NFOA MEMBERS FORUM
General Categories => Hunting and Fishing => Topic started by: OnTheFly on February 20, 2015, 01:00:05 PM
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A friend with a hunting lease northwest of Ft. Worth, TX invited me to go hog hunting after my annual training in Dallas. This was not only my first hog hunt, but it was my first hunt of any kind.
Since I have absolutely zero hunting equipment or firearms, he was gracious enough to provide most everything other than warm clothing. The weather was cold (for Texas) with lows around freezing and highs in the upper 30's to 40's. The first night we didn't see anything, but the next morning before dawn we saw one hog. I took a shot I shouldn't have. The hog did not have enough light on it and it was difficult to make out the riflescope crosshairs. I'm sure I also rushed the trigger pull. That was a miss.
That night I convinced myself that I needed to take it slow. A boar, possibly the same one from that morning, came into the area. He tried to enter the barbed wire to get close to the feeder, but was tripped up. He eventually walked out of sight. A few minutes later, he was back and made it through the wire. He was just to the side of the feeder with good light on him. So I forced myself to slow down and do it right. I was shooting a rifle in 22-250 so it had to be a head shot. I was absolutely shocked when the hog dropped right where it was standing. My money was against me getting the kill since I'm not much of a rifleman, not to mention unfamiliar with the rifle.
Funny thing about adrenaline. Before the kill I was freezing my ass off, but as soon as I took the shot and saw the hog drop, I never even thought about being cold the rest of the night. We were up until 2:30AM cleaning it, which was a very interesting process. To be honest, I was worried about whether I would wimp out when it came to blood and guts, but it surprisingly did not bother me in the slightest.
Fly
(http://nebraskafirearms.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13818.0;attach=3520;image)
(http://nebraskafirearms.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13818.0;attach=3522;image)
(http://nebraskafirearms.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13818.0;attach=3524;image)
(http://nebraskafirearms.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13818.0;attach=3526;image)
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And here are the results...
(http://nebraskafirearms.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13818.0;attach=3528;image)
(http://nebraskafirearms.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13818.0;attach=3530;image)
(http://nebraskafirearms.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13818.0;attach=3532;image)
Fly
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Going to do it again next year? Congrats on a successful hunt!
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Going to do it again next year? Congrats on a successful hunt!
Unsure at this point. That will depend on the invite and whether I get some of my own equipment. I enjoyed the entire thing. Though I have to say that I can't see myself becoming a regular hunter. The time and equipment requirements are not likely in my available resources.
Fly
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I forgot to mention the hog size. We did not have a scale, but the estimates from some of the more experienced hunters was 225 to 275 pounds. The two of us could not get it off the ground. Had to drag it up the tailgate of my friends trailer.
Fly
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time to fire up the smoker.
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NFOA fundraiser!
You need a short barrel, can and NV or thermal.
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NFOA fundraiser!
You need a short barrel, can and NV or thermal.
I was thinking about that. AR platform in 300AAC with SB and can. The optics would have been the expensive component. I just couldn't justify it for possibly my one and only hog hunt.
Fly
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What...?!?!? No heli-chopper?!?
I am surely disappoint. :)
Nice piggy! I want to go hog hunting in a whirly-chopper but it's $2,000/hr. :O
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I am green with envy! Nice hunt, nice pictures. It's always nice to have success on your first hunt. Makes you want more. Great job!
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What...?!?!? No heli-chopper?!?
I am surely disappoint. :)
Nice piggy! I want to go hog hunting in a whirly-chopper but it's $2,000/hr. :O
Nope...did it the ole fashioned way since I haven't purchased the winning lottery ticket yet.
ETA: Besides, I don't know how to fly a heliochopter. My aircraft would make it considerably more challenging at 43,000 feet and 480mph (M.73). :o
I also forgot to include some of the interesting little facts I learned. First, hog stink doesn't just stay on the hog. :laugh:
Fly
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That had to be a blast! Getting down to Texas for a hog hunt is on my bucket list. I love checking out the 6.8fourms and watching the thermo videos. They can take 3 or 4 hogs if they get a big enough group.
One thing to note of you have the rifle American Reaper now Silenced HQ rents out NV not sure what they get for a weekend but it would be a lot of fun to try.
Congrats on your piggy
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