Destructive little critters.

Collin wanted to do some dove hunting with a friend of his from college named Cody so I took them out since the second half of the  Texas south zone is still on.   They both set up at the tank and I took off to do a little scouting on the property trying to find hog tracks and where I'd have a good chance on putting one of them or all of us on some hogs.   Since I had to get up at 0600 the next morning I told them to bring a rifle and I would try to get them on a hog.   After scouting the back part of the property I found several fairly active trails and was going to set up on them, that is until I went to the field they were dove hunting.    As I drove around the back part of the field I saw,

as you can also in these pictures, fresh signs of hogs tearing up the field.  If you're wondering why I drove instead of walking, well there's two reasons for that.   The first is, well it's a long walk, and the second and most important is I don't want my scent in that area.  Not that I stink but them hogs have an exceptional nose and any of my scent that might stay in the field would spook them.    So we decided to set up about 100 yards  away from what looked like sloppy plowing by the farmer, but was hogs digging up the property.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    I told Collin and Cody to try their luck and knocking down some doves at the back of the property since I had seen quite a few doves when I was back there,  so they did.    The plan was for them to join me in the field once they tried their luck at dove hunting, and it would allow me to take a short nap since I had been up since 0500 and went to work then came hunting.   They joined me right before it got dark and we could hear the hogs high pitched squeals about 150 yards in front of us in the wooded area.   As it got dark the squeals were getting louder so we knew they were coming our way.   We didn't know how many, but that's alright we had enough ammo if needed.  

Once it got dark, naturally with clouds covering the stars it was pretty dark but with good binoculars we were able to see anything that moved within probably 100 yards.   Around 1930 we could see hogs in the next field mixed in with the horses and cows so we couldn't shoot until they were in front of us.   We would have to wait them out or just keep an eye on them.   I've learned that when a big group moves in and starts tearing up the field you really have to watch all around you.    A few times in the past we've watched a group of hogs in the dark, with binoculars and the group starts to spread out.   Somehow one or two venture off quite a few yards from the group as they tear up the ground and we lose sight of them.    Then as we look through the scope aiming at a target 50 or 60 yards off we catch movement either from the left or right at a very close distance and find out one of the hogs wandered back in and is coming right at us.   On one instance a hog was shot at only 20 yards as it worked towards us.  So I kept telling Collin to check the right and behind us, to make sure it was clear.

It's hard to acquire a target on a cloudy night as you look through a scope at 60 yards unless you have a good green light.   I could see a big hog around 60 yards out with the green light on, but Cody was having a hard time finding it as he looked through his scope.   There was a breeze going from east to west and the hogs were north of us which was perfect.  As the hogs worked into the field we were sitting in, Collin and I could see the big hog which was directly in front of us around 60 yards out but Cody couldn't.   After several minutes of trying to find the hog, I could see Cody was getting a little upset because he couldn't see it.    I've never turned down a chance to shoot but this is the first one.   Cody looked at me and said, "sir, I can't see it but if you can see it go ahead and shoot it".   What a guy!  Remember, all the conversations are whispers so we don't spook the hogs.  I asked him if he wanted to use my rifle since I could see it, but he said "no that's alright go ahead and shoot".   I told him no that's alright lets wait him out and see what happens.   There were about 7 or 8 hogs, with 2 of them being big so maybe one would wander in a little closer.    Sure enough it didn't take long for this little girl to work her way in front of us.    Either Collin or I picked her up as she wandered in front of us at a good pace and Cody could see her without the green light.   I told him I would turn the light on real quick so he could get the crosshairs on her.   As I turned the light on, he could see her but she was facing away from us and I turned the light off.    I asked, are you ready, and he said yes, so I turned the light on and she started to turn he asked shoot, to which I replied shoot it and he immediately pulled the trigger.   I think the "t" from my response of shoot it was still sounding out when the loud .270 report went off and as I looked through my scope the bullet hit the hogs head and it's legs dropped beneath it as it tore up the ground.   Collin saw 2 run off to our right and the others ran in the opposite direction.    We walked it off and measured about 36 yards.  We all had smiles but Cody had the biggest, and rightly so since he was able to make a headshot in the dark.   Even though I had a green light, believe me it's not easy to do.   I usually take the shoulder shot at night since it's a little bigger target, so congratulations on an excellent shot Cody.  See ya on the next hunt folks.