SmallCaliberCentral

Well...considering I opened my mouth in Silverfox's thread about having a bad hunt on Monday night and just can't leave it at that.....I'll try to match some of the big hitter's on here and give you guys a bit of a story!

Anyway, to the good stuff!

I decided to take a trip to the local gamelands for some hog eradication this past Monday evening. I've been a morning/early afternoon hog hunter all season and I had yet to get out for an evening hunt. So I traveled to the normal spot, loaded up and down to business I got !!! I've been watching a few fields as of late cause they have just been cut and I've seen a few hogs in these fields so I headed towards field #1. About 1/2 way into field #1 I come across my potential first victim about 80 yards out. I move slowly into the sitting position at which time he spots me. I thought it was done and over with right there. After freezing solid for about 45 seconds he continues to munch his dinner which allowed me to drop prone. I got all set,laid the crosshairs right on his neck.....BANG.....MISS!!!!! I couldn't believe it! 80 yards PRONE and I MISSED!!!!! So, he hauled it back to his hole and away I went!

Soooo, it was off to the field #2 which was bone dry (field #2 comes into play during the second part of the story! ). Ok....so we try field #3. While on my merry little way to #3 (we will call this field #2.5 in the second part of the story), I come across a hog feeding in the middle of a field. Now, we kinda scared the bejesus out of each other cause he was in the center of two little humps in the field. When he spotted me, he SPLIT FOR THE HOLE. However, I was on the ball and thinking for once so I puckered up and gave him a short whistle. Stopped in his tracks about 20 yards out, stood up and I let him have it! Or so I THOUGHT! I proceeded to check the area cause I was SURE I nailed him and nothing! No hog and No blood! So I say to myself.....What's the deal??? I RARELY miss like this! Didn't have much time to ponder so on I went to #3, which yielded nothing!

Feeling a bit bummed out at this point, I decided to mix it up a bit and checked some other fields and let my "sure things" for another day! I caught a few glimpses of some "new" hogs but nothing was happening! I eventually hooked up to my normal trail and spotted one I have been trying to get for a couple weeks now (again, this guy will come into play in the second part of my story). I had time to settle myself down and really get a good bead on him because he had no idea I was there. I was about 40 yards out. So, through the processes, settled in and BANG....ZOOM....there he goes! Another MISS! At that point, I had enough and bagged it for the night!

On the way home, I got to thinking what may have caused this????? Why am I missing these EASY shots with a consistent 3/8" gun????? Then it hit me...I recall cleaning it one night the week before and in the process of doing so, I accidentally knocked the rifle from it's cradle and the scope took a fairly good hit on the edge of my safe door! Could this be?????

Fast Forward to today. Off to the range I went this morning to verify zero prior to any hog hunting today! Low and behold...the first group printed high 2" and right about 1/2"!!!!! This explains the missing! Got her dialed in and home I went to wait for evening!

We and the woman packed up about 4 and headed to the usual spot! Yes, she goes with but doesn't get involved in the hunting, YET! It's sort of a way for me and her to both enjoy what we like to do, together! She is very health concious and LOVES to exercise! Anyway, to the good stuff.

As I recall, I mentioned a certain hog that I have been trying to get for a couple weeks. Not even 5 minutes into the walk I have my potential first victim in my site's!!!!! I guess he was attempting to play "incognito" because all he was giving me was a headshot! I attempted to let him have it at about 35 yards. BANG.....nothing! At this point in time the VLP was about to become a piece of scrap metal! I was HOT! I was dead nut on his head at 35 yards and NOTHING! Stacy looked at me AMAZED that I missed him! Can't let that happen again. So off we go.....

I start checking the normal fields and nothing till I get to field #2.5 at which time my Stacy tells me we got a hog about about 175 yards! AWESOME! I have been wanting to stretch the legs on this badboy for a while now and here it is! I drop prone and realize that I can't get a shot on him! So I tell Stacy to follow me to the fencerow so we can creep closer. Somehow, we ended up spooking him which kinda P'OED me! I told her to take a knee and give it a few minutes. Not even 30 seconds after we settled down he was on his way back out into the field! I go prone, and give it to him from about 160 yards...BANG.....FLOP.....FLOP....OFF TO THE RACES!!!!!

In all honesty...It was a BAD CALL on my end! I hit the little guy but to give you and idea of the shot i'll put it politely.....Southbound shot on a Northbound G-Hog! He was hit! He flopped a bit and we found blood but he made it to the hole! So off we go and here is when it gets good! Remember field #2?????

So on our return trip (we basically walk a BIG circle and sometimes pass fields twice) we're coming up the trail talking to each other and WHAM...out comes the KING of field #2. I give Stacy the WHOAAA, saddle up, and let him have it at 50 yards. (If I may add, I really came to appreciate the beauty of the .204 today) Gave him a dose of 39SBK and it was light's out! I was AMAZED at the damage these bullets can do! Hit him right in the side of the neck and it just about detached his head! LOVE IT!!!!! Meddled in the beauty of FINALLY getting the .204 rung out and off we went. Not even 100 steps later I hit another at 50 yards again while on the move (my first double of the year)

Here's the hero pic! (sorry, not pics of the first! Seems stacy only remembered her camera phone on the 2nd kill)



Here's a pic of the exit hole compliments of the 39SBK!



That was the end of the day and boy did I really need it to raise my spirits! I was just told by my doctor yesterday that I have the early stage of Emphysema. If any of you guys smoke (I am a soon to be ex-smoker of 22 years) consider giving it up. I know it doesn't really mean much coming from an internet entity but I just can't explain the feeling that came over me when she told me that! Words really can't explain it! Well, enough of that!

It was a great hunt today and it gave me time to think and talk with Stacy about the future PLUS enjoy everything I love about life and my hobbies!

Welp, I hope you guys enjoyed the story and I hope I wasn't too long winded !!!!! Take care Fellas!

Good job, you better watch the ticks dont crawl up your shorts, I wore shorts hunting twice this year and had a tick on my leg both times.

I keep an eye out for them, stay out of tall grass and I wear Repel with 40% DEET. I've found a couple this year but I usually catch them before they get too far up my leg! I am a bit hairy so the hair acts as an alarm!

WaltherP99 Way to go very nice write up. Glade to see you got your rifle dialed back in. I had a smilar problem a couple years ago with Ruger #1 in 204 ...........let a friend I was with shoot a chuck and right over it's back. Sh** I said this gun never misses with my handloads. We did range the chuck at 135 yards so we were in range. Short story off to the range and tested my load she was printing 2-1/2" hi, windage was ok. Some how the scope got bumped. It happens. I got it sraighted out and good to go. Thanks for sharing your story and good luck to you on your health.....God Bless.
Later
Ray P

Holy Cow! Those things are as big as cats! Don't ya just love the .204? Thanks for the story. This stuff keeps me going until I can get at Skippy next spring. Gary

Walther: Glad to see you finally vindicated both yourself and your rifle. Don't it just eat away at'cha when you miss like that and can't figure out why? Anyway, glad it finally all came together. By the way, the 39gr SNK is my favorite bullet for the .204R also.

Do you have areas there where you can glass from a high vantage point and try to snipe the hogs without walking about and spooking them? I shot them a few years back when visiting a buddy in TN, we went just over the border into VA and sat up on a high round knob, glassed all around us, and were able to make shots in the 400 yard vicinity. I was using a borrowed M70 in .243 Win that day, and knew if I lived back there, Mr. Woodchuck would be my favorite critter in those parts.

Nice that wifey will go with you. Mine will too, but no critter killin' for her either. I'm just glad they go with us on occasion. Thanks for the pics and sharing the adventure.

WaltherP99--Thanks for the explanation about why you were so bummed out after your ground hog hunt the other day. It is very agitating when you know your rifle is a bug-hole shooter and you miss an several gimme shots. I know the feeling, believe me. You start to wonder what the heck you are doing wrong when it isn't you at all, but the equipment. Anyway, I'm glad you got it figured out.

That was a great writeup and please thank your wife for going along and snapping the photos for us. That 39 gr. Sierra sure put a big exit hole in that hog! Good going!!

Thanx guys! Glad you all enjoyed the write up.

Captqc: REALLY love the .204! and, that hog was one of the smaller ones I shot this year!

RIO: There are areas that offer good vantage points but most are too grown up right now! That would be my preferred method of hunting them and I hunt them that way when by myself but the when the wifey is with it's about the exercise! The good thing about a "walking" hunt is most of the time, if they spook, a simple whistle will get them to stop. Also, they seem to be very curious and will almost always come back out of their holes 5-10 minutes are being spooked. Sometimes sooner!

I took one with the .22 Hornet a few weeks back. I shot and hit right in front of him at which time he was off to the races. I gave him a quick whistle and it stopped him right in his tracks which gave me enough time to take it to him! Anyways, they are a HOOT to hunt cause they offer a difficult challenge. Thanx for enjoying the pics and write up!

Silverfox and RayP: I've never been so irritated in my life and I can't believe a simple bump to the scope would knock it off that much! Not to mention the fact that I should be up to 20-25 hogs this year. Between actual kills and unconfirmed's, I am at 11! Oh well, at least she's good now. I'll be sure to pass the thank you's on to the woman Silverfox.

Again, thank you guys for enjoying the story and the pics! I am sure there will be more to come! I have about 1-2 months yet before goose/duck opens up and the hogs go underground for the winter so I am sure there will be more stories to come.

Take it easy!
Gary (a.k.a. "WaltherP99")