SSgtBaber

This is my very first post here, and ever about hunting.

I have taken around 8 hogs over 10 years with my Marlin 30-30, but all were during day light.
I put a cheap True Glow 4x scope with a light up recital and went hog hunting (at night) last weekend and this weekend.
Around a 200lb hog came in at 6:20pm on Sunday, but I didn't have a good shot. He caught my sent and ran off. (clothes were soaked in campfire smoke) GRRRRRrrrrr!
Round 2 was yesterday. I used no fragrance detergent and washed my hat and coveralls, then again with sent-away body wash/shampoo.
Also washed myself with that stuff and wore no lotion, chap stick, hair gunk. (I know what I had done wrong smell wise the day b4.)

It came in again at 6:50pm last night, and around 7:05pm he was in the clear, 20 yards in front of me, broadside, in with the full moon shining on him like God was spot lighting for me.
I filled my scope with his head, and fired.
He squealed and ran off into the brush, I listened to where he went.
I got down and found no blood! Tracked him through the brush, and still no blood.

Needless to say, I am doubting my new scope. (I had of course tested it at 75 yards.) Hornady Lever Evolution ammo.

IDK WHAT HAPPENED!

Guess I could have hit his head and it bounced off, but I thought from the side that wouldn't matter. Or since my scope has wind-age and elevation that is always settable, I may have turned it by accident, and lost zero.

Comments? Opinions? Did he get hit and no damage?

I bet I get him this weekend!

Thanks,
John (hunting in East Texas for 15 years)

mw_Guerilla

I too own a Marlin 3030. I love this rifle and I am very accurate with it. I honestly prefer the iron sights (look into getting a fiber optic or ghostring sights). I have a tasco 4X scope on a mount so I can use either scope or iron sights. Look into something like that. Those should both benefit your needs.

AccuBond

When the boar has squealed, you have taken it! Headshots to boars are very dangerous! Boars are a very lively game and one little move to the right or left is enough to fail. Take the shot right trough both lung, next time! If you have bad luck, you have taken the boar on the jaw! With this injury it is able to run several miles away! Little blood, little trimmed hair, very difficult for tracking! Do you have a good dog? I choose every time the shot right trough the lung, behind the shoulder bone, a little bit higher to damage the spine! Caliber is the 9,3x62 with Nosler AccuBond 250gr!

smokepole70

Mr. Baber welcome to the forum, I am new myself here. I agree with Accubond regarding taking a lung shot over a head shot esp. at night when things aren't so lit up. That 30-30 will put a hurting on a hog pretty much anywhere on the body that close.

SSgtBaber

Man, I hope I didn't kill him or wound him too bad. (or her)
I will be sure to take lung shots next time.
I guess that is pretty much the standard.

Thanks for the welcome and replies, good first impression of the forum.

I go back on Saturday and will look for it. Maybe if alive it will show up, if dead maybe I will find it.

As far as a hunting dog, I know nothing about them.
I love dogs and want a dog this year, but would a hunting dog also be a dog for the home? I have had a English bull dog, German Sheppard, and boxer that all required lots of exercise but were in the house when I was away at work. I do not have a fenced in yard.

halfbakedi420

dear dude,
ya shoulda got on here b4 ya went. i agree with just about everything recommended below.
dbl lunger is a better way to go. this hog is probably missin half his face and suffered an unimaginable death.
puttin all the mil dots across his face and pulin the trigger is a bad idea. you need to zoom out, and shoot behind the front leg when they step forward. gl



(if i dont get a pat on the back, then i will put all the stuff i deleted back in here)

SSgtBaber

LMFAO at some of these usernames! btw

I can't zoom out with a 4x fixed powered scope, but I will be doing lung shots from now on.

I am a deer hunter, not a hog hunter. The hogs I killed in the past were during the day with open sights right below/behind the ear and they dropped or went 20 feet and dropped. So yeah night hunting is harder, and I can't expect to make a perfect shot. Lung/Body it is.

smokepole70

Don't let it bother you too much, I have seen may a people shooting them behind the ear, back of head, and also in the forehead. Me, if I am using a high powered rifle I aim behind the shoulder like Halfbaked recommended to you. Head shots can end up(seen it plenty of times taking out the snout.

AccuBond

I agree with smokepole. Don`t let it bother you! Each hunter is making a mistake once! From this experience you can only learn. I`m convinced you will make it better, next time! In Germany, we hunt wild boars mainly at night. So, I can tell you, for nighthunting you need outstanding optic. Minimum 50mm objective diameter and a high quality scope with a very fine illuminated reticle. Not the whole reticle! Only the dot! In the night you are always fighting with twilight and generally bad view. So you need a good overview. When the reticle does outshine, you will be dazzle. Your eyes cant habituate to the naturally light.

SSgtBaber

I went out this past weekend. (it was in the 30's)
I saw 3 hogs on Saturday and 1 last night.
Why aren't they dead? I didn't shoot them. lol
The cheap scope proves to work during the day when the recital isn't lit. Once you turn on the light it goes WAY off.
I plan to take it back and get a good red dot. (or maybe just use laser)

Any specific products will be welcome suggestions as I am new to this.