My first trip to Europe started with hunting for a monster hog. My request with the guide (Marius) was 150 kilos and nice tusks.
Day one was spent waiting on our luggage after the flight from Chicago to Cluj was delayed about 2.5 hours. So, the evening was spent checking into our temporary hotel, having some dinner and getting some rest.

Day two Marius picked us up and took us due north to another nice hotel for the remainder of our stay.

After dinner, my guide & I started to head up towards the 'lodge'. After stopping to pick up Gabby the local park ranger, we continued the 45+ minute ride through some of most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. The oaks had just dropped their leaves and the air was sweet as we rocked and rolled up the narrow and mostly steep lanes to the top, elevation +1,000 feet from the bottom. After the first several hundred yards there wasn't another soul in sight. The air was temperate for the season at the mid-60's. Air was calm. We entered the cabin around 5:30-ish the layout of which was ideal for the three of us including the Park ranger who tagged along to give a hand if one was needed and also to verify the sex. Unfortunately, no hogs showed up and we packed it in around 9 or so.

Day three we headed out to some rolling hills in the morning and watched some hog lanes for action and listened for grunting, etc. Saw a dandy red fox. No hogs. Headed back for a nap and some lunch and then went up again around 5 or so. Again, nothing, just lots of sighing and myself scrambling for the P bottle every 40 minutes and finally around 9 I started to doze. Marius nudged me and whispered, we got a nice hog here in front of the feeder. If you want to take him, go ahead and if he's not big enough, we'll find another one. The dual 24 inch windows were opened and I brought the gun up and looked through the night vision red and thought it was kind of blurry including the red dot, but could see the black hog image. Everything else looked like the TV did back in the 70's after Hitchcock went off the air. I figured, piece of cake, easy 50 yard shot, plenty of thump from the 300 rem mag should drop this hog straight down. Didn't feel comfy with a head shot, so my aim was right behind the shoulder - mid body....squeeze the trigger & blam. Several feet of fire erupted out the barrel and I was one happy camper. Felt like a perfect shot. Silence...… After about 15 seconds I asked what's up? Did I get him? Marius said, not sure, we're going to look. I was certain my shot was good. Not a sign could be found, possibly one drop of drule, no hairs, no blood, nothing. Wow. Nothing? I was stunned.

Day 3 part 2. Still baffled we headed down and bopped along while spotting for Roe deer which weren't on my list, just one big hog, my last day. First group of 5 were without antlers, next group included a dandy buck. After we made a U turn down the road I suggested I take look through the scope to get accustomed. Sure enough, the dot was red and so were 6 or more tiny red pin lights around it. I adjusted those out with the focus ring and after mentioning a nice roe would suit me just fine, much better than going away empty handed; we move up to the roes, gun out the window and ready and our ranger friend lit the place up with the spotter. Truck spotters were on, vehicle was pointing right into the field at an angle and the deer started R to L in a quick gate. I was ready with the rifle but the truck front end got in the way and the buck got away. No buck.

Day 3 part 3. So, we stopped at the home of one of the 3 other outfitters that had some dandy liquor of some sort made from plums for sampling. We each sampled it several times. Delicious. About 104 proof, very smooth. Then one of the guys got an alert on his phone which turned out to be a camera alert from up top where the cabin is. 5-6 long leggers were there just munching away on the corn. Marius said wanna go, heck yeah. So, back we went and quietly walked the last several hundred yards to the blind, only stopping briefly to scope after hearing some rustling and grunting. It was pitch black. Visibility 0. After a couple more hours in the shack it was time to call it done. No hogs. Can't say we didn't try.

Beautiful place.

Just found out today, I did make a good shot. My hog found over the crest of the hill 50 yards away.

Hog decay from 3 weeks in the elements has taken its toll on the body.
Nice tusks.

Thank you, for report. I’m sorry that we couldn’t find the boar next day, unfortunately we focused more on the right side of the hill where I heard noises after the shot, possible from other boars. The boar was found after 4 days, Sunday morning.

Thanks Marius.
Email sent about the tusks.
Ray

Good news! Get your tusks back and have them displayed on a nice plaque.

They will be shipped on a wooden plaque Russell. Just got the word from Marius.

Very nice report.

I so want to go back and hunt with Marius for some wild boars.

Hopefully in the near future.

Mike