rocketman
10-22-2008, 12:00 AM
4 Dead Hogs
(Edited to add a pic of the view from my stand)
My Marine son's and I went on our first Hog hunt last week in central Fla. Believe it or not it was their first time hunting for anything (well anything with 4 legs). They have been shooting all of their lives so they damn sure know how to shoot but have just never been hunting. The trip was intended as a little stress reliever for Cpl Rocketman who just returned from a tour in Iraq hunting IED's and the assholes who set them. When I asked him about a hunting trip upon his return to blow off a little steam he loved the idea. His only requirement was that what ever we shot at wouldn't shoot back. Seemed reasonable to me so Hogs it was.
My cousin is a big hunter and fisherman based out of Ocala. He welcomed us with open arms and showed us the ropes. We hunted an area about 35 min North of Ocala on Orange Lake. The area they hunt is their primary deer hunting land and pigs are becoming a real problem so they had no problem with us going after Hogs.
3 tree stands were put up and some corn was put out for a few nights before the hunt.
Weapons for all 3 of us were 6.8 SPC Kotonics/Cardinal uppers. 1- 16" light weight with an ACOG, 1- 16" Med Weight with an AimPoint and 1- 18" Heavy Weight with an IOR 2x12. The round we were using was SSA's new Barnes 110gr TSX in the hot combat loading. This is one bad ass tough round IMHO.
At ranges between 50 - 75 yards we fired 5 rounds and killed 4 pigs. All weighted between 130 and 160 lbs. My Boar was a quartering away shot that went in, broke several ribs and exited the hog's throat rendering everything in between un usable. The Hog dropped where he was shot, got up and fell again for good about 5 yards away. I started to shoot again but didn't because it was very obvious he couldn't go far blowing blood like he was.
Cpl Rocketman made the same shot on another boar before he made it to his stand. He took a kneeling quartering away shot from ground level and rendered him DRT.
Lt Rocketman had a little more fun. He shot the first boar to arrive thru the shoulder. DRT. A little while later several sows with piglets showed up along with a yearling. When the sows spotted the dead pig they spooked and a mad scramble ensued. He fired a round at a big sow (very piggy) when she ran by. His first shot hit her a little far back in the gut. She fell but was getting up to run again when Lt Rocketman shot her thru the head for the anchor shot.
Couple of thoughts.
IMHO for the hunting we were doing, EoTech and AimPoint sights are about perfect.
Cpl Rocketman shot the ACOG well but then he should because he gets paid to shoot it well
I don't think Lt Rocketman would have gut shot the running pig with an Aimpoint. The IOR is a great scope but not for this hunt at these ranges
I can put a round exactly where I want it with an AimPoint out to 100 yards
Cleaning pigs is not nearly as much fun as shooting Hogs
SSA's Barnes 110 gr TSX Combat is a **** hot load
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd270/rocketman_photos_2007/Hog1A.jpg
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd270/rocketman_photos_2007/OldMansStand.jpg
(Edited to add a pic of the view from my stand)
My Marine son's and I went on our first Hog hunt last week in central Fla. Believe it or not it was their first time hunting for anything (well anything with 4 legs). They have been shooting all of their lives so they damn sure know how to shoot but have just never been hunting. The trip was intended as a little stress reliever for Cpl Rocketman who just returned from a tour in Iraq hunting IED's and the assholes who set them. When I asked him about a hunting trip upon his return to blow off a little steam he loved the idea. His only requirement was that what ever we shot at wouldn't shoot back. Seemed reasonable to me so Hogs it was.
My cousin is a big hunter and fisherman based out of Ocala. He welcomed us with open arms and showed us the ropes. We hunted an area about 35 min North of Ocala on Orange Lake. The area they hunt is their primary deer hunting land and pigs are becoming a real problem so they had no problem with us going after Hogs.
3 tree stands were put up and some corn was put out for a few nights before the hunt.
Weapons for all 3 of us were 6.8 SPC Kotonics/Cardinal uppers. 1- 16" light weight with an ACOG, 1- 16" Med Weight with an AimPoint and 1- 18" Heavy Weight with an IOR 2x12. The round we were using was SSA's new Barnes 110gr TSX in the hot combat loading. This is one bad ass tough round IMHO.
At ranges between 50 - 75 yards we fired 5 rounds and killed 4 pigs. All weighted between 130 and 160 lbs. My Boar was a quartering away shot that went in, broke several ribs and exited the hog's throat rendering everything in between un usable. The Hog dropped where he was shot, got up and fell again for good about 5 yards away. I started to shoot again but didn't because it was very obvious he couldn't go far blowing blood like he was.
Cpl Rocketman made the same shot on another boar before he made it to his stand. He took a kneeling quartering away shot from ground level and rendered him DRT.
Lt Rocketman had a little more fun. He shot the first boar to arrive thru the shoulder. DRT. A little while later several sows with piglets showed up along with a yearling. When the sows spotted the dead pig they spooked and a mad scramble ensued. He fired a round at a big sow (very piggy) when she ran by. His first shot hit her a little far back in the gut. She fell but was getting up to run again when Lt Rocketman shot her thru the head for the anchor shot.
Couple of thoughts.
IMHO for the hunting we were doing, EoTech and AimPoint sights are about perfect.
Cpl Rocketman shot the ACOG well but then he should because he gets paid to shoot it well
I don't think Lt Rocketman would have gut shot the running pig with an Aimpoint. The IOR is a great scope but not for this hunt at these ranges
I can put a round exactly where I want it with an AimPoint out to 100 yards
Cleaning pigs is not nearly as much fun as shooting Hogs
SSA's Barnes 110 gr TSX Combat is a **** hot load
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd270/rocketman_photos_2007/Hog1A.jpg
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd270/rocketman_photos_2007/OldMansStand.jpg