Was at the rifle range today just shooting some .22s for fun. I was talking with the owner and he told me the guy who leases grazing rights asked him if he knew anyone who might be interested in helping control the ferals on the property! Imagine that--

So, I must be living right, lucky, or my reputation as a pig slayer must have preceded me as I now have another place to pursue pigs, and this one is only 9 miles from the house. Oh, and did I mention that there is already a feeder there and I won't have to fill it?

Maybe I should go buy some lottery tickets?

Reports to follow.

Good luck !!

L

The dream gig, dustoffer!! Keep us posted!

quote:

pig slayer

Terrible situation to be in....
Good on you, God Bless.

Jon In Tucson

Dustoffer,
Man I feel for you! Let us know if we can be of any assistance in these troubling times!

We all should be so lucky!!! Good luck Dustoffer.

Eterry

Well, it rained yesterday and I wouldn't risk getting stuck trying to go to the new place, so it was back to my usual haunts. Full moon and pigs have been rooting up the riverbottom pasture so planned on going there, but on the way to the ranch, clouds moved in so I decided to go sit and watch the feeder a while instead. It had been a week since I shot the last pig there. Got in place, sitting at a new spot against a big oak about 40-50 yds south of the feeder, winds out of the north. It's a bit chilly and the cows had migrated to the warmest place on the ranch, just below the lip of the hill to the north, behind a grove of trees. About 20-25 of them laying around 75 yds upwind from the feeder. Didn't think that would bother the pigs, so I sat and waited. At 9:15 nothing had showed and the clouds had cleared, so I swapped out cards in the game cam and went to the river bottom. Got through the second gate ahead of the cows and shut it in their faces. My intentions were to go to the south end of the pasture along the river and then work my way back upwind along the brush line on the east side. Well, after I got about 200 yds into the pasture, I looked ahead about 200-300 yds and there were two black pigs, heading west. They were just about directly downwind, and had obviously smelled me. I tried to take the angle and cut them off before they crossed the property line, but they disappeared. Finally figured out that they had gone into a low spot that ran all the way to the west fenceline. Ended up going on to the river and completing my stroll. Nothing sighted but the moon, but nevertheless, a good night. Got home and checked the images from the game cam--nothing but deer, two 'coons, and a skunk since last Friday. Pigs must be getting nervous.

Tonight I went to the new place. I intended to just sit in the truck about 150 yds from the feeder and watch, to get a feel for where the pigs might be coming from before I would set up closer. Got to the first gate and it was open and thought to myself, "The cattleman is probably already there" and he was, so I turned around and came on home. I'll have to call him and figure out some sort of schedule or else tell him I'll take over the duties!

good on ya

Back to the new place this afternoon--cool and wind out of the NE--perfect conditions. Built a "hide" in a bunch of fallen limbs about 60 yds from the feeder. Didn't really know where to set up as I had never been to the feeder before, but this looked "right" to me. 90 minutes later I caught movement on my right side--and slowly turned for a peek--deer everywhere. Ended up being 12 does and fawns, and all the mature does were giving me the evil eye. They knew that "thing" shouldn't have been sticking up out of the pile of branches. They stuck around for about 15 minutes and left back towards where they had appeared from. This was about 5:45 or so. At 6:20 it was getting pretty dark, so I started gathering up stuff, and began putting the sling on the rifle, when I noticed two black shapes coming from the direction the deer had come from. Two pigs--put the binocs on them and could see they were both boars, one large and one medium. Got on the bipod, got the safety off, and waited until they cleared the brush--bam! Biggest one went down and started squealing like crazy while the smaller one beat feet. Got another round up the pipe and administered the "coup de gras" or whatever it's called. Walked down to the pig and realized it is a big 'un, a boar, but minus the nuts. Someone caught him, castrated him and released him to root and fatten up.

First shot was about an inch high--above the spine behind the ear--second one in the ear.

Any guesses on weight?

That's a great pig!

Suppose I ought to post the weight to break the suspense--192 lbs plus the blood on the ground (and about 100 lbs of rank).

quote:

(and about 100 lbs of rank)

He didn't stink like a boar did he ?

Smelled to high heaven and I was surprised since he had been cut.

That sucks. Had he been cut long? Did he still have a shield?

I'm not a farm boy and my experience with hogs has been "shoot 'em and clean 'em" so I can't tell you how long he had been cut. Hair had grown over the sac. I didn't do the field dressing on this one so can't say whether or not he had a shield. Not much in the way of teeth either.

oh well, still a nice pig though.