It's Not Target Shooting - It's Hunting

[K22]

Went out Monday full of enthusiasm - a new farm that I had visited on the previous week the first time and saw quite a few ghogs and lots of holes that appeared to be active. Although my shooting wasn't the best last week, I did manage to bag 5 so my expectations were running high when I arrived on Monday afternoon.

The weather was great, lots of sunshine, a little warm but low humidty and the hay was just about perfect - with about a weeks' growth - the soybean patch was about three inches high, perfect for inticing the hogs to feast yet low enough that I could see them.

From 2:30 to 8:30 I saw nothing! :-[ I was stunned, rarely do I not see anything in a field where there are active holes; in fact I can't remember the last time this happened.

Then I remembered what my father would say, "Son, it's called hunting, not target shooting - alway expect the unexpected."

Well, I never consider it a total lost being out in the fields, enjoying the beauty of the countryside. As soon as this heat wave is over - I'll be out there again - relentlessly pursuing the "saber tooth groundhog"!

 

[Dogbone]

Nice! Keep after them. They have to come out sooner or later.

 

[MrMajestic]

Yeah, keep the faith! Getting skunked is still better than work! ;D

 

[Nomad47]

I was out in the fields this evening in 90+ heat. Didn't see anything but a couple deer for over two hours, then got three in the last half hour of daylight.
Yeah, I think the heat is keeping them in their holes. Got ONE this morning in three hours of sitting.

 

[model 12 toby]

morning is where it's at. I see twice as many.

 

[Bradley Walker]

I was out in the fields this evening in 90+ heat. Didn't see anything but a couple deer for over two hours, then got three in the last half hour of daylight.
Yeah, I think the heat is keeping them in their holes. Got ONE this morning in three hours of sitting.

Total waste of time to go out in the middle of the day...

 

[fr3db3ar]

I was out in the fields this evening in 90+ heat. Didn't see anything but a couple deer for over two hours, then got three in the last half hour of daylight.
Yeah, I think the heat is keeping them in their holes. Got ONE this morning in three hours of sitting.

Total waste of time to go out in the middle of the day...

He's working on a tan ;D

 

[Nomad47]

I wasn't out in the middle of the day. Three hours in the morning and three more hours in the evening.
And it is not a waste of time - I have shot several in the middle of the day. Back on June 15, I shot 21 in one day - 6 in the morning, 11 in the afternoon, and 4 in the evening.

 

[CaptainMal]

You just don't know.

Your expereince is not unusual. I hunted hogs in Pa. for decades and had many a skunked day. It's a bit of a bummer because we go hunting but shooting is expected to be part of the equation.

I fish a lot now. Often take out others. NOONE wants to go fishing. They want to go catching.

May your next trips be shooting.

 

[K22]

morning is where it's at. I see twice as many.

In my younger days, I used to go all day, early morning to late evening. While I saw a fair number in the AM, I always did better in the evenings.

Now days - all this old body can manage is 1/2 days. Perhaps I'll try that field in the early morning then come home and drink beer in the afternoon.

 

[22turborimfire]

k22 need a partner the second half ? My hog hunting is coming to a hault . The beans are about to high now and the pastures dont seem to hold as many ,weather is getting nasty and the AC is feeling better and better the hotter it gets. Carry on men and be safe. I noticed Reading my last trip up to Ottsville I went up 15 then took 76 across to Reading i remember seeing alot of groundhogs just glancing around beautiful country you got up there .

Jim

 

[model 12 toby]

they got no water they need the dew. ;D

 

[6pt-sika]

Never shot at an earth critter in PA when I used to spend alotta time up there .

However............................... !

In Virginia I've killed alot of them , but it's been almost 20 years since I had a good day . Another fellow and I used to take off about 9AM on a saturday morning and hunt fields in Orange , Greene and Madison counties of VA . We hunted a little different then you do in PA . We'd ride the edges of the fields with sandbags on the hood of the truck . If we saw one we'd stop get out and shoot from the bags off the hood of the truck . Now technically thats illegal in VA but I never had a game warden say a word to me about it and several saw us over the years . Back twenty years ago if we killed 6 in a day it was considered good . I can only imagine what it's like now .

 

[model 12 toby]

I'm hunting a new property this evening. hope it's something. supposively there's a bunch of them. they asked me to come weed them out so well see. need a spotting scope. what do you guys use? the konus seems to have good reviews. every tues morning I go out before the sun comes up. I get a sure ground hog first thing then look for one wayyyyy out. I've been unable to find one at 7+ this year. I need more than my 8 power binocs. regularularly shoot in the high 7's at target so have the scope adjustments for elevation. the wind is starting to get better for me to read also.