bailey1474
<strong>SPONSOR</strong>
Long Range Hog Killin\'
Well, Lerch and I went out last Saturday to try our luck at hog hunting. Only problem was, it was monsoon season here in OK. It hadn't rained in several months but it absolutely poured Saturday.
Since this was the only day we were going to get to go, we decided to make the best of it. We set up my large blind, our portable bench inside of it and sit out in the rain.
A friend of mine who work for No Mercy Hunting had two spots baited out for us @ about 500 yds and 700 yds. There was a large hog on the 500 yd bait when we got there but he was a LARGE pig and we really didn't want to shoot one of their trophy hogs, as people will pay good money for them. We after something smaller and ideally crippled or colored.
The large hog stayed out there for about 30 min. Even though visability was poor, we could have taken him @ any time. Infact, we had just decided to take the shot when a distant gun shot spooked him. We probably saw about 20 more hogs on the 500 yd bait but they just wouldn't stay still long enough or their vitals were obscured b/c they were standing in a crater they had dug. Not much of a shot opportunity.
Then our luck turned. I spotted a hog limping along out around the 700 yd bait. I ranged him and Lerch turned and dialed for the shot. The thing would not stop walking so as he neared the timber Lerch had to let one fly from his 270 AM @ a moving target. I couldn't see the pressure wave b/c of the rain but saw the bullet impact from the big 169.5 Wildcat directly behind the hog in the dirt. Just over him!!!! A very large clump of dirt and grass was thrown about 8' in the air. That sucker didn't look crippled any more as he bolted off into the timber. We watched our video over and over and tried to make the bullet strike the hog but were certain it was a miss.
After about 40 more min we were both getting cold and wet and my friend drove up. We decided to call it a day go down and make sure the shot was a miss. We were able to find the hog's tracks and believe it or not were able to find exactly where the bullet had struck the ground. It hit right @ the base of a clump of lovegrass and we even found some fragments!!! We followed the hog's tracks for a short distance but the shot had missed it's mark just as we had thought.
We couldn't go out like that so we decided to take of work a little early yesterday and give it another shot. We left work a little before 4:00 pm and drove down to Gracemont, OK and met up w/my friend, the guide, one of his buddies and my brother-in-law. They said we had scared off the two hogs that were on the 500 yd bait when we drove in. No big deal, we knew there would be more.
The weather was pretty good, cool w/about a 5-10 mph variable wind from about 10 o'clock. We got all of our equipment set up and my 270 AM pointed in the right direction amd dialed up 5.25 MOA and gave here two clicks of windage.
We were all standing around shooting the bull when we spotted some hogs on the 500 yd bait. I quickly got down on the bench and targeted the hogs, but it was too late. Those suckers didn't even stop. This was the same problem we were having Saturday. They are kinda tought to get a shot at.
As the evening moved on we were starting to get a bit discouraged. The light was starting to fade and it had been about 30 min since we had seen the last bunch of hogs.
Then, our luck turned. About 20 hogs poured out of the timber and covered the bait!! None of them were very big and most were in a large pile on top of the bait. There was one unlucky swine on the right edge of the group quarting to us slightly but standing perfectly still. Going off our past experiences I place the crosshairs (too far back I might add) and lit the WC872 and started the 169.5 in motion. The "THWACK" it made when it connected w/the hog was so loud that I could hear it through my muffs!!! He stumbled to his knees but regained his legs and ran off in the opposite direction of the group. I knew he was hammered!!!
When we got down to the bait there was no blood to be found. We were however, able to pick up his tracks and they led us straight to him about 75 yds away from where he was struck. Just as we had thought, I had hit him about 4" back from where I should have. At first I blamed the wind, but after watch the video, I realized I was aiming right where I hit. If I would have aimed where I should have I would have had the crosshairs just below his right ear as he was looking in our direction.
The bullet entered right behind the front shoulder and came to rest just, and I mean just, under the hide on the left flank. Absolutly destroyed part of one lung and the liver.
Great job on the rifle Kirby and same to Richard on the bullets!!!!! I would also like to thank No Mercy Hunting and my buddy for setting this all up for us. Now we've gotta get Lerch one!!!
PS- I'll post some pics tonight when I get home.
Well, Lerch and I went out last Saturday to try our luck at hog hunting. Only problem was, it was monsoon season here in OK. It hadn't rained in several months but it absolutely poured Saturday.
Since this was the only day we were going to get to go, we decided to make the best of it. We set up my large blind, our portable bench inside of it and sit out in the rain.
A friend of mine who work for No Mercy Hunting had two spots baited out for us @ about 500 yds and 700 yds. There was a large hog on the 500 yd bait when we got there but he was a LARGE pig and we really didn't want to shoot one of their trophy hogs, as people will pay good money for them. We after something smaller and ideally crippled or colored.
The large hog stayed out there for about 30 min. Even though visability was poor, we could have taken him @ any time. Infact, we had just decided to take the shot when a distant gun shot spooked him. We probably saw about 20 more hogs on the 500 yd bait but they just wouldn't stay still long enough or their vitals were obscured b/c they were standing in a crater they had dug. Not much of a shot opportunity.
Then our luck turned. I spotted a hog limping along out around the 700 yd bait. I ranged him and Lerch turned and dialed for the shot. The thing would not stop walking so as he neared the timber Lerch had to let one fly from his 270 AM @ a moving target. I couldn't see the pressure wave b/c of the rain but saw the bullet impact from the big 169.5 Wildcat directly behind the hog in the dirt. Just over him!!!! A very large clump of dirt and grass was thrown about 8' in the air. That sucker didn't look crippled any more as he bolted off into the timber. We watched our video over and over and tried to make the bullet strike the hog but were certain it was a miss.
After about 40 more min we were both getting cold and wet and my friend drove up. We decided to call it a day go down and make sure the shot was a miss. We were able to find the hog's tracks and believe it or not were able to find exactly where the bullet had struck the ground. It hit right @ the base of a clump of lovegrass and we even found some fragments!!! We followed the hog's tracks for a short distance but the shot had missed it's mark just as we had thought.
We couldn't go out like that so we decided to take of work a little early yesterday and give it another shot. We left work a little before 4:00 pm and drove down to Gracemont, OK and met up w/my friend, the guide, one of his buddies and my brother-in-law. They said we had scared off the two hogs that were on the 500 yd bait when we drove in. No big deal, we knew there would be more.
The weather was pretty good, cool w/about a 5-10 mph variable wind from about 10 o'clock. We got all of our equipment set up and my 270 AM pointed in the right direction amd dialed up 5.25 MOA and gave here two clicks of windage.
We were all standing around shooting the bull when we spotted some hogs on the 500 yd bait. I quickly got down on the bench and targeted the hogs, but it was too late. Those suckers didn't even stop. This was the same problem we were having Saturday. They are kinda tought to get a shot at.
As the evening moved on we were starting to get a bit discouraged. The light was starting to fade and it had been about 30 min since we had seen the last bunch of hogs.
Then, our luck turned. About 20 hogs poured out of the timber and covered the bait!! None of them were very big and most were in a large pile on top of the bait. There was one unlucky swine on the right edge of the group quarting to us slightly but standing perfectly still. Going off our past experiences I place the crosshairs (too far back I might add) and lit the WC872 and started the 169.5 in motion. The "THWACK" it made when it connected w/the hog was so loud that I could hear it through my muffs!!! He stumbled to his knees but regained his legs and ran off in the opposite direction of the group. I knew he was hammered!!!
When we got down to the bait there was no blood to be found. We were however, able to pick up his tracks and they led us straight to him about 75 yds away from where he was struck. Just as we had thought, I had hit him about 4" back from where I should have. At first I blamed the wind, but after watch the video, I realized I was aiming right where I hit. If I would have aimed where I should have I would have had the crosshairs just below his right ear as he was looking in our direction.
The bullet entered right behind the front shoulder and came to rest just, and I mean just, under the hide on the left flank. Absolutly destroyed part of one lung and the liver.
Great job on the rifle Kirby and same to Richard on the bullets!!!!! I would also like to thank No Mercy Hunting and my buddy for setting this all up for us. Now we've gotta get Lerch one!!!
PS- I'll post some pics tonight when I get home.
