Atchman2
Well-Known Member
Tonight I went up to fill my feeders and check my cameras. The weather is supposed to be bad tomorrow night so tonight was going to be my best opportunity this weekend.
I was running out of daylight so as soon as I got there I put on my waders and grabbed a 50 lb bag of corn and took off across the river. The river is still pretty swift from the melting snow and ice. Regardless I was able to fill up my new feeder as it is only head high.
From there I walked down to the lower field. It is a little further north and across a stream. The hogs have torn it to pieces so I put a camera over there to see how much activity is around.
I came back, swapped out the camera near my feeder and proceeded back across the river. I borrowed a plastic bucket from Stanley to carry corn. The bags are hard to carry sometimes. I had a bucket of corn and a fresh can of Kool Aid. I baited my old feeder site just in case then I crossed the river again to get to my final camera.
You can tell just from the ground that this area is "well used". Between the pigs, the turkeys, the deer, and the coyotes the ground is pretty torn up. I threw down some more corn and Kook Aid and decided to walk back on the four wheeler trail as the river is much more shallow and easy to cross.
When I crested the hill, I thought maybe my feeder was on the ground? Then I realized in the few minutes I was gone "Big Bubba" the Hog was out in the field! RATS! While I had my .44 magnum, that was going to be at least a 100 yard shot and I am not comfortable shooting a pistol with iron sights at that range.
So I skirted the edge of the woods so he wouldn't see me. Then I reached the CONEX boxes and snuck along those. Then to the camper I crept along again. Then the dump truck, finally Stanley's pickup truck. I got down very low and stalked over to my Dodge Durango. I grabbed the rifle case, turned on the night vision sight and was ready to go...almost. The ammo clip was on the front seat.
I like to be safe so I usually don't keep them together. I quietly opened the door and inserted the clip. It was loaded with 150 Grain Winchester Hog Ammo.
I glanced over the hood and the hog had his head down. I threw the gun over the hood of my car and took a steady aim at the area between his ear and shoulder (neck shot) and pulled the trigger. BOOM! The hog went down instantly. I thought for a minute it had ran away, but it was resting in a small gully. First hog of the year down and it was Big Bubba!
I called Leah and Stanley and told them I had a pig down. I had to cross the river-again and now it was almost dark. When I reached the big boar, I shot it in the head with my .44 magnum just in case. It has quite large tusks that could easily cut me to pieces.
Tomorrow I am going back up to recover it. The hog was so big I could not move it, nor could I pull it across the raging river. Stanley is going to help me go get it. Since it is going the be in the 20's tonight the meat should be safe. What a great hunt!
I was running out of daylight so as soon as I got there I put on my waders and grabbed a 50 lb bag of corn and took off across the river. The river is still pretty swift from the melting snow and ice. Regardless I was able to fill up my new feeder as it is only head high.
From there I walked down to the lower field. It is a little further north and across a stream. The hogs have torn it to pieces so I put a camera over there to see how much activity is around.
I came back, swapped out the camera near my feeder and proceeded back across the river. I borrowed a plastic bucket from Stanley to carry corn. The bags are hard to carry sometimes. I had a bucket of corn and a fresh can of Kool Aid. I baited my old feeder site just in case then I crossed the river again to get to my final camera.
You can tell just from the ground that this area is "well used". Between the pigs, the turkeys, the deer, and the coyotes the ground is pretty torn up. I threw down some more corn and Kook Aid and decided to walk back on the four wheeler trail as the river is much more shallow and easy to cross.
When I crested the hill, I thought maybe my feeder was on the ground? Then I realized in the few minutes I was gone "Big Bubba" the Hog was out in the field! RATS! While I had my .44 magnum, that was going to be at least a 100 yard shot and I am not comfortable shooting a pistol with iron sights at that range.
So I skirted the edge of the woods so he wouldn't see me. Then I reached the CONEX boxes and snuck along those. Then to the camper I crept along again. Then the dump truck, finally Stanley's pickup truck. I got down very low and stalked over to my Dodge Durango. I grabbed the rifle case, turned on the night vision sight and was ready to go...almost. The ammo clip was on the front seat.
I like to be safe so I usually don't keep them together. I quietly opened the door and inserted the clip. It was loaded with 150 Grain Winchester Hog Ammo. I glanced over the hood and the hog had his head down. I threw the gun over the hood of my car and took a steady aim at the area between his ear and shoulder (neck shot) and pulled the trigger. BOOM! The hog went down instantly. I thought for a minute it had ran away, but it was resting in a small gully. First hog of the year down and it was Big Bubba!
I called Leah and Stanley and told them I had a pig down. I had to cross the river-again and now it was almost dark. When I reached the big boar, I shot it in the head with my .44 magnum just in case. It has quite large tusks that could easily cut me to pieces.
Tomorrow I am going back up to recover it. The hog was so big I could not move it, nor could I pull it across the raging river. Stanley is going to help me go get it. Since it is going the be in the 20's tonight the meat should be safe. What a great hunt!
