Been out of town and away from the place for about 10 days and finally got all 4 traps re-baited and set 2 days ago. Due to a combination of factors (bowhunting and wife had the stomach flu and I was the nurse last night) I didn't get out to check them today until after lunch. When I set the one in the river bottom, it had corn in it from the previous session--not much activity there. On the hilly part of the ranch, the first box trap had nada-even though the coastal is all root-plowed, and the corn was eaten up to and into the trap. Trap has a feeder mounted on top of the trap, so it stays baited. Drove on to the back pasture and threaded my way through the cows towards the next trap. Noticed a large boar walking away from the trap--and me with nothing but a .22 pistol, unloaded at that! Well, shut the truck down, loaded up quickly, and the boar obviously was headed to the nearly dry tank. I managed to get a large oak tree between us and commenced my sneak. Enroute to the tree, noticed another large pig in the trap-- Got to the tree and peeked around the side--boar was laying on his side in the mud about 25 yds away. Assumed a good steady position and put a round in him, center of mass. Away he went-up and over the tank dam. Couldn't find any blood, but wasn't surprised. Walked back to the truck and drove up to the trap--not 1, but two pigs. A BIG black boar and a smallish, perfect piggie. The boar kept charging the wire--and made me jump every time since he could have stood on his hind legs and gotten his forequarters over the top wire. So-put a .22 pill between the eyes and he went down -- not kicking, which is unusual. Then dropped the smaller sow--kicking like crazy. Aim was a bit off-over the eye, so I put another in below the ear--blood splattered all over me. Then I put another one in the boar and he rolled over and was flopping around, so one behind the ear to calm him down. Mind you, all this is at a range of about 5-8 feet. Get the trap gate open and go inside and drag the little one out, and go back for the boar, and can hardly move him. Plus, still kicking--another one in the ear. Think that is 4 now. Grabbed a hind leg and moved him maybe 4 feet and he started kicking really good--so #5 went right between the earhole and the eye--and I thought that'll do it. Grabbed him again and moved him another 4 feet. Had to turn him 90-degrees to line him up with the gate--dragged him into the gate and he kicked the crap out of me. So let him lay a bit while I figured out what I was gonna do--realizing I had taken my chains and ropes out of the truck prior to going on an exotic hunt two weeks ago. So-callled the landowner and borrowed a chain to drag him off to the buzzard buffet. Here's what they looked like-and the one I shot in the mud was same size, maybe a bit smaller. The two boars are/were "boyfriends" as they always showed up together on the game camera.





I guestimated his weight at 220 or so--and the largest I've taken to date by any means. Note that he is about half the height of the trap pen--Little one was about 70 lbs as I lifted her onto the tailgate easily. Chained up the boar, and dragged him to the backside of the ranch where all the carcasses go--and the dang cows followed me at a trot--like they were trailing the pig.

So what rule did I break? Rule: Never go into the pasture without a loaded gun. And now I've added a rule--Never go without a loaded rifle. Would have had two boars if I'd had even a .22 rifle and rancher would have been more happy. But-I never expected to see a hog in the wide open pasture at high noon in November--or any other month for that matter. My total year-to-date is now 69---

Add-on : Never go anywhere without a knife.

Hi. Why did you have the .22 with you?

Thanks.

Carry the .22 to shoot the ones in the traps. When I'm hunting from a stand, I either have a rifle or a 12-ga with 3" mag #4 buckshot.

And, I have a .50-cal ammo box about 2/3rds full of knives in the back seat--

Back around 1985 or so I had an acquaintance of Irish extraction from Philadelphia shoot a boar in a very big roofed trap with a .243.

He went inside - the door dropped on him - and the big boar woke up. Turned out the 243 round had glanced off the skull. He went round and round with that pig before he finally was able to snatch up the rifle and kill it. Snake boots saved his lower legs - mostly.

My rule: never muck about with pigs unless you have a .357 on your belt. (And a .357 can seem small at times.)

I've slaughtered many pigs with a .22, but the wild ones seem to be a bit tougher.

That farmer along the Red River only used rectangular roofed traps made of heavy gauge concrete reinforcing mesh. I suspect because he had pigs climb out.

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:
Carry the .22 to shoot the ones in the traps. When I'm hunting from a stand, I either have a rifle or a 12-ga with 3" mag #4 buckshot.

And, I have a .50-cal ammo box about 2/3rds full of knives in the back seat--

So, the .22 normally works, but this was an unusually large pig? What ammo do you use/recommend for this?

Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by BNagel:
Add-on : Never go anywhere without a knife.

AMEN Brother!

Ammo is Federal bulk high-speed. This is the first time I've had to shoot and reshoot and reshoot a pig in a trap. Occasionally shots, but never more than 2. First time for everything. And, yes a large pig for this area. Largest one the rancher has seen killed on his place. I killed a 190+ on this ranch about 150 yds from this trap earlier this year with a rifle.

I also have two rectangular box traps--the circular figure 6 corral traps work nicely and if larger, can hold a bunch of pigs. The one in the picture accounted for 13 in one session earlier this year--all small shoats. I've had them climb out on me--one time when I drove up to the trap. He was up and out and gone before I could draw down on him

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:
Ammo is Federal bulk high-speed. This is the first time I've had to shoot and reshoot and reshoot a pig in a trap. Occasionally shots, but never more than 2. First time for everything. And, yes a large pig for this area. Largest one the rancher has seen killed on his place. I killed a 190+ on this ranch about 150 yds from this trap earlier this year with a rifle.

I also have two rectangular box traps--the circular figure 6 corral traps work nicely and if larger, can hold a bunch of pigs. The one in the picture accounted for 13 in one session earlier this year--all small shoats. I've had them climb out on me--one time when I drove up to the trap. He was up and out and gone before I could draw down on him

Thank you for the info. Looks like you're having a great time.

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:

I guestimated his weight at 220 or so--and the largest I've taken to date by any means. Note that he is about half the height of the trap pen--Little one was about 70 lbs as I lifted her onto the tailgate easily. Chained up the boar, and dragged him to the backside of the ranch where all the carcasses go--and the dang cows followed me at a trot--like they were trailing the pig.

So what rule did I break? Rule: Never go into the pasture without a loaded gun. And now I've added a rule--Never go without a loaded rifle. Would have had two boars if I'd had even a .22 rifle and rancher would have been more happy. But-I never expected to see a hog in the wide open pasture at high noon in November--or any other month for that matter. My total year-to-date is now 69---

Good going, and glad to see your up there on the count. Keep up the good work.

I learned about the added rule, never go to the pasture without a rifle quite a few years ago. I have caught them out in a wide open coastal pasture many times during the mid morning to mid afternoons.

In fact three weeks back, the wife and I topped the hill behind the house caught a sounder of them out in our back pasture at a quarter to noon. I got one 30'ish pound one out of around a dozen after a 375yd shot.

My problem was I was headed to our shooting range to fire form cases and the loads I had, while very accurate, had not been shot past 100yds. The one I got was a bit of a low hit, but anchored it, The other three rounds at the rest were close but no cigar.

I have on more than one occasion been working on fences, mowing or what not, and had them walk out across the pastures like I wasn't even there, or come across in a dead sprint trying to get to the woods on the other side.

Like I told a co-worker, they don't wear a watch, and look down to see it's time to get up and go somewhere, they just go when the mood suits them.

You need a rack in that truck and a 30-30 on it at all times I'd say!

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer: My total year-to-date is now 69---

You da' man. You are definitely doing your part.


Can't remember how many total for the year, but have nailed 13 in the last three months.

Best

GWB

Set my goal at 100 but bowhunting is cutting in to my hog killing-

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:
Set my goal at 100 but bowhunting is cutting in to my hog killing-

Although a rifle guy at heart, I do enjoy bow hunting. It's definitely easier to sit out 50, 100 or 200 yds from your quarry. Being 15 to 25 paces from an old doe, or a wary group of turkeys, one has to do so many things just right to be successful. I do believe bowhunting can help one develop patience and improve one's hunting skills. Plus it's a totally different experience. The downside to me is that I've seen so many animals lost and not recovered.

Best

GWB

Geedubya--the "lost and not recovered" thing is a real down-side to bowhunting, and I've lost several. I attribute a good portion of it to them modern compound bow and releases. It is way easier to become a competent archer with one than shooting a recurve, and lots of folks think they are ready to bowhunt. There is a vast difference in being a good archer shooting spots or 3-D targets and being a good bowhunter-
I sat 18 minutes one morning earlier this week with this buck in front of me before I finally did the deed-

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:
There is a vast difference in being a good archer shooting spots or 3-D targets and being a good bowhunter-
I sat 18 minutes one morning earlier this week with this buck in front of me before I finally did the deed-

10/4 on that.

Nice buck. Should be some good eats.

I went twice during bow season this year. Took my oldest son. Here is the buck he took with his crossbow at +/- 21 paces.



I'm pretty much letting him take the bucks. I get about as much kick these days letting him shoot them. I have two freezers at my house so that's where the meat stays.


I ended up hog hunting with a rifle. I've almost come to the point where I'd just as soon kill porkers as anything.

Keep up the good work!

Best

GWB

Note my "nickname" which I earned on a South Texas lease--from the landowner's squeeze-

If all works as planned I'll be back after them starting next Thursday evening. I may even set a few snares.



As you can see, when it comes to porkers, it is a target rich environment. Hope I see the brown one with the bristles. I think he'd be a good one.

Best

GWB

You are a bit behind on numbers reduction--better get going or they'll outnumber the mesquite trees.

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:
You are a bit behind on numbers reduction--better get going or they'll outnumber the mesquite trees.

d,

What can I say,
I tell folks, these days I operate within a narrow band of mediocrity. Don't do anything real good, but don't do anything real bad. I try to put myself in the place of opportunity at least once a month, and then multiple times during rifle season. Sometimes the porkers co-operate, sometimes they don't. They show up, I'm willing to kill 'em. If I can get a twofer or even a triple, I'm as happy as a pig in slop. Snaring, trapping or shooting. Here's a trip down memory lane of the last year or so.

Best

GWB