"Dumb Struck Oinkers" and (update) "Quackers"

 I think this is how the story goes ......

    Well over a year ago a great friend Chuck was conversing with another good friend Terry about his friend Gary who has some land up in Lake County with some pigs on it. Time went by and a few text messages were sent and more time passed. Eventually it all came together thanks to Chuck et al.  

    This past spring Chuck and I met up with the landowner Gary and walked out into the dark and sooner than expected walked right up on pigs milling around in the dark. As it was too dark to shoot we backed off and waited only to have the rascals run off into the hills moments before shooting time. We mounted two more expeditions over the spring and summer but the elusive swine were no where to be seen but all the sign was there.

    Last week I get the call from Chuck....it's on again. Pigs were being seen daily as Gary worked on his property and he was pretty certain if we showed up and waited it out we would have a chance at a shot. Well, we met up early and took our stand on the hill above where the pigs had been seen lately. Around eleven it was beginning to look like the oinkers were gonna be a no-show so Gary, Chuck and I took a little hike. About a half mile into the walk we crested a little ridge with Gary slightly ahead on lookout when all of a sudden he almost fell over backwards getting back into cover after spotting the hogs just under our feet maybe 20 yards below.
    
    Chuck took to the ground and made his way to the edge and Gary followed. I remained standing just behind and to the left. The plan was for Chuck to take the first shot and we were back up. The first shooter took his sweet time leaving me shaking in my boots as I had not even seen our quarry yet. Finally Chuck fired off a perfect round and Gary followed. I stepped up to the edge and one pig was on the ground and the others were dumbstruck as to what the heck happened.......I took aim, shot, and another pig down....A DOUBLE!  About that time the days light showers had turned to a downpour but who even noticed.

    It took a bit of doing but we drug the pigs about a 1/4 mile up and over a hill back to the property entrance where we (mostly Chuck but I am learning)  field dressed our trophies, snapped some pictures and loaded our game in the truck. After a quick bite to eat, thank yous and good byes to our host Gary we made out way back home....grinning the whole way home. There Chuck demonstrated the finer points of skinning and butchering a hog with me "helping" where I could. Unbelievably he had to get his butt back home and work that night.....how does he do it? I spent the best part of the next day cutting every conceivable piece of usable meat off the bones except the hams and shoulders which are being will be brined and smoked.  Tonight it's slowwww cooked ribs!

    In closing I would like to throw out a big Thank You to Chuck, Terry, and Gary for yet another GREAT ADVENTURE that would have never taken place had it not been for their generosity...Thank You.

    
    

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice job fellas!!!

Those are some FAT pigs!!!

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Very nice!

I happened to call Chuck just afterwards.  "I'm here with Leepin...  We just killed two pigs"

Good read, Allen.  Congratulations to you both, and thanks for sharing the excitement.

Allen, thanks for the kind words.  Hunting with you and Gary will be a hunt I will always remember.

The first time we hunted with Gary last spring, we encountered a group of hogs less than 30 yards in the dark.  We needed to wait another 10 minutes or so before we could get a shot so we cooked up a plan.  I wanted Allen to take the first shot with his bow and I would just back him up with my rifle. Allen was being nice and told me to take the first shot, but it all became a moot point when the hogs eventually busted us before shooting light.

Last Saturday, Allen, Gary and I were armed with rifles this time.  When Gary spotted four hogs from the ridge, he backed off and pointed down to where they were.  The hogs were just below the rocks and had no idea we were there.  It was an ideal ambush situation and generous partners granted me the first shot.  The hogs were all within 35 yards (perfect situation for a bow).  The big black hog was just below me at 20 yards and another slightly smaller cinnamon hog was out at about 35 yards.  I had no doubt I could make either shot, so I went for the longer shot hoping that it would give Allen or Gary a better opportunity nailing the closer hog.

I waited awhile to get a good broadside shot.  I know it must have seemed like an eternity for Gary and Allen (sorry   ).  I nailed my hog and looked down at the other three with surprise to see the were still there and momentarily confused.  It was just enough time for Allen to get a good shot at his.

It was almost too good to be true.  It all played out exactly as I had hoped.  We actually doubled on hogs!!!!

nice goin you guys!

& great pics. Love the fall colors, and you even got all your "game fashion" covered with different colored hogs!

~~Now that's f'n teamwork~~

Please excuse the multiple posts, but I have a question...  I have been told repeatedly that scopes are a must for pig hunting, and I see you both have scoped rifles...  Yet it sounds like these shots were from 20-30 yards...  and furthermore I know you guys bow hunt (and succeed) without the benefit of optics...

Thoughts?

My most suitable pig rifle would be a stock Win. 94 .30-30 and I'm trying to decide if I should get it scoped.

enjoyed the report very much!  thx for sharing.

Congrats to both of you... fine choice of meat pigs... perfect for the table.

Gue

Nice shootin boys
Thanks Allen, now I'm hungry for ribs
Cool report/pics
Tad
 

Congrat to you both for a successful hunt.  Thanks for the report and pictures Allen.

I was lucky enough to sit in on the butchering.  These guys are my heroes.

Please excuse the multiple posts, but I have a question...  I have been told repeatedly that scopes are a must for pig hunting, and I see you both have scoped rifles...  Yet it sounds like these shots were from 20-30 yards...  and furthermore I know you guys bow hunt (and succeed) without the benefit of optics...

Thoughts?

My most suitable pig rifle would be a stock Win. 94 .30-30 and I'm trying to decide if I should get it scoped.

Eric, the close range ambush opportunity we had on Saturday would have been perfect for a bow or gun with iron sights.  However, if you're planning to get a rifle, you might as well be prepared to shoot hundred yards or more.  I was using a Browning A-Bolt .270 with a Leupold 3-9x40mm variable power scope.  I had it dialed down to 3x power for close shots, but if I had to take 300 yard shot, I could have dialed it up to 9x power.

(FYI - I just modified my post above with more details)

Okay guys when's dinner?

Way to go fellas... giving me an itchy trigger finger. 

As a wise man once said... "happiness is a pile of pigs in the forest".   Nice work!


EricB... if you have a 30-30 with iron sights, just shoot with it enough to know your limits.  Figure out how far you can shoot and keep the shots on a 7 inch or so target (the pie pan test).  Then hunt in a fashion where you can stay within your limitations.  If you want longer range, get a scope but you should also get a different gun since a 30-30 is a farily short to medium range gun (up to 100 yards or so).  You should be able to develop confidence shoot open sights out to 100 yards with some practice.  Personally, I like the challenge of spot and stalk hunting and trying to get up close.