Yesterday I headed up to a buddy's ranch in the hills of Madera County. We were only going to open the gate for someone and change out some film in a couple trail cameras. But I brought my fishing pole and .243 along for the ride. As we pulled up to one of the ponds on the property I noticed some cattle down in the 2nd pond, but didn't see the pigs that were with them. When my friend pointed them out and gave me permission, the hunt was on.
I started to circle towards them in one direction but decided to go in the opposite so the cattle wouldn't get spooked and inturn spook the pigs. I was 500-600 yards out and closed the distance to about 200 yards. As I got closer I noticed the cattle had already started moving out of the area and then I saw a line of pigs heading out also. There was about 20 in the group and a slight majority of them were in the 40 lbs range with the remainders being 80 to 150 lbs, I'm guessing of course. Then I noticed a large black pig taking his time walking from my left to right heading for the oak trees. Later I told another friend it was nice to finally see something in the scope that I could shoot. I squeezed off a round and though I didn't hear it my friend said he heard the thwap off a bullet hitting its mark. The pig just kept walking to my right and disappeared behind a boulder but never came out of the other side.
When we got down to where I had shot the pig I walked around the boulder and saw the boar bedded down. He got up and stood looking right at me so I gave him another round and he ran up the hill about 20 yards. He wasn't going much farther but a last shot sped the process up. We gutted him and loaded him in the truck.
Here's some pics.
The boar on ice until I could skin him out.
Giving the guy a shower.
He had some tusks.
It looked like he had been in a couple fights.
Here is our skinning hoist.
The only scale we have is a truck scale that reads in 20 lbs incruments. He weighed 180 lbs gutted.
I started to circle towards them in one direction but decided to go in the opposite so the cattle wouldn't get spooked and inturn spook the pigs. I was 500-600 yards out and closed the distance to about 200 yards. As I got closer I noticed the cattle had already started moving out of the area and then I saw a line of pigs heading out also. There was about 20 in the group and a slight majority of them were in the 40 lbs range with the remainders being 80 to 150 lbs, I'm guessing of course. Then I noticed a large black pig taking his time walking from my left to right heading for the oak trees. Later I told another friend it was nice to finally see something in the scope that I could shoot. I squeezed off a round and though I didn't hear it my friend said he heard the thwap off a bullet hitting its mark. The pig just kept walking to my right and disappeared behind a boulder but never came out of the other side.
When we got down to where I had shot the pig I walked around the boulder and saw the boar bedded down. He got up and stood looking right at me so I gave him another round and he ran up the hill about 20 yards. He wasn't going much farther but a last shot sped the process up. We gutted him and loaded him in the truck.
Here's some pics.
The boar on ice until I could skin him out.
Giving the guy a shower.
He had some tusks.
It looked like he had been in a couple fights.
Here is our skinning hoist.
The only scale we have is a truck scale that reads in 20 lbs incruments. He weighed 180 lbs gutted.
