Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year!

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Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year!

Post by Ranch Dog »

Hogs have been few and far between this year. A couple of weeks ago I had one in the very back of the pasture working, but after ten days, he moved off, and I was never able to intercept him.

Three nights ago, I had the entrance to my place up on the highway rooted up. Upset me as I had it looking good. Two nights ago at dark, the yard deer let me know that there was a hog in the brush but he never showed himself then or throughout the night. Last night, about an hour before dark, the yard deer went on high alert, so I started looking. On the powerline right-of-way leading to my house, about 300 yards out, was a large boar running toward my house. The yard feeder had just gone off, so he knew about it. I waited until he got to the feeder, I knew he would run back into the brush, they always do after they first arrive, and when he did, I slipped out into my yard. He came back out, but he wasn't happy as the deer were blowing at him. He started to leave, and as he crossed the damn on my pond, I got on him and took a steep quartering away shot with what I thought should be through the heart.

As I slipped out the door, I had grabbed my SMLE No. 5 Scout rifle. I regretted that as the Rio Grande 45-70 was sitting right next to it and I had promised the RG it was up next. It was getting dark but went out and looked around, but I couldn't see anything, so I thought I had missed the 90-yard shot. My wife was watching as well, and she thought I had not hit it as it had not flinched.

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Went out this morning to the point he dropped off the dam and he was laying there dead in his tracks. The bullet had gone through his heart and broken his opposite side leg. You would have never known it as he did not miss a step. He didn't bleed a drop either. No heart left to pump it out. I like to hit them a bit higher to knock them off their feet, given their low center of gravity, but the steep angle of the shot did not allow it. I shot him with this load, it produces 2315 FPS at the muzzle and would have hit him with about 1800 ft/lbs of energy at 90-yards.

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Number 1 rule of hog hunting is to knock them off their feet!
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Re: Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year

Post by Mad Trapper »

He never knew what hit him.
Good looking scout rifle also.
The 303 can get the job done for sure.
No hogs in my area but i was reading where they have been increasing in numbers and moving in.
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Re: Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year

Post by akuser47 »

Awesome, glad you got it.
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Re: Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year

Post by 9x80Drilling »

Excellent write up Ranch Dog; you had me right there in spirit watching the action.
And wonderful shooting! You called the shot well, too.
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Re: Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year

Post by Archer »

SWEET!

I do sort of regret not getting into the SMLEs back when they were affordable.
Then again, I don't exactly regret not having yet another caliber that's almost .308...
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Re: Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year

Post by Ranch Dog »

Thanks guys!
Mad Trapper wrote:No hogs in my area but i was reading where they have been increasing in numbers and moving in.
They are a bit of a mixed blessing. What is weird is that when I go on my public hunts here in Texas, if drawn, I have no interest in shooting them.
9x80Drilling wrote:Excellent write up Ranch Dog; you had me right there in spirit watching the action.
And wonderful shooting! You called the shot well, too.
Thank you. The response did make me wonder about it.
Archer wrote:Then again, I don't exactly regret not having yet another caliber that's almost .308...
And, use more powder trying to get there!
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Re: Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year

Post by LowKey »

Great shot and awesome story!

What's a yard deer?
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Re: Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year

Post by Ranch Dog »

LowKey wrote:Great shot and awesome story!

What's a yard deer?
The whitetails that live in my extended yard.
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Re: Here it is the End of March & only the 2nd hog this year

Post by Moon Tree »

Good story, RD. Thanks for sharing.
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