It has been awhile since I have been able to connect on a hog. One of the problems with a modest sized property that doesn't abut large tracts of land is that you see the same hogs over and over. If you shoot a lot of them, word gets around, and it gets exponentially more difficult. I have tons of stories of getting busted by some of these crafty hogs, including continuously circling a feeder for an hour just waiting for the wind to change so the could have all of the bases covered.
In any case, I got a covert code black camera, which sends pictures to your cell phone when there is activity at a feeder. It is actually pretty cool, but has some limitations. Only one of the feeders on my property has good cell phone service, which is a requirement. That feeder is exactly a 1 mile walk from my front door.
I have been trying to make it happen at this spot for a little while, but the conditions haven't been right. I have a gravity feeder a little to the north of the hog feeder, and the wind predominates out of the south. Deer are frequently at the gravity feeder, and make it tough to use an approach from the north. I had been waiting for a steady north wind, and tonight it was around 8 mph out of the north, and we had just had a light drizzle to muffle some of the noise.
I have a directional feeder light that I tried to adjust and I have been putting out a little extra corn on the ground for the last couple of days to hold them at the spot a little longer. Tonight just as I was getting ready to turn in to bed, I got a picture that a hog was at the feeder, so I quickly grabbed my bow and got some clothes on and made my way toward the hog, which was in the north part of my property.
During my walk, I got another picture that showed a second hog had showed up, but I was unable check that during the trek.
I got to the plum thicket as quickly as I could, and circled around to the southwest along a brush hog trail, and made my approach to the green light of the feeder. Up until I got to the plum thicket, I was making good time, but it was slow going because I was only able to use a red light when I knew that there was cover between me and the hog. The rest of the time I had to feel the ground through my boots to try to avoid snapping sticks. There was no way that I was going in my socks with how many copperheads that we have spotted this year.
As I approached, I heard grunting and some sqealing, and saw a slightly larger hog chase the hog in my picture away from the corn, and momentarily go back to feeding. I realized my dilemma right away.
I had adjusted the corn pile to give me a shot under 20 yards from cover. No problem there. But I also adjusted the feeder light to cover the pile. Big mistake. It was shining directly at ME, and barely covering the corn pile. I was nearly blinded, and it was just about impossible to stay out of the light.
The hogs kind of skittered away from the feeder, and I thought they might have heard me, but I didn't hear any angry growling, so I took a chance and crossed to a nook on the other side of the trail for slightly better cover, knelt down and waited. I heard them eating some corn from a little away from the pile, but not in the light, and after around 5 minutes the smaller hog crossed into the light, shortly followed by the other hog. They seemed to be quartering toward me, and I was despairing of getting a shot, then the smaller hog seemed like it was broadside, but I was having a lot of trouble making out the silhouette while being blinded by that feeder light.
I was at full draw and ready, but really couldn't pick a spot, and barely an area, and never should have shot, but I did. All I can say for sure, is that I hit it too far back and didn't get a pass through, but the hog ran into the brush to the southwest and stopped maybe 25 yards with my arrow with a lit nock in it, which I could make out through the brush. The larger hog came through the brush and stopped around 3 or 4 yards from me, but couldn't see or smell me for sure, but as growling for all he was worth. Cool, and unnerving at the same time. Eventually he headed toward the Northeast, occasionally growling his displeasure, while the wounded hog made a variety of sounds, some of which sounded like calling for other hogs, others like mildly agitated growls, a few that almost sounded like a death moan, but were then followed by occasional rustling and sounds of discomfort. I waited silently 20-25 yards away then snuck out and headed home, but not before circling around to adjust the feeder light to a more appropriate angle. I am pretty sure that I will find it laying right where I left it, but dead, at daylight. I knew that there would be no way of being sure that it was dead, and if I went into the brush thinking it was dead in the dark I would most likely push it into the next county and not be able to recover it. Not my proudest moment, but I am pretty sure that I will recover it, and it is only going to be in the low 60's tonight, so the meat will probably still be OK.
Here is a pic of the hog shortly before I shot.
Topic: Shot one, but it's not over-now it is. Pics page 2 (Read 1628 times)
