The wind has been horrific here in eastern PA this week. Yesterday afternoon I went on anyway suffering from a bad case ghog fever. Winds were blowing 20 to 25 mph gusting even higher.
Spent the afternoon getting wind burn, so chilly that I had to put on my wind breaker and gloves. Never a bad day when I get out in the fields but fighting the wind all afternoon and not seeing any ghogs is not as much fun.
Having given up on the day, I started walking back to the truck around 7:00 PM and bingo, I saw a hog on the adjoining hay field crawling next to a tree line. I unfolded my sportsman's chair, set up my Remington 700 heavy barrel 223 varmint rifle on the shooting sticks and got into a shooting position. I ranged the ghog at 224 yards. There was about a 25 mph cross wind, gusty even higher at times so I had to wait if I had any hope of making the shot (at least for me).
I held the cross hairs on him, a tad high on the shoulder, waiting for a break in the wind. He was cooperating, roaming around at the edge of the tree line. I had to be careful not to jerk the trigger in timing the shot for a break in the wind. Finally the wind calmed momentarily and I sent the 55 grain Nosler BT down range. He rolled over, ghog down. Walked over and examined the shot, perfect right behind the shoulder, instant kill.
It ended up being a great day! Felt real good about the shot and my performance - doesn't always end so well especially in the wind.
Spent the afternoon getting wind burn, so chilly that I had to put on my wind breaker and gloves. Never a bad day when I get out in the fields but fighting the wind all afternoon and not seeing any ghogs is not as much fun.
Having given up on the day, I started walking back to the truck around 7:00 PM and bingo, I saw a hog on the adjoining hay field crawling next to a tree line. I unfolded my sportsman's chair, set up my Remington 700 heavy barrel 223 varmint rifle on the shooting sticks and got into a shooting position. I ranged the ghog at 224 yards. There was about a 25 mph cross wind, gusty even higher at times so I had to wait if I had any hope of making the shot (at least for me).
I held the cross hairs on him, a tad high on the shoulder, waiting for a break in the wind. He was cooperating, roaming around at the edge of the tree line. I had to be careful not to jerk the trigger in timing the shot for a break in the wind. Finally the wind calmed momentarily and I sent the 55 grain Nosler BT down range. He rolled over, ghog down. Walked over and examined the shot, perfect right behind the shoulder, instant kill.
It ended up being a great day! Felt real good about the shot and my performance - doesn't always end so well especially in the wind.
