Got back late last night from a hog hunting trip in Shady Grove, Florida (in the Panhandle) with jwp475. We converged on this small town with an assortment of weaponry to assist with the eradication of hogs. We arrived on Wednesday afternoon (I actually got there in the late afternoon as I had a LOOOOOOONG drive), and immediately went out on a hunt. I didn’t even have time to change my clothes, I just strapped my .475 Linebaugh on and off we went. We drove some roads, and when we spotted pigs in the distance we got out and stalked them. We got the opportunity to shoot a couple but passed on them as they were a bit on the small side. I even shot at one with unsteady hands and missed (hey, I had just driven 16 hours and hadn’t eaten even one meal!). I decided a good meal and some sleep would do me some good……..


Next morning we set out in the dark and even though we saw many great hogs, we were unable to get close and get a shot. We bumped into a big boar and despite the impressive exit from the vehicle with his .500 JRH Freedom Arms revolver blazing, jwp475 missed his intended target as it lit-out like it had seen a ghost! At least the razzing stopped about my miss! This pattern continued in the evening as well. I have to also tell you that I have never seen so many deer in my life! This is a good spot if you want to hunt deer! A decision was made to hunt from stands the following morning in high traffic areas.


The next morning we got into our stands at 5:30 before first light. I was actually in a ground blind. This day would turn out drastically different than the previous day’s hunts. I sat for a couple of hours without a single sighting so I decided to walk a bit. I stripped off all of my gear to make me more mobile, grabbed my .475 (custom Ruger SRH in .475 Linebaugh) and binoculars and headed down the road. A couple of hours of this and I heard some gun shots. Apparently jwp was making contact – I still hadn’t seen a single pig. I walked the couple of miles to jwp’s stand and he wasn’t there. Meanwhile our guide Pete had arrived. He said that jwp had one down that he shot with his .300 win mag at somewhere around 350 yards. We had to locate the pig as it ran off, apparently not knowing it was already dead. We found jwp put a 425 grain bullet from his .500 JRH in the sow’s head as it was still breathing and I can’t figure out how. The 180 grain Barnes TSX went into its shoulder (it was quartering towards him), and exited just behind the offside ribs and literally unzipped the animal’s underside. At least this hog didn’t need any gutting! I will spare you the photo. Hogs can take an incredible beating!


That afternoon, we corned the road where the hogs have been moving, and parked the vehicle at a crossroads, set jwp’s .300 win mag up on the hood and waited while glassing the whole time. We chose this spot as we could cover a vast area from this location and jwp could reach out and touch something a long way off. Some time later, a couple of hogs crossed the road and started feeding on some of the corn. There were a couple of sows and piglets and a boar. JWP let fly another TSX and another pig was down. We walked up the road (another beautiful 350 yard shot), and dragged the carcass back to the vehicle and waited some more. Again, the TSX killed impressively but did a lot of internal damage. Meanwhile a small pig came out on the other road and began to feed on the corn. Pete the guide, and myself slowly stalked up to the pig to wait and see if he had any friends that were coming for dinner as well. So snuck up within about 100 yards, then moved closer. And then closer, and then a little bit closer. At this point we decided to see just how close we could get to it before we spooked it and that ended up being about 8-feet! Good practice.





It was time to take a drive as time was running out and I still hadn’t killed a hog. We ran into one that was a good 200 yards up the road and he hadn’t detected us, so Pete and I put on a stalk. At one point Pete hands me the crude shooting stick he fashioned for me consisting of a stick with the end split with a knife, and asks me if I think I can make the shot. I told him I want to get closer. So, we slowly made our way closer and Pete says okay, we are at 50 yards now (it was farther out I know, but he was trying to psyche me!). He hands me the stick, which would be useful if I was sitting in a chair, and I get on my knees and try to balance this thing, and I settle on the boars shoulder and squeeze. Bang-flop! The boar was down and not going anywhere. Still breathing, I put a 277 grain .44 round (I had my old M29 with me just in case!) in its shoulder, but it wasn’t necessary as the pig expired already. Good boar! The shot turned out to be right at 80 yards, and he was right at 175-lbs.





We decided to continue to march and see if we could kill another one so we hopped into the vehicle, went down the road, and saw more hogs. We got out and made a stalk and found some feeding off the road in the thick scrub. I tried to get a bead on one and couldn’t make it out very well with the limited visibility, but put a 420 grain bullet into what I thought was its shoulder. I evidently hit it and it ran off. I put another in it and it came out onto the road, saw us standing there, began coming at us and then changed its mind and direction and headed across the road. I couldn’t shoot it again as it was between us and our vehicle and the rest of our hunting party. It was running/hobbling on three legs as its offside shoulder was hamburger meat. It was obviously lunged and wouldn’t go far. We picked up a blood trail but then it ran out as did our light and we lost the pig……….bummer. The brush was so thick we had to crawl under and through it.

Great hunt, great outfitter, lots of hogs, priced right, more deer than I have seen in any three seasons combined, and simply a great time!

Florida Slam Outfitters
www.floridaslamoutfitters.com
Pete Kemmsies: 850/843-4211

Oh, and for those who think that they need hollow points in their handguns, don't use anything but a hardcast with a big meplat, they do an impressive amount of damage internally. This is a photo of the offside whoulder of my pig..........

Here's a picture of the sow that jwp475 unzipped with his .300 win mag (180 grain TSX). I was going to spare you, but here it is:

This was a fun trip for sure.

Whitworth,

Great spot & stock action. Lots of game and chances at shots, good friends. Deffinely worth the drive. Good job to both you guys.

Matt

Good job great pictures thanks for sharing

Thanks guys! It was definitely well worth the drive!

When I pulled the trigger on the secound hog the guide/outfitter said "did you hit him" and I said "well, yea", the guide/ outfitter said "did you kill him" and I said " I don't know about that, he might have ran off with a bullet through him". We all got a good laugh out of that.

Whitworth, I'm so glad to hear that you got to get some hunting in. Pigs and Pistols are a fun time for sure. Looks like you had a great trip. The problem as you know, is now your planning the next one already.

I wouldn't want to be your intended target when you've got that .300 win mag in your hands!

I was looking for up close and personal and he was shooting hogs at 350 yards!

quote:

Originally posted by Harold R. Stephens:
Whitworth, I'm so glad to hear that you got to get some hunting in. Pigs and Pistols are a fun time for sure. Looks like you had a great trip. The problem as you know, is now your planning the next one already.

You are so right! It had been a while for me, and now that I just came back, I'm ready go out again!

Really good story, sounds like you and jwp475 had one heck of a hunt. I'm amazed that there are that many hogs there, that you can see so many feeding in the day time like that. Some really good shooting too, by jwp475 on those long shots with the rifle.

congrats to you both.

Larry

PS We took another little boar, maybe 80 pounds are so this weekend. I wasn't even planning on hunting, but my son-in-law talked me into it. Picked up our dogo yesterday afternoon, we're just making friends right now, I will say more about that later.

Thanks a bunch, Larry! We saw a lot of hogs, but couldn't get close to them on the first day -- but we made up for it! The .475 has been blooded and I am pleased with the way it workks -- accurate as all git-out and it hits with authority!

Looking forward to hearing about your new dog!!

Great writeup !

But, where is the boonie hat?

Way to got JWP and Whitworth, know if I can get blood on my new 510 GNR.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
Great writeup !

But, where is the boonie hat?

It's right here! I wore it the second day of the hunt!

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk1:
Way to got JWP and Whitworth, know if I can get blood on my new 510 GNR.

Thanks Redhawk1! You will blood it, I'm sure!

Here are a couple more of my hog. The one shot is of the outfitter/guide Pete. Good guy!

Looks like a great time was had by all! (except the hogs, of course)

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Sullivan:
Looks like a great time was had by all! (except the hogs, of course)

As it should be!

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Sullivan:
Looks like a great time was had by all! (except the hogs, of course)

The hogs seemed to enjoy "haming" it up for the camera

I took a beating on another site over my hat!
Now it is my turn, hee!

bfrshooter, your hat is a retiree, tourist fishing hat -- commonly seen in Florida in the off season (snow birds), whereas my bush cover was Marine Corps government issue circa 1968. I can undersatnd why they made fun of your hat, but you really can't make fun of mine.......

Oh yeah! just wait till you come over!

I know you're just jealous of my hat!

What a great weekend guys!!

Congrats,

Bob

Thanks Bob, it was a fun couple of days and long overdue. I miss going every couple of weeks.

Congrats Whitwoth! Good deal. I am glad someone went out and got something.

I really need to get outside. I know I say that every so many posts....I havnt been on a pig hunt since Oct in Hawaii......so that makes me jealous...

Seriously....I hope you guys had a great time.

ScopeBite

Thanks, Scopebite! I can appreciate your sentiments!! I too hadn't been out on hog hunt in a while and quite frankly needed it for my mental health!! This outfit was great, and I look forward to hunting there again! Plus, I really had to blood my .475!

Whitworth,

Glad to see you found a new outfitter you are happy with in Fla. Looked like a great hunt that produced some fine eating. Enjoyed your story.

Hey...who's got the problem with 'boonies'?

Mary, this was an outfitter that you recommended and I am very glad that you did! Thank you! I can't wait to go again!

Whitworth...Will let my taxidermist friend in Florida, who put the list together for you, know how pleased you are.

Dear friend excelent report ,a good hunt ,with good guns,thank you for sharing.Here we are very busy with pumas.Juan

Thank you Juan!! I appreciate your kind words!