HOG HUNT

I got back last night from a SC boar hunt, dropped off the cooler at my butcher about 9:30pm and got Home about 10:15PM, I drove the whole way from, SC to PA my self so I was dog tired when I got home and this morning I went back to the butcher shop to order what I wanted made and pick up my cooler. I ordered front shoulder roasts, the loins pulled out, ham steaks from 2 of the fresh hams, fresh sausage, sweet Italian sausage and breakfast links and scrapple. Had a great trip, three of us went and we each killed 2 hogs. I had a heck of an experience, with the one hog, a nice brindle. The distance ranged at 43 yards and I aimed for the neck. It is my habit to watch a hog for a while after I drop it, then go to the hog and take pictures before it goes back for skinning and gutting then put in a walk in. After I was sure the hog was dead, it had not moved for about 10 minutes I took my rifle and camera and went to the hog. As I took a picture I saw the hog blink, about the time it sunk in I might be in trouble it jumped up and charged me chopping and kinda growling, my rifle was on my shoulder and I had my camera in one hand and not much time. I always carry my .40 Kahr on my hip for a just in case moment, I drew and fired from the hip when he was about two feet from me and he went down, I backed up to assess the situation and he charged again, and I shot again, this time hitting him in the spine and he went down again. He laid there laboring for breath so I gave him one between the eyes to end it. I have to tell you after it was over I thought to myself, that was really exciting, then I checked my pants. Turned my rifle shot hit him in the neck and didn't kill him then exited through the opposite front shoulder that is what knocked him down, he looked dead and had holes in the right place, had I not taken out the shoulder he would have gotten me, he was plenty fast on three legs. The next day was really hot for Feb, 78 degrees and the pigs were not moving I saw a few small ones and piglets but no meat hogs. That evening I went back on stand about 4pm and same deal, no big hogs until 20 til 6, then I had pigs of all sizes come in for three directions and I had a big selection. I picked out a nice black boar and it took about 10 minutes until there was a clear shot with out the chance of hitting another pig. Daylight was dropping fast as it was one of those evenings where it is like someone threw a light switch so I elected for a behind the shoulder shot as opposed to my usual head or neck shot. I squeezed the trigger and my 45-70 barked and pigs were running all over the place except the one I shot at laying under the feeder, the only hog I ever shot that did not kick at all. I got out of the stand and walked down with my camera to take a few pictures and the bubbles of blood were piled up around the hole right in the crease behind the shoulder, a good lung shot. I took a picture of him them moved in front of him to take a head on shot and saw a piglet with his camo stripes laying about a foot behind the big hog with a big hole behind his shoulder, made me sad that I had done that. His color matched perfectly the ground where I shot the pigs and he was invisible to me. He was so well cammoed that the guide didn't see him when he was standing a foot away dragging my hog to the truck. I figured since I killed the little bugger I would eat him so I took him along. I didn't take a picture of my 10 pounder because I wasn't real proud of doing that. The brindle, the one that charged me weighed 162 lbs live weight and the black weighed 147 lbs live weight. A few pics below.

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Hey man, I don't know about SC, but in TX hogs are a real problem, for everyone. Waiting for a "Meat Hog" is not good sportsmanship. They all need to go, not just the ones you like. Besides, the little ones eat better.

Where is SC did you go?