I started up the 10' tower and opened the door, and I immediately remembered that I set the blind up for a father & son deer hunt. With two chairs in a 4'x4' base blind, there is little room for me and my stuff. I got it sorted around and realized that because of the scope height, I could not use my rifle rest that slips over the edge of the window as the scope doesn't have a view. I have to rest the rifle on the metal edge. A pack full of stuff and nothing to pad the edge!
I've got about 45 minutes until I expect the hogs, so I mess with the monoculars. The feeder is at 100 yards with the heavy brush immediately behind it. With either monocular you cannot see the feeder in the passive mode as the heat, it is producing is less than the brush behind it. Turning them on, I can see it with the 4x50 but not the 2x24, but that is expected as it is at the limit of spec. Going to the illuminator doesn't help the small unit but lights the brush line up very well with the 4x50.
There is no deer visible in the native grass or brush, but they know the routine, the hogs rule the night, and they have been hitting this feeder like clockwork at this time for three weeks. I start a routine of checking the feeder every 3 to 5 minutes. While outside the check, visibilty from the blind is nil, it cannot be measured. It is nice that the passive mode is so good, that saves the batteries, and they are not being used.
The rifle scope is the same way, a wonderful view in the passive mode. All I need the batteries for is the reticle. The illuminator was overwhelming, think Keystone here, more on that later.
I've had a long day, so I'm getting sleepy and the "hog check" becomes routine. I cannot see 10' outside of the blind. I'm letting my mind wander a bit, it has been about 3 minutes since the last check, I lift the 4x50, and there are hogs everywhere! Clear as day, well defined at 100 yards! Holy crap!
I bring the rifle up, the same view, bright as daylight and well defined. I light the reticle and place the crosshairs on the "kill spot" of the large hog. Here is a game cam picture from the same moment.
At the shot, the hogs were gone. I did hear a loud squeal, but sometimes that is from one of the sounder getting run over by another. I went ahead and got down and eased over to the feeder, but could find nothing.
I stopped at the range as I walked back and shot at the 50-yard gong three times and could not hit it. Other than looking for blood, it was also the first time I turned a light on. I immediately noticed that my turret caps were off as well, I had not returned them after the range session the night before. Panic sets in as I hope they are not lost. The scope case serves as a "bag" that you place over the scope anytime the rifle is not in use, like in my gun room or safe. It is another method, other than the exit bell cover, that is used to ensure that light doesn't enter the tube. It is possible that the bag, the pack, or my fingers made contact with either turret adjustment. With the drop and this, I feel like a clown, but it adds to the experience.
Relief sets in as I walk into the house to explain what has happened and my wife, who is bringing my work clothes out of the drier asks, "what are these!" Turret caps, thank you, Lord!
So, it start over, but I think it will be easy to get back on track and I've learn more lessons. Oh, the scopes illumintor being "blinding". Silly Keystone me, the illumintor was reflecting off the inside of the blind. You can't see the light with your eye, only looking through the scope. I will need to hunt from the towers with a 5-round magazine as there is no way to get the rifle out the window far enough with the height of the scope and extension of the magazine. I didn't need the illuminator, but had I, I don't know if I had enough thinking power going on to simply pull the magazine out and stick the rifle further out. Like I said, a lot of lessons.