morning.  We bounced after the morning hunt, so not sure about Saturday evening's count.


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## eavega

Dan30257 said:


> It was a wet week early on, but we got there and set up on Tuesday in pouring rain.  I killed 6 pigs Thursday and my buddy got 3 pigs and 2 deer.  Pigs were all over, and there were only 3 deer killed total until Saturday morning.  I think 5 deer dropped Saturday morning.  We bounced after the morning hunt, so not sure about Saturday evening's count.



Dan, thanks for the report!  So, given that the Jan hunt is hog only, how much ammunition do you think would be proper to bring?  I wanted to take my 300 AAC.  I have a small supply of my hunting round for that gun, but need to know if I have to reconsider and just take my 308 bolt gun since I have much more ammunition for that...

-E


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## Dan30257

I took my 300BO and my 6.8SPC AR's.  300BO is a 10.5" pistol and 6.8 is a 20" rifle.  I only used my 300BO and there was only 1 shot I was able to take on a hog that I saw before it saw me, and I dropped 2 hogs with that one shot.  The rest were hogs I walked up on.  They were usually in the saw palmettos with limited exposure, 10-15 running in a circle at close range while I spin around like I'm hunting on the old computer game Oregon Trail.  More ammo is better if you get on the pigs.  Hopefully you have better weather than we did.


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## eavega

Hey @Dan30257 Question for you about logistics for Ossabaw Island.  The hog quota hunt is Jan 21-23 Thurs, Fri, Sat.  My understanding is that you are allowed to arrive at the island the day before the hunt (in this case plan to arrive on Wed. Jan 20).  Now do they kick you off the island on the last day of the hunt (Sat evening), or are you allowed to stay overnight and leave the next morning (Sun)? 

-E


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## Dennis

We have always left on Sunday morning in the past


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## Dan30257

You're allowed on the Island Tuesday at Noon, and that's when we usually get there, and put a stool in line at the check in window.

You have to be off the island by Noon on Sunday.


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## eavega

So Tuesday, a day and a half before the hunt? Woah.


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## Danny Leigh

eavega said:


> So Tuesday, a day and a half before the hunt? Woah.



With a quota of 33 people as opposed 100 there will be plenty of areas to choose from if you get there on Wed the day before the hunt.


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## Mac

A group of pigs was bedded down in the brush near the marsh.  When they ran out my son shot the biggest one and was about to shoot another and I stopped him.   That pig was all I wanted to drag back the way we came.  No easy route.  LOL 

We hunted hard the first two days and covered a lot of ground in multiple areas.
Finally, on the third morning in the pouring rain, we found the pigs.
We saw 10 total, the first one was way too far in the marsh.  The next three were running and could not get a shot. 

We tried to hunt areas that did not have easy access.  
Most of the pigs that were taken were by a small group who found them.  
We covered at least 10 different sign-in areas.  Close to 30 miles in 2.5 days.


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## Danny Leigh

Nice hog!! Congrats to your son!


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## Minner

Nice pig your son got, Mac!


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## Mac

Minner said:


> Nice pig your son got, Mac!


Thanks Minner, hope you are doing well?

Hogs teeth were worn almost flat, must have had some age on him?


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## Mac

Danny Leigh said:


> Nice hog!! Congrats to your son!




Thanks Danny,  Bryce was about to fire his guide until that last morning.
I was about to fire myself.  LOL


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## across the river

A couple of questions if you don't mind.  Did you take the Ferry over, and if so, was it pretty simple to carry all of your stuff over?  As far as dealing with the pic, did you skin them and keep them on ice in a cooler?  Do they have ice over there?  Did you camp in a tent you took yourself?  Sorry, that was more than a couple, but I have a family member, that is a child, that wants to put in for the Spell or Ossabaw youth hunt.  I would have to take him, so I was just curious as to what all it would involve.


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## Danny Leigh

ATR, is all tent camping and you have to bring everything. They do have drinkable water and bathrooms and they have coolers to put your animals in. They do have power at the check station where you can charge your phone. It can be alot of work taking all your gear up and down the ramps and hauling it across camp especially if you are moving the gear at low tide.

Still, it's one of my favorite places to be and is well worth the effort. We started hunting at Ossabaw 20 years ago and started taking the boys when they were 9 and 11.


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## eavega

Hey @Rich Kaminski FYI


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## across the river

Danny Leigh said:


> ATR, is all tent camping and you have to bring everything. They do have drinkable water and bathrooms and they have coolers to put your animals in. They do have power at the check station where you can charge your phone. It can be alot of work taking all your gear up and down the ramps and hauling it across camp especially if you are moving the gear at low tide.
> 
> Still, it's one of my favorite places to be and is well worth the effort. We started hunting at Ossabaw 20 years ago and started taking the boys when they were 9 and 11.



Thanks for the response.  I he still wants to do it, I will likely send you a PM if that is o.k.  Is Ossabaw better than Sapelo or is it six of one, half a dozen of another?


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## Danny Leigh

across the river said:


> Thanks for the response.  I he still wants to do it, I will likely send you a PM if that is o.k.  Is Ossabaw better than Spell or ir is six of one, half a dozen of another?


I’m guessing you are talking about Sapelo. I have not been to Sapelo but it sounds similar to Ossabaw.


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## across the river

Danny Leigh said:


> I’m guessing you are talking about Sapelo. I have not been to Sapelo but it sounds similar to Ossabaw.


 yeah, spell check sorry.


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## eavega

So, we are about two weeks out from the Ossabaw Island Quota hunt!  I've noted on a couple of long-range weather forecasters I follow that we may be in for a "Polar Vortex" event that week.  Might want to make sure your thermals are on your packing list!

https://carolinawxauthority.com/arctic-blast-likely-to-invade-much-of-eastern-u-s-after-mid-month/

-E


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## Dennis

eavega said:


> So, we are about two weeks out from the Ossabaw Island Quota hunt!  I've noted on a couple of long-range weather forecasters I follow that we may be in for a "Polar Vortex" event that week.  Might want to make sure your thermals are on your packing list!
> 
> https://carolinawxauthority.com/arctic-blast-likely-to-invade-much-of-eastern-u-s-after-mid-month/
> 
> -E


First year we went there the high the first day was 19 degrees.


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## Danny Leigh

Dennis said:


> First year we went there the high the first day was 19 degrees.



My first trip in Jan 2000 I don't think I took off my toboggan the whole trip and I normally hate wearing one. The lows were in the 20's and we had sleet one day. Ended up leaving after the Friday morning hunt due to concern over winter weather at home.


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## dank1296

Hope the hot showers are still working for you.


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## JonathonJEB

It is usually frigged on Ossabaw in January. I've talked to people from upper Michigan out there and they said it was the coldest they had ever felt . With the wind and humidity it is brutal.


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## Dennis

But boy it is a good time over there


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## eavega

I posted this on another thread, but in case folks are looking for information for the January hunt, I called Kilkenny marina today to get information. Here's what I was told; DNR did not get them the list of hunters (at least for the January hunt) so they won't be sending out any information, but here are the details:

Cost is $85 for the round trip. That is payable cash, or credit card (credit cards subject to a fee)
They will run folks out as early as Tuesday midday (earliest they will allow hunters on the island), but note that as was mentioned elsewhere above, the generators and water don't get turned on until Wednesday morning.
The marina will run boats as soon as the morning marina work is done, so roughly no boats will go out on any day before 8 AM (that is not set in stone, though, if they finish early or later with the regular marina work)
For pick-up from the island you just have to call, but their rule is not to call for pick up until all your gear is at the dock ready to be loaded onto the boat. They do not want to go all the way out to the island only to sit and wait while you haul your gear from camp to the dock.
Note that they will only run boats during daylight hours.
Everyone needs to be off the island by Noon on Sunday, so plan accordingly.
Hope this helps everyone out.

As an aside, the long-term weather forecasts are starting to cover the dates of the hunt, while its not showing bone-chilling temps (Highs in the upper 50s, lows in the mid 40s), they are already showing rain on Wednesday and Thursday (up to 50% rain on Thursday). Pack accordingly, friends.



-E


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## Redman54

We have hunted the island 3 times in the recent past. It is a magical place with spectacular scenery. It is also some of the roughest terrain, depending on your area, that I have hunted. With that being said, I would go every year if I could. 

My tip for anyone on the hog hunt - Take a large backpack with contractor trash bags, sharp knives(we use havalons) and rubber gloves. When you kill a hog, clean him on the spot, pack the meat in a trash bag, then continue on hunting. You don't want to drag a hog through that terrain.


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## Redman54

Here are a few pics from years past.


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## JonathonJEB

Redman54 said:


> Here are a few pics from years past.
> View attachment 1060327View attachment 1060328View attachment 1060329View attachment 1060330View attachment 1060331View attachment 1060332View attachment 1060333View attachment 1060334View attachment 1060335View attachment 1060336


Great pictures. What caliber rifles are those?


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## Philbow

A sled makes dragging hogs so much easier.


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## Redman54

JonathonJEB said:


> Great pictures. What caliber rifles are those?



.223 and 300BO. I also take one chambered in 7.62X39. Never had any issues with any of them putting one down. All three trips combined, we've killed around 30 hogs. Knock on wood....haven't shot any that we couldn't find. My buddy that always goes with us,  brings his 30-30 and an AR chambered in 300BO. Bring what you can accurately shoot repeatedly with follow up shots if needed.


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## simpleman30

Dan30257 said:


> A buddy I served with and I got drawn for the deer/hog hunt next week.  We'll be down on Tuesday.  It's an every other Marine Corps Birthday/Veteran's Day tradition.  It's generally not hard to figure out who we are.  Stop by and chat for a bit if you see us.


Hey Dan.  My cousin, who also happens to be one of my best friends, is a Marine vet / transferred and retired Army blackhawk pilot.  I loaned him my muzzleloader to hunt the first Ossabaw hunt this past season.  He shot out of powder and bullets on a doe he didn't recover and a few hogs he did recover.  Hoping to join him next year if I can get drawn.


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## eavega

The January hunt is in the books!  There were only 7 hunters on the island for this hunt.  Weather mostly cooperated except for the second day of the hunt where it rained all day.  I believe the totals were 13 hogs taken, so almost a 200% success rate.  The DNR Guys were great!  They definitely made the trip much more enjoyable and successful.  Already looking forward to doing this again.  Here are some of my pictures...


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## Danny Leigh

Nice boar and pictures eavega! Wow! Only 7 out of 33. Ya'll had the island to yourselves!

Nothing like flying down those sandy roads with a couple of dead animals at your feet.


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## Danny Leigh

Take that strap and wrap it around the hog's snout to help keep it from digging into the ground, vines, logs, etc. A sled also helps to slide over the ground.


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## eavega

Danny Leigh said:


> Take that strap and wrap it around the hog's snout to help keep it from digging into the ground, vines, logs, etc. A sled also helps to slide over the ground.
> 
> View attachment 1062442


Actually, I had a cart back on the road, that strap was just to dig it out of the thick stuff so I could find it easily again when I came back with the cart.  What you say makes sense, though!


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## bfriendly

It’s a long way from home........but I think I may start looking into this. It looks like Florida(where I grew up) and the Carolina coast. Thanks for sharing all those awesome pictures too y’all! Can I take my bass boat and use that?


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## bfriendly

Eating fresh fish/game etc in camp is one of my favorite thing’s to do!


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## Danny Leigh

bfriendly said:


> It’s a long way from home........but I think I may start looking into this. It looks like Florida(where I grew up) and the Carolina coast. Thanks for sharing all those awesome pictures too y’all! Can I take my bass boat and use that?



While not ideal for rough water, I've seen bass boats and even jon boats on the island. It's a 7 mile run from Kilkenny and the Bear River open up a fair amount which is where you might run into rough water. When the wind and tide are competing, those waves can get you wet.


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## Redman54

eavega said:


> The January hunt is in the books!  There were only 7 hunters on the island for this hunt.  Weather mostly cooperated except for the second day of the hunt where it rained all day.  I believe the totals were 13 hogs taken, so almost a 200% success rate.  The DNR Guys were great!  They definitely made the trip much more enjoyable and successful.  Already looking forward to doing this again.  Here are some of my pictures...
> 
> View attachment 1062431
> View attachment 1062432
> View attachment 1062433
> View attachment 1062434


Man that boar hog has some fine cutters!! That'll make a great skull mount.


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## Blackston

Danny Leigh said:


> While not ideal for rough water, I've seen bass boats and even jon boats on the island. It's a 7 mile run from Kilkenny and the Bear River open up a fair amount which is where you might run into rough water. When the wind and tide are competing, those waves can get you wet.


Me and daddy would drag the bait net at “ 109” marker ... It can get bad right ther quick just like the gate on the North end


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## Rich Kaminski

JonathonJEB said:


> I got January also. Congrats to you. I was just down there on the archery hunt. It should be good in January.


John, this is Rich from the Ossabaw Island hunt. You mentioned that you might be interested in the guided hog hunt in Eastman, GA. The phone number for the hunt is 478-231-3329 (Cody) and 478-952-8496 (Lane). My number is 404-406-9982.


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## GMARK

eavega said:


> The January hunt is in the books!  There were only 7 hunters on the island for this hunt.  Weather mostly cooperated except for the second day of the hunt where it rained all day.  I believe the totals were 13 hogs taken, so almost a 200% success rate.  The DNR Guys were great!  They definitely made the trip much more enjoyable and successful.  Already looking forward to doing this again.  Here are some of my pictures...
> 
> View attachment 1062431
> View attachment 1062432
> View attachment 1062433
> View attachment 1062434


Great pics! My son and I enjoyed connecting with you and the others on the island. It was an unforgettable hunt. Hope to see you out there again!


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## hambone76

That’s unreal.....only 7 folks showed up. The other 26 that didn’t show up really missed out! 
I love hunting there and can’t wait to share that experience with my children!


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