I have to say this was one of the easiest shots I have had in a long while. Around 10 tonight, I peeked outside to check for any activity and was rewarded by seeing a large, dark blob near my feeder, which is set up with a solar light -- a light George kindly sent me last summer or fall. I've taken another in the fringe of that light, but this one was fully under it. Anyway...

My Contender with a 24" Van Horn barrel in 30-30 was already on the shooting rest, so all I had to do was approach and take a shot -- well, almost. As I looked through the Docter Basic 2.5-10x50, I saw the hog skirt out of the light and disappear. Confused by its sudden departure, I slipped on my glasses, took the thermal out of my pocket and looked downrange with the little monocular. I picked up two heat signals: the boar and a smaller animal I figured to be the big boar coon that had been running deer off the protein. Apparently it had approached and spooked the hog.

But within seconds, the hog decided he'd prefer to continue his meal and came back. At first, he was perfectly broadside, but I was really hoping to "catch" one of those Hornady 110 grain GMX bullets. He never gave me a facing shot, but in another minute or so, he did afford a slight quartering-to presentation.

So, with the scope cranked up to 10x, I put the small, illuminated red dot towards the front of the near-side shoulder and touched off a round. I don't recall the sound of the shot, but even with my poor hearing, there was no mistaking the "thwack" of bullet breaking bone.

The hog was down on the spot, which was approximately 140 yards from my shooting rest.

The bullet entered on the shoulder, penetrated the heavy shield, ranged into the chest where it obliterated the lungs and exited about 3 to 4 inches behind the opposite shoulder. The exit was small -- perhaps the size of a dime -- and showed a clean wound through the rib, shield and hide, indicating it had expended most of its energy by then.

Inside the chest cavity, we found that the heart, although untouched by the bullet, was separated from some of its plumbing. Secondary bone fragments from the shoulder created even more damage, including a number of incisions through the liver. We did not find any gilding metal petals, either, so I can only assume the bullet retained its integrity throughout its flight. And, the clean, concentric exit seemed to uphold the idea that the bullet simply had its petals peeled back as it continued forward.

We could detect no damage to the CNS, so I was a bit surprised the hog folded on the spot. Then again, the solid copper 120 grain Barnes Blackout bullet ran up a nice string of in-its-tracks kills in an earlier 30-30 barrel of mine. Two previous hogs -- though notably smaller -- also dropped on the spot with the 2805 fps GMX load.

This rangy old boar was on the decline. I suspect he was a good bit heavier in his prime, but tonight, the Moultrie scale showed 181.

Oh, before I was able to round up my retriever and photographer , that old boar coon made the mistake of coming in to the feeder. I took him out as well. The frontal facing shot left quite the gruesome mid-body exit.

Great report Bobby--

That is a "woolly booger" and it was his time. I have a definite 'coon population at my sites--guess I should get after them too. I have trapped 3 in the yard this week.

Thanks for the accurate reports. They help a guy many miles from the fray. It wouldn't be good to get that many hogs here though. Be Well, Packy.

Bobby:

Makes me happy you're finally
I say: FINALLY getting some shooting with that
light. Sent a txt reply when I saw it.
Just got on here to see the picture better and
show my housekeeper.

Thanks for the wt, I was going to ask.
Now then, shoot another one or two about every
night if you can.

Thanks for the dedication too! HA!

George