The place where I hunted is next to Nyn�shamn, about 50 km south of Stockholm, the boars there are free living.

I took my own rifle, Browning BLR .308 with a Tasco 3-9x40 but I also got to borrow one with a scope with 56 mm lens and illuminated reticle.

You hunt for a few days before and after full moon. The hunt is from fixed stands, towers, over feeding places with peas and wheat. There is also straw spread on the ground to get a lighter background to see the animals against.

I got dropped of at my stand at eight in the evening and sat down to wait. This evening was rather dark as the moon was getting up late and it was a bit cloudy.

I compared the rifle scopes and quickly realised that the bigger scope was a lot brighter when it got darker and I decided to stick with that rifle. It was a Husqvarna right-handed (I am a left shooter), bolt action in .308, but it was not really a problem because in this light, or lack of it, you normally only get one shot as the muzzle flash blinds you and there is never a chance for a second shot. They either drop direct or shoot off like a rocket. I had my own loads in my rifle but used the Sellier&Bellot 180gr SP factory loads as that the borrowed riflewas zeroed with.

At ten it was rather dark and I was wondering if I would be able to see enough to shoot, but then three roe deer turned up and started to feed on the peas. I realised that I could see them quite well in the scope, so I kept on waiting. It is a good sign with roe on the feeding place as it shows that you are in the right wind and not detected, if the roe suddenly disappear that could be a sign of incoming pigs. Quite right, suddenly the roe was gone and I could see a pig mowing around in the dark. In the binoculars I could see that is was a lonely pig but he was not on the straw and kept behind some trees for a while. Eventually he walked in to a position where I could se him better and I got the rifle up and ready. When it is as dark as it was, there is a risk of mistaking the back and front of the pig, and I had to watch him for a while until he slowly walked cross and I could get a good sight picture, the illuminated reticle did help.

I put the shot through the shoulders and when I got him back in my sights he was down where he was. Later when we dressed him we saw that the bullet had gone straight through both shoulders, lungs and heart, but there was also an exit hole close to the spine, maybe from rib fragments, which might have explained the quick drop. Even with heart shots they can run for about 10 seconds, which could be about 100 meters.

The pig was not very big but a nice size. I stayed and helped dressing and gutting it and I also got the upper and lower jaws with the tusks. It is only about 10% of the tusk that is visible the rest is hidden in the jaw. I boiled the bones and got the tusks out and they are now mounted and up on the wall.



Lasse

I like the trophy of your smalest roe !

Hey Lasse,



Congrats on your boar!! I am going hog hunting in the canyon country of north Texas next weekend. You got me pumped up all over again!



Good Hunting,



Bob

Bobby, I like to put all my roebuck trophies on the wall whatever the size, I think I kind of owe it to the animal to not just be thrown to the foxes.

Bob, good luck next weekend.

Lasse

I was sincere, not ironic, actually a bit jealous....

Bobby, sorry I didn't think you where you ironic, I like it too. I was just a bit short in my reply.



I kind of regretting shooting that one, it might have grown up to be a nice 6 pointer one day.



Lasse