Yesterday, I had a feeling that hogs may be out and about, so just before dark I put a Contender rifle on the shooting rest facing the creek and also set my thermal-sighted Marlin 336 out there "just in case."

The first two times I checked, there was nothing going on other than deer, rabbits, coons and a 'possum roaming about. The third time, right after the 10:00 news, started out much the same, though I now had an armadillo working along the yard fence as well. But as I was about to go back in, I noticed two cottontails near the garage standing on their hind legs and peering east. About the only things I see out there are more rabbits and the occasional gray fox working the gopher mounds, but I decided to walk out past the garage and check it out. To my surprise, there were three shoats -- all about 50-60 pounds -- meandering through. They were only 70 to 80 yards away, and I had a my skinning tripod just steps away to use as an impromptu rest.

But they never presented a decent shot opportunity in a clear area. They gave me a couple broadside looks, but in each instance, they were behind screens of grass. The vegetation there is mostly dry and thin, but I was not going to risk wounding an animal, especially considering it seemed they were headed in the general direction of the creek feeder.

So I slowly circled back around, and sure enough, they surfaced in the lower pasture. This time there were four as they picked up a smaller comrade that probably weighed about 35 to 40 pounds. But oddly, they bedded down on the side of a slough about 100 yards away from me. I could see them fairly well, but intervening brush was a problem, so once again, I had no shot. I continued to watch them through my handheld monocular with hopes they'd head towards the feeder and give me an opportunity for the MGM 1:8 .223 barrel to shine.

After about 10 minutes, though, they started milling about and headed east -- and out of sight. I guess they won this round.

I'm hoping for different results if they happen to return for a round two.

they just wonted to be shot with 3030 not just a 22!

quote:

Originally posted by domit:
they just wonted to be shot with 3030 not just a 22!

Well, maybe I can accommodate their wishes ha ha.