Seeing blonde pigs in Southern Monterey County is not rare even though they probably represent only 5% of the ferals but taking two simultaneously is pretty unusual.

My rifle being of Russian descent apparently has an affinity for blondes, the rifle has taken two pigs and both were blondes.

Roger and I met Kyler Hamman at o'dark 30 and headed into the ranch. We saw what seemed to be a very large (judging by how it compared to calves he was milling around) pig before shooting light. The wind was not the best and the pig appeared to have had checked the paper that morning regarding legal shooting time and slipped back into the cover around the ranch creek to disappear for good.

We saw no pigs the rest of the morning but the turkey count was just stupid. One flock had to be 200 birds and they were several that ranged in the 30-40 bird count.

I was not interested in a turkey but Roger was and he connected on this nice tom. Happy Thanksgiving.



We saw lots of deer that morning and afternoon including several nice typical California blacktail bucks.



We met back up at 3:30 and start patrolling the usual haunts for the pigs. The first hour or so were just more deer and turkeys.

About 4:40 we spotted a nice dark pig about 50 yards out and to our left as we were cruising a long. We dismounted but it quickly scampered up the hill and into the brush and trees.

We decided to see where it may have gone so we started toward where we had last saw the pig. Thinking any shot might be quick I turned my scope down to 1 3/4x.

As Kyler and Roger got further ahead, I saw the sticks go up and Kyler waiving me up (Roger was up first).

As I approached, I saw two blond pigs about 50 yards out and heard Kyler say he is taking the one on the right. I slung up and held on the one on the left.

We have long agreed as a team that 1, 2, 3, shoot just doesn't work. So I wait till Roger shoots and then follow.

Boom! Roger's pig goes down and the one on the left takes off and dips into a slight depression in the terrain. Kyler says he will pop up on the left at the base of the tree line...I take two big steps to the right and line up where I think he will be and sure enough about 85 yards out he pops up out of the little depression, I push the cross hairs past his nose and squeeze one off...to everyone's amazement he tips over and does the dirt paddle dance. I put another one into him for good measure.

Roger is saying nice shot...Kyler is alternating between gracious congratulations, amazement, and laughter.

Understand the likelihood that Dettorre makes a running shot at 85 yards with only 1 attempt in a split second window is about 1:15.

I was just acting like it was an every day occurrence. The pigs went 75 lbs and 55 lbs, respectively. Pretty small for this area but it is all we had and we were down to probably 30 minutes of shooting light trying to fill 2 tags and they will be great eating.

As usual a great hunt with Kyler filled with lots of laughs.

Great story and great success on the hogs and turkey.

Well done. I enjoyed the story. Thanks for sharing it!

Hey Mike:
Flukes happen to us all as long as we keep trying, that's what counts. Glad you made the hit.
Nice bird too.
George

Hey Mike,

As always it was great hunting with you and Roger. I stand by my comment that I believe that’s the best shot I’ve seen this year. That pig was moving out about as fast as swine legs can go – and he was at an odd angle through trees in low light. Lots of complications, not to mention you were shooting off-hand. As needed that shot entered very far back and exited through the front shoulder, perfectly taking out the lungs.

You neglected to mention that your off-hand finish off shot at the flopping pig hit it in the head… also an impressive display of shooting. That wacky Russian rifle may be the ticket to magic shooting for you.

You can safely gloat about that shot for a long, long time.

Those light colored pigs are really different for this area. I’ve hunted a lot of ranches over the years and the only place I’ve ever regularly seen light colored pigs is on that 3,000 acre corner of this particular 13,500 acre ranch. On that part of the ranch I’ve seen light colored young ones up to nearly 300 pound boars with big tusks. Old timers in the area tell me they’ve been on that part of the ranch for at least 20 or 30 years. So far they don’t seem to spread to the rest of the ranch or the neighboring 8,500 acre ranch I hunt.

How people perceive the different colors of pigs is interesting. Many people want solid black pigs because they seem to believe they’re of “pure” Russian decent. But some people want a light colored pig because they’re unusual. Ironically two weeks ago I guided a Russian couple and the guy flipped out when he saw a light colored pig. He had shot many true pure Russian boars at “home”, but he really wanted a light colored one. Unfortunately it didn’t work out and both he and his girlfriend ended up with solid black pigs.

Thanks,
Kyler

Congratulations Mike. What kind of rifle is it that did the deed?

Packratus,

Its a 1932 sporterized Mosin Nagant. This pic has my load development scope on it. For hunting it wears a straight tubed 1 3/4 x 5 burris.



It shoots Sierra 150grn Pro Hunters really well.





But even better excluding the flyer if you superimpose the groups, this rifle put 8 shots with three different charge weights into .78 inches




Not bad for 80 yr old milsurp.

Congratulations all around on a nice hunt.
Mike, I would congratulate you on a nice shot but we all know it's just standard practice for you.

Nice work, Mike -- as usual! Congratulations!

good work congratulations