DanWalker
04-13-2007, 05:24 PM
Hi guys,
I made it back from my Texas hog hunt intact.
My goal for the hunt was to score some quality BBQ sized hogs to feed to the roughnecks on the rigs I work on. That goal was met quite easily. I had a few problems with miscommunication with my original outfitter, and wound up having to switch ranches at the last minute. The outfit I wound up with was pretty crappy, but we still had a good time and killed 5 hogs between 2 of us in 2 days of hunting.
I got 3 of them and my partner got 2.
His hogs were both rather uneventful. He headshot both at less than 50 yards with a scoped 243. We were walking and stalking through thick vegetation and large pecan bottoms.
My hogs were MUCH more fun. The first was shot with my trusty win 94 trapper in 45LC. It was loaded with my favorite hog killing load of a 320gr wfngc cast from 50/50 WW's and lead, over 18.5 grains of 2400.
We'd been trying to catch up to the herd of hogs my bud had shot his out of when we spotted some others darting through the brush ahead of us. We worked in to where we last saw them and as I stepped out of some thick tangled vines, I spotted a 40lb hog staring at me from under the roots of a downed tree less than 15 feet away. I eased the trapper up and put a round through mr piggy's head, just behind his eye, and he dropped like a ton of bricks. That's when things got fun.
When I shot, all hell broke loose as half a dozen pigs came streaming out from under the tree, right at us. I had hogs stomping on my feet and knocking into me as they stampeded out of there. I was trying to jump out of the way, working the lever on the winny, and shoot another hog, all at the same time. needless to say, no more blood was shed. I did manage to miss a hog at less than 6 feet though. This should probably be some sort of record or something.
The highlight of the whole incident was when the 250lb black boar came charging out as I was trying to lever in another round. I jumped out of his way, and he headed straight for my bud, who was standing right behind me, looking terribly amused by my plight.
Mr. hog wasn't real happy with us, and lowered his head at my amigo. Quick thinking cowboy that he is, my bud just jumped off to the side and booted the boar in the ribs as it came for him. It veered off and tore through the swampy mess behind us, leaving us both shaking and laughing like idiots.
My second and third hogs were taken with my ruger blackhawk in 45LC, using the same load as above.Once the deed was done with the rifle, I put it up and hauled out the sixgun for some real fun.
We had a great afternoon, which included a humiliating miss at less than 25 yards on a hog we snuck up on as he slept in the sun. He jumped and ran as I was raising my ruger to put a round in him. I shot as he jumped, and missed high.
About 30 minutes after that, we were working our way through some semi flooded timber when we spotted a herd of 30 or so hogs headed our way. I knelt in the mud and waited for them to come to us. I was right in the middle of the trail they were travelling on. About 10 coffee can sized coal black piglets were in the lead of the group and they skidded to a stop about 20 yards out, trying to figure out what I was.
The whole herd turned and began trotting to my right. When they finally stopped, they were about 40 yards away. I picked a 50lb hog near the end of the bunch and and shot him. I hit him high and behind the lungs and he went down squealing. When he flopped over, I could see another smaller hog flopping around behind him. I ran up and put finishers into both of them. My first shot had taken the boar high in the back, then exited and broke the spine of a smaller unseen hog behind him.
Like I said, we had a good time, brought home some good BBQ hogs, and I got to hunt with one of my very best friends.
Now all I have to do is wait for the weather to warm up so we can fire up the grill.
I made it back from my Texas hog hunt intact.
My goal for the hunt was to score some quality BBQ sized hogs to feed to the roughnecks on the rigs I work on. That goal was met quite easily. I had a few problems with miscommunication with my original outfitter, and wound up having to switch ranches at the last minute. The outfit I wound up with was pretty crappy, but we still had a good time and killed 5 hogs between 2 of us in 2 days of hunting.
I got 3 of them and my partner got 2.
His hogs were both rather uneventful. He headshot both at less than 50 yards with a scoped 243. We were walking and stalking through thick vegetation and large pecan bottoms.
My hogs were MUCH more fun. The first was shot with my trusty win 94 trapper in 45LC. It was loaded with my favorite hog killing load of a 320gr wfngc cast from 50/50 WW's and lead, over 18.5 grains of 2400.
We'd been trying to catch up to the herd of hogs my bud had shot his out of when we spotted some others darting through the brush ahead of us. We worked in to where we last saw them and as I stepped out of some thick tangled vines, I spotted a 40lb hog staring at me from under the roots of a downed tree less than 15 feet away. I eased the trapper up and put a round through mr piggy's head, just behind his eye, and he dropped like a ton of bricks. That's when things got fun.
When I shot, all hell broke loose as half a dozen pigs came streaming out from under the tree, right at us. I had hogs stomping on my feet and knocking into me as they stampeded out of there. I was trying to jump out of the way, working the lever on the winny, and shoot another hog, all at the same time. needless to say, no more blood was shed. I did manage to miss a hog at less than 6 feet though. This should probably be some sort of record or something.
The highlight of the whole incident was when the 250lb black boar came charging out as I was trying to lever in another round. I jumped out of his way, and he headed straight for my bud, who was standing right behind me, looking terribly amused by my plight.
Mr. hog wasn't real happy with us, and lowered his head at my amigo. Quick thinking cowboy that he is, my bud just jumped off to the side and booted the boar in the ribs as it came for him. It veered off and tore through the swampy mess behind us, leaving us both shaking and laughing like idiots.
My second and third hogs were taken with my ruger blackhawk in 45LC, using the same load as above.Once the deed was done with the rifle, I put it up and hauled out the sixgun for some real fun.
We had a great afternoon, which included a humiliating miss at less than 25 yards on a hog we snuck up on as he slept in the sun. He jumped and ran as I was raising my ruger to put a round in him. I shot as he jumped, and missed high.
About 30 minutes after that, we were working our way through some semi flooded timber when we spotted a herd of 30 or so hogs headed our way. I knelt in the mud and waited for them to come to us. I was right in the middle of the trail they were travelling on. About 10 coffee can sized coal black piglets were in the lead of the group and they skidded to a stop about 20 yards out, trying to figure out what I was.
The whole herd turned and began trotting to my right. When they finally stopped, they were about 40 yards away. I picked a 50lb hog near the end of the bunch and and shot him. I hit him high and behind the lungs and he went down squealing. When he flopped over, I could see another smaller hog flopping around behind him. I ran up and put finishers into both of them. My first shot had taken the boar high in the back, then exited and broke the spine of a smaller unseen hog behind him.
Like I said, we had a good time, brought home some good BBQ hogs, and I got to hunt with one of my very best friends.
Now all I have to do is wait for the weather to warm up so we can fire up the grill.