- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Messages
- 1,129
- Reaction score
- 0
On Saturday morning Craig, Noug, and I all hunted with Daniel and two of his guides on a property that adjoins the Loshboughs land. This particular land appears to have been clear cut a few years ago and is composed of rolling "hollers" covered in thick brush and pricker bush.
Basically, this is the type of land that is perfectly suited for a "hog drive". While the hunters would post stands at the top of the hollers, the guides would beat the brush in an attempt to get the hogs moving out of the brush.
The real benefit to hunting this terrain was the opportunity to be presented with rather long shots when measured by Loshbough standards. In fact the three longest pig kills were all taken in this location, and all were around 100yds or longer.
After working through about half of the clear cut I saw the guide flagging that he had seen the hogs. I quickly located about 5 hogs moving up the hillside on the opposite side of the hollow. Before I could even get the pigs in my scope I immediately heard a shot from my right. The pigs quickly split up and headed out of sight. However, it was clear one of the pigs had been hit and it eventually stopped a few feet from where I had first spotted it. Craig had shot the pig with a off hand shot at close to 100yds.
Shortly there after,Nugbuk and Craig took two more hogs as they moved back down through a steep draw.
Eventually we located another pig far down in the bottom of the clear cut. At this point the hog was likely over 175 yds away and moving fast through the brush. While I was able to get the sights on him briefly I was not presented with any shots as he was simply moving to quickly.
In anticipation that the pig might try running up the opposite side of the hollow I was located on I quickly moved to find a clearing that might provide me with a clear shot over to the next hill. Just as I got to a good spot I saw the hog start moving up the hillside. I quickly took a seated shooting position and found the hog moving through the brush with my Conquest 3-9x40 set on 9x. The hog continued running across the hillside before eventually turning up the slope in an attempt to crest over the hill. Just as the pig turned up the hill it stopped to check its back trail. At this point the hog was facing straight away from me and was slightly higher on the opposite hill than where I was located. Realizing the hog was only a short distance from cresting the ridge I decided to take the shot, aiming for the center of its back just below the shoulder blades in expectation that I would take out the spine and the bullet would travel forward into the lung cavity.
I would estimate the shot to have been between 85-100yds. Shooting 41.5 grs N-110 with supplied sabot my load was later chronographed in the 2325 fps area. This load was sighted in to be dead on at 50yds and would be a touch low at 100yds.
Upon pulling the trigger I immediately saw the bullet strike resulting in the appearance of a fine mist exploding off the hog. The hog collapsed at the shot and let out a series of squeals before attempting to rising. After making a brief attempt to get to its feet it became quite clear the hog was not going anywhere and it expired a few minutes later.
Upon finally arriving at the pig I was extremely shocked to say the least...
While the bullet had struck the hog slightly lower than my point of aim. (Craig believes he saw the hog move just as I shot), It was clear that from the angle I had shot that the bullet would likely have pushed through its back into the bottom of the hogs sternum where the heart is located. However, instead of finding the hog with a clean entrance wound I found the hog with a gaping wound in its back just above the rear hips. In fact a large section of the spine was actually completely missing!!
After gutting the hog and looking for a bullet and an exit would I was not able to find any signs of either. In fact there was no bullet damage what so ever to any of its internal organs that I could see.
After considering what I found numerous times I can only come to one conclusion....The bonded shockwave virtually evaporated upon impact and what fragments remained deflected at 90 degree angles of impact, never travelling forward into the body cavity...
(Pictured here is the entrance wound...!!!)
(The entrance can be seen as the depression in the hogs back just above the hams in this pics.)
Basically, this is the type of land that is perfectly suited for a "hog drive". While the hunters would post stands at the top of the hollers, the guides would beat the brush in an attempt to get the hogs moving out of the brush.
The real benefit to hunting this terrain was the opportunity to be presented with rather long shots when measured by Loshbough standards. In fact the three longest pig kills were all taken in this location, and all were around 100yds or longer.
After working through about half of the clear cut I saw the guide flagging that he had seen the hogs. I quickly located about 5 hogs moving up the hillside on the opposite side of the hollow. Before I could even get the pigs in my scope I immediately heard a shot from my right. The pigs quickly split up and headed out of sight. However, it was clear one of the pigs had been hit and it eventually stopped a few feet from where I had first spotted it. Craig had shot the pig with a off hand shot at close to 100yds.
Shortly there after,Nugbuk and Craig took two more hogs as they moved back down through a steep draw.
Eventually we located another pig far down in the bottom of the clear cut. At this point the hog was likely over 175 yds away and moving fast through the brush. While I was able to get the sights on him briefly I was not presented with any shots as he was simply moving to quickly.
In anticipation that the pig might try running up the opposite side of the hollow I was located on I quickly moved to find a clearing that might provide me with a clear shot over to the next hill. Just as I got to a good spot I saw the hog start moving up the hillside. I quickly took a seated shooting position and found the hog moving through the brush with my Conquest 3-9x40 set on 9x. The hog continued running across the hillside before eventually turning up the slope in an attempt to crest over the hill. Just as the pig turned up the hill it stopped to check its back trail. At this point the hog was facing straight away from me and was slightly higher on the opposite hill than where I was located. Realizing the hog was only a short distance from cresting the ridge I decided to take the shot, aiming for the center of its back just below the shoulder blades in expectation that I would take out the spine and the bullet would travel forward into the lung cavity.
I would estimate the shot to have been between 85-100yds. Shooting 41.5 grs N-110 with supplied sabot my load was later chronographed in the 2325 fps area. This load was sighted in to be dead on at 50yds and would be a touch low at 100yds.
Upon pulling the trigger I immediately saw the bullet strike resulting in the appearance of a fine mist exploding off the hog. The hog collapsed at the shot and let out a series of squeals before attempting to rising. After making a brief attempt to get to its feet it became quite clear the hog was not going anywhere and it expired a few minutes later.
Upon finally arriving at the pig I was extremely shocked to say the least...
While the bullet had struck the hog slightly lower than my point of aim. (Craig believes he saw the hog move just as I shot), It was clear that from the angle I had shot that the bullet would likely have pushed through its back into the bottom of the hogs sternum where the heart is located. However, instead of finding the hog with a clean entrance wound I found the hog with a gaping wound in its back just above the rear hips. In fact a large section of the spine was actually completely missing!!
After gutting the hog and looking for a bullet and an exit would I was not able to find any signs of either. In fact there was no bullet damage what so ever to any of its internal organs that I could see.
After considering what I found numerous times I can only come to one conclusion....The bonded shockwave virtually evaporated upon impact and what fragments remained deflected at 90 degree angles of impact, never travelling forward into the body cavity...
(Pictured here is the entrance wound...!!!)
(The entrance can be seen as the depression in the hogs back just above the hams in this pics.)
