Got back from South Texas late on Friday, and with my wife getting some sort of virus, I had a lot of chores around the house and still haven't even unpacked my gear yet. I finished putting up the chickens early and was able to head out to the plum thicket for an evening sit.
Over the last week, some hogs have got pretty brazen, coming up to the barn and digging up some of the young trees that my wife had planted a couple of years ago. That made her angry enough to buy a hog trap, and gives me even more motivation to get after them.
After our deer season ended, I put up a free feeder for the deer, as well as a bran bag filled with rice bran ( which by the way is a pretty cool setup). The deer haven't been able to get as much of the bran as I would like because the hogs get into it. A couple weeks ago, I shot a real nice boar on my place, and since then I have seen an even nicer boar twice in the plum thicket. Unfortunately, both times I was busted before I could get within range. I was hoping that with a few days off, he might come back, although I figured it might take longer with a smart old boar. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so out I went.
I was sitting at a tripod 100 yards or so from the free feeder, but close by a poly barrel filled with corn and with holes drilled in the side. This barrel had been hit by the hogs for 6 days in a row, so as long as the wind didn't swirl too much, I thought that I would be okay. As the evening wore on, I saw a total of 14 deer, with some nice bucks that still had their antlers. A little surprised at this in March. I also saw 2 coyotes roaming through, but not shot opportunities developed.
Shortly before dark, I heard a hog flopping it's ears to my northwest, followed by hog going to the bran bag. Not the big boy that I was looking for, but a nice hog. I knew that as soon as he had his fill of bran, that he would head my way. Sure enough, but not before slamming his body several times into the free feeder to dislodge some corn, which he quickly devoured. I guess he thought it would be easier at the barrel and he headed that way.
Light was fading fast, but the snow on the ground helped a lot. If he took the path that I expected, I would have a nice 18 yard shot. I guess he had other ideas, and he circled around to the northwest of me, heading south to the barrel. If he would have stayed in the cover, he would have winded me on the way to the barrel, but he came close by and into a clearing. After a little rooting, he continued on, giving me a quartering away shot. My silvertip didn't let me down, and he only went around 50 yards. Didn't weigh him, but probably around 150#.
Topic: Not even unpacked yet, another (Read 967 times)
