the chase is on
- Thread starter djones
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
i had a hunt lined up with some hog doggers at a new place. i arrived early to scout the area, and a nice speed goat posed for some pics.
after dark some hogs entered the field and the largest laid down under the pivot in the wet peanuts while the others gathered at the center. i should have gone for the group kill, but i wanted the big one. shooting him first required me to swing over 90 degrees before reacquiring the runners, and I was only able to bring down two more.
i had another hog spotted two fields over. i could see him well, so at that distance i knew he was big. just as i began closing in, the doggers showed up. i flagged them down with a flashlight and told them where the hog was. the bay dogs jumped out of the truck and i jumped in. we only drove up a short distance before they stopped again and let out the pitbulls.
the hog moved into a corner that was a dump ground for abandoned equipment and trash, so it doesn't get shredded. we raced through weeds three feet tall, beams from the flashlights bouncing frantically between where your next step is vs looking for the hog and dogs. the commotion was just ahead, coming from the thickest brush; five foot weeds with scrap tin lying everywhere. squealing, barking, yelping, growling, and blood everywhere... it looked like a crime scene. i've never even come close to seeing anything like it before.
one guy jumped on the hog and another went in to stab it. i was surprised the hog didn't even flinch when the blade penetrated his heart. then, in the blink of an eye, he was up again and headed right for me, dragging dogs and hunters with him. luckily i was near the only tree for miles, so i turned and jumped for it. i hope i didn't scream, but i can't remember. right below me the guy jumped on the hog's back again and stabbed it on the other side.
talk about pumped. that was thrilling even for those guys. unfortunately, one bay dog had a hole in his windpipe and the other had enough of his neck ripped open his shoulder bone was sticking out. they required more attention than could be administered in the field, so they had to go back.
i continued on and came up on a good herd near a pivot center. the wind was right to use the tires for cover while i went in for the kill. i knew i was going to get several shots but didn't want to hit any sprinklers in the shooting spree. when the distance was right, i moved to the other side with my gun over my head to keep it out of the spray. now if they would just run back the same way they came in.
i started at the end and worked my way up from the back of the line. i know better than to "shoot into the covey", but there were so many i couldn't help it and aimed into the solid wall of pigs. i'm slinging lead but they aren't going down. finally i settle down and pick out specific targets. still, i found myself shooting at the same hogs several times. perhaps i was trying too hard rather than just letting it happen. i should have emptied the magazine and killed a dozen hogs. losing my focus after the first shot and then being overly deliberate afterwards cost me several hits. i did manage to get five though.
after dark some hogs entered the field and the largest laid down under the pivot in the wet peanuts while the others gathered at the center. i should have gone for the group kill, but i wanted the big one. shooting him first required me to swing over 90 degrees before reacquiring the runners, and I was only able to bring down two more.
i had another hog spotted two fields over. i could see him well, so at that distance i knew he was big. just as i began closing in, the doggers showed up. i flagged them down with a flashlight and told them where the hog was. the bay dogs jumped out of the truck and i jumped in. we only drove up a short distance before they stopped again and let out the pitbulls.
the hog moved into a corner that was a dump ground for abandoned equipment and trash, so it doesn't get shredded. we raced through weeds three feet tall, beams from the flashlights bouncing frantically between where your next step is vs looking for the hog and dogs. the commotion was just ahead, coming from the thickest brush; five foot weeds with scrap tin lying everywhere. squealing, barking, yelping, growling, and blood everywhere... it looked like a crime scene. i've never even come close to seeing anything like it before.
one guy jumped on the hog and another went in to stab it. i was surprised the hog didn't even flinch when the blade penetrated his heart. then, in the blink of an eye, he was up again and headed right for me, dragging dogs and hunters with him. luckily i was near the only tree for miles, so i turned and jumped for it. i hope i didn't scream, but i can't remember. right below me the guy jumped on the hog's back again and stabbed it on the other side.
talk about pumped. that was thrilling even for those guys. unfortunately, one bay dog had a hole in his windpipe and the other had enough of his neck ripped open his shoulder bone was sticking out. they required more attention than could be administered in the field, so they had to go back.
i continued on and came up on a good herd near a pivot center. the wind was right to use the tires for cover while i went in for the kill. i knew i was going to get several shots but didn't want to hit any sprinklers in the shooting spree. when the distance was right, i moved to the other side with my gun over my head to keep it out of the spray. now if they would just run back the same way they came in.
i started at the end and worked my way up from the back of the line. i know better than to "shoot into the covey", but there were so many i couldn't help it and aimed into the solid wall of pigs. i'm slinging lead but they aren't going down. finally i settle down and pick out specific targets. still, i found myself shooting at the same hogs several times. perhaps i was trying too hard rather than just letting it happen. i should have emptied the magazine and killed a dozen hogs. losing my focus after the first shot and then being overly deliberate afterwards cost me several hits. i did manage to get five though.
hey bo. i think you have me confused with djones the outlaw 
i'm just trying to blend in with everyone else who likes spotted hogs
There was supposed to be a south wind, but I sure couldn't feel it. My old tire tracks helped quiet my footsteps, but the silence I was creeping through was the kind of quiet that makes you test each footstep before putting all your weight down. This stalk began 300 yards away and took forever to get within shooting distance.
Two hogs moved randomly around the feeder. The bigger black boar was an easier shot, but there's just something about a spotted hog... well you know what I'm talking about. I thought I could get both and settled the crosshairs on spot. I applied pressure to the trigger but my thoughts were still on the black one. That break in concentration caused me to be a little startled when the gun went off. Spot went down and the big black one bolted. I sent three rapid shots his direction and heard one of them connect.
As I approached I could hear him growling in the distance. I went after him but made too much noise following his trail. The dry brush was so loud I had to stop to hear him. The interesting part was when I stopped and DIDN'T hear him. That's when you wonder if you've pushed him out or if he's waiting for you.
The starlight was welcome, but not enough for the pvs14 to detect him if he was hiding, and the ir flashlight cast too many shadows in the brush. I pressed on, letting the tactical light on my 45 auto lead the way, but when I got to the area consisting of just tunnels, I chickened out. I just wasn't equipped for that much hog, especially with a home field advantage.
I caught these other two hogs by accident on the way out. They came out of some cotton to cool off in the pivot runoff. Not that I would have let them go, but I guess I was particularly hard on them after the big one got away.
i'm just trying to blend in with everyone else who likes spotted hogs
There was supposed to be a south wind, but I sure couldn't feel it. My old tire tracks helped quiet my footsteps, but the silence I was creeping through was the kind of quiet that makes you test each footstep before putting all your weight down. This stalk began 300 yards away and took forever to get within shooting distance.
Two hogs moved randomly around the feeder. The bigger black boar was an easier shot, but there's just something about a spotted hog... well you know what I'm talking about. I thought I could get both and settled the crosshairs on spot. I applied pressure to the trigger but my thoughts were still on the black one. That break in concentration caused me to be a little startled when the gun went off. Spot went down and the big black one bolted. I sent three rapid shots his direction and heard one of them connect.
As I approached I could hear him growling in the distance. I went after him but made too much noise following his trail. The dry brush was so loud I had to stop to hear him. The interesting part was when I stopped and DIDN'T hear him. That's when you wonder if you've pushed him out or if he's waiting for you.
The starlight was welcome, but not enough for the pvs14 to detect him if he was hiding, and the ir flashlight cast too many shadows in the brush. I pressed on, letting the tactical light on my 45 auto lead the way, but when I got to the area consisting of just tunnels, I chickened out. I just wasn't equipped for that much hog, especially with a home field advantage.
I caught these other two hogs by accident on the way out. They came out of some cotton to cool off in the pivot runoff. Not that I would have let them go, but I guess I was particularly hard on them after the big one got away.
varmintH8R
Well-Known Member
Very entertaining. It's like a p-dog town of giant feral hogs. Unreal.
GRIP N PULL
Official LRH Sponsor
Wow, very entertaining write-ups sir. I think you have this down to a science. I look forward to going hog hunting some day. I couldn't imagine killing that many pigs in one night. What bullet are you using in your AR10? Thanks
i had been shooting 150gr corelokts for years cause theyre cheap and i tend to go thru a lot of ammo. when store bought stuff got hard to find i came across some reloads with 165gr amax which is what im shooting now.
i guess theres better and worse bullets out there for hogs but im not too particular. the main thing is getting a hole in them!
i guess theres better and worse bullets out there for hogs but im not too particular. the main thing is getting a hole in them!
