Tonight I went prepared, 4 wheeler and all. I have an 1894 Marlin 357 Mag, rescued from a pawn shop, that had yet to draw blood, but I precede myself.
I took the Marlin and headed out for the back (north) side of this 130 acre tract. It is about 2/3 wooded but is leased for grazing and there are cattle on it. I scouted a couple of trap locations, found fresh rooting and wallows and a spot where they have been rubbing mud, a little gully with the sides all slicked up. Then a few rubs on trees.
So I hike all around the woods to the places where I had jumped hogs before and man am I tiptoeing like Hiawatha. Quiet like a little mouse. I cover most of the back side and run into a few head of cattle after jumping 3 deer, so I turn around and head for the truck, figuring I'm skunked for today. I console myself with the fact that I learned what I came for and that was the trap locations- one on each side of the creek. Well, it's nigh 'bout 6:30 and I'm striding for the truck at a pretty good pace along the edge of the woods.
For some reason I stop and take a breather and as I look over into the woods, there is a hog, just rooting along undisturbed. I take a look through the Weaver and pause for a better shot. She takes a few more steps and gives me a perfect broadside at not more than 30 yds. The 357 barks and she takes off in a big looping circle towards me, passes within 10 ft and I hear the crash a few seconds later. I step off into the woods and two little watermelons come running past me. I rip off a shot at one- a miss and he hits another gear. Mom left a fine blood trail from the pass through shot and is down in the bottom of a little draw, 30 yds from the edge of the treeline. I huff and I puff and I drag her out. I then complete the trek to the truck, unload the 4 wheeler, go load her up (barely), reload the 4 wheeler, pig and all and head for the house.
Don't know how she ran. One shoulder was completely destroyed, both lungs were goners. She will go 125 lbs and is black. I am using 158 gr Speer flat points over a max load of 18 grains of Li'l Gun. Safe in my gun. Use at your own peril. The Marlin wears a Weaver 1-3x 20 so my 55 yr old eyes can hit what I see and vice versa. It is sighted dead on at 50 yds and groups 5 shots under 2 inches. If I would take the time to do some improving on the trigger it would do even better.
First blood drawn with the Marlin. Pork is in the freezer, destined for sausage.
Sorry about the dark pics, but it was late when I got home.
