Heading to Georgia for a feral hog hunt.

[Dave King]

Heading down to Savannah, GA today for a three (3) day feral hog hunt. Taking my 308 Win (of course) and that new 300 Win Mag Rem Sendaro. I stuck some Black Hills match with the 190 Sierra MK's in the pack for the 300 and I'll carrying along some Fed Gold Medal Match (GMM) in the 168 MKs for the 308.

I also packed some 165 Nosler Ballistic Tips and a few of those blue Barnes 168 "Smurf Killers" to see if I could get a few retrieved bullets for posting. Someone recently asked for some pictures of Match Kings retrieved from game animals, I'll see if I can get a hog to line up in a good position for a non-pass through on a few rounds, haven't had much luck in the past. Maybe I'll wrap one hog in a series of newspapers so the test will better simulate recently posted MatchKing penetration and durability tests.

It's a nine (9) hour drive for me straight down I-95 (gotta love those high speed hunt & drive adventures). I might stop off down at the Marine Corp base in South Carolina to root through the surplus/turned-in uniforms parts.

You'se guy's be careful! or in Ga speak, Ya'll take care now, y'hea

 

[Len Backus]

Ian

Do you get to play the next three days like Dave does or do you have to work like I do?

 

[Ian M]

Len,
That sounds like an interesting trip for sure, hope Dave doesn't forget to eat lots of GRITS while he's in the deep south. But I have a couple of "jobs" here that have to get written - SAP. Took pictures down in Montana yesterday, photo support can be a real hassle sometimes. Wish I knew a great photographer who could go along on some of the trips

 

[james_ogburn]

Sounds like fun. I work about 2 miles from I-95 in South Carolina, so I'm wishing I was going down with you.

 

[Guest]

Dave, my buddy and I were looking into a place called "Black Creek Plantation" in Georgia. We have been looking into it on the net and that was the only place I found. What is the name of the place you are going to? I liked the "95" factor as well since I pick it up in NJ.

Good Luck on your hunt!

 

[Dave King]

Well...

I survived the trip.

The hog hunting was TERRIBLE, worst I've seen it ever. There were 13 guys at the lodge and we only shot four (4) hogs and one fella missed due to a rifle problem (?).

It was the First Annual Hog Open Championship and the rules are "There are no rules!"

My partner and I open the first evening with two smaller hogs, 125lb and a 135lb, score 260lbs, not a bad start. We hunted the next two days and last evening one fella shot two (2) hogs 245lbs and 300lbs, score 545lbs. That's all the hogs shot. The fella that shot the two big hogs called the weight on his hogs before the hunting started at 305lbs and 315lbs, said it'd be all he'd need to win. The overall success rate (13 folks @ two (2) hogs per day limit (total 78 hogs available for the group) was 5.1%, pitiful. Don't know the cause of the poor kill rate but it wasn't from lack of trying.

We suspect the winner had his ringer hogs delivered (they were "cut" hogs to-boot) but the rules state "No rules" so we're just ribbing him badly.

Here's the hog I shot, 135lbs live (fresh dead) weight.

P. S.

I had some grits (tried Mayonaise on them this trip, made a note to skip the Mayo next time), no Hoe-Cake this time, cook was grumpy. Had some catfish stew (?), interesting. Temps were in the high 80's, sunny, gentle breeze.

I'd tell you all the name of the place but this hunt was none too flattering for the lodge so I'll wait (probably a non-representative sample). I hae hunted there before and killed a pile of hogs, just bad luck maybe, real bad luck.

[ 03-21-2004: Message edited by: Dave King ]

 

[Dave King]

Got some photos of the winning hogs today.

Al Fiorille & the prize hogs.

Both killed with a 308 Win shooting Federal GMM ammo.

300 lbs

245 lbs

 

[RuffHewn]

Dave, did you take the hog with the .308 or the .300WM? Bullet recovered or passthrough?

Also what is the mv of the .300WM Black Hills SMK190 load and your barrel length?

Thanks.

Rick

 

[Dave King]

RH

I use the 308 with Fed GMM 168's. The bullet passed through

, the shot was hard quartering away from the right side, entered behind the right ribs (guts) and exited the left shoulder low (armpit). Took out a lot of groceries, lung, and arteries close to the heart. The hog went about 40 yards and was initially shot at a distance of about 30 yards.

I haven't run the BH 190's over a chronograph, probably wont as it's a factory rifle and I'm trying to decide what to do with it, probably end up trading it or selling.

[ 03-23-2004: Message edited by: Dave King ]

 

[Ian M]

Ruff,
Ten shots through my Sako 75 averaged 2901 with the Black Hills .300 Win mag 190's. That is a factory barrel, about 24". Very accurate ammo, sub 0.5" if you have a decent rifle.

 

[RuffHewn]

Dave, I have not yet recovered a 190 from my WSM. The only hog to stop one was facing me and the shot made it to the gastric cavity. Bullet recovery would have been interupted several times for upchucking.

My next quest is feral hog with 180 gr Ballistic Tips because someone told me they are not up to the task. If I am told paint is wet and it does not seem possible, well I have to touch it.

Ian,thanks for the info. I wanted to guage my WSM's 2964 fps ES 11 fps from it's 26" Mike Rock tube. I am well aware of the potental of BH ammo and knew it is a good measure of my WSM load.