Went out to my latest spot--really a re-run on a ranch I hunted couple of years ago that I had shot most of the hogs off of--or scared them off. I put out a feeder about 3 weeks ago and the hogs have found it. With a near full moon and about 60 ac of coastal pasture that is getting root-plowed, I figured it would be a nice night sit, even if I didn't see any pigs. Got to the hide, fired up the Thermacell, adjusted the bipod, hooked up the red light, adjusted the binocs, and settled back--at 7:45. Looked over my left shoulder into the coastal pstch--nothing, over my right shoulder up the power line ROW across the fence -- a big black patch I didn't remember seeing before. Put the binocs on it--it's a bunch of pigs. They are 200-250 yds away and I turn my chair around, reposition the bipod, and take a peek -- as they leave the ROW. IF they go on the east side of the fence, I'm screwed, as it is net fencing and they can't get through it to come closer. However, they come directly west, down the property line, but on the other side of the fence. Fortunately, I have permission to shoot them in that pasture, although I don't have permission to follow-up or trail there. Wind is right, and I'm all set as I watch the string of 7 adults, and maybe 20 shoats string along the fence. Big sow in the lead--too big, as my buddy has 40 lbs of elk trim to make sausage with, and needs about a 100-lb sow to contribute. I pick out one that looks about right and when she pauses, Bang-flop. Half of the survivors go north away from me across 150 yds of pasture towards the wood, and half come through the fence toward me and stop under a tree in the shadows. Bad idea, as I rack the bolt and try to get on another one. They opt to go back through the fence and head out where there brethren went. I pick the biggest, swing, and Bang-whoomph. She staggers and slows a bunch, and i have to reload (rifle only holds 2 rounds due to the short magazine not accepting my most accurate reloads with bullets seated out nearly touching the lands). By the time I unzip the pack, grab two more rounds and reload, the hogs have reached the wood line, about 250 away. Wounded hog stops just inside the wood line offering me only a Texas heart shot. I get on her, and notice she is wobbly for sure, but I squeeze off a 2nd shot and again, whoomph. She really staggers, and goes s short way and drops. It's now 8:01 and all that's left is a short drag, pics, and field dressing before heading home.

Post-mortem exam determined she died from a high-velocity missile impact with her cranium--resulting in a sucking head wound.

Well done, my friend.

I haven't been able to get out and about for some time, but I sure do enjoy reading the details of hunts you and a few others so kindly post. It's the next best thing to being there.

Keep the wonderful stories and photos coming...

Nice work, as usual! Congrats!

Sound like fun to me. Good on ya'. It's probably a good thing you remembered your thermacell what with all the rain we've been having.
Personally, as I am afflicted with SDD (shooting deficit disorder), range time helps with the symptoms, but getting out there and killing hogs is the best prophylactic. Hope to get out Thursday, week, for an extended weekend, and try to woo an ol' tom turkey into a strut. No question about tryin' to bust a couple porkers. Keep up the good work.

Best

GWB

Was sitting at the dealer getting a recall taken care of on my truck and got a call from the landowner--"I need help, got 10 pigs in the trap and my back is out" So, I finished at the dealer, met my buddy to hand off the sow from last night, and headed home to change clothes, grab my knife box and a .22, then off to the ranch. Here's what we had--not 10, but 12, from 25-50+ lbs. It was a riot as the landowner's son and I threw down on the piggies with a Ruger .22 pistol and a GSG 1911 .22. It was pandemonium for a few minutes, but after we "did 'em" we field dressed 7 of them. I brought 5 home, skinned them, delivered another one, cleaned one up for myself, and 4 are laying in the ice chest awaiting their new owner's arrival. I'm tired!

That's a real nice batch of good eatin.
Hope you reset the trap while at it.
George

with all the blood on the ground it will be a while before they come back to the trap--unless we get a good rain.

Don't have any experience with traps and killing in them. BUT: in Fla at that put n take hog killing place I shot the two pigs at.
The guy claims the vast majority of the 200 hogs a month killed on the 43 acres are shot from the same blind I used.
I shot the first one Sat am about 9 or so, Sun am about 10 I shot the second one and it was standing within ten feet of the same spot the first one was.
We set there from long before first light Sun til this biggest boar showed up and had pigs there every few minutes or half hr the whole time. By far most were sows and litters, and lots of pigs from 10-100lbs in each pack. Sometimes half dozen or less to over 40 at a time. This 200# boar was the biggest we saw. UNLESS those black shadows we could barely make out in the distance were larger. They seemed to be shorter bodied and higher, rounder backs. No way to see the crosshairs or I'd of shot one of them. It was just too dark yet and they never showed up after it got light enough to shoot. This place and my only experience it sure didn't seem like blood made any difference at all. The boys shoot around 10-30 pigs a week in their butchering shop, just hose the floor off each time. I've never seen one pay any attention to the blood yet, even when quite a few are killed one after another soon as the first one's are butchered and taken out to the cooler.
George

Big difference between a spot on the ground where a pig was dropped and a trap where 12 were shot. I have been trapping a while and they get trap shy in a hurry--especially the mature ones. And, would you believe the big ones can climb out of that trap?

Yep, I've watched some videos where a few have
climbed over the fence. There's others that put
a top on their traps too.
I'll bet if heavy enough wire is used they could climb out even if it's ten feet tall. IF you're having that kind of troubles. IF it was me, I'd sure as hell put a hot wire along the inside up high enough only the climbers would get knocked back down and hard enough they'd learn not to climb. OF course if they're still in the trap when you get there, they won't be getting out alive anyway.
Good luck trapping,
George