Another Sow Down —
 

Saturday evening at the farm. The sorghum was harvested a couple of months ago, so the field is mainly stalks now, making visibility pretty good. Sundown was about 6:45PM so I got out around 6:30PM to set up. It was a cloudless day, so the sunset wasn't particularly spectacular, but this photo gives an idea of the hunting conditions. I was against the edge of the field nested against the tree line. Moonrise wasn't scheduled until 2AM, and I'd be in the shadows until at least 4AM so that was good.




The first rule of successful hog hunting is that the hogs must show up. These were very cooperative, arriving at 10PM. A pair of fairly large hogs came in through an opening in the brush no more than 40 yards from where I was stationed. I had my rifle on a tripod on the ground, while I was sitting in an elevated viewing position in a folding chair in the back of my truck. The hogs came in directly down wind of me, and I heard them coming only seconds before they detected my presence. I heard them rustling through the brush, and before I could climb out of the truck and get to my rifle to turn on my thermal sight they sniffed me out and broke into a run. They were snorting and galloping past me at maybe 30 yards. I got the weapon sight on and found the hogs, but didn't have any time to enable video output or even think about getting the recorder going. One of the hogs paused for a couple of seconds and I hit it in the neck at a distance of just over 50 yards. The other one took of like a lightning bolt, and although I attempted a couple of shots it got away. Still, I got one hog down which turned out to be a 160 Lb sow. She had a fair amount of fat on her, so I think there's gonna be some sausage making in my future before very long.



Rifle is a 300 Blackout shooting Hornady 110 grain SP bullets. Thermal sight is a Trijicon (IR Hunter) 60mm MK3
Suppressor is home made on a form 1.

Sorry about no video. These hogs came in from a location different than in the past. Usually they arrive about 150 yards further down the tree line and I have to move toward them. I felt a bit lucky just to get the one I did!

Sounds like a fun hunt. I did much the same once. Backed my truck into a hedge, and draped a piece of camouflage netting across the front. Saw the sounder coming up the hill, changed position a couple of yards to get a better shot and the hogs had disappeared. Wasn't a total loss, I drove them to my buddy who got two. Sound will set them off just as quickly as scent.

Congratulations! I love your set-up. How did the home made suppressor turn out?