I drew the Rush Ranch SHARE Hunt for 1/3 - 1/5. This hunt takes place in a tidal marsh outside of Suisun City to help manage the wild pig population. Limited methods of take including shotgun, crossbow, or bow and arrow.
My drive up from Pine Valley was a breeze. Left at 3am Friday morning. I was well past LA before any traffic. Took the inland route North and arrived at the ranch before noon.
Loved seeing the “No Hunting” sign as I pulled onto the property. I was two hours early for the orientation, so I pulled up to the designated campsite, geared up, and headed out to get my first look at the marsh.
The property is 2070 acres. The marsh is split by a slough that divides a separate hunting party on each side during these hunts.
On my walk to the marsh, I was excited to see pig tracks, and scat up in the grassy areas. Also some torn up grassy area damaged by the pigs.
I immediately headed into the marsh to test my gear. I quickly found out waterproof boots and shin gaiters would not be sufficient. Backed out of the muck, wet up to my thighs, and headed to the orientation with the Rush Ranch caretaker.
The other hunting party had drawn this hunt before, and requested the larger area of the property to hunt. They were using shotgun. We would switch on Sunday if I wanted.
I had researched and e-scouted thoroughly. I was prepared with neoprene chest waders delivered quickly from Amazon. They ended up being exactly what I needed in this terrain. I hustled them on and headed out to the glassing knob at 2:30.
3:30 I glassed up 3 pigs. One larger black and white, and two black. Ranged them. Marked them OnX. Headed into the marsh in that direction, bow in hand. It is a slow go moving back into the marsh. A lot of trial and error to find the answers to the maze.
There are pigs trails, beds, and scat just about everywhere I went. But when I got to the spot I marked, there was a pig highway, 3 times as wide with many smaller trails coming together.
Started back out of the marsh at sunset having heard a few grunts from the tules as I moved through.
Campsite was awesome. There was a covered area for my tent, a fire pit, and a bathroom.
Saturday morning I was up at 4am. Headed out in the dark to hopefully catch them out of the marsh. I wasn’t that lucky.
Spent most of the day moving through my area, finding paths deeper, and adding marks OnX. Lots of dead ends, water crossings, etc. At one point I fell through the marsh grass all the way in up past my waist. Very sketchy!
I set up in a natural blind, 20 yards off the pig highway in the afternoon. Breeze in my face. I ranged some distances and settled in quiet. As I sat, I was hearing some grunts and movements in the reeds.
Then it happened. A chorus of grunts was coming up from behind me very quickly. Grass was rustling and many hoofbeats slapping the mud. I knocked an arrow and peeked up over the grass. The three pigs I had previously glassed were coming straight up the highway.
I got to my knees, I’m at full draw now, with the lead pig in my sight but through some grass and reeds. I am ready to release as they move past the last obstruction into a clear shot window. The pig in front hits the breaks. And now I’m aimed at the opening 1 foot in front of him. As I bring my sight back to him to take the good shot though the grass, he spooked. Caught me moving or winded me. I bring my sight to the second/third pig which quickly followed the first pig crashing though the tiles, splashing through the slough, and disappearing noisy in the distance.
I did release an arrow as they ran quartering away at 25 yards. It made a smack sound but I was not confident my shot.
Heart pounding. I canvassed the area for my arrow without any luck. No blood either. Could not locate my arrow before dark.
On Sunday, the other hunting party had called it quits, so I had the entire place to myself. I decided to hunt the same area as the day before. I set up in a new spot along the pig highway for 5 hours in the AM. After sitting in that spot for 20 minutes, I look to my left, and there’s my arrow from the evening before! Clean. No blood.
I took a lunch break and sat for another 5 hours in the PM. Heard pigs several more times but they never gave me another chance.
I am so excited with how this hunt turned out. This was my first multi day hunt. My first bow hunt. First time only e-scouting an area in advance.
Getting within 20 yards of 3 marsh pigs was a thrill I’ll never forget. I’ll also never forget them crashing away, moving through the tules and splashing into the slough.
Gained a lot of experience and enjoyed this hunt! Hindsight 20/20 should have released through the grass, instead of waiting for the perfect shot!
My drive up from Pine Valley was a breeze. Left at 3am Friday morning. I was well past LA before any traffic. Took the inland route North and arrived at the ranch before noon.
Loved seeing the “No Hunting” sign as I pulled onto the property. I was two hours early for the orientation, so I pulled up to the designated campsite, geared up, and headed out to get my first look at the marsh.
The property is 2070 acres. The marsh is split by a slough that divides a separate hunting party on each side during these hunts.
On my walk to the marsh, I was excited to see pig tracks, and scat up in the grassy areas. Also some torn up grassy area damaged by the pigs.
I immediately headed into the marsh to test my gear. I quickly found out waterproof boots and shin gaiters would not be sufficient. Backed out of the muck, wet up to my thighs, and headed to the orientation with the Rush Ranch caretaker.
The other hunting party had drawn this hunt before, and requested the larger area of the property to hunt. They were using shotgun. We would switch on Sunday if I wanted.
I had researched and e-scouted thoroughly. I was prepared with neoprene chest waders delivered quickly from Amazon. They ended up being exactly what I needed in this terrain. I hustled them on and headed out to the glassing knob at 2:30.
3:30 I glassed up 3 pigs. One larger black and white, and two black. Ranged them. Marked them OnX. Headed into the marsh in that direction, bow in hand. It is a slow go moving back into the marsh. A lot of trial and error to find the answers to the maze.
There are pigs trails, beds, and scat just about everywhere I went. But when I got to the spot I marked, there was a pig highway, 3 times as wide with many smaller trails coming together.
Started back out of the marsh at sunset having heard a few grunts from the tules as I moved through.
Campsite was awesome. There was a covered area for my tent, a fire pit, and a bathroom.
Saturday morning I was up at 4am. Headed out in the dark to hopefully catch them out of the marsh. I wasn’t that lucky.
Spent most of the day moving through my area, finding paths deeper, and adding marks OnX. Lots of dead ends, water crossings, etc. At one point I fell through the marsh grass all the way in up past my waist. Very sketchy!
I set up in a natural blind, 20 yards off the pig highway in the afternoon. Breeze in my face. I ranged some distances and settled in quiet. As I sat, I was hearing some grunts and movements in the reeds.
Then it happened. A chorus of grunts was coming up from behind me very quickly. Grass was rustling and many hoofbeats slapping the mud. I knocked an arrow and peeked up over the grass. The three pigs I had previously glassed were coming straight up the highway.
I got to my knees, I’m at full draw now, with the lead pig in my sight but through some grass and reeds. I am ready to release as they move past the last obstruction into a clear shot window. The pig in front hits the breaks. And now I’m aimed at the opening 1 foot in front of him. As I bring my sight back to him to take the good shot though the grass, he spooked. Caught me moving or winded me. I bring my sight to the second/third pig which quickly followed the first pig crashing though the tiles, splashing through the slough, and disappearing noisy in the distance.
I did release an arrow as they ran quartering away at 25 yards. It made a smack sound but I was not confident my shot.
Heart pounding. I canvassed the area for my arrow without any luck. No blood either. Could not locate my arrow before dark.
On Sunday, the other hunting party had called it quits, so I had the entire place to myself. I decided to hunt the same area as the day before. I set up in a new spot along the pig highway for 5 hours in the AM. After sitting in that spot for 20 minutes, I look to my left, and there’s my arrow from the evening before! Clean. No blood.
I took a lunch break and sat for another 5 hours in the PM. Heard pigs several more times but they never gave me another chance.
I am so excited with how this hunt turned out. This was my first multi day hunt. My first bow hunt. First time only e-scouting an area in advance.
Getting within 20 yards of 3 marsh pigs was a thrill I’ll never forget. I’ll also never forget them crashing away, moving through the tules and splashing into the slough.
Gained a lot of experience and enjoyed this hunt! Hindsight 20/20 should have released through the grass, instead of waiting for the perfect shot!
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