Been waiting all season for the opening of gun season, worked up some loads, swapped scopes, bought new barrels, got a lease 10 min from work to hunt on the way home. Well I went to LA and shot ducks last weekend instead of the opener of Bama gun season.
Finally Wed evening I left work at 4:30 (sunset at 4:45). I figure I would drive by and glass a 5 acre food plot and see what in it. I pulled through the gate, parked, grabbed the binos and slipped into the woods. beside the road. Now I'm only 75 yards off the main road, but the field can't be seen from the main road. Anyway, I didn't even need the binocs to see the horns 300 yards away. No gun, no bow, just binos. I picked up my cell phone and called a friend who lives close and said get your pistol and come to the dove field. It was almost dark when he got there and the buck and 3 does were now in the far edge and could just see movement, not knowing what was what, just deer. I told him to drop into the woods on the left side of the field and move to an oak tree and see if he could get a shot. I stayed put. My friend wasn't gone 5 min when I looked up and saw something big apear in the road and head my way. First I though, dang thats a huge dog, then it clicked HOG. He came within 5 feet of me to my right when he winded me, huffed and turned to run. Would have been an easy shot with any weapon. To rub salt into my ego he stopped broadside at 10 yards and looked back at me before running around the corner of the field. I couldn't believe it. I glassed the left side looking for my friend and he had disappeared. I just sat there. Then in the glasses I saw the hog trotting through the sage and into the field. Bang, with a whop. I thought he went down, but no he ran straight at my friend. He stopped again and Bang, this time I saw dirt kick up behind him. I know he connected on the first round though. My friend saw the hog the first time, but he wasn't going to shoot in my direction (LOL THanks). I went and got my truck and a light to cut a blood trail.
When I got out of my truck I looked back and through the trees next to my friends truck all I could see was flashing blue lights and white strobe lights. I told Ben to see what was going on I would keep trying to pick up the blood trail. I also told him the 2 game wardens names and to tell them that he was hunting with me. I teach hunter education for the state with both of them. He walks to his truck and them my cell phone goes off. He told me to come to the road, I said OK. I walked around the corner and there was an unmarked police car 3 city of Montgomery police cars, one state trooper and a county Sherif. I though dang I asked some folks to watch the place, but I didn't expect this if they didn't see my truck. They questioned me about what we were doing I showed them the written permision and map and then told them what had happened that evening. It seems there was a murder in Millbrook (about 5-10 miles away) and the descrition of the primary suspects vehicle matched my friends Yukon to a tee. They had heard the 2 gunshots and were getting ready to come into the field when ben walked back to his truck. That would have been interesting, a dozen officers walking into what they thought was a murder suspect with shots fired. Also by that time it was pitch black dark.
Iwent back looking for the hog and couldn't pick up his track or any blood. He was shooting the new hornady tipped 30-30. I figure they would have made some type of exit hole. Then again I have shot many hogs with .44s and never had a blood trail.
Wish we could have found him.
I had to work Thanksgiving so I left work at 4:15 and had to stop again to check the field. This time I had my G2 with me. There were 2 does at 310 yards and one at 95 that fed until dark. Our rut doesn't come in until late January so I'll leave the does alone and see what comes into the field. I just hope the commotion Wed evening didn't turn big boy nocturnal.
My guns now stay in a locked case in my truck for the glass and peek every day on the way home.
