Spring 2015 Florida hog hunt

[rushca01]

Spent a week down in Florida hunting pigs this past week on a 3000 acre cattle ranch. Hunted Monday through Friday but took Wednesday off to fish on Tampa bay.

Saw a total of 4 pigs with two harvested. First pig we saw was Sunday evening when we were scouting the land. Didn't take any rifles with us, lesson learned. Saw two more, one Thursday morning and one Thursday evening. Both of those were killed. 4th pig was spotted Friday morning by my brother. He radioed me in near the pig but it took off before I could spot it and shoot it. Shortly after it ran I heard the Cowboys coming through moving the cattle. Once they moved through the day was blown. Also, spotted 1 alligator and three Bobcats one of which was big.

1st pig was taken with 5.56 62 grn barnes tsx, pig was shot high in the shoulder and didn't move 3 feet after being shot. Shot was between 125-150 yards out. It kicked for about 20 seconds and stopped moving. When we dressed it we saw lots of damage in the shoulder and was a through and through shot. Exit wound was up near the spine, From the looks of it it looked like the bullet hit a major artery or the spine upon exit.

2nd pig was shot on the move from about 75 yards out with an LMT MWS 308 with 150 grn Barnes tsx bullet. Shot was through and through lung shot. This pig ran about 30-50 yards after being shot. I never saw the pig before it was shot but spotted it running after it was shot. I thought it was a missed shot from how fast the pig was moving once it entered the brush. We waited about an hour as I had a good line on where it entered the brush. Once we spotted blood she was easy to track and only ran about 10 yards in the brush before succumbing to her wounds. She was lung shot.

All in all good trip but it took 3 days of hunting before we saw pigs. We were subletting the land and the leases are bigger turkey hunters then pig hunters. We didn't see pigs until our "guide" put us in close proximity to the corn feeder.....weird I know.

Here are some pics.

Pig 1

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/8A43B650-8E45-4FA9-95F4-6B5D84B27A0F_zpsbaztzv9l.jpg

Brother and I skinning pig 1 (I'm on the left)

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/2044568B-07E2-4BDA-AAA4-D6B19077652B_zpszvhynroq.jpg

Pig 2
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/81E399B0-9473-49FD-A60A-C8CB016F8BC0_zpsqu0kriuu.jpg

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/CA9BE2E5-1578-491C-84CB-068B881F740A_zpsskaxfriq.jpg

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/5132BAF5-F20C-4FF6-BC2F-A8964FE8442F_zpstnzdcmek.jpg

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/76BC29AB-5139-4D7D-8F97-F680E8B4D835_zpsnbten1ru.jpg

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/CABE287A-D2E4-41EA-B9D4-34D2318492C0_zpsriibtodg.jpg

Speckled sea trout, was about 20 inches which is decent size for this fish.

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/FBEC84A6-9C58-4EFE-BAD9-F644E0242C04_zpss0fkvg2g.jpg

Fresh fish from the day, deep fried. Silver trout, speckled sea trout, and mackerel.

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo356/rushca01/BB5C2CB1-0E28-44FE-A798-CCB2E2F8E462_zpshef6body.jpg

[sidewaysil80]

Looks like a great trip with plenty of memories. That being said I'm surprised that the hogs were so scarce. I thought Florida was completely overrun with them.

[rushca01]

Looks like a great trip with plenty of memories. That being said I'm surprised that the hogs were so scarce. I thought Florida was completely overrun with them.

I have been to both Texas and Florida to hunt hog....I harvested 2 in Texas over two nights hunting. These are the only two times I have hunted hog, and like you I thought I would be tripping over them. I would love to try a third time if it like the stories I hear about hog hunting.

[MBtech]

Congrats man! Looks like some good eating.

[Twg1]

Jealous! I went out this weekend for hogs and didn't see a thing myself, other than giant raccoons.

Naturally, your suppressor wasn't used at the time of the hunt in FL...one of the weird hunting laws in FL.

[rushca01]

Jealous! I went out this weekend for hogs and didn't see a thing myself, other than giant raccoons.

Naturally, your suppressor wasn't used at the time of the hunt in FL...one of the weird hunting laws in FL.

http://americansuppressorassociation.com/florida-hunting-with-suppressors-legal-effective-immediately/

[Twg1]

http://americansuppressorassociation.com/florida-hunting-with-suppressors-legal-effective-immediately/

SWEET. I learned something today. Been living in TX to long...got to get back to FL. GOOD HUNT!


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[rayhawk]

Looks like a good trip, let us know how the ribs come out.