Well, feeders and cameras have been up and going for about 2 weeks and last night the winds were right so I went for a sit. Got in position about 7:15 which was early as most traffic has been after 10 and as late as 2-4 am. It was a comfortable evening, with a bright moon but no hogs appeared though I could hear them squealing occasionally from beyond the feeder. About 10:30 I decided to check out the area the noise was coming from, and walked about 250 yds upwind and then crosswind to a spot I could see the area---all I saw was one armadillo and a rabbit. Back to the truck and I laid the AR on the toolbox and did one last scan of the area to the north and east--I had seen 6-8 pigs across the east fence earlier. Well, I see a solo medium sized pig across the north fence wandering toward me. He stopped and rubbed/scratched against a tree about 150 yds out, then ambled on towards me, closing to about 60 yds where he came through the fence and became a trespasser which made him a target. I got a good steady rest and squeezed it off--CLICK! I cleared the misfire and then next round failed to feed!!! I took the bad boy to the truck seat and cleared that, chambered a round and returned to the tool box. The pig had continued to close on me and was about 40 yds out now. Got settled and squeezed it off, expecting to see him hit the dirt and start "pedaling" but off he went. I grabbed the magazine and tried to get armed for another shot and when I scanned--no pig. I have no idea where he went as it is 250 yds of coastal pasture to the east fence and 150 yds of pasture across the north fence. Unless there is a low spot he dropped in and died where I couldn't pick him up with the thermal, I have no explanation.

At any rate--packed up, pulled the camera cards and headed home. Had a sow and 3 shoats plus a boar visiting regularly late, and one night had this horde show in the trap and at the shoot feeder. When they get regular at the trap I'll set it and wait for the landowner's call to come take care of them--



Why the misfire? Primer shows a very light indentation--and I forgot something I learned in my 30 yrs in uniform--open the bolt, insert the magazine, and let the bolt slam closed to fully chamber the round. Don't ease it closed slowly as I did. Lesson learned hopefully not to be forgotten. And, even though I checked and adjusted zero 4 days earlier, I'm going back to the range to re-verify. I shouldn't have missed that pig at 40 yds with him standing and me shooting off a rest.

I doubt you missed. Did you go back and check for buzzards?

Out here, there are lots of low spots, and you can easily overlook a carcass that is below the grass line. In those situations, you almost have to step on them to find them.

Bobby--will be there tomorrow--I have walked this entire coastal field several times and have never seen a dip that I thought could conceal this one--a small one yes. We'll see.

Good luck finding that critter. Be Well, Packy.

Well, no buzzards today and landowner has not seen any either.

Rechecked Zero again and rifle was 2" low and 3" left at 50 after being re-zeroed dead on 4 days earlier. Oh well. Checked all screws and all good. Did have a recurrence of the rifle doubling on me and that is a shock. Thought I had that fixed but maybe they had to remove the trigger to install the LH safety and didn't get it torqued down again. I re-torqued it and will go to the range again tomorrow to verify again.

Will go for a sit tomorrow evening as a sow w/3 shoats and her boyfriend (a med boar) are getting regular between 8 and 10 PM. I'll take the 12-ga and buckshot and sit in my bow stand so I can do all of them if they snuggle up in the corn pile.

Hoping you cinched up the aggrieving screw. That is frustrating. Be Well, Packy.

I got out of my tree stand too soon---when I was 3 steps from the ladder I heard a loud grunt--started scanning and had about a dozen hogs within 30 yds I stood waiting, hoping hungr would overcome caution and they'd get in the lighted area Had the shotgun and not the thermal-scoped rifle--and trying to shoot a hog in the dark with zero lights is not gonna happen. They finally spooked and ran off

Went back today to check the cameras, and hogs have been on camera only twice in the past week---both times the sow and three shoats So, no hunts at this place this coming week. But there is always the local place--and I have a couple of nights of most favorable winds too. The cow man has also run the shredder all over the open parts of the pasture, knocking down the tall weeds and thus making it easy to see hogs with the thermal.
We'll see