To get within range, I had to cross the milo against the rows. Drizzling rain softened the leaves so I could maneuver more quietly, but my movement didn't go unnoticed. Two hogs stood well above the seed heads, and one of them saw me coming. Without delay I fired one shot and put him down, but I stumbled on the stalks while turning to pick up the next one. In my haste to recover, I anxiously spent several more rounds taking down the second. When I approached to survey the damage, I came upon a shorty that was lost, so I helped him find the way out.
The next spot had four porkers grazing in a wheat field, two big ones and two little guys. With no cover, I just crept up slowly, but not too close, staying just over 100 yards out. While I was waiting for the two largest to move closer together, the big one looked up and stared right at me.
I hear a lot about how easy hogs are to kill and any caliber will work. All you need to do is shoot it in the ear. Well I'm not that good of a shot, so with only a couple of seconds to fire, I put one in the shoulder. Instead of dropping, he took off. I wasn't expecting that and lost several more seconds bringing him down. By then I was only able to get one more runner. The little ones were so far all I could do was make them zigzag in the distance.
After I got a look at the size of the bruiser, I realized how he was able to soak up 168 grains in the chest, and that's why I shoot a 30 caliber. I don't think I would have stopped him with a 223, and if you're in a wheat field with a giant wounded boar, retreat is not an option.
Now on to the cotton field. One hog meandered amongst a herd of deer on the edge of the circle. Of course the deer spooked when I closed in, which in turn spooked the hog. Since he really didn't know what he was running from, he just went in a few rows, turned and headed my direction. The cotton was tall, but I could see the top of his back as he got closer. I switched on the ir illuminator and caught his eye reflecting back through the leaves. When he presented enough of his head... SPLAT!!! At 25 yards everyone's a marksman.
I saw three more cross into a corn field, but there were houses in the distance, and I didn't have a clear shot. Many animals survive because there is safety in numbers. Where I hunt hogs, however, a large number means the whole herd is likely to get wiped out. They must be catching on because I never saw patrols of more than three or four pigs all night.
PS - Special thanks to Coy for the tip!
The next spot had four porkers grazing in a wheat field, two big ones and two little guys. With no cover, I just crept up slowly, but not too close, staying just over 100 yards out. While I was waiting for the two largest to move closer together, the big one looked up and stared right at me.
I hear a lot about how easy hogs are to kill and any caliber will work. All you need to do is shoot it in the ear. Well I'm not that good of a shot, so with only a couple of seconds to fire, I put one in the shoulder. Instead of dropping, he took off. I wasn't expecting that and lost several more seconds bringing him down. By then I was only able to get one more runner. The little ones were so far all I could do was make them zigzag in the distance.
After I got a look at the size of the bruiser, I realized how he was able to soak up 168 grains in the chest, and that's why I shoot a 30 caliber. I don't think I would have stopped him with a 223, and if you're in a wheat field with a giant wounded boar, retreat is not an option.
Now on to the cotton field. One hog meandered amongst a herd of deer on the edge of the circle. Of course the deer spooked when I closed in, which in turn spooked the hog. Since he really didn't know what he was running from, he just went in a few rows, turned and headed my direction. The cotton was tall, but I could see the top of his back as he got closer. I switched on the ir illuminator and caught his eye reflecting back through the leaves. When he presented enough of his head... SPLAT!!! At 25 yards everyone's a marksman.
I saw three more cross into a corn field, but there were houses in the distance, and I didn't have a clear shot. Many animals survive because there is safety in numbers. Where I hunt hogs, however, a large number means the whole herd is likely to get wiped out. They must be catching on because I never saw patrols of more than three or four pigs all night.
PS - Special thanks to Coy for the tip!
