After Wednesday's hunt I'm eager for more. Friday is another perfect weather day. Meekly I remind my boss, the wife, that there are only 8 days remaining until Archery starts here in eastern PA and I can't ghog hunt those farms during archery. She's making grand kiddies pajamas and will be sewing all day so she gives her approval for another safari. I married the right gal. 
Go back to the same farm I was at on Wednesday. Those four active holes where I didn't seen any on Wednesday are still on my mind. Get into the field about 3:30 PM. At about 4:00 I see one emerge from one of the active holes, range it at 215. Another monster class hog. Send a 50 Nosler from my Rem 700, 223 w/ the 26" heavy Douglas match barrel. Hog down. Farmer will be happy, this guy has a huge hole in the field - bad news for the farmer's tractor.
About thirty minutes later one emerges from the tree line to my far right. Medium size hog. Have to shift my chair so I'm in line with him. Range at 202. Send another 50 Nosler. Hog down. Great start. Feeling confident. Supper time - eat my trail mix and wash it down with water. It don't get no better than this
Farmer drives into the field.
Damn - messes up my hunt. He wants to talk - great.
Politely I engage but keep checking my watch. Finally he leaves. It's about 5:45 PM. Field goes cold ghog wise - see a skunk cross the field to my right. UGH!
I keep watching that area where I made that great shot (great for me) on Wednesday - there were a three holes up there at the edge of the hay field. From where I'm sitting this almost a 45 degree angle upwards. The one I got on Wednesday was a small to medium size hog. From previous hunts in this field during the last cut I suspect that there is a much larger one there but never could get a clean shot at him but I could be wrong - it may have just been the one I got on Wednesday.
At about 6:45, with the sun very low I see one at this same location. He's grazing. I move down the tree line to a place I scouted that will give me a more level field of view at this area but at the cost of about 10 more yards from where I took the shot on Wednesday. I set up - hog is still grazing but profile is very poor - obscured by brush at the edge of the field. Patiently I wait - range him at 261 yards. Finally he stands up and remain so. No doubt he's sitting in his hole. He's the monster class I saw earlier in the season. I convince myself I can make this shot if I take my time and not rush it. Time to great!
I go through the fundamentals, trigger finger placement, hold on the sticks, feet position - natural point of aim verified, place the cross hair in his nose, exhale, mentally focus on the cross hairs, squeeze the trigger, follow through with shot. Hog disappears. As in the case on Wednesday I was in the zone - the shot felt good. Then I see the tail doing the death wiggle - hog is down. Wow! Great!
Not so great - I have to climb up that hill again to verify the shot. 
Hope the old heart is up to it.
I want to watch the Penn State Game tonight - class of 70 alumni.
So I begin the long walk up to that area - he's down - a perfect shot - center of chest area.. I know this sounds incredible but swear on a stack of Bibles that it's true. I take a picture with my Trac flip phone* that wifey brought me. Wifey insists that I carry a cell phone in the field in case I fall into a ghog hole or a tree falls on me.
* When I proudly showed my flip phone to my daughter she merely shakes her head - "Gee Dad, now you arrived at 2001 technology". I remind her that I used a slide rule in college - she's an a civil engineer but asks what's a slide rule!
Go back to the same farm I was at on Wednesday. Those four active holes where I didn't seen any on Wednesday are still on my mind. Get into the field about 3:30 PM. At about 4:00 I see one emerge from one of the active holes, range it at 215. Another monster class hog. Send a 50 Nosler from my Rem 700, 223 w/ the 26" heavy Douglas match barrel. Hog down.
Farmer will be happy, this guy has a huge hole in the field - bad news for the farmer's tractor.About thirty minutes later one emerges from the tree line to my far right. Medium size hog. Have to shift my chair so I'm in line with him. Range at 202. Send another 50 Nosler. Hog down.
Great start. Feeling confident. Supper time - eat my trail mix and wash it down with water. It don't get no better than thisFarmer drives into the field.
Damn - messes up my hunt. He wants to talk - great. Politely I engage but keep checking my watch. Finally he leaves. It's about 5:45 PM. Field goes cold ghog wise - see a skunk cross the field to my right. UGH!I keep watching that area where I made that great shot (great for me) on Wednesday - there were a three holes up there at the edge of the hay field. From where I'm sitting this almost a 45 degree angle upwards. The one I got on Wednesday was a small to medium size hog. From previous hunts in this field during the last cut I suspect that there is a much larger one there but never could get a clean shot at him but I could be wrong - it may have just been the one I got on Wednesday.
At about 6:45, with the sun very low I see one at this same location. He's grazing. I move down the tree line to a place I scouted that will give me a more level field of view at this area but at the cost of about 10 more yards from where I took the shot on Wednesday. I set up - hog is still grazing but profile is very poor - obscured by brush at the edge of the field. Patiently I wait - range him at 261 yards. Finally he stands up and remain so. No doubt he's sitting in his hole. He's the monster class I saw earlier in the season. I convince myself I can make this shot if I take my time and not rush it. Time to great!
I go through the fundamentals, trigger finger placement, hold on the sticks, feet position - natural point of aim verified, place the cross hair in his nose, exhale, mentally focus on the cross hairs, squeeze the trigger, follow through with shot. Hog disappears. As in the case on Wednesday I was in the zone - the shot felt good. Then I see the tail doing the death wiggle - hog is down. Wow! Great!
Not so great - I have to climb up that hill again to verify the shot. Hope the old heart is up to it. I want to watch the Penn State Game tonight - class of 70 alumni.So I begin the long walk up to that area - he's down - a perfect shot - center of chest area.
. I know this sounds incredible but swear on a stack of Bibles that it's true. I take a picture with my Trac flip phone* that wifey brought me. Wifey insists that I carry a cell phone in the field in case I fall into a ghog hole or a tree falls on me.* When I proudly showed my flip phone to my daughter she merely shakes her head - "Gee Dad, now you arrived at 2001 technology".
I remind her that I used a slide rule in college - she's an a civil engineer but asks what's a slide rule!
