There's really not much to tell. Pain wouldn't allow me to even consider sleep tonight, so I checked outside a couple of times to see if anything was moving in the moonlight. On the 3rd go-round somewhere around 12:15, I picked up movement through my binos and immediately knew it was a hog. So I got behind the stock of my 24-inch barreled 6.5x30-30 AI, and a cursory look through the Zeiss Victory Varipoint at 10x told me it was a decent-sized piggie. I followed him as he headed toward a spot I had poured out some attractant a couple of days ago, but when he got close, he apparently detected something he did not like and bolted. Luckily for me, he ran towards and then almost parallel to me. I had a bad feeling that I might not even get a shot, but when he slowed down a bit, I led him with the illuminated dot and sent a 123 grain SST towards his vitals. At that point, he was only about 155 yards away.

The audible "whap" of bullet impact seemed unusually loud in the calm midnight air, and I felt good about the shot, even though the hog was still on the move when I fired.

As I always do, I stepped back inside, grabbed a revolver and a flashlight and proceeded to drive down towards the spot he last stood. Our dog Charlie beat me to the scene, but instead of locating the hog for me, an armadillo caught his attention, and he wound up chasing it into the brush. That was no problem, though, because with the first sweep of the flashlight, I saw the big boar piled up no more than 20 yards away. As I approached, the first thing I noticed was the unique white outline on the face. Most hogs around here are fairly solid in coloration, and I don't ever recall seeing or killing one like this. I don't usually consider hogs "pretty," but I'll make an exception for this one.

Anyway, the bullet took him tight behind the shoulder and wrecked the lungs but did not exit. I am hoping for a recovery of the Hornady very soon.

This bullet was quick and easy to find. It was located under the hide on far side. It weighs 72.3 grains and is .530" at the widest point.

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Congrats Bobby! Great hog, great pictures and great reading !

Thanks for posting them all !

Charlie

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Bobby, that's 2 hogs shot using the Zeiss. Must be time to get a new scope! :-)

HORNADY IS GETTING SOME MIGHTY FINE ADVERTISING FROM YOU!!!

Bobby,
i love reading your stories

Bobby... do you usually have the wind right - from your porch to the field?
Second question... How long does the hog have to wait--- till your processing crew takes over?
Third question... Have you ever missed?

I enjoy your reports .... Keep up the good work!
Lee

Lee-I have a couple of shooting rests for hog sniping near the house. North-south-west winds work fairly well, but winds from the E/NE are killers out here.

I had a couple people who I could call any time of day or night for the hogs but am down to one right now (other moved with job). I rarely get to keep them anymore unless they are small and I am having an unusually good day -- or if I have help available.

Good rests, reliable equipment and confidence in your rig go a long ways towards best results, and I am extremely picky in terms of accuracy, consistency and shot placement. The cartridges I use are mild, and all have virtually the same trajectories. Thus, deciphering drop is never a real concern and is actually quite instinctive. Plus, it's rare that I shoot beyond 275 yards. As such, I do have a nice streak going, but that's not something I tend to discuss