So the morning broke nice and "cool" today - evening storms had cooled it down to the mid 70's overnight, but had fed the mosquitoes that were a bit parched from the lack of regular rain. I snuck into the stand, expecting the hogs to be present in the breaking light, but no participation from the swine...

The first couple of hours were slow - besides a water-soaked possum, the area was vacant of mammals...I did happen to see a hummingbird light on a nearby limb to preen and stretch. Wish I had my big camera with me!

So after having promised to take some Glamour Shots of my 8 3/8" 686 in action this weekend, I knew I needed to have an iPhone model session for the gun...I had the Linebaugh on the hip as well, but the Smith was the primary for the hunt today. Topped with a 2x Leupold and grouping well under an inch at 50 with factory 158gr JSP's, it was up to the task. Question was, how about the shooter?

This one's for you, KRal and Darrell H...


I had nearly written off the AM and was starting to think about biscuits, coffee, and nap time when a dark shape drifted into the opening in front of me. Hog!

Power quad muffs slid into place, I rested the Smith across the sandbag, acquired the boar in the Leupy, and thumbed the hammer back. The crosshairs settled in just below and behind the ear (or where the ear should be in his case as he was missing his left one altogether - no flap, ear canal, nothing). Squeeze, squeeze...remind me to get this trigger worked on, squeeze - booom, thwack!





The 158 gr JSP planted him right there - good tusks on this size hog, but he was extremely lean...unhealthily so, in fact. He weighed just over 90 lbs, but his frame should have normally carried closer to 150.

I think this Smith is a keeper!

That's great. Nice pistola.......reflex264

That's awesome! I hate pigs almost as much as coyotes!

Good show! Nothin' wrong with the old 3-5-7 in capable hands.

SC,

Very cool except one thing. You wanted that hog in the gene pool if the ear defect was genetic. Deaf hogs would be very cool ;^)

Thanks for the post to keep those of us still a ways off from the hunt, in the game.

Craig

Good shootin! I gotta find me a swamp somewhere close, to hunt some hogs!

You sure as heck had a better morning then me....

I do like that 357! Want your money back?

Great shooting and congrats on yet another swine kill! Keep after 'em!

Dang it Craig - you're right! He did have a functioning (or at least present) right ear. That JSP created a new canal for him though

I talked with one of the other members on the phone a bit ago - he asked me if the hog was alone. I said he was - nobody wanted to hang out with the emaciated, deaf hog!

And James, think of it this way...you got more beauty rest than I did

Headed out again this evening - see if I can stumble across some more critters in need of a mercy killin'.

Deaf, anorexic hogs are probably a protected species. Send me the 686 & I'll hide it for you until the heats off...

Dur, no wonder you got him; he couldn't hear you cock the hammer...

Slack up on them piggy's a little; I don't want to be hunting a ghost!

you got me missing my S&w's again

Really good job!

congrats on the hog....Gotsta luv dem S&W's

WTG, SC! Fantastic morning and a good read!

Congrats Sc. Did you check out his liver for disease? Did his entrails look normal?

how many hogs are you allowed, or could you potentially kill in the area of your club?

what kind of issues do you have to look out for with the hogs? I knew parasites where an issue but didn't know about any disease. I know I was going to take up rabit hunting when I was in the desert but fish and game was saying to use gloves to clean them and took check the liver for spots, can't remember the name of the disease but I figured if it was that rampant I didn't want to mess with it.

CFish - I didn't inspect the liver - this time of year when it's hot, I'll zip them down the backbone, pull the loins, roll them to one side, bone out the ham, cut out the shoulder, and flip to the other side. I can have the pig on ice in no time (and faster than if I hung it and shucked it like a deer).

Rod - we've got to be careful with brucellosis in the feral hog population. (Which reminds me - I'm all out of latex gloves in the truck.) Two years ago, we had a group of USDA guys come in to sample the population. They trapped and shot them, drew blood samples direct out of the heart, removed the eyes, etc. No cases documented, fortunately. They also rolled around with Night Vision and Thermal scopes on suppressed AR's whacking swine. Not a bad gig, huh?

Kyode - NC and SC regulations do not limit the number of hogs that can be taken. The club that I was hunting today allows us to take 7/member, but this is a loose regulation. We've got a lot of hogs...and the population is getting larger. But I'm doing my part

Awesome,you make me miss mine even more.

Nice shot!!!!!!!

wow....kinnda makes me wonder if the ol woman is gonna want to go to "the beach" next year....lol!

SC

Wild hogs with mangled or missing ears is not uncommon if there are hog hunters around that use big strong rough dogs (Curs and/or bulldogs) to find and catch the hogs. The dogs usually catch and hold the hog by the thick cartlidge of the ears and in the course of a brutal fight, sometimes an ear is ripped/torn or ripped off all together. The injury usually heals over time and is no threat to the quality of the meat.

Boars fight each other and cut/slash their adversary with their sharp tusks. A sow in heat is the usual trigger for such a brutal fight. Deep gashes and holes in the shoulder/chest area are pretty common among the mature size boars.

Dave

Why is that? You don't have a hog problem in Colorardo..... How can anyone but a farmer hate them, they're super smart and an absolute blast to hunt -- oh, and you have the added benefit of pork to eat when all is said and done!

Nice work, Dur! Congratulations!

Whit,

He probably has a family member with a farm somewhere ;^)

Seriously, I am in NM and I think they are just getting established here in places. I am mixed about that it would be great to have them to hunt, but I suspect in an established ecosystem they probably run heck with some other critters. I am thinking of any birds or other critters that might ground nest. I would also imagine that there has to be some food sources for which they would also compete with native species.

All of that and I am sad that I live so far north in the state. I'll probably be dead before they arrive in my stomping grounds.

Craig

They do wreak havoc wherever they move in. No doubt. I just love hunting them. I enjoy it more than whitetail hunting hands down.

Tularemia - Your answer for rabbit question.

what are your 158's clocking out of that piece?

good shooting

Sweet!