After no sign of hogs for weeks at TBR, things turned around. I hiked in and checked a couple of cameras along the way and found the camera in the field I usually watch had a hog on it this very morning, at nearly 4:00 am! So, it looked like it would be a long night. I even texted the landowner, wife, and a couple of friends to let them know that I would be out late, maybe until dawn.
So I get into the stand and get everything set up for the night. I arranged everything just-so, so that I would be comfortable. After all, I was going to be there many hours... HA!
About 30 minutes later, I am fiddlefarting around, picking grass burrs off the cuff of my super suit by feel when I notice a dark blob out in the field about 100 yards in front of me. I raised up my thermal spotter and sure enough, it is my hog, grazing the food plot. And as I watch him, making sure I have a solid ID, he turns and starts to leave down a side trail. No no no no no no no - my prey is leaving. It is a tree lined trail and the hog is soon to disappear.
I get the rifle up and everything powered on and find him behind a tree, snacking on something. And then he takes off again. He presented a nice, brief, but nice target between the trees and I took the shot.
The shot entered the left neck and exited behind the right ear, blowing out part of the back of the skull.
On making my approach to the hog, I was probably 70 yards away when I noticed the smell. It was pretty bad. This one was eater-sized, but not eater-smell.
Examination of the hog revealed him to be 135 lbs., young boar, with a diagonal slice through his backstrap down near the pelvis. This was a partially healed, oozy wound. Could not tell if it was a tusk cut (strange place), slice by other means (fence?), or a bullet wound. I suspect the latter because of the size and irregularity of the edges, but who knows?
Angry Bird rejoiced as did the kids when I arrived with cookies. Thanksgiving breakfast will include chocolate chip cookie goodness! And for that, we are all thankful.
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