Success In The Field

ON 2/4/22, AFTERNOON, I WAS IN A BLIND AT THE 1500 ACRE RESERVE SECTION OF THE SOUTH TEXAS DEER LEASE I AM ON. THE FEEDER IS ONLY 80 YARDS AWAY. 2 YEARS AGO I SHOT A NICE 9 POINT CULL BUCK THERE. HAD SAT THERE IN THE MORNING AND ZILCH. GOT IN THE BLIND AT 3:30 P.M. AND ZILCH UNTIL 5:35 WHEN A BIG MATURE BUCK, A LOT BETTER THAN THE NICE 8 I SHOT A COUPLE OF WEEKS EARLIER WITH THE 353, COMES IN. I HAD LEFT THE BLIND TO PEE AND AS I GOT BABK IN I SEE THIS BIG BOY, SO EVERYTHING GOT HURRIED UP. I GOT THE 353, LOADED WITH SPEER 180gr FP BULLETS OVER A HEALTY DOSE OF 296, ONTO THE REST ON THE WINDOW AND SHOT. THE SHOT SOUNDED "WEAK" BUT DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. AT THE SHOT THE BIG BUCK TURNS AND HAULS ASS. MIND YOU IT WAS AN 80 YARD SHOT WITH AN ACCURATE LOAD/REVOLVER FROM A REST, "NO WAY" I COULD MISS. WELL NO BLOOD, NO HAIR NO SIGN, MANY, MANY MAN HOURS LATER OVER 2 DAYS AND NOTHING. I PUT A $100 REWARD ON IT AND THE COWBOYS KEPT LOOKING BUT NO SIGN, NO EAGLE/VULTURE ACTIVITY, NOTHING, SO I MUST HAVE MISSED. I WAS REALLY BUMMED OUT.

A FEW DAYS LATER I AM AT MY RANCH (THE HIGHPOINT IN EDWARDS COUNTY, TEXAS), WITH MY ONLY SCOPED HUNTING GUN BEING THE 353. THE EVENING OF THE 8th I AM RETURNING TO THE OWNER's QUARTERS FROM THE HUNTERS' CABIN WHEN AT THE CAMP FEEDER, IN THE DARK BUT UNDER THE LIGHTS, I SEE WHAT I BELIEVE IS A HOG. I GET MY BINO's, SHOOTING RESTS, AND 353 AND GET TO THE SHOOTING BENCH IN THE FRONT YARD. SURE ENOUGH IT IS A NICE SIZED FERAL PIG. ITS BEHIND A FEEDER LEG AND FINALLY CLEARS ENUFF TO GET A SHOT AT THE HEAD AREA. THE SHOT IS AT 130 YARDS, MAYBE A TAD MORE. I AIM HIGH ON THE HEAD AND SHOOT. MAYBE MY NEW NICK NAME SHUD BE "DEAD EYE" AS I HIT HIM IN THE EYE AND DOWN IT WENT. IT KICKED A LITTLE SO WHAT THE HECK I SENT ANOTHER ROUND INTO DEAD CENTER OF PIG AND HEARD A COMFORTING HIT.

HE WAS A NICE SIZED BOAR PROBABLY JUST UNDER 100lbs. WE LEFT HIM LAY, AND THE NEXT MORNING I TURNED HIM INTO SEVERAL PIECES OF XZYLITOL'ed COYOTE BAIT. LIFE IS GOOD WHEN YOU KILL A PIG, AND I GOT MY MOJO BACK. HERE IS A PICTURE OF THE HOG.

BTW, THE BULLET EXITED.

THIS WAS PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD EATING PIG, BUT AT NIGHT, AFTER A LONG DAY, AND CLOSE TO BED TIME, IT WAS IT EASY DECISION TO LET HIM LAY.