I drove out to check to see if any of the farms where I hunt ground hogs had cut hay yet. I hadn't planned on a serious ground hog hunt, just a recon trip. They had just finished baling hay when I arrived at the third farm, the others were still cutting.
The weather was perfect - high 70's, sunny, virtually no wind and low humidity. I've been suffering with a back problem the last few weeks but the weather was so nice I wanted to get out if for nothing else to see which farms had cut hay.
I have a whole rack of heavy "tack driving" varmint rifles but I took my Model 7 Remington, 20" barrel with a 12X Leupold scope. This is not anywhere near close to being my most accurate rifle but it's very light weight and easy to carry. I primarily use it as a "walking around / stalking" rifle. I have it sighted for 150 yards which is my typical shot for this rifle.
I very quickly became a victim of "Murphy Law"! :-[ As I came walking over the hill I saw three hogs all of them over 200 yards widely dispersed. Bad back or not, oh how I regretted not bringing one of my heavy varmint rifles with an 18x scopes. At my age, I need all the edge I can get. The hogs still hadn't detected me. I slowly unfolded my sportman's chair, sat down and place my Model 7 in my home made cross sticks. I measured the range of the closest hog with my Bushnell range finder - 216 yards. I've never made a shot that far with this rifle because I've never attempted it - I'd alway try to stalk closer trying not to get busted. However I figured what the hell let's give it a try. This hog was standing on his hole, a fairly large size one. I locked my left hand on the sticks, resting my elbows on my knees then aimed for the neck, took my time and squeezed. A second later the hog fell over! I couldn't believe it. Must be luck.
The other two hogs ran into adjoining tree lines. I just sat there trying to decide if I should move closer or wait them out. One was at about 230, the other at 270 yards away but at different tree lines. I decided to wait. Twenty minutes later the closer one peeked his nose out of the weeds in the tree line. I measured the range, 234 yards. Five minutes later he rolled out of the weeds, a monster hog. I waited as he moved in my direction closing the distance to about 220 yards, crawling along, searching for any remnants of clover. He settled on a small patch missed by the cutter and started munching away. I aimed for the top of his back over the shoulder area and squeezed. I heard the thump of the 50 grain Nosler BT and the hog rolled over. His tail started doing a dance, a sure sign he was down. I smiled at the Model 7, wow, never thought it had it in it. Maybe it's the Benchmark powder - Varget is my go to powder for the long barrel rifles but I had started experimenting with Benchmark for the shorter barrel Model 7. But they again, maybe Lady Luck had smiled on me again - whatever I was smiling.
I'm now feeling pretty good about things, funny, I don't notice my aching back anymore - call it HOG THERAPY.
The other hog, the third one never did come out again but I shot four more that day at 196, 173, 132, and 115 yards. Not too awful bad for an old guy with a bad back, arthritis, and bifocals who was merely planning a recon trip.
I was one of those day where just everything was working and I was in the zone.
The weather was perfect - high 70's, sunny, virtually no wind and low humidity. I've been suffering with a back problem the last few weeks but the weather was so nice I wanted to get out if for nothing else to see which farms had cut hay.
I have a whole rack of heavy "tack driving" varmint rifles but I took my Model 7 Remington, 20" barrel with a 12X Leupold scope. This is not anywhere near close to being my most accurate rifle but it's very light weight and easy to carry. I primarily use it as a "walking around / stalking" rifle. I have it sighted for 150 yards which is my typical shot for this rifle.
I very quickly became a victim of "Murphy Law"! :-[ As I came walking over the hill I saw three hogs all of them over 200 yards widely dispersed. Bad back or not, oh how I regretted not bringing one of my heavy varmint rifles with an 18x scopes. At my age, I need all the edge I can get. The hogs still hadn't detected me. I slowly unfolded my sportman's chair, sat down and place my Model 7 in my home made cross sticks. I measured the range of the closest hog with my Bushnell range finder - 216 yards. I've never made a shot that far with this rifle because I've never attempted it - I'd alway try to stalk closer trying not to get busted. However I figured what the hell let's give it a try. This hog was standing on his hole, a fairly large size one. I locked my left hand on the sticks, resting my elbows on my knees then aimed for the neck, took my time and squeezed. A second later the hog fell over! I couldn't believe it. Must be luck.
The other two hogs ran into adjoining tree lines. I just sat there trying to decide if I should move closer or wait them out. One was at about 230, the other at 270 yards away but at different tree lines. I decided to wait. Twenty minutes later the closer one peeked his nose out of the weeds in the tree line. I measured the range, 234 yards. Five minutes later he rolled out of the weeds, a monster hog. I waited as he moved in my direction closing the distance to about 220 yards, crawling along, searching for any remnants of clover. He settled on a small patch missed by the cutter and started munching away. I aimed for the top of his back over the shoulder area and squeezed. I heard the thump of the 50 grain Nosler BT and the hog rolled over. His tail started doing a dance, a sure sign he was down. I smiled at the Model 7, wow, never thought it had it in it. Maybe it's the Benchmark powder - Varget is my go to powder for the long barrel rifles but I had started experimenting with Benchmark for the shorter barrel Model 7. But they again, maybe Lady Luck had smiled on me again - whatever I was smiling.
I'm now feeling pretty good about things, funny, I don't notice my aching back anymore - call it HOG THERAPY.
The other hog, the third one never did come out again but I shot four more that day at 196, 173, 132, and 115 yards. Not too awful bad for an old guy with a bad back, arthritis, and bifocals who was merely planning a recon trip.I was one of those day where just everything was working and I was in the zone.
