Gunner46
Well-known member
This was Mac’s 4th try at a hog hunt. We saw pigs on the 1st trip, but no shot opportunities. The next two hunts, we saw plenty of deer and some nice Osceola Turkeys, but no pigs. He was getting a bit flustered. Kids need action to keep their interest, so I booked a hunt that I knew would provide plenty of that for him.
I’d been to John’s a couple of times and done well. Plenty of pigs. My last visit was with TNCTCB, and his 5 yr old son ‘Hollywood’. All three of us had a hog before noon.
At 6:30 AM we were sneaking into a wild oak hammock where a feeder was in place. The tripod stand wasn’t big enough for the two of us, so we decided to just hunt from the ground, behind some brush, to hide our silhouettes. A small tree with a broken branch would provide Mac with a perfect rifle rest, for his shot.
We didn’t have to wait long. After ‘bout 30 minutes, a really nice red/brown boar (welllllll over 200#) come in from the right to check out the feeder. Mac got his 44 Mag up and readied for the shot. Only problem was, a leg from the tripod stand was exactly in his line of sight, and the boar was constantly moving. No shot. We shifted a few inches to the left to clear the stand leg and caught the boar’s attention. But instead of bolting, he came in on us. Just curious, not charging, but I wouldn’t let Mac take a head shot, and the boar was getting way too close for the 4X scope. At 15’ I had the bead of the 12Ga right between his eyes. Another step and Mr. Red was going to get his sinus’s cleaned with buffered #1’s!!
It turned, without the last step toward us, and only gave us a butt shot, so Mr. Red got away clean.
10 minutes later, more action. A dozen Razorbacks of various sizes came in. Two were pretty good size. Mac didn’t want to shoot, because the Red was so much bigger, and he thought he could wait for that one again. Between our whispers of “Shoot”, “They’re too small” (100-120#) and “SHOOT” the pigs got itchy and backed off…….
Again, a few minutes later, in comes, a nice 150# mottled gray. He heads straight for the feeder, noses for about 10 seconds and vanishes! No time to even get the rifle set.
We sat there for the next hour and nothing. The wind had shifted, and of course in the wrong direction. It was getting close to the point when John was going to come pick us up. I thought I heard his truck off in the distance, but the leaves were slightly rustling and I couldn’t tell for sure.
Then at 9:15, the wind shifted again, and all of a sudden, the Razorbacks AND the Gray all came busting straight into the feeder. Now we had pigs everywhere. Too many pigs!! Had to just wait it out for a clear shot. Couldn’t afford the chance of a pass through hit on another pig. Gray kept himself closest to us, but there was always another right behind him. After agonizing minutes he inched himself forward so that his far shoulder was blocked by a 9” tree, the 44 came up and POW!!!!!! Piggies hauled ass in every direction!! ;Cept one....
5AM breakfast at the gas station: Rollito's, Hot Dog's and Cappachino
Mac and the Gray
Smile Mr. Piggie !!!!
[ 08-04-2004, 14:34: Message edited by: Gunner46 ]
I’d been to John’s a couple of times and done well. Plenty of pigs. My last visit was with TNCTCB, and his 5 yr old son ‘Hollywood’. All three of us had a hog before noon.
At 6:30 AM we were sneaking into a wild oak hammock where a feeder was in place. The tripod stand wasn’t big enough for the two of us, so we decided to just hunt from the ground, behind some brush, to hide our silhouettes. A small tree with a broken branch would provide Mac with a perfect rifle rest, for his shot.
We didn’t have to wait long. After ‘bout 30 minutes, a really nice red/brown boar (welllllll over 200#) come in from the right to check out the feeder. Mac got his 44 Mag up and readied for the shot. Only problem was, a leg from the tripod stand was exactly in his line of sight, and the boar was constantly moving. No shot. We shifted a few inches to the left to clear the stand leg and caught the boar’s attention. But instead of bolting, he came in on us. Just curious, not charging, but I wouldn’t let Mac take a head shot, and the boar was getting way too close for the 4X scope. At 15’ I had the bead of the 12Ga right between his eyes. Another step and Mr. Red was going to get his sinus’s cleaned with buffered #1’s!!
It turned, without the last step toward us, and only gave us a butt shot, so Mr. Red got away clean.
10 minutes later, more action. A dozen Razorbacks of various sizes came in. Two were pretty good size. Mac didn’t want to shoot, because the Red was so much bigger, and he thought he could wait for that one again. Between our whispers of “Shoot”, “They’re too small” (100-120#) and “SHOOT” the pigs got itchy and backed off…….
Again, a few minutes later, in comes, a nice 150# mottled gray. He heads straight for the feeder, noses for about 10 seconds and vanishes! No time to even get the rifle set.
We sat there for the next hour and nothing. The wind had shifted, and of course in the wrong direction. It was getting close to the point when John was going to come pick us up. I thought I heard his truck off in the distance, but the leaves were slightly rustling and I couldn’t tell for sure.
Then at 9:15, the wind shifted again, and all of a sudden, the Razorbacks AND the Gray all came busting straight into the feeder. Now we had pigs everywhere. Too many pigs!! Had to just wait it out for a clear shot. Couldn’t afford the chance of a pass through hit on another pig. Gray kept himself closest to us, but there was always another right behind him. After agonizing minutes he inched himself forward so that his far shoulder was blocked by a 9” tree, the 44 came up and POW!!!!!! Piggies hauled ass in every direction!! ;Cept one....
5AM breakfast at the gas station: Rollito's, Hot Dog's and Cappachino
Mac and the Gray
Smile Mr. Piggie !!!!
[ 08-04-2004, 14:34: Message edited by: Gunner46 ]
