Went hunting again with my usual buddy (the usual suspect) this week. We saw a few hogs but didn't have much by way of shot opportunities. The wind was from the north the first couple of nights, which works against us where we hunt. We saw some hogs Tuesday evening about 250 yards away, on the other side of a stock tank but one way around the tank put the wind directly from us toward the hogs, and the other way was blocked by cattle. Typically whenever we approach the cattle they run away and alert the hogs. We tried waiting and hoping the hogs would come to us, but eventually they caught our scent and boogied.
The next morning we were out before dawn. I have a thermal monocular and a Photon NV scope, my buddy has no NV gear. We spotted at least three hogs using thermal. They were in much the same place as the evening before except they were on our side of the stock tank = IN RANGE! However, my buddy was hoping they'd stick around until it got lighter so he could get a shot. The same thing happened as the previous evening, they detected us and took off. I had a shot for a minute or so but I was waiting for daylight. Result: Hogs 2, Us 0.
That evening we saw no hogs. The next morning we agreed that if I could get a shot before dawn I'd take it. We went out to the same spot near the stock tank about 45 minutes before sunup. Soon we spotted a long hog meandering across the pasture, coming in our general direction. It was pretty cool watching him through the thermal monocular. It took him almost a half-hour to get close to us, and by this time it was twilight. My buddy had put down the thermal viewer and was looking through his binoculars. I had my Photon ready with my 300 BLK, and just before the hog slipped into the woods I shot. My buddy yelled "MISSED to the left", meaning I'd shot in front of the hog. The hog turned around and bolted back into the pasture. I was pretty annoyed! I mean, this was our second full day of hunting and so far we had nothing. I lined up on the running hog, and he paused for an instant. I nailed him high in the shoulder. I could hear the "Thwap!" as the bullet struck him. He took off running and I shot again. Another "Thwap!". He disappeared into a low spot covered with ground fog and we didn't see him again. I told my buddy I thought I'd hit the last two shots and that we should go look. We put rifles down (we both carry .22 pistols) and took the thermal viewer. About 225 yards out we spotted a heat signature, and there he was.
We ran a tape measure around him and it indicated just over 41 inches, or about 210 Lbs. We cut off the hindquarters, back straps, and the good shoulder and left the rest for the TBPS.
The next morning we were out before dawn. I have a thermal monocular and a Photon NV scope, my buddy has no NV gear. We spotted at least three hogs using thermal. They were in much the same place as the evening before except they were on our side of the stock tank = IN RANGE! However, my buddy was hoping they'd stick around until it got lighter so he could get a shot. The same thing happened as the previous evening, they detected us and took off. I had a shot for a minute or so but I was waiting for daylight. Result: Hogs 2, Us 0.
That evening we saw no hogs. The next morning we agreed that if I could get a shot before dawn I'd take it. We went out to the same spot near the stock tank about 45 minutes before sunup. Soon we spotted a long hog meandering across the pasture, coming in our general direction. It was pretty cool watching him through the thermal monocular. It took him almost a half-hour to get close to us, and by this time it was twilight. My buddy had put down the thermal viewer and was looking through his binoculars. I had my Photon ready with my 300 BLK, and just before the hog slipped into the woods I shot. My buddy yelled "MISSED to the left", meaning I'd shot in front of the hog. The hog turned around and bolted back into the pasture. I was pretty annoyed! I mean, this was our second full day of hunting and so far we had nothing. I lined up on the running hog, and he paused for an instant. I nailed him high in the shoulder. I could hear the "Thwap!" as the bullet struck him. He took off running and I shot again. Another "Thwap!". He disappeared into a low spot covered with ground fog and we didn't see him again. I told my buddy I thought I'd hit the last two shots and that we should go look. We put rifles down (we both carry .22 pistols) and took the thermal viewer. About 225 yards out we spotted a heat signature, and there he was.
We ran a tape measure around him and it indicated just over 41 inches, or about 210 Lbs. We cut off the hindquarters, back straps, and the good shoulder and left the rest for the TBPS.
