bisonic
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2007
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Got out this morning to hunt a friend's ranch in Mendocino with a buddy. We started at first light, driving the roads that work their way up the hillside. Almost immediately saw a big lone boar, but he was on the neighbor's property and heading away fast. Soon thereafter we spotted three sows trotting across a meadow, so we stopped and my buddy jumped out but was too late to take a decent shot. Both of us had unscoped 30-30's with the flat light, fog, and drizzle we didn't want to make a rushed shot. Drove to a ridge and walked down it, immediately flushing three more pigs who scented us and were gone. We then split up around 9:00 to check out some bedding areas in oak groves. As I was walking along a hillside I saw some very odd looking lumps at the foot of a couple oaks - turned out to be five or six all black hogs bedded down next to each other, snuggled into the leaves and dirt. The wind was across the hill so I was able to get within about 50 yards to a stump that was the last cover. I watched the hogs for a while, one big sow was wandering around but she looked like she was wet so I decided to pass on her and go for one of the smaller sows in the nearest pile. I shouldered my rifle... and realized that with the flat light, shadows of the oaks, and black pigs I could see almost nothing through my black peep sight! Just about then I hear two shots from my friend, not too close but close enough to make the hogs stir a bit so I could make out which end was which. I realized I could use some overhanging oak branches as reference points to help my aim, so took the shot. The whole pile of hogs exploded and took off - at first I thought I'd missed, but then saw one was spewing foamy blood from her side from a solid lung shot. She made it 50 feet or so before keeling over.
Meanwhile my buddy has virtually the same hunt after spotting three or four bedded hogs. Snuck up and lunged one, though she was able to take off running and it took him a half hour or so to find her.
I'd guess mine was 130 lbs on the hoof and his a bit smaller, maybe 115. Both should be really tasty hogs. A great morning!
Meanwhile my buddy has virtually the same hunt after spotting three or four bedded hogs. Snuck up and lunged one, though she was able to take off running and it took him a half hour or so to find her.
I'd guess mine was 130 lbs on the hoof and his a bit smaller, maybe 115. Both should be really tasty hogs. A great morning!
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