Just popped a 150lb piggie Saturday evening on a spot and stalk with the Magnum Research 22 magnum, my only choice due to law constraints. The area I hunt is overrun with them badly. This one was dead on impact at 63 yds with a middle ear shot and the ribs were on the grill for the race on Sunday, Yummy as always.
However I wasn't so fortunate tonight as I had to leave a 200 lb plus boar in the swamp with another shot variety I tried which should have severed the spine from skull, one inch down and one inch rear of where the rear of ear joins head. Well he went down like a sack o bricks into a low spot. Not even into my first step towards him to reacuire due to obstruction the race began as he was up and headed outta the open pine flat and down towards the swamp, after a mad 100 yd dash there he was looking around at 50 yds, I shouldered almost acquired and off he goes at a full trot again. This repeated itself 175 yds right before he enter the forbidden Low County Swamp, I could see the brush moving and entered right behind him give or take 50 yds and a 5 minute wind catcher. At about 100yds in on hands and knees all got quiet. Fortunately my good old buddy Darwin tapped my shoulder and I realized that being by myself 2 miles from the truck in the dark on hands and knees and damn near tied down by briars looking for a wounded hog with a 22 mag isn't condusive to keeping a pretty face.
20 degrees tonight no problem for meat but hell the way he was acting I think I hit neck muscle only. Upon scrutinzing the skull and cape of the previous hog taken I can see that most likely it missed the spine entirely or maybe fractured the dorsal process a little high thus the knockdown without lethality.
Gonna give it another good look over in the morning with the dog. Sucks not to have the 300 wsm with me, or 45 in the morning. Just the 22 mag a 110lb chessie who knows the game and a long blade, should be quite arrousing.
However I wasn't so fortunate tonight as I had to leave a 200 lb plus boar in the swamp with another shot variety I tried which should have severed the spine from skull, one inch down and one inch rear of where the rear of ear joins head. Well he went down like a sack o bricks into a low spot. Not even into my first step towards him to reacuire due to obstruction the race began as he was up and headed outta the open pine flat and down towards the swamp, after a mad 100 yd dash there he was looking around at 50 yds, I shouldered almost acquired and off he goes at a full trot again. This repeated itself 175 yds right before he enter the forbidden Low County Swamp, I could see the brush moving and entered right behind him give or take 50 yds and a 5 minute wind catcher. At about 100yds in on hands and knees all got quiet. Fortunately my good old buddy Darwin tapped my shoulder and I realized that being by myself 2 miles from the truck in the dark on hands and knees and damn near tied down by briars looking for a wounded hog with a 22 mag isn't condusive to keeping a pretty face.
20 degrees tonight no problem for meat but hell the way he was acting I think I hit neck muscle only. Upon scrutinzing the skull and cape of the previous hog taken I can see that most likely it missed the spine entirely or maybe fractured the dorsal process a little high thus the knockdown without lethality.
Gonna give it another good look over in the morning with the dog. Sucks not to have the 300 wsm with me, or 45 in the morning. Just the 22 mag a 110lb chessie who knows the game and a long blade, should be quite arrousing.
