A Texas Hog Hunt Turned Dangerous

Story and photos by: L. David Nickell

All I could think of while laying on my back, kicking both feet as hard as I could at the angry wild boar was, "I have got to get this thing off of me."

What started as a great Memorial Day morning hunt on the Langley Ranch in Centerville, Texas quickly escalated to a fight for my life. I was hunting from a tree stand and had shot a boar at about 25 yards with my bow. It was a nice mature boar and I was excited. After the shot,  I watched the boar run about 30 yards and lay down. I figured my shot was on the mark and could see my arrow protruding from the far side of the hog. When the boar laid down, I heard the arrow shaft snap off and I watched the boar go through what I assumed were its death throes. For the next 30 minutes or so, I watched the area where the boar lay while waiting for the outfitter to pick me up. There was no movement, and I was certain the boar was in fact, dead.

When the outfitter arrived, I was still in the tree stand. As he approached, he could see the boar clearly and our conversation went something like this:

Outfitter: “David, do you have a pistol?”

Me: “Why?”

Outfitter: “Your boar is still alive!”

Me: “No, I don’t have a pistol, but I’ll come down and put another arrow in him.”

After climbing down from the stand, I slowly approach the boar and got to around five yards of him before drawing by bow. In hindsight, I should have shot the boar again from around 20 yards as my bow sights would have been on the mark, but hindsight is always 20/20. At five yards, I had to guess at the hold and my second shot was low, just skinning the boar’s belly. That shot spooked the boar and, in a flash, the pig was on his feet charging me at full speed. It happened so fast there was no chance for me to move out of the way. He was on me. The boar’s first hit caught me on the inside of my upper left thigh. The impact knocked me on my back and sent my bow flying out of my hand. From my back, I started kicking at the boar’s head and chest, trying with all my strength to get the crazy thing off me. Nothing worked, the boar continued his attack and I felt those large tusks ripping up my legs.

Within a few moments, my outfitter was there to help, but without a gun, his options were limited. I still can’t believe it, but that guy grabbed the boar’s tail with both hands and hauled back hard enough to pull the boar off me. That gave me enough time to get to my feet, grab my bow and nock another arrow. I was hyper focused on getting another arrow nocked and didn’t pay much attention to my guide wrestling with the pig. There is an old saying, “you don’t want to get a tiger by the tail.” I can assure you, you don’t want a boar by the tail either.

While my guide and the boar spun around a few times, I readied my bow. When they paused, I placed an arrow in the right spot and the boar expired in a few seconds.

After the excitement was over and the adrenalin had worn off a little, I started to look over my injuries. Although I didn’t see any tears or cuts in my Kryptek Alaios pants, I was certain I felt tusks dig deep and I told my outfitter I thought the boar had got me pretty good. I lowered my pants and discovered both my legs were cut and scratched up and I had a deep four-inch gouge in my upper thigh. In just a few minutes, we had the boar loaded in the truck and were headed to the emergency room in Madisonville, Texas.

While lying on the hospital bed waiting for my wounds to be attended, I heard numerous stories about wild boar attacks treated in that ER. I have hunted wild boar for years in North Carolina, killing hundreds over that time, but this was my first time hunting them in Texas. I have never known one to charge or be so aggressive. After this experience, I am convinced Texas hogs are meaner than North Carolina hogs. They are just flat out mad! I learned the true meaning of the slogan “Don’t Mess with Texas!”

My hunting partners, Langley Ranch personnel, and the attending medical staff were amazed my Kryptek pants held up to this attack without being damaged in any way. There was not one single tear or wear mark. The medical personnel even commented by not tearing, my pants had prevented bacteria from entering the wounds which could have caused infection to set in. After having stitches placed in my thigh, I have to admit I was duly impressed as well

I have been wearing Kryptek gear for over a year now and am extremely impressed with their wear ability and functionality. In addition to this wild boar hunt, I wore Kryptek gear on a grueling goat/deer hunt to Kodiak, Alaska where it held up exceptionally well, even while busting through the alder jungles, Salmon Berry brush and Devil’s Club. It’s nothing but Kryptek gear for me from now on.

I wish I had better pictures from that morning, but I spent most of it in the ER. Below is a picture of a boar that my hunting partner, Levi Rangel shot that was very similar in size. He too is now a Kryptek gear fan.