Video Version
Story Version
We were supposed to have rains all afternoon and evening, but when they failed to show, the landowner invited a couple of us out to sit and see what we could do for his hog problem. The plan was for us to sit in three different stands, each of us watching a different feeder. As I was the guest, I didn't pick my spot and got the leftover spot again. Hehehehe.
All was quiet. Aside from birds and squirrels, nothing went on for the first couple of hours and then I spied some gray movement that disappeared into the brush, but heading toward the feeder. Saw two targets on thermal that looked like hogs and switched over to the rifle. By now they had moved behind a group of trees about 40 yards from the feeder. Got the video up and running. I didn't want to be accused of premature eshootulation again by not getting enough video. I was going to be all over these hogs when they moved to the feeder. Yep, I had it all worked out. The hogs were going to move out from left to right and I was set to pivot with them. I was going to get great video!
Did I mention that I was waiting on these hogs to move to the feeder? In all, the hogs stood in one spot, behind the trees, for nearly 4 minutes. Despite being able to see the hogs where they were, both of them, I could not make out details because they were behind some trees and underbrush. As it was still daylight, I kept trying to see them with my naked eye. They weren't more than 70 yards out, but all I could see is foliage. I would look through the scope and look with my eyes, back and forth.
Something was up. I was down wind from them, so they weren't winding me, but they decided something wasn't right and headed back out the way that they came. Two hogs turned into three and and as I tried to swing through on them, I ran out of window just as I was settling on the largest. A quick window change and my shot was lost.
The hogs slowed down for something interesting and cut back in a different direction when I got a bead on a smaller hog that was trailing the lead and I fired. They all ran, initially in different directions, but ultimately back toward the direction they came in from. No luck on getting a lock on a running hog.
In the excitement, I had not heard the hit, but knew I was on target and searched for the hog. I was able to spot her on thermal, but from my approach direction, she was well camo'd by a tree, briars, and grasses.
Checked with the landowner. Told him I had shot a sow out of a small group. He asked if there were three in the group. Apparently, they had passed by his stand in the brush and he never had a shot. I asked if this hog was to be saved for BBQ and he said no and to slit her open for the predators. I did and the uterus fell out. Sliced it open and coaxed out two piglets, the third would not come out. Don't know if there were more.
The landowner was happy. Sows were the preferred targets and a pregnant sow was a bonus.
Didn't see any more hogs. Neither did the landowner or the other hunter. The rains finally came and we called it a night. Just another evening of having fun with a purpose.
Story Version
We were supposed to have rains all afternoon and evening, but when they failed to show, the landowner invited a couple of us out to sit and see what we could do for his hog problem. The plan was for us to sit in three different stands, each of us watching a different feeder. As I was the guest, I didn't pick my spot and got the leftover spot again. Hehehehe.
All was quiet. Aside from birds and squirrels, nothing went on for the first couple of hours and then I spied some gray movement that disappeared into the brush, but heading toward the feeder. Saw two targets on thermal that looked like hogs and switched over to the rifle. By now they had moved behind a group of trees about 40 yards from the feeder. Got the video up and running. I didn't want to be accused of premature eshootulation again by not getting enough video. I was going to be all over these hogs when they moved to the feeder. Yep, I had it all worked out. The hogs were going to move out from left to right and I was set to pivot with them. I was going to get great video!
Did I mention that I was waiting on these hogs to move to the feeder? In all, the hogs stood in one spot, behind the trees, for nearly 4 minutes. Despite being able to see the hogs where they were, both of them, I could not make out details because they were behind some trees and underbrush. As it was still daylight, I kept trying to see them with my naked eye. They weren't more than 70 yards out, but all I could see is foliage. I would look through the scope and look with my eyes, back and forth.
Something was up. I was down wind from them, so they weren't winding me, but they decided something wasn't right and headed back out the way that they came. Two hogs turned into three and and as I tried to swing through on them, I ran out of window just as I was settling on the largest. A quick window change and my shot was lost.
The hogs slowed down for something interesting and cut back in a different direction when I got a bead on a smaller hog that was trailing the lead and I fired. They all ran, initially in different directions, but ultimately back toward the direction they came in from. No luck on getting a lock on a running hog.
In the excitement, I had not heard the hit, but knew I was on target and searched for the hog. I was able to spot her on thermal, but from my approach direction, she was well camo'd by a tree, briars, and grasses.
Checked with the landowner. Told him I had shot a sow out of a small group. He asked if there were three in the group. Apparently, they had passed by his stand in the brush and he never had a shot. I asked if this hog was to be saved for BBQ and he said no and to slit her open for the predators. I did and the uterus fell out. Sliced it open and coaxed out two piglets, the third would not come out. Don't know if there were more.
The landowner was happy. Sows were the preferred targets and a pregnant sow was a bonus.
Didn't see any more hogs. Neither did the landowner or the other hunter. The rains finally came and we called it a night. Just another evening of having fun with a purpose.
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