Photo: Annihilator Broadheads Archery Night Hog Hunt @PigProblemInc.
The Annihilator Broadheads team came down to Americus, GA for a non traditional Archery Hunt. Spot and stalk archery hunts are typically not done in the dark, but at Pig Problem Inc., we only hunt hunt at night night. We do not hunt over bait, fenced areas, or out of stands. We use the latest Thermal Optics to locate wild hogs in open farm fields. We then close the distance trying to get as close as possible to make the shots. Brandon and Micah shot the same arrow/broadhead at multiple hogs over two nights. They pulled them out of the dirt, wiped them off and finally connected with this hog. To use the same arrow, broadhead, fletching, and nock is a testament to the durability of their broadheads and products they use.
I approached Micah at the Great American Outdoor show in Harrisburg, PA about making this hunt a reality. The premise for the hunt was to show customers that silence, and hunting ability is still a thing even while hunting at night. Archery hunters have to be concerned with every faucet of their equipment. Quiet footwear, clothing, hardware, and personal skill all being factors for the distances that are typical of bow hunting. We spot and stalk hunt similar to western style hunts. Most eastern bow hunter don’t typically shoot past 35 yards, where as western hunter practice at 65-100 yards regularly. The Annihilator team being out of Idaho would understand the challenges we would face during this hunt.
The first night was trial and error, we dialed in techniques and equipment to start off the night. Guide Clayton McArdle worked tirelessly perfecting and explaining where the archers needed to be to see their pins since electronic sights are illegal in Georgia. Using a torch and spotlight creates shadows so they needed to work as a team to figure out where each person needed to be. We were able to engage on multiple encounters through out the night. The first being text book perfect, except the hog changed angles after the arrows were in flight, producing a clean miss. Micah was able to connect on a wild hog out of a sounder, a pass thought shot but no blood. We looked for the hog in the brush, with no luck. The recovered arrow was greasy resulting in a shot farther back than desired. With a change in strategy to be more aggressive on the next encounter which also yielded in no hogs down.
The second night called for rain and wind, with faster winds it should have made it easier. The first two encounters yielded no opportunities dues to hogs moving out of the field. A pair of boars were spotted in an open field next. Guide Clayton got Micah and Brandon within 30 yards to break the shots. Micah’s arrow missed, while the hog was running Brandon connected on a 55 yard shot. The hog ran a few hundred yard before settling in some brush. Micah connected with a second shot anchoring the hog to ensure the wild hog was done.
To see a over a dozen arrows shots over two nights between the Annihilator crew was incredible. Most archers may have 2 real shots a year, its hard to learn from mistakes with limited opportunity. We are grateful to have had this team down for our first Night Archery Hog Hunt. Learning the equipment selection needed to make this hunt happen was eye opening. The glow d loop, the prototype victory nocks, and the broadheads were things I would have never expected. Stay tuned for the full video.
