For the last five years I have been going to a friend's property near Cross Plains m TX to hunt hogs with no results. This year I hit the jackpot and got three.
The first two I used a Remington 700 in a wildcat I designed to meet the rules for a rifle in the shotgun zone in Michigan. Details here, http://forums.accuratereloadin...6521043/m/4711079002
The first hog was a little guy about 100 lbs but number two was a whopper, guy who owns ranch estimated 350 to 400. Big one was hit at 20 yards with him walking towards me.
Pretty cool to use a rifle I had designed the cartridge, stock and make the components including drilling and rifling the barrel
Third hog was shot with another Remington in 6.5x284, about 175 lbs. it is a great long range gun and I shot the hog at 50 yards.

I had sighted the rifles, checked impact at long range and all shots were close, close enough to not be in focus.

I was supposed to be hunting whitetail deer but never got a shot, and was having too much fun!

Mark

The big one

Congratulations.

Nice hunt!! roger

don't ya luv it when a plan comes together.

Good on ya!

+1


JAPPFT,


GWB

............................................................... Fun hunting, Huh?

You aren't the first and won't be the last to be distracted from deer by the feral hogs--

Knock 'em down, and we'd love to see pics of the big one--

It was a great hunt. Already planning for next year on the drive home.
The above picture was taken by my friend.
I cannot find my camera! I unpacked and it is not to be seen. I really hope I find it but I do have the pictures before this hunt downloaded

Mark

Great looking stock on your rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
Great looking stock on your rifle.

Thank you. I like figured maple stocks.
The shape of the butt is a homage to straight Winchester lever guns although I made the LOP 15" (I like long stocks). The fore end is wide and fairly flat to fit my big paws. It is really quick on target, first hog was a running shot at 15 yards.
I also have a post 64 Model 70 30-06 with a straight stock.

Mark

Really is a great looking stock. I have always had a fondness for highly figured maple stocks myself. They can make up into really beautiful stocks for modern rifles or muzzle loaders such as Hawken half stocks.

Here is a picture of the first hog I shot, the smallest.
Was not a pretty kill but he is dead.
And a better shot of the stock for Crazy Horse.

Mark

Hey Mark:
Good hunt, fine looking rifle. I really like the stripes on that wood. Don't think I've seen one like that before. How about a close up of the other side too?

I had the same focus problem with the two hogs I shot. .243 K6 Weaver at 30 feet in the dark shadows, black hogs. Just couldn't find the spot on their foreheads I wanted to hit. Finally located an ear, then the job was done quickly. Wanted to mount them both, and wanted the skulls too but got screwed out of them. I was being real careful to brain them yet put the bullets out the throat so the skulls were not harmed. I did my job right.

Since then Midway had some 6.5-20x Simmons for $100.
Since they have a good return policy, thought I'd get three for rifle's I wanted to reglass and see if they'd do better.
What sold me was the ad: "focus down to 30 feet".

That's close for a big glass like that. I was skeptical. Each one was clear and checked the focus at most power settings all the way out to 20x looking at the detail of bricks on my fence post about 27ft. I could see the specs in the coloration clear. A shooting buddy came by and he could too.

I've shot two of them a little bit but, these nagging health problems have kept me from doing any prairie dogging again this year and just a half dozen trips to the range is all I've made.

Thought I'd throw this out about the scopes, pm if you'd like more details, I can get a box out and get the part # if you'd like.

Three pigs and one a monster is good results on a trip. I'm happy for you.
George

When I was in Texas we were seeing tracks of a very large hog, they were the size of cattle tracks.

Today I get a call.
This afternoon Pat, the land owner, checked his snare, cable was like a guitar string, he draws his 41 mag Black Hawk and out of the bushes it charges. He said it went nearly 8 feet long, the size of a steer. Pat shoots it between the eyes turning it and then a second one into the shoulder. The hog charges off into the forest ripping out the anchor tree and breaking the snare cable. He gives it a couple minutes and follows the blood trail, after a couple hundred yards it peters out and he realizes he is alone, wife not home till 9:3PM, and carrying a gun that has been proven inadequate and trailing a giant wounded beast. Sometimes a 460 Weatherby really is the best answer.
Plan is to check for tracks, when he gets another Hunter there go in with rifles. In not found in a week walk the downwind side of the forest to smell for it. Try to recover the skull.

M

Sent from my iPad

Congratulations! Nicely done!

Good Job! Now get back at em! They've got way too many.....

Thank you, it really is a beautiful piece of maple.

Nice.
I do not recommend a 20 power scope for close range hunting for obvious reasons. Last year a friend centered a 2 inch oak tree with his 9.3 because he left his scope on 12 power whilst hunting hogs in thick woods where a 50 yard shot was a long one. I see guys all the time over-scoped. Back in the ancient days (meaning the 1950s) a 4x was most common and a 6x was positively a high power scope. Actually, scopes of any sort were rare. Now everyone wants a 6-20 power at least.

quote:

I do not recommend a 20 power scope for close range hunting for obvious reasons. Last year a friend centered a 2 inch oak tree with his 9.3 because he left his scope on 12 power whilst hunting hogs in thick woods where a 50 yard shot was a long one. I see guys all the time over-scoped. Back in the ancient days (meaning the 1950s) a 4x was most common and a 6x was positively a high power scope. Actually, scopes of any sort were rare. Now everyone wants a 6-20 power at least.

I have been using K-6 Weavers almost exclusively since the 1960's, but one thing I have learned over the past few years in talking to many hunters, even with the different variables mounted on their rifles, they normally have the scope set at 4 to 6 power for the majority of their shooting.

DPCD:

I fully agree, but, it takes practice to know your gun and scope. IF you have a 6x and want to check something way off and no binocs, they come in real handy. Also, if you're done hunting and have some p/dogs you can get in some great practice.
BUT: You need to use your setup enough that you know what you're doing.

A 6x Weaver will NOT focus down to 30 feet. Try it. I've used them for years too.


Randall: IF my health issues clear up maybe we could make a swap for a pig shoot for this K-6 with the two crosshairs I'll never use.

George

The rifles I used for the above hunt had variable scopes, they never were changed from lowest setting, 2.5 and 3x.
My hunting partner only uses Leupold 6X 42mm fixed power. I have a couple and I think it is the way to go unless the action is really close.

Mark

I forgot about the Nikon on this new .358 U/M I had built for a dreamed trip to Australia before I got sick it was started, went ahead and had it finished. Haven't used it yet, couple times to the range is all.
It's a 2-7x and will focus down to at least ten feet. I have a bullet trap in the shop I blast at sometimes. Was sitting on the step one day and paper was fuzzy so I turned the dial a bit and it came into fine focus. Really surprised me.

My eye's have been bad since I was in third grade. Without glasses or contacts in I can't even find my own zipper!

Had a K-4 from '58 until about 7yrs ago when it finally lost settings. Pretty darn good investment for $35 new. Rifle now has a .44Mag Simmons, think it's 3 or 4 to 10x, not sure without looking.

Most of these big scopes I have on varmint rifles as when I'm able I do a LOT of prairie/dogging. .17's, .20VarTarg, .223 Sako and such.

Prices looked real good at $100 bucks and I needed a couple and wasn't happy with the k 6, decided WTH, just replace that too. That's my antelope rifle. Extra power never hurts when hunting goats on the short grass.

George