Hog-mangee is back!!
Jim F. and I Went to Normangee last night immediately after work. Chris would meet us there later.
Mr. Bailey claimed his rain gauge only caught 2.5 inches but I wonder because it
was very wet. Jim and I Walked all through the forest and saw minimal pig sign south of the creek which was good since I didn't want to haul a pile of pork two miles back to the truck.Lots of activity in the western pasture where I never see pigs but someone else shoots them all the time in the mornings. Mr. Bailey saw 50 pigs saturday morning and it looked like they had been busy.
We drove around spotting a coyote and several does with the binoculars but no pigs
Chris called and said he would be there about 6:30ish so I formulated a plan to maximize our success. After scouting the forest along the creek I determined that the best use for a late shower would be to have them drive straight in and watch the
blue feeder in the corner while those of us that had been there earlier took up some harder to access vantages of to the north and west around the forest with the 'X' cleared through it.
I ended up walking through the northern forest with my .270, with the 'X' cut through it just as the sun went down while Jim kept an eye on the pasture to the west. I stalked up close to several more deer but let them off the hook since it isn't rifle season yet.
I was walking toward the truck and was telling jim that I had only seen deer when I heard a rifle crack from the southeast. I pumped my fist into the air "Yes!"
My faith in the shooting skills of Mr. Z being so I knew that there was pork on the ground. A second shot sounded, this one followed by a loud squeal, then a longer moment later a third shot.
We jumped in the truck and headed to where the action was. We got on the scene and helped find both bodies, one was difficult to find. The first pig which was shot in the cranium was a big boar in the neighbor hood of 190lbs or so. The second shot had gone into the entire herd of black shapes, and slowed up a slightly smaller than average sow by blasting her pelvis into several pieces. The third shot carved a wicked hole though the sows lungs and ribs
Profuse happiness and good times ensued as we looked for an appropriate tree limb.
Mr. Bailey claimed his rain gauge only caught 2.5 inches but I wonder because it
was very wet. Jim and I Walked all through the forest and saw minimal pig sign south of the creek which was good since I didn't want to haul a pile of pork two miles back to the truck.Lots of activity in the western pasture where I never see pigs but someone else shoots them all the time in the mornings. Mr. Bailey saw 50 pigs saturday morning and it looked like they had been busy.
We drove around spotting a coyote and several does with the binoculars but no pigs
Chris called and said he would be there about 6:30ish so I formulated a plan to maximize our success. After scouting the forest along the creek I determined that the best use for a late shower would be to have them drive straight in and watch the
blue feeder in the corner while those of us that had been there earlier took up some harder to access vantages of to the north and west around the forest with the 'X' cleared through it.
I ended up walking through the northern forest with my .270, with the 'X' cut through it just as the sun went down while Jim kept an eye on the pasture to the west. I stalked up close to several more deer but let them off the hook since it isn't rifle season yet.
I was walking toward the truck and was telling jim that I had only seen deer when I heard a rifle crack from the southeast. I pumped my fist into the air "Yes!"
My faith in the shooting skills of Mr. Z being so I knew that there was pork on the ground. A second shot sounded, this one followed by a loud squeal, then a longer moment later a third shot.
We jumped in the truck and headed to where the action was. We got on the scene and helped find both bodies, one was difficult to find. The first pig which was shot in the cranium was a big boar in the neighbor hood of 190lbs or so. The second shot had gone into the entire herd of black shapes, and slowed up a slightly smaller than average sow by blasting her pelvis into several pieces. The third shot carved a wicked hole though the sows lungs and ribs
Profuse happiness and good times ensued as we looked for an appropriate tree limb.
posted by steven-hoffman | 7:39 PM
5 Comments:
Sweet.
3 shots - 3 hits - 2 dead pigs.
I didn't think you were going to have access to Normangee until the deer queers cleared out. I guess they haven't started hunting yet.
Did you push the pigs over to Chris's location or did they just show up?
We get booted from Normangee at the end of Oct. when rifle season starts. Can't get back onto the property until Jan.
The pigs came onto the property right in front of chris on their own, we didn't push them.
The highlight of the trip was getting two compliments from Steve on shooting/hunting in general. He can be pretty stingy with the “atta-boys” instead relying on the ole “that’s what I expect you to do” chestnut…So there I was…standing in the bed of the truck peering through the scope scanning the field as the sun faded. I opted to take the last terrace of the high ground for my perch to afford a better/ broader view. This roost was about 300yds from said blue feeder, so there I was, lookin’ at does. They appeared consistently small in my scope so I erroneously judged the distance to be more like 350ish yards. So the story goes; mistakes were made but not enough to change the desired effect. The sun was gone, just an orange haze remained on the horizon, the long shadows of ten minutes earlier had grown to darkness, not full, but enough to start making things difficult.
At this point I had given up on relying on my bare eyesight and opted instead for the 3x setting on my scope. Just as I was beginning to cuss myself for not bringing one of the rifles with better glass, I detected movement. My first reaction was to settle in and choose my shot, second thought was to call in the cavalry and lay down a massive field of fire, third impulse was to get closer. My decision was made for me when the herd of pigs showed no sigh of stopping. I chose the only individual I could make out; the remainder looked as a large low hanging black cloud drifting slowly to the southeast. One large form loomed in the rear of the herd and seemed to be moving closer while the remainder was pushing on at a leisurely pace. I settled the crosshairs and compensated for the (supposed) distance. BANG…whump. I raked the area through the scope and spotted a lump, assuming success I closed my eyes hard for a fast 5 count while blindly following the drove of hogs with the muzzle. It didn’t help, all I could discern was a large moving mass of pigs that was only slightly distinct from the background. I held at the same elevation as the last shot and dumped one into the mass. The next sound meant I hit something. The pack continued on with one no longer able to keep up with the pacesetters. I watched, unsure of where the shot landed only sure it was enough to slow ‘em down. I shifted back and forth from the large mass dispersing into the woods to the solitary shape lagging behind with the same bearing in mind. Bird in hand… BANG …whump.
Turns out they weren’t as far as I had estimated, probably closer to 275 as my shots were consistently running on a plane about 2 inches higher than desired, not enough to change the out come but enough to elicit a “Boy you nearly missed that one” from Steve. But in the end, I got two compliments outta him, we shared a bloody handshake and several beers under the ole skinning tree…good times.
In my opinion, complimenting Chris on his shooting is complimenting a fish on his swimming.
I think he knows that there is nobody I trust more with the trigger work than him.
Dang, Steve, you feeling soft today; another compliment? You are too kind. No one I trust more to run the light. Hows about some pictures?
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