Went with a few buddies to shoot hogs this week down at the High Adventure Ranch. The weather was MISERABLE but GREAT for chasing pigs. The day before and for the first half of Wednesday, it rained and snowed. It was 70 degrees on Tuesday the day before we arrived and the temps dropped to the teens on the morning that we arrived. We arrived with snow blowing everywhere in the 30+ mph winds. It was perfect for stalking pigs. When its nasty like that, they will head to the deep ravines and bed down in groups for warmth. When grouped up, they make so much noise that you can slip around without them jumping at every leaf crunch. With the preceding rains, I knew it would be a little easier to be quiet anyway. One of the guys really wanted to use his bow so it would be perfect for that I figured. We had several busted attempts. They weren't bedded and saw you from way out, needless to say, they didn't stick around long to check your intentions. I figure, they see enough of thier buddies bite the dust that they know what a person is there for

About 2 hours in, we found some bedded and backed off to figure out the best route to close the distance. A plan was quickly formulated and we closed the gap to about 30 yards before we popped over the ridge top. My buddy stumbled on a rock and made some racket and startled them. When they scattered, a large sow stopped on the edge of the ridge and spun around to get a better look I guess. The arrow found its marked and buried to the fletchings. He had his first hog and with his beloved bow! He was a happy camper. We heard a shot on the other side of the property just before that. Another buddy was stalking on the east side of the property and found a nice fat sow and he took his shot with a 270 at about 85 yards. He was thrilled. He had about 4-5 busted attempts at this one small group. Too much brush for a clear shot and they were just moving too much to get comfortable I guess. In the end, he was happy with the conditions and made a great/easy shot and had pork in the cooler on a random sow that he found on a ridge.

Two of us were using handguns. I had a couple cases of handguns with me and figured I'd decide what I wanted to try once I got settled in. In the end, i took the one I had pretty much planned on from the beginning. Reasons is that the package that I had with me was very special from the sixgun to the ammo and holster. The sixgun is a Smith model 58 that has been massaged by Bowen, Fishpaw, and Gallagher. This is a special gun to me as it was recieved from a very dear friend a few years ago. It has sat in my safe since then and wiped down periodically and pics taken. I finally decided to pull it out and see how it shot recently. I was shooting a 250 grain WFN slug from an LBT mold. The mold belongs to a buddy that you all know as Sixshot or Dick Thompson out in Idaho and the slugs were cast by another buddy Jeff Hoover up in Maryland. The sixgun and ammo were carried in a very slick Hank Sloan model holster from Barranti Leather. Mike is another close buddy that produces what I think is the finest leather that I've ever used. His attention to detail is amazing and the fit is always first class. These guys are all very dear friends and it was sort of like having them all along for the ride Wednesday evening.

The load is pushing the 250 grain slug from the 4" 58 at an average of about 1075 fps. The first shooting session showed that they were several inches high. When Bowen did the original work, he fitted a taller front blade. So a little work and the new blade was fitted. Must have been fate as the load is regulated perfectly at about 35 yards with this new blade.

We located another small group of hogs bedded down and made an approach from the East working to the SW. I was after a meat hog and wanted to take what they considered a razorback which is just a domestic pig that has gone feral. It takes a few generations usually to get the marking to all pretty much fade it seems but the first pig I took with a handgun after moving to KS was a large black pig with a white stripe down in OK. There was two in this group it appeared that resembled that first OK hog. One was smaller looking but its hard to tell when they are bedded. The larger was the one I told the guide I was going after. I told him how I wanted to approach the ridge and headed out. I was able to close the distance to about 30 yards before breaching the skyline of the ridge. The one I was after broke off from the group and the 58 barked. The shot entered just behind the left shoulder exiting low through the front of the brisket. The hog reacted and favored that side sort of lumbering to the left quickly. It quickly changed course to exit the area to the right. The second shot was behind the right shoulder but due to the change in distance and angle of the shot, the exit was more through the left shoulder. That one made a more substantial effect. The pig twisted and fell to the right but was able to get back up and head straight away. The last shot went through the rear edge of the shoulder blades at about 50 yards and that sunk the front end to the ground and it flipped backward down the hill. Pigs are tough, some tougher than others but they can take a hit better than most animals I know. the blood loss was pretty substantial and the shooting lasted but a couple of seconds as the pigs move fairly quickly as you know. Did I need to shoot more than the first, nope but I don't like to seem them moving. I'd rather put it down than watch it bleed out so I shoot till they are down if I have a shot. As with most of you, I can shoot a sixgun fairly quickly when needed

This was not an overly challenging hunt due to the weather conditions being perfect for finding them hunkered down but it was fun spending time with my buddies and getting to test another bullet/gun and just work your way around the ridges trying not to spook everything in the county and not bust your butt in the process. As I've said before, it is what you make of it. As you know, every pull of the trigger gets you a little more experience and another memory of reaction to hit, placement, etc. so I enjoy every opportunity I have to get out which is not often enough these days.

The last of the party took a large 300+ pound sow with a 4" Freedom Arms chambered in 500 Wyoming Express. It was pretty impressive hit. At about 40 yards, he hit just on the front edge of the front right shoulder. The 350 XTP exited just in front of the left ham. You literally could see the ripples in the hog when that big slow slug found its mark. The pig spun and made it about 5 yards before it slumped over. He took a bison last week with the same gun/load. It has proven to be pretty effective in his hands

The 58


The 58 in its Hank Sloan....Hey Seasons, look how that rear sight is protected buddy

Hopefully, you have your new blade ordered for your smith and some leather to go with it..It will definitely help protect it.


The 58 Hog....


the lungs from the 58 Hog.....

Congrats, Glenn! Nice write up, as always. That's some beautiful furnish on that smith! Them porkchops might taste like Oreo cookies...

This pig along with your recent bison should fill your freezers, Glenn. As I've said in the past, I could give that 58 a nice home!

Nice looking bacon, and nice shot.

Yeah Ken. They are pretty full. Until last week, you were the last to shoot the 58. Been awhile huh

Kim I thought it looked like an ugly koala bear, never thought about an Oreo. Haha

Congrats on the hog, Glenn. nice looking M58 and leather. Mike's working on a specially carved one for me.

That is one fine S&W, great looking wood and leather! Good shooting Glenn, congrats and thanks for sharing!

Nice hog I have hunted there before and they actually have my pic on their web site I got texas doll sheep and my dad got a hog Fun times!

Well done. I will be hog hunting next week and can't wait.

Nice work Brother! A perfect way to "christen" the 58...Beautiful rig from the hardware to the gunleather.

You keep acquiring those DA sixguns and you may have to find a home for all those dreaded SA 5-shots junking up your safe

Thanks, we had a good time. Yeah, those five shots are my work horses, and I don't care what happens to them most days. They have definite character marks

i doubt the double actions will ever out number the singles but i can try i guess. Haha.

this one really needed to be used. It's a beauty to hold and shoot. Very slick action and shoots really well from what I can tell so far. It will definitely get more field time as we go forward. I do know that I see more "effect" when I slap something with the 475s or the 500s but this one is a lot more pleasant to trip the trigger on. I also shot the 629 DX this week. Talk about a tack driver. It's scary accurate!

Sounds Like a great time, and a great looking revolver.

Congrats

nice shooting and great write up. perfect shots btw! if ya want more slap on that big hoggie try the double tap 225gr rounds if that's a 44, if it's a 45 smith ya got the perfect round. nice job and glad to hear about it!

sorry, i see that was the 41 mag, perfect bullet choice for it on hogs but more than that perfect shooting!!!!!!!!

I see your a member of PPHA....Preservation of Preserve Hunting Association.....Just had an awards outing...."the only good pig is a dead pig"......................

Yep, I pay my dues to the PPHA at least a couple times a year. Paid many times and went home kicking horse turds so this one was fun, just cold! Ate sausage and biscuits this morning from this one. Excellent!!! Send me pics of the awards ceremony

vary nice thank you

Great write up Glen! I am a big fan of the 41 maggie. A 58 is about the only one I never owned.

I live about two hours from High Adventure but for some reason I decided to drive all the way to Okeechobee FL to hunt hogs in late December. (actually it was so I could hunt with my son during a visit with him and his family).

While you were battling the Missouri cold that day I was putting up fence! I think I would have rather been hunting. Congrats on a good hunt and time spent with friends.

Dan

Dan, aren't you in the Jeff City area? Next time, I'll stop and you can jump in and get out of fence building for a couple days. I'm willing to bet you lunch that the fence will still be there waiting when you get back. Mine was, still haven't finished it...need to do that either today or tomorrow

Glenn, Your 58 is a beauty for sure...Here is a photo of my "mutt" 57/58 made from a 29 frame. She shoots 220gr Keiths over HS-6 pretty good out to 25yds...

That's an interesting one there James.....Bring that one when we get together to shoot. I'm always up to shooting another 41!

I live near the Lake of the Ozarks Glen, but still not far.

You're right, the fence could have (should have) waited. Much better "fence buildin' weather" this week).

Dan

Actually drove to Jeff City today Dan. I couldn't remember, you're close to Powers shop aren't you. I've been gonna visit him for a while and just never had the time. I usually am in that area each June for meetings but never get to break away for long when there. I think the name of the restaurant we eat at is Hooks or something like that. Pretty good food for beig on the road :). If I make it back in time today, ill finish my fence, if not, it will still be there tomorrow. Haha

Glenn, congratulations to you! Well done!

Thanks Whit. Everyone had a good time. I love the 41 but like I said, I like the slap of the big boys a little more. You can tell something's happening faster with them. Hahahaha but I have yet to find a 41 that wouldn't shoot just about anything well.