First I want to thank all who offered advice and tips prior to our first Pig Hunt. You guys were great!
So we headed up Friday morning and checked in just after 0800, got registered and just walked around to meet some of the other guys and try to get some info on the North section where we were to hunt.
Orientation was just after that and we headed out to get the lay of the land about 1000. We headed up as it was already in the 80's and heading for the 90's. We checked out Crimnson Ridge area and ended up finding the Bano area later in the day.
We set up around the canyon and after a couple of hours we each started walking until sundown. We met back up at the Jeep and were unloading the guns when a nice sow came running down the canyon and ran across the road not 40' in front of the Jeep.
Greg was the only one with rounds in his gun and he took off running after it, got set as it was running up the other side and made a nice shot that hit the gut on the run. The pig disappeared over the ridge and the chase was on as it got dark fast.
He crested the hill and soon I heard 2 more shots. Second shot broke a leg and one in the heaad finished it. 160# dressed at the scales
Had to gut it and drag it in the dark and back to camp by 2100
We headed toward the same area on Saturday morning and spotted a pig deep in a canyon traversing upwards. We drove ahead and set up in the next canyon. She came right thru and gave Jim a nice 150 yd shot broadside.
One in the gut and 1 thru the ham stopped this one for a finishing head shot also
Gettin' it up the hill
We scouted most of Sat. afternoon and put a plan together to be back in the Bano area 2 hours before dark. Since I was the only one without a pig I took the center knoll which let me see all 3 canyons coming down to the road. Jim was glassing one side. me up the middle and Greg to the right. 10 minutes before end of shoot Jim spies a sow across the farthest canyon. I am crawling to a flat rock, set up the bipod and see the pig.
"I can't take that shot!"..."It's way over 400yds".
There is no way to get closer and I know it will be the only shot I have. I'll probably take some crap for this....but I shoot my Ruger M77 over 400 at the range all the time. I am confident in my skills. I was prone and on the bipod. And it would be my only shot of the trip.
I took it and nailed the meat pig dead in the left chest. She dropped and rolled about 15' and tried to get up. I hit her the second time in the shoulder. Jim thought I missed so I shot a 3rd time and hit it just under the right shoulder blade. She was done and I was STOKED!
First hog and the longest shots I have ever taken on an animal. High fives all around and some serious hootin'!
The rig
Scouting
The group
So we headed up Friday morning and checked in just after 0800, got registered and just walked around to meet some of the other guys and try to get some info on the North section where we were to hunt.
Orientation was just after that and we headed out to get the lay of the land about 1000. We headed up as it was already in the 80's and heading for the 90's. We checked out Crimnson Ridge area and ended up finding the Bano area later in the day.
We set up around the canyon and after a couple of hours we each started walking until sundown. We met back up at the Jeep and were unloading the guns when a nice sow came running down the canyon and ran across the road not 40' in front of the Jeep.
Greg was the only one with rounds in his gun and he took off running after it, got set as it was running up the other side and made a nice shot that hit the gut on the run. The pig disappeared over the ridge and the chase was on as it got dark fast.
He crested the hill and soon I heard 2 more shots. Second shot broke a leg and one in the heaad finished it. 160# dressed at the scales
Had to gut it and drag it in the dark and back to camp by 2100
We headed toward the same area on Saturday morning and spotted a pig deep in a canyon traversing upwards. We drove ahead and set up in the next canyon. She came right thru and gave Jim a nice 150 yd shot broadside.
One in the gut and 1 thru the ham stopped this one for a finishing head shot also
Gettin' it up the hill
We scouted most of Sat. afternoon and put a plan together to be back in the Bano area 2 hours before dark. Since I was the only one without a pig I took the center knoll which let me see all 3 canyons coming down to the road. Jim was glassing one side. me up the middle and Greg to the right. 10 minutes before end of shoot Jim spies a sow across the farthest canyon. I am crawling to a flat rock, set up the bipod and see the pig.
"I can't take that shot!"..."It's way over 400yds".
There is no way to get closer and I know it will be the only shot I have. I'll probably take some crap for this....but I shoot my Ruger M77 over 400 at the range all the time. I am confident in my skills. I was prone and on the bipod. And it would be my only shot of the trip.
I took it and nailed the meat pig dead in the left chest. She dropped and rolled about 15' and tried to get up. I hit her the second time in the shoulder. Jim thought I missed so I shot a 3rd time and hit it just under the right shoulder blade. She was done and I was STOKED!
First hog and the longest shots I have ever taken on an animal. High fives all around and some serious hootin'!
The rig
Scouting
The group
Saw a group of pigs too far away to get too. The evening yielded nada, but did see plenty of pigs (I couldn't get to).
