Backyard Bandit

[Dogbone]

For years now there's been a burrow under our porch in the back of the house. And over the years I've shot at least one to five hogs each year in the backyard. I doesn't seem to matter how many I shoot, they keep coming back from somewhere. Either I don't see and shoot all that are in the burrow, or they migrate in from the area. And if they migrate, how the heck to they find this hidden hole (and there is only one hole)?

Anway, here are some pictures of my latest intruder and victim. My wife saw him yesterday just before it started raining around 1 pm while I was at the range. Using a Marlin Model 25N in 22 long rifle, iron sights with hollow points. He showed up this morning around 10. I set up in the bedroom window and waited for him to clear the screened porch. Once he did I let him have it in the back of the head at 20 yds. He flagged up almost immediately and then rolled about ten feet down the hill on the far side of the porch. The first picture is the DRT, the second is the sex ID and the third shows one missing chomper and an extra long one on the bottom. I wonder if there will be more?

 

[gambleone]

Nice pics. I get them every year going under my barn, then tunneling clear under the cement floor.
This year so far only have seen one. I've read on this site & other places there not as many this year.
Haven't seen as many in fields or along roads either, around western PA anyway.

 

[1holeaddict]

U just became a member of the Let Him Have it Club. How do the neighbors feel about the random gun shots? I love it when a song dog shows up on one of the field edges at daylight. I proceed outside with my standby 243win and Let Him Have it. Then i take cover and watch the neighborhood come alive>

 

[boogershooter]

That's funny! A few years back I did the same with a 6PPC and the occasional crow !

 

[MrMajestic]

"Either I don't see and shoot all that are in the burrow, or they migrate in from the area. And if they migrate, how the heck to they find this hidden hole (and there is only one hole)?"

In the Spring during mating season Boars are on the move and could end up anywhere. Then in the Summer the Sow kicks out the young and they must find a new home. As long as the hole is there they will come. Count your blessings a Skunk hasn't moved in!

 

[sdneil]

Mr Majestic--hit it on the head--a skunk has moved into an old hole on my place-- smell him all the time--only have seen him once--not at my place enough I guess-- any experts on traping one out there---Neil

 

[KMart]

On the skunk, if you know where the hole is, put some moth balls in it. On the first application they will try to dig them out. just go back the next day and put more moth balls in. I used about 1/2 a box in each application. I had 2 that dug under Mom's slab, one last fall and one this spring. Moth balls got both to move on.

 

[fr3db3ar]

That poor guy.....you shot his toofie out. ;D

I wish I could find a place around me to hunt them.

 

[lpreddick]

seeing the missing tooth reminded me of a kill a couple of years age. shot at one at long range with a crossing wind and missed. he came back out and i shot again holding a foot into the wind...drt! examined the body and noted his two lower teeth were freshly missing!! i'll take the credit as the first reported ghog dentist...office hours by appointment.

 

[dtucker]

That tooth on the bottom looks pretty narly. I wish we had a problem here as i miss hunting them like i did in the past. Such a great way to air out your head after work sitting at the edge of a big field for a couple hours out in the country. As long as a skunk does not move in have fun getting all you can.

 

[lpreddick]

my father would sit all day in a tree stand hunting deer. many times, as a kid, i asked him how it went and he would sometimes say "didn't see any". i asked if he was completely bored and he said "not at all". i could not understand what he ment untill i started ghog hunting. there is a type of serenity experienced after sitting out in a beautifully green field observing nature. then there is that sense of accomplishment when you see a ghog at long range, get the range, adjust the elevation according to the ballistic table,, center the dot on his chest and squeeze...bang! and SPPLLLATTT! i'v taken friends ghog hunting, saw nothing and they remarked how good a time they had! this form of relaxation therapy is much cheaper than a psychiatrist!

 

[Dogbone]

U just became a member of the Let Him Have it Club. How do the neighbors feel about the random gun shots? I love it when a song dog shows up on one of the field edges at daylight. I proceed outside with my standby 243win and Let Him Have it. Then i take cover and watch the neighborhood come alive>

Never had any problems. Good neighbors! One across the street shoots them two. One shot every once in a while is acceptable I guess?

 

[Dogbone]

my father would sit all day in a tree stand hunting deer. many times, as a kid, i asked him how it went and he would sometimes say "didn't see any". i asked if he was completely bored and he said "not at all". i could not understand what he ment untill i started ghog hunting. there is a type of serenity experienced after sitting out in a beautifully green field observing nature. then there is that sense of accomplishment when you see a ghog at long range, get the range, adjust the elevation according to the ballistic table,, center the dot on his chest and squeeze...bang! and SPPLLLATTT! i'v taken friends ghog hunting, saw nothing and they remarked how good a time they had! this form of relaxation therapy is much cheaper than a psychiatrist!

Love your narrative! And know exactly how you feel!! I figure as the number of hogs start to wane, there will be more days like that. 8)

 

[lpreddick]

i live in a city and firearm discharges are illegal. in my younger irresponsible days i often tested blackpowder guns in my backyard...4.2 acres. i told my neighbors what i was doing and they understood, especially when we had 4 breakins in our area in one month. i surmised that this would be unlikely if such thieves heard gunshots nearby. my neighbors smiled and the breakins stopped...the word must have gotten around.

 

[Bill56]

Dog,

Great pics. Keep enjoying yourself. But, I am jealous cuz I too live in the city and can't shoot at all within the city limits. If I could, I'd exterminate every squirrel and rabbit I see. Darn things are digging up the garden and shrub beds, eating stuff up. And they're bold about it too. Oh well, I just drive out of the city a few miles and go after their cousins.

 

[Dogbone]

You city dudes need to check out the latest in air rifles. They are not cheap (if you get the serious kind) but they will get the job done and do it without making a lot of noise. Need to check on any ordinances against discharging firearms, especially if you got neighbors that might complain/turn you in. Just sayin.

 

[lpreddick]

i also had major squirrel damage, esp my fruit trees. i bought .177 and .22 cal pellet rifles and had at it. took out enough to get some fruit but it's hard to keep up with their reproduction rate and i didn't always hit the target or they escaped wounded. SOOOO, i made my own wildcat...a "22 pellornet". i had a winchester 22 hornet made in 1957 and it was pretty shot out. i loaded 22 cal pellets into neck sized hornet cases. used a small pistol magnum primer and put 3.5 gr aa no 5 powder and BLAM! the pellet was blown apart at it's waist, so i had to find a way to keep it together. stuck a small piece of real lead solder in the pellet's rear cup and melted it with a soldering iron and it formed a perfect cup shaped surface and the pellet stayed intact at even higher velocities. accuracy was very good but at 950+fps there was that gunshot noise. i fashioned a "suppressor" out of thick cardboard tubing and friction-fitted it over the muzzel and it was amazing! the sound of the pellet hitting the target was louder than the gun's report! over a calender year i "harvested" 299 squirrels and the fruit trees bore heavily for two years. during that time i also killed 4 ghogs with chest shots and a dozen or more crows. almost forgot the many rabbits, often with pellets exiting them as well as the squirrels. it's amazing what the mind of a human can dream up when a need exist!

 

[Dogbone]

Amazing! Ingenuity and inventiveness at its finest. Way to go!!