Hey Y’all,
Been away from the forums for a while because I couldn’t remember my password and the email I used was deleted, but I got that sorted so I thought I would share a first from 2023.
I started hunting some friends ranch a few years ago and harvested a buck or three over the years. They have a good population of hogs that run through, and I’ve helped recover/skin a few, but never got one myself.
That all changed last September. I had already made a trip down around the beginning of the month(quick shoutout to my wife for letting me spend a weekend and then another one later out of the house with a 4 year old and 2 month old at home) on that trip three pigs were killed by other guys but no deer. I was unsuccessful so my wife sent me down closing A zone weekend. On a side note I always go in hope of getting a deer and she always sends me hoping I get a pig.
My second trip down right away felt different. The weather was cooler and it there was a feeling that something was gonna happen closing weekend. A group of us got down there Friday and started hunting around 1600. Plenty of time for an evening hunt before the end of shoot time. Of course several hours later the end of shoot time was only minutes away and no one had anything in the ground yet.
As I was headed back to camp for dinner I saw some movement on the private road ahead of me. Sure enough a big jet black pig in the middle of the road not 15 yards from the front of my truck. Usually with my limited experience of the pigs there when they see/smell you they start grabbing gears and are gone. I don’t know why this one decided to slowly meander away.
I started getting my gun up, making sure to go nice and smooth, so I didn’t rush anything. Wouldn’t you know it, due to the failing light I lost sight of the pig in the process of getting into the scope. Somewhat dejected I stood up ready to get back in the truck, when I saw something remarkably like a pig trying to careen it’s non-existent neck to look backwards. I got back on the scope and sure enough that’s exactly what he was doing. As soon as I stopped moving the pig again started to slowly trot away. This time I could see him and the brush around him. I could tell he was headed for a funnel so I held on that and as he walked into the crosshairs I let a 168gr barnes fly out of my 308. I saw a big dust cloud but didn’t hear a squeal or oink or thwack. I wasn’t sure if I had hit my mark even though the shot felt good.
I waited a few minutes to gather myself and started heading down the 50 yards away or so the funnel was from where I shot. While walking down I got on the radio to see who was around. At this point it was pitch dark and I didn’t want to blood trail a potentially wounded animal through head high brush. Luckily one of the guys from camp was nearby. While I waited I looked around to try and find any blood.
I couldn’t find any and went to tell my buddy what happened once be arrived at my truck. We went down the direction the pig was headed when I shot and couldn’t find anything. The shot felt right but uncertainty started to creep in. We decided to go the opposite way to see if maybe the pig doubled back after the shot. Sure enough about 15 yards away I found a single drop of bright red blood. Then another 10 yards after that a little bit more blood, but this time a nice fleshy chunk of what appeared to be lung. Then a few yards from there a dense impassable wall of brush. Luckily after picking our way though he was just on the other side stone cold dead.
After about a 70 yard drag downhill, we met up with another buddy in his side by side, recollected our vehicles from the place of the shot and headed back to camp for some dinner and work. One of the best parts came while skinning the thing. In the opposite arm pit of the bullet entry was my 168 grain barnes still intact. His skull will be a trophy that will outlast the many meals he has and will provide.
Been away from the forums for a while because I couldn’t remember my password and the email I used was deleted, but I got that sorted so I thought I would share a first from 2023.
I started hunting some friends ranch a few years ago and harvested a buck or three over the years. They have a good population of hogs that run through, and I’ve helped recover/skin a few, but never got one myself.
That all changed last September. I had already made a trip down around the beginning of the month(quick shoutout to my wife for letting me spend a weekend and then another one later out of the house with a 4 year old and 2 month old at home) on that trip three pigs were killed by other guys but no deer. I was unsuccessful so my wife sent me down closing A zone weekend. On a side note I always go in hope of getting a deer and she always sends me hoping I get a pig.
My second trip down right away felt different. The weather was cooler and it there was a feeling that something was gonna happen closing weekend. A group of us got down there Friday and started hunting around 1600. Plenty of time for an evening hunt before the end of shoot time. Of course several hours later the end of shoot time was only minutes away and no one had anything in the ground yet.
As I was headed back to camp for dinner I saw some movement on the private road ahead of me. Sure enough a big jet black pig in the middle of the road not 15 yards from the front of my truck. Usually with my limited experience of the pigs there when they see/smell you they start grabbing gears and are gone. I don’t know why this one decided to slowly meander away.
I started getting my gun up, making sure to go nice and smooth, so I didn’t rush anything. Wouldn’t you know it, due to the failing light I lost sight of the pig in the process of getting into the scope. Somewhat dejected I stood up ready to get back in the truck, when I saw something remarkably like a pig trying to careen it’s non-existent neck to look backwards. I got back on the scope and sure enough that’s exactly what he was doing. As soon as I stopped moving the pig again started to slowly trot away. This time I could see him and the brush around him. I could tell he was headed for a funnel so I held on that and as he walked into the crosshairs I let a 168gr barnes fly out of my 308. I saw a big dust cloud but didn’t hear a squeal or oink or thwack. I wasn’t sure if I had hit my mark even though the shot felt good.
I waited a few minutes to gather myself and started heading down the 50 yards away or so the funnel was from where I shot. While walking down I got on the radio to see who was around. At this point it was pitch dark and I didn’t want to blood trail a potentially wounded animal through head high brush. Luckily one of the guys from camp was nearby. While I waited I looked around to try and find any blood.
I couldn’t find any and went to tell my buddy what happened once be arrived at my truck. We went down the direction the pig was headed when I shot and couldn’t find anything. The shot felt right but uncertainty started to creep in. We decided to go the opposite way to see if maybe the pig doubled back after the shot. Sure enough about 15 yards away I found a single drop of bright red blood. Then another 10 yards after that a little bit more blood, but this time a nice fleshy chunk of what appeared to be lung. Then a few yards from there a dense impassable wall of brush. Luckily after picking our way though he was just on the other side stone cold dead.
After about a 70 yard drag downhill, we met up with another buddy in his side by side, recollected our vehicles from the place of the shot and headed back to camp for some dinner and work. One of the best parts came while skinning the thing. In the opposite arm pit of the bullet entry was my 168 grain barnes still intact. His skull will be a trophy that will outlast the many meals he has and will provide.
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