I had never shot a ML in my life and it looked fun so off to the pawn shop I went.
There she was,50 caliber,Hawken style with octogon barrel and percussion cap.
Don't know who made it,it had been painted camo and I figured for $45 I would take her home.Went to wally world and picked up some 245 grn powerbelts and some loose pyrodex,a few accrutraments and it was off to the range.I enjoyed (and still do) the process of cleaning and loading and maintaining my ML and thought I shot well out to about 60 yards.

In my neck of the woods we have 5 - 7 days of no hunting between Archery/Crossbow and Black Powder season.

I used the time that year to scout a little,new ML in hand and speed loaders at the ready.
It was a nice day and the scouting was very succsesful.I found a little dim road that led to a BIG BOOGER SWAMP so I followed it.I hear something moving in the woods to my left and so I took a knee on the road and waited.A little piglet walked slowly across the road paying me not much attention,then another and another and then more.I knew Momma had to be near so I stayed kneeling.Well,here she comes and she aint happy but she doesn't charge,she looks for a moment and then moves on,I stood and listened as the group moved into the swamp.After a few moments I moved on,well,Momma made a funny sound back in the swamp,I had never heard this sound,I heard another hog answer back on the other side where they all had come from,this sound was deeper than the first.Seconds later the woods to my left explode with noise,nashing of teeth and brush busting,within seconds he is on the road in front of me at about 50 yards and closing fast.He has no fear or respect for me or my new 50 cal.He is big,black,has large cutters and whetters and he is pissed.I took a knee,cocked the lock,shouldered the gun and fired,I heard no hit so I dropped the gun and up a tree I went.The hog ran right by my safe spot and followed his small family into the swamp,bitching at me the whole time.
When the smoke,sweat and fear subsided I got down and retrived my weapon which had taken a nice scar from this piney woods rooter.
I decided that was enough for the day and a change of clothes was in order.

When I got home I reinacted the story for my loving and caring family and they found my story to be quite funny and have never let me forget it,like I ever would.My youngest daughter hunts with me allot and she likes to bring it up around the fire at night while all the men are telling our stories.
She says "Daddy! Tell them about when the little piggy scared you and ran you up a tree like a little girl" Thank's honey!!!!!

I have a healthy respect for wild hog's.