Went fishing with my WWII buddy today, to a tank (stock pond to non-Texans) we fish at about once a month. I've seen hogs there several times, but the landowner won't give me permission to hunt them. However, he told me to be sure and take my rifle when I went fishing and to shoot all of them I could.

Well, today, as I drove across the pasture, I saw a couple of cows, and what I thought was a small calf, which turned out to be a substantial pig-sex undetermined. It had its head down chowing down, about 200 yds away, and I'd guess its weight around 175 or so. Never looked up at the truck--and of course, I hadn't brought the .22-250.

We drove on to the tank, and about 9:30 I was sitting in my chair resting my knee and drowning minnows, when 9 little piggies (actually momma with 8 from two previous litters) came trotting over the tank dam, down the bank, and piled into the water, doing their best imitation of hippos. I watched them for about 15 minutes, and they never alerted to our presence (wind was right) until my buddy picked up his fly rod and began casting (he was about 35 yds from them).

They got goosie and went up the bank into the shade, stood around and watched for another 10 minutes, scratched on the trees, and then ambled off on the down side of the dam.

So, the rule of "never go unarmed in pig country" was reinforced in spades. Even the 12-ga with buckshot would have done in a couple easily.

Hey, I can sympathize.

Last year, a neighbor called and wanted me to take a look and see what had been ripping up his garden/yard fence.

It was the middle of the day when I went over, and as I was showing him the hog tracks, a small black boar of maybe 100 pounds trotted across his pasture.

He would have been an easy target as he was no more than 130-140 yards away and trotting parallel to us. I almost always have a rifle in the truck, but this time I did not. All I could do was watch...

Here is my solution to always having a truck gun. A "big sky" rack. Mounts overhead in your truck. Its above the level of the windows so it is almost invisible. In this instance I have a winchester 1300 defender 12 gauge pumb (loaded with a combination of 3" #4'S and 000 buckshot) and a 45-70 guide gun ( 400 gr. speer flat points). Takes care of most any situation.
GWB

You need a sunroof for shooting on the go! ANd that is an awfully red interior, looks like something in a custom van conversion! Guide guns make for good truck mounts, plenty of power and compact as all get out.

John

I like that rack, Geedubya. Did you make it or buy it?

It's commercially available in one or two gun models. Search Cabela's for "big sky rack" and you should find it.

I had the same experience last year. It was during dove season. About 9:30 a.m. three of us are driving over to check some feeders when a pack of 30 or so pigs crosses the road not 100 yards in front of the truck. Dennis stops the truck and says, "Who's got a gun?" Silence. So Dennis says, "Who's got a shotgun?" Silence. So Dennis says, "Anyone got a pistol?" Finally, I said, "No. It's back at camp."

We all felt pretty silly.

LWD