Set the trap last night as I'll be unable to do anything with it next week. Got the call from the landowner this morning "5 60-70 pounders in the trap" so I loaded up the rifle and headed out. Got there, and sure enough 5 in the trap. got the truck close to the pen and stood on the tailgate (shooting over instead of through the fence) and knocked the all down. Put the rifle in the truck and climbed in, opened the gates and propped them open, and grabbed the nearest one and dragged it to the entrance. Grabbed the next one and it was ALIVE! New experience for me for sure. But, it was wobbly and didn't concern me much until it made its break and took off wobbling across the pasture!!! WTH? Grabbed the next one and the next and dragged them over, then went for #5--which was also ALIVE!!! It also made its break and took off to the east across the open coastal pasture. I climbed out, dropped 3 rounds in the rifle and started driving in that direction. Got to the open pasture and spotted it about half-way to the east fence. The fence is goat wire so hog couldn't get through and it turned up the fence to the north, which is barbed wire. Knew I had to get there first so took off running after it, angling to get ahead. Well, this old fart found out he couldn't outrun a wounded hog so I just tried two shots--both misses at about 75 yds.

Hog got to a stand of sunflowers and laid down, so I slowly walked up to see if it was still alive, and it was, so I used my last round behind the ear---and the dang thing jumped up and went at the fence. Having no more ammo and knowing it would lay down and die, I walked back to the truck, reloaded and drove to within 50 yds of the spot. Walked up expecting to see a dead hog---NOT. Walked all thru the sunflowers with no success, and went to where he was banging the fence---blood there and the fence was stretched up a bit with a good bit of blood on the other side for a couple of feet. Apparently got its snout under the wire and wiggled out in to the next ranch.

Back to the truck and took the path the first one had left on--no blood trail, no blood on the brush and cactus, and I know the pig took this route. I walked and checked about 50-60 ac of semi-open woods with no sign of it.

So, went back and got the 3 dead ones on the "stringer" and dragged them to the buzzard buffet--

Laid 'em out for the buzzards



Decided to pick up the assorted hides and bones from the previous 65 we've trapped since February:

Nice ones! They are tough for sure.

I've seen a handful of them take a good hit and keep going...don't know how they do it. I really like the shoulder shot on a hog since the heart is low and it usually drops them. Same thinking as an Aoudad

Close the gate next time.

George

Carry a Glock 17.

..." found out he couldn't out run a wounded hog."
Good chuckle on this!

I'll be darned.

Y'all can bet I'll have a handgun strapped on next time I climb into the trap.

Don't trap any more but when we did had a few "dead ones" break and run. Three grown men chasing a hobbling pig! Just glad nobody got that one on video!

Different trap, same design, same result--from this morning. These are "money pigs" as the county they come from pays a bounty.

Good payday at $5 each.

George

quote:

Originally posted by georgeld:
Good payday at $5 each.

George

Considering I received a 5 dollar bounty on fox and a 10 dollar bounty on coyotes plus 25 to 30 dollars per hide.

Back in the 60s and early 70's.

5 dollars per hog now days is nothing. Tells me they are not really serious about removing the threat.

Just using gas prices a marker the bounty alone should be around $70.00 if one add equal worth of what fur prices the bounty should really be close to 150.00.

If one want to incentive one to actively purse them.

I spent a lot of time trapping fox and coyotes because it put money in my pocket.

I pursue them for the fun of it, and a backstrap for the smoker now and then, plus helping friends to keep their hay fields and pastures intact as much as possible.

The bounty here started last August and it is "OPM" or other peoples' money---AKA grant money and not county tax dollars. They got $15k originally and said it would take 5000 hogs off the land. I think they will be fortunate to get half that number myself. The money I get pays for corn in part.

quote:

I pursue them for the fun of it, and a backstrap for the smoker now and then, plus helping friends to keep their hay fields and pastures intact as much as possible.

Then no need for a bounty.