Tonight’s hunting story actual begins this past Monday evening when I hunted for the first time on a new farm. The place is privately owned and is the headquarters for a large landscaping company. The property is huge and mostly wide open except for the residence, maintenance and a few other outbuildings. The farthest shot in any one direction would probably be right around 400 yards.
Monday mid-day I drove around the property to get the lay of the land and pick a spot where I could set up when I returned later that afternoon after the employees had left for the day. I found a spot that would give me a large vantage point over as much of the property as possible.
I set up the T/C Encore in 204 on the hood of the truck and waited. Within minutes a flock of turkeys showed up. I watched them mill around for almost a half hour before they melted into the woods.
It was at least another half hour later when I saw movement straight out the driver’s side window. It was a hog that had just emerged from a stand of timber and moving right to left. But no sooner did he come out and he was back in the woods again. I hadn’t even moved so I had no idea what spooked it. I took the opportunity to get in place if it showed up again. I ranged the general area where I saw the hog and it came up at 198 yards. Now that would be a poke and the farthest shot this year.
Sure enough, it showed up again in just about the same spot. I placed the crosshairs squarely on its shoulder, relaxed and let go a 32 grain V-Max. A Miss. What the heck? Since it stayed its ground I sent another round down range. Another miss. I’m baffled. This time I thought I saw a puff of dirt. But this time the hog returned to the woods and did not return by the time I needed to leave. Expletive deleted!
I was pretty certain the shot went high based on the puff of dirt and the way the hog reacted.
First thing the next morning I was headed to the range to see what was going on. Sure enough, at two hundred yards the T/C was shooting about two inches high. I’m still baffled because just a few days ago I had center punched two hogs, one at 165 yards and the other at 155. ??? Anyway, I took the time to zero the gun at 200 with enough rounds to be satisfied it was now shooting properly.
Fast forward to 7:15 tonight, exactly forty-five minutes from the time I set up in the same spot as Monday. I had been watching that flock of turkeys again almost from the time I arrived. The sun was beating down on me in the passenger seat of the truck and I was dozing. Finally, there’s the hog in the same spot as Monday. But the turkeys were still milling around. In fact, there was a turkey in the field just around the corner of the woods to the right and in front of the hog. Now who would think a groundhog would be afraid of a turkey, but sure enough, as soon as the turkey came in view the hog was back in the woods. Expletive deleted again! Once more, I used the opportunity to get set up behind the Encore and waited. As the turkeys moved off the hog finally emerged fifteen minutes later. I ranged it at 195 yards, raised the gun, placed the crosshairs, settled my breathing and let go the V-Max. Thwack! Finally, success and the longest shot this year. ;D What a great sound, especially after Monday’s misses.
Anyway, here are the photos - the walk up, the roll over and one with the Encore.
Another good size female showing the exit wound.
The entrance wound. As we used to say, "Take it in the ear".
And the judge, jury and executioner. You gotta love the 204!
Sorry it took me so long to get to the good stuff!
Monday mid-day I drove around the property to get the lay of the land and pick a spot where I could set up when I returned later that afternoon after the employees had left for the day. I found a spot that would give me a large vantage point over as much of the property as possible.
I set up the T/C Encore in 204 on the hood of the truck and waited. Within minutes a flock of turkeys showed up. I watched them mill around for almost a half hour before they melted into the woods.
It was at least another half hour later when I saw movement straight out the driver’s side window. It was a hog that had just emerged from a stand of timber and moving right to left. But no sooner did he come out and he was back in the woods again. I hadn’t even moved so I had no idea what spooked it. I took the opportunity to get in place if it showed up again. I ranged the general area where I saw the hog and it came up at 198 yards. Now that would be a poke and the farthest shot this year.
Sure enough, it showed up again in just about the same spot. I placed the crosshairs squarely on its shoulder, relaxed and let go a 32 grain V-Max. A Miss. What the heck? Since it stayed its ground I sent another round down range. Another miss. I’m baffled. This time I thought I saw a puff of dirt. But this time the hog returned to the woods and did not return by the time I needed to leave. Expletive deleted!
I was pretty certain the shot went high based on the puff of dirt and the way the hog reacted.First thing the next morning I was headed to the range to see what was going on. Sure enough, at two hundred yards the T/C was shooting about two inches high. I’m still baffled because just a few days ago I had center punched two hogs, one at 165 yards and the other at 155. ??? Anyway, I took the time to zero the gun at 200 with enough rounds to be satisfied it was now shooting properly.
Fast forward to 7:15 tonight, exactly forty-five minutes from the time I set up in the same spot as Monday. I had been watching that flock of turkeys again almost from the time I arrived. The sun was beating down on me in the passenger seat of the truck and I was dozing. Finally, there’s the hog in the same spot as Monday. But the turkeys were still milling around. In fact, there was a turkey in the field just around the corner of the woods to the right and in front of the hog. Now who would think a groundhog would be afraid of a turkey, but sure enough, as soon as the turkey came in view the hog was back in the woods. Expletive deleted again! Once more, I used the opportunity to get set up behind the Encore and waited. As the turkeys moved off the hog finally emerged fifteen minutes later. I ranged it at 195 yards, raised the gun, placed the crosshairs, settled my breathing and let go the V-Max. Thwack! Finally, success and the longest shot this year. ;D What a great sound, especially after Monday’s misses.
Anyway, here are the photos - the walk up, the roll over and one with the Encore.
Another good size female showing the exit wound.
The entrance wound. As we used to say, "Take it in the ear".
And the judge, jury and executioner. You gotta love the 204!
Sorry it took me so long to get to the good stuff!
