For the last two years I've shot a hog in November, and then had zero luck through December, January, February, and most of March. Despite my efforts to break my winter jinx, this season turned out exactly the same. I made trips to my hunting area almost every week since the first of the year, but kept coming home empty-handed. Twice I saw a hog or two or three, but always on a neighbor's property where I don't have permission to hunt. Finally I managed to snag one, a sow that we estimated to weigh between 125-150 Lbs.
It was just past sundown on 19 March, the last official day of winter, when I spotted this hog and a couple of smaller ones through my binoculars across a pasture. The wind was favorable and fairly strong, so I was able to drive part way along the fence line behind a group of trees until I was maybe 200 yards from my target. I put a bush between us and began stalking her. She moved around so I shifted and placed a lone cow in front of me for a screen. As I approached, the cow got nervous and wandered off, so I simply crouched and crept slowly closer. It was now getting near the end of civil twilight, and with the wind still strong in my face I figured the hog would be unlikely to notice me. I got to within 70 yards and figured that was close enough. I knelt down, shot, and she went straight down. She kicked a couple of times and then simply stopped moving. I watched long enough to be certain that she wouldn't get up, then I walked back across the pasture and put my rifle up. I grabbed a pair of gloves, walked back to where the hog lay, and spent the next half-hour dragging her carcass to the fence where I'd parked the truck. Next time I should think about shooting one closer to a gate, maybe. The property owner and his 12-year old son came out and helped me hoist her into the back of the truck, and then we strung her up and set to work. I split the meat with the landowner, who is a long-time friend, so we each now have at least 30-40 Lbs. of hog meat in our freezers.
I found the bullet. It's a Winchester 150 grain Power-Point. I was using my relatively new Browning A-Bolt II .308, and it certainly made an impression on the hog.
it was +15 that day
