Post by zeus on Feb 1, 2013 16:09:03 GMT -5
Went with a few buddies to shoot hogs this week down at the High Adventure Ranch. The weather was MISERABLE but GREAT for chasing pigs. The day before and for the first half of Wednesday, it rained and snowed. It was 70 degrees on Tuesday the day before we arrived and the temps dropped to the teens on the morning that we arrived. We arrived with snow blowing everywhere in the 30+ mph winds. It was perfect for stalking pigs. When its nasty like that, they will head to the deep ravines and bed down in groups for warmth. When grouped up, they make so much noise that you can slip around without them jumping at every leaf crunch. With the preceding rains, I knew it would be a little easier to be quiet anyway. One of the guys really wanted to use his bow so it would be perfect for that I figured. We had several busted attempts. They weren't bedded and saw you from way out, needless to say, they didn't stick around long to check your intentions. I figure, they see enough of thier buddies bite the dust that they know what a person is there for 
About 2 hours in, we found some bedded and backed off to figure out the best route to close the distance. A plan was quickly formulated and we closed the gap to about 30 yards before we popped over the ridge top. My buddy stumbled on a rock and made some racket and startled them. When they scattered, a large sow stopped on the edge of the ridge and spun around to get a better look I guess. The arrow found its marked and buried to the fletchings. He had his first hog and with his beloved bow! He was a happy camper. We heard a shot on the other side of the property just before that. Another buddy was stalking on the east side of the property and found a nice fat sow and he took his shot with a 270 at about 85 yards. He was thrilled. He had about 4-5 busted attempts at this one small group. Too much brush for a clear shot and they were just moving too much to get comfortable I guess. In the end, he was happy with the conditions and made a great/easy shot and had pork in the cooler on a random sow that he found on a ridge.
Two of us were using handguns. I had a couple cases of handguns with me and figured I'd decide what I wanted to try once I got settled in. In the end, i took the one I had pretty much planned on from the beginning. This one got the nod because the whole package that I had with me was very special from the sixgun to the ammo and holster. The sixgun is a Smith model 58 that has been massaged by Bowen, Fishpaw, and Gallagher. This is a special gun to me as I received it from a very dear friend a few years ago, Robb Barnes. It has sat in my safe since then and wiped down periodically and pics taken. I finally decided to pull it out and see how it shot recently. I was shooting a 250 grain WFN slug from an LBT mold. I loaded the slug with a mild charge of powder because I don't want to beat up the sixgun too bad along the way. The mold belongs to a buddy that you all know as Sixshot out in Idaho and the slugs were cast by another buddy Jeff Hoover up in Maryland. The sixgun and ammo were carried in a very slick Hank Sloan model holster from Barranti Leather. Mike as you know is another very close friend that produces some outstanding leather products. His attention to detail is amazing and the fit is always first class. These guys are all very dear friends and it was sort of like having them all along for the ride Wednesday evening.
The load is pushing the 250 grain slug from the 4" 58 at an average of about 1075 fps. The first shooting session showed that they were several inches high. When Bowen did the original work for Robb, he fitted a taller front blade and it was in a little baggie in the blue Smith box. So a little work and a blood blister later from getting my finger in the way of the hammer and the punch later and the new blade was fitted into place. Must have been fate as the load is regulated perfectly at about 35 yards with this new blade.
On to the 58s adventure.....We located another small group of hogs bedded down and made an approach from the East working to the SW. I was after a meat hog and wanted to take what they considered a razorback which is just a domestic pig that has gone feral. It takes a few generations usually to get the marking to all pretty much fade it seems but the first pig I took with a handgun after moving to KS was a large black pig with a white stripe down the shoulder blade in OK. There were two in this group it appeared that resembled that first OK hog. The others were the typical black russian looking hogs. One of the white striped hogs was smaller looking but its hard to tell when they are bedded down. The larger was the one I told the guide I was going after. I told him how I wanted to approach the ridge and headed out. I was able to close the distance to about 30 yards before breaching the skyline of the ridge. The one I was after broke off from the group and the 58 barked. The shot entered just behind the left shoulder exiting low through the front of the brisket. The hog reacted and favored that side sort of lumbering to the left quickly. It quickly changed course to exit the area to the right. The second shot was behind the right shoulder but due to the change in distance and angle of the shot, the exit was more through the left shoulder. That one made a more substantial effect. The pig twisted and fell to the right but was able to get back up and head straight away. The last shot went through the rear edge of the shoulder blades at about 50 yards and that sunk the front end to the ground and it flipped backward down the hill. Pigs are tough, some tougher than others but they can take a hit better than most animals I know. the blood loss was pretty substantial and the shooting lasted but a couple of seconds as the pigs move fairly quickly as you know. Did I need to shoot more than the first, nope but I don't like to seem them moving. I'd rather put it down than watch it bleed out so I shoot till they are down if I have a shot. As with most of you, I can shoot a sixgun fairly quickly when needed.....Just ask Dick Thompson
This was not an overly challenging hunt due to the weather conditions being perfect for finding them hunkered down but it was fun spending time with my buddies and getting to test another bullet/gun and just work your way around the ridges trying not to spook everything in the county and not bust your butt in the process. As you know, every pull of the trigger gets you a little more experience and another memory of reaction to hit, placement, etc. so I enjoy every opportunity I have to get out which is not often enough these days.
The last of the party took a large 300+ pound sow with a 4" Freedom Arms chambered in 500 Wyoming Express. It was pretty impressive hit. At about 40 yards, he hit just on the front edge of the front right shoulder. The 350 XTP exited just in front of the left ham. You literally could see the ripples in the hog when that big slow slug found its mark. The pig spun and made it about 5 yards before it slumped over. He took a bison last week with the same gun/load. It has proven to be pretty effective in his hands
The 58
The 58 in its Hank Sloan....
The 58 Hog....
the lungs from the 58 Hog.....
About 2 hours in, we found some bedded and backed off to figure out the best route to close the distance. A plan was quickly formulated and we closed the gap to about 30 yards before we popped over the ridge top. My buddy stumbled on a rock and made some racket and startled them. When they scattered, a large sow stopped on the edge of the ridge and spun around to get a better look I guess. The arrow found its marked and buried to the fletchings. He had his first hog and with his beloved bow! He was a happy camper. We heard a shot on the other side of the property just before that. Another buddy was stalking on the east side of the property and found a nice fat sow and he took his shot with a 270 at about 85 yards. He was thrilled. He had about 4-5 busted attempts at this one small group. Too much brush for a clear shot and they were just moving too much to get comfortable I guess. In the end, he was happy with the conditions and made a great/easy shot and had pork in the cooler on a random sow that he found on a ridge.
Two of us were using handguns. I had a couple cases of handguns with me and figured I'd decide what I wanted to try once I got settled in. In the end, i took the one I had pretty much planned on from the beginning. This one got the nod because the whole package that I had with me was very special from the sixgun to the ammo and holster. The sixgun is a Smith model 58 that has been massaged by Bowen, Fishpaw, and Gallagher. This is a special gun to me as I received it from a very dear friend a few years ago, Robb Barnes. It has sat in my safe since then and wiped down periodically and pics taken. I finally decided to pull it out and see how it shot recently. I was shooting a 250 grain WFN slug from an LBT mold. I loaded the slug with a mild charge of powder because I don't want to beat up the sixgun too bad along the way. The mold belongs to a buddy that you all know as Sixshot out in Idaho and the slugs were cast by another buddy Jeff Hoover up in Maryland. The sixgun and ammo were carried in a very slick Hank Sloan model holster from Barranti Leather. Mike as you know is another very close friend that produces some outstanding leather products. His attention to detail is amazing and the fit is always first class. These guys are all very dear friends and it was sort of like having them all along for the ride Wednesday evening.
The load is pushing the 250 grain slug from the 4" 58 at an average of about 1075 fps. The first shooting session showed that they were several inches high. When Bowen did the original work for Robb, he fitted a taller front blade and it was in a little baggie in the blue Smith box. So a little work and a blood blister later from getting my finger in the way of the hammer and the punch later and the new blade was fitted into place. Must have been fate as the load is regulated perfectly at about 35 yards with this new blade.
On to the 58s adventure.....We located another small group of hogs bedded down and made an approach from the East working to the SW. I was after a meat hog and wanted to take what they considered a razorback which is just a domestic pig that has gone feral. It takes a few generations usually to get the marking to all pretty much fade it seems but the first pig I took with a handgun after moving to KS was a large black pig with a white stripe down the shoulder blade in OK. There were two in this group it appeared that resembled that first OK hog. The others were the typical black russian looking hogs. One of the white striped hogs was smaller looking but its hard to tell when they are bedded down. The larger was the one I told the guide I was going after. I told him how I wanted to approach the ridge and headed out. I was able to close the distance to about 30 yards before breaching the skyline of the ridge. The one I was after broke off from the group and the 58 barked. The shot entered just behind the left shoulder exiting low through the front of the brisket. The hog reacted and favored that side sort of lumbering to the left quickly. It quickly changed course to exit the area to the right. The second shot was behind the right shoulder but due to the change in distance and angle of the shot, the exit was more through the left shoulder. That one made a more substantial effect. The pig twisted and fell to the right but was able to get back up and head straight away. The last shot went through the rear edge of the shoulder blades at about 50 yards and that sunk the front end to the ground and it flipped backward down the hill. Pigs are tough, some tougher than others but they can take a hit better than most animals I know. the blood loss was pretty substantial and the shooting lasted but a couple of seconds as the pigs move fairly quickly as you know. Did I need to shoot more than the first, nope but I don't like to seem them moving. I'd rather put it down than watch it bleed out so I shoot till they are down if I have a shot. As with most of you, I can shoot a sixgun fairly quickly when needed.....Just ask Dick Thompson
This was not an overly challenging hunt due to the weather conditions being perfect for finding them hunkered down but it was fun spending time with my buddies and getting to test another bullet/gun and just work your way around the ridges trying not to spook everything in the county and not bust your butt in the process. As you know, every pull of the trigger gets you a little more experience and another memory of reaction to hit, placement, etc. so I enjoy every opportunity I have to get out which is not often enough these days.
The last of the party took a large 300+ pound sow with a 4" Freedom Arms chambered in 500 Wyoming Express. It was pretty impressive hit. At about 40 yards, he hit just on the front edge of the front right shoulder. The 350 XTP exited just in front of the left ham. You literally could see the ripples in the hog when that big slow slug found its mark. The pig spun and made it about 5 yards before it slumped over. He took a bison last week with the same gun/load. It has proven to be pretty effective in his hands
The 58
The 58 in its Hank Sloan....
The 58 Hog....
the lungs from the 58 Hog.....
