Went to my close-to-home stand tonight, and got there at 7 PM. Parked the truck, laid the rifle across the outside mirror, broke out my book and settled in. After about 5 minutes I was reaching for the OFF--'skeeters were coming in the truck with a vengeance. Feeder went off at 7:30 and about 5 minutes later I caught motion to my right about 150 yds down the creek bottom. Turned out to be a small buck and a doe. Went back to reading, and at 7:45, looked up and noticed a black horizontal shape that hadn't been there before. Put the binocs on it--it was a hog. Got the earplugs installed and rifle up and ready, but the hog decided to use the trail just inside the brush line instead of walking across the field. In a minute, I noticed the black shape behind the feeder and put the scope on it--it was the hog rubbing and scratching on a small mesquite behind the feeder. I could see the head semi-clearly, but there was enough greenery in front that I wouldn't take the shot with the .22-250. Hog walked on another 20 yds to the left and disappeared, so I relaxed-but before I got too relaxed I saw the black head in the weeds looking at the feeder. So, put the rifle up and took a look-shot looked good and the pig wasn't directly under the feeder where it would get the ground all bloody, so I squeezed it off. Last thing I saw was the hog's head jerking up, then nothing. Again, weeds are about mid-thigh high, so didn't expect to see him if he was laying dead.

Drove to the feeder, walked over to the pig and poked him between the eyes with the .22 a couple of times to make sure he was KIA, and he was. All that was left at this point was to drag him to a picture-taking place, shoot some pics, assemble the hoist, weigh him, load him, and meet my friend to hand him off. He weighed 146 and was nice and fat. He is the smallest of the 5 pigs I've killed at this place in the past 2-3 months.

Also installed one of my game cameras at the feeder to see if there are any smaller pigs coming during the later hours.

That sounds like some strenuous hunting.

I have been curious as to the literature you enjoy on these types of hunts? I personally take Clive Cussler to the stand with me when I take reading material to the field.

That is a good looking gun you have there by the way.

Harold--yes, it is strenuous. I've put up a tripod 20 yds from the feeder, but the predominantly SE winds aren't the best for it and my bow.

Thanks for the compliment on the rifle--was a consignment gun on my 'smith's wall and I fell in love with it at first sight (and the 'smith just happens to be the landowner where I shot this hog). I took the rifle for a test shoot, bedded it, tweaked the trigger, worked up a load, and now, probably 100+ hogs later I haven't looked back.

I also read Cussler, Clancy, and most of the spy/espionage writers, plus military authors about the VN era--trying to figure out what I was doing there.

Nice work as usual, dustoffer! Congratulations!

quote:

Originally posted by dustoffer:
Harold--yes, it is strenuous. I've put up a tripod 20 yds from the feeder, but the predominantly SE winds aren't the best for it and my bow.

Thanks for the compliment on the rifle--was a consignment gun on my 'smith's wall and I fell in love with it at first sight (and the 'smith just happens to be the landowner where I shot this hog). I took the rifle for a test shoot, bedded it, tweaked the trigger, worked up a load, and now, probably 100+ hogs later I haven't looked back.

I also read Cussler, Clancy, and most of the spy/espionage writers, plus military authors about the VN era--trying to figure out what I was doing there.

My guess on what we were doing there was that we were perfecting the ground attack helicopter, Testing what effect Agent orange had on both the enemy and our soldiers, and proving that the French were right. Along with enriching the military industrial complex of course.

Don't forget allowing politicians to play "wanna-be" commander and showing that they had not a clue how to prosecute a war.

whats the extra ring for?

jb--that's a Weaver-type ring mounted upside down. It's the attaching point for a red light as in the pic below. The picture was taken before I was educated about the 3rd scope ring and how the light attached to it. The picture shows the light attached with a saddle clamp that was always slipping, thus the duct tape.