The “Baby Rifle” – a T/C Contender carbine in 7mm TCU shooting Sierra's 160 gr. B.T.-H.P. Game King bullet.
The story of our hunt:
My wife and I got on stand last Wednesday morning @ 6:00 am…
While waiting on first light, we could hear faint squeals and grunts off in the distance. Terry and I whispered back and fourth about what we would do if a “monster hog” showed up, and we both just shrugged our shoulders. I had my 308 Sniper rifle as back-up but, unless it really came down to it, I had no intentions of shooting anything. It was just safety insurance in case we were both on the ground and got charged by a hog...
As soon as the sun started peeking through the trees, the woods and fields started coming alive. Terry spotted a coyote about 100 yds. out. I put the crosshairs on it and at the last second, decided not to shoot. This was Terry’s hunt and I did not want to do anything to spoil it. Terry declined to shoot it as well, so we just let go on about it's business...
A few minutes later, I spotted a hog some 200 yds. to our left. We watched it about ten seconds and then it disappeared into the woods…
A couple of minutes later, there was a 200+ pound hog that came in from our right side. Terry watched it through her scope for a little while but, decided that was not the one she wanted. That hog was around 70 yds. away and we watched it feed on acorns for around 15-20 minutes, then it finally fed out of sight...
Another 10-15 minutes later, another hog showed up. This one was probably a good 250 pounds. Then another hog showed up and then another. We had three hogs less than 75 yds. in front of us, that weighed some 250-300 lbs.. One coal black hog got Terry’s attention, and she kept it in her crosshairs. She asked me if I thought she ought to take it and I told her it was strictly her call. This was her hunt and I was just there for back-up. She watched that black hog for 30 minutes, as the other two walked under our stand and eventually fed back into the woods. That black hog though, stayed out in the open for a while, and then it just walked away. Terry said she wished she wished she would have shot it when it was closer, but I told her she could still shoot it if she wanted to, as it was about 125 yds. away now, but she decided to give it a pass...
After that black hog left, we started looking around and realized we had 30-40 pigs come out from another section of woods to our right. These guys probably averaged 100-200 lbs. each and were very mean and aggressive. They were running amuck, chasing and biting each other and just going nuts, popping their teeth as they chased each other! We kinda thought it was funny, till we saw a couple of them bleeding and realized they were serious and not just playing. All of this went of for about an hour or so, and they all eventually went in every which direction, and then out of sight...
The black hog that we were watching earlier, was now about 100 yds. to our right. I told Terry to take it if she wanted it and she said okay. While she was sighting in on it, I watched her reach up to cock the hammer and before she got it all the way back, I said STOP! I caught movement about 250 yds. away and if I would have worn false teeth, they would have fell out of my mouth. I told Terry to forget that “little” pig cause there was one a LOT bigger out in the other pasture. She looked at it and said, what do I do? I told her to not move and we’ll see where this guy is headed. Even at 250 yds., this ole boy was huge! I watched this hog tear through 4 strands of barb wire fence and not even slow down. He then turned to our right and went in a different section of woods. He came back out a few minutes later, run up to the black hog we had been watching and literally ripped that hog wide open with his tusks! No exaggeration, that hog had a gash over two feet long down its side. Needless to say, that hog ran off squealing, till it was well out of sight...
Now Terry’s hog – he is now about 150 yds. out and heading straight at us. I tell Terry to get a good rest, cock the hammer and get ready...
125 yds. – that 500 lb. brute is still coming – head on...
100 yds. – I tell Terry to put the crosshairs directly between its eyes. She says I got him, just say when. The trigger pull on this gun is a very crisp 20 oz. and I reminded her to stay away from the trigger until she was ready for the shot. No problem she said...
80 yds. – something in the woods spooked this big hog and he turned to run, took a few steps and came back, still ranged at 80 yds...
The hog was still facing us, but at a slight angle to our left. I told Terry to move the crosshairs to the crease line in front of the hogs shoulder. I said you will be between his neck and shoulder. I said there is a small white patch there, and that is where I wanted her to put the bullet. Okay – are you ready? Shoot! A split second later, she fires and I see the bullet strike dead center on the crease line of that hogs shoulder, on the small white patch, and the dust flies off of the EXACT spot I told her to shoot! That hog makes blood curdling grunt and falls in a heap! I darned near fall out of the stand when I jumped up as said YOU GOT HIM!!!
About that time, the hog gets to its feet and slowly wobbles to the woods, about 40 yards away. We wait a little while, don’t hear anything and slowly start making our way over to where we saw the hog enter the woods. When we get there, he is about 20 yds. inside the woods and walking REAL SLOW! About then, he turns around and looks back at us and grunts. Oh spit I thought! I really wished at that time I had my 375 H&H instead of my 308 but, a few seconds later, he turned back around and collapsed. Still in the upright position, I got Terry positioned to put a bullet behind the hogs front shoulder and with her first ever off hand shot, she made a perfect finishing shot! After a long 5 seconds and a final grunt, her trophy laid over on its side...
We had to get someone with a tractor to load the hog into the back of my truck and while waiting on it, a small 60 lb. porker showed itself and I told Terry I was gonna shoot it for the grill. I took aim and head shot it at just over 150 yds. with my 308...
Both pigs were taken to the Game Processor and we told the guys to turn it all into sausage. Now, were just gonna wait and see just how much sausage we get back from 560 lbs. worth of BIG HOG and little piggy...
Sadly, Terry passed away 3 months after shooting her hog.
She should not have even been out on this hunt because she was sick, but she insisted on going.
She had been in and out of the hospital for the past several months, and coded more times than I could count!
In the end though, she had a very memorable hunt!
The story of our hunt:
My wife and I got on stand last Wednesday morning @ 6:00 am…
While waiting on first light, we could hear faint squeals and grunts off in the distance. Terry and I whispered back and fourth about what we would do if a “monster hog” showed up, and we both just shrugged our shoulders. I had my 308 Sniper rifle as back-up but, unless it really came down to it, I had no intentions of shooting anything. It was just safety insurance in case we were both on the ground and got charged by a hog...
As soon as the sun started peeking through the trees, the woods and fields started coming alive. Terry spotted a coyote about 100 yds. out. I put the crosshairs on it and at the last second, decided not to shoot. This was Terry’s hunt and I did not want to do anything to spoil it. Terry declined to shoot it as well, so we just let go on about it's business...
A few minutes later, I spotted a hog some 200 yds. to our left. We watched it about ten seconds and then it disappeared into the woods…
A couple of minutes later, there was a 200+ pound hog that came in from our right side. Terry watched it through her scope for a little while but, decided that was not the one she wanted. That hog was around 70 yds. away and we watched it feed on acorns for around 15-20 minutes, then it finally fed out of sight...
Another 10-15 minutes later, another hog showed up. This one was probably a good 250 pounds. Then another hog showed up and then another. We had three hogs less than 75 yds. in front of us, that weighed some 250-300 lbs.. One coal black hog got Terry’s attention, and she kept it in her crosshairs. She asked me if I thought she ought to take it and I told her it was strictly her call. This was her hunt and I was just there for back-up. She watched that black hog for 30 minutes, as the other two walked under our stand and eventually fed back into the woods. That black hog though, stayed out in the open for a while, and then it just walked away. Terry said she wished she wished she would have shot it when it was closer, but I told her she could still shoot it if she wanted to, as it was about 125 yds. away now, but she decided to give it a pass...
After that black hog left, we started looking around and realized we had 30-40 pigs come out from another section of woods to our right. These guys probably averaged 100-200 lbs. each and were very mean and aggressive. They were running amuck, chasing and biting each other and just going nuts, popping their teeth as they chased each other! We kinda thought it was funny, till we saw a couple of them bleeding and realized they were serious and not just playing. All of this went of for about an hour or so, and they all eventually went in every which direction, and then out of sight...
The black hog that we were watching earlier, was now about 100 yds. to our right. I told Terry to take it if she wanted it and she said okay. While she was sighting in on it, I watched her reach up to cock the hammer and before she got it all the way back, I said STOP! I caught movement about 250 yds. away and if I would have worn false teeth, they would have fell out of my mouth. I told Terry to forget that “little” pig cause there was one a LOT bigger out in the other pasture. She looked at it and said, what do I do? I told her to not move and we’ll see where this guy is headed. Even at 250 yds., this ole boy was huge! I watched this hog tear through 4 strands of barb wire fence and not even slow down. He then turned to our right and went in a different section of woods. He came back out a few minutes later, run up to the black hog we had been watching and literally ripped that hog wide open with his tusks! No exaggeration, that hog had a gash over two feet long down its side. Needless to say, that hog ran off squealing, till it was well out of sight...
Now Terry’s hog – he is now about 150 yds. out and heading straight at us. I tell Terry to get a good rest, cock the hammer and get ready...
125 yds. – that 500 lb. brute is still coming – head on...
100 yds. – I tell Terry to put the crosshairs directly between its eyes. She says I got him, just say when. The trigger pull on this gun is a very crisp 20 oz. and I reminded her to stay away from the trigger until she was ready for the shot. No problem she said...
80 yds. – something in the woods spooked this big hog and he turned to run, took a few steps and came back, still ranged at 80 yds...
The hog was still facing us, but at a slight angle to our left. I told Terry to move the crosshairs to the crease line in front of the hogs shoulder. I said you will be between his neck and shoulder. I said there is a small white patch there, and that is where I wanted her to put the bullet. Okay – are you ready? Shoot! A split second later, she fires and I see the bullet strike dead center on the crease line of that hogs shoulder, on the small white patch, and the dust flies off of the EXACT spot I told her to shoot! That hog makes blood curdling grunt and falls in a heap! I darned near fall out of the stand when I jumped up as said YOU GOT HIM!!!
About that time, the hog gets to its feet and slowly wobbles to the woods, about 40 yards away. We wait a little while, don’t hear anything and slowly start making our way over to where we saw the hog enter the woods. When we get there, he is about 20 yds. inside the woods and walking REAL SLOW! About then, he turns around and looks back at us and grunts. Oh spit I thought! I really wished at that time I had my 375 H&H instead of my 308 but, a few seconds later, he turned back around and collapsed. Still in the upright position, I got Terry positioned to put a bullet behind the hogs front shoulder and with her first ever off hand shot, she made a perfect finishing shot! After a long 5 seconds and a final grunt, her trophy laid over on its side...
We had to get someone with a tractor to load the hog into the back of my truck and while waiting on it, a small 60 lb. porker showed itself and I told Terry I was gonna shoot it for the grill. I took aim and head shot it at just over 150 yds. with my 308...
Both pigs were taken to the Game Processor and we told the guys to turn it all into sausage. Now, were just gonna wait and see just how much sausage we get back from 560 lbs. worth of BIG HOG and little piggy...
Sadly, Terry passed away 3 months after shooting her hog.
She should not have even been out on this hunt because she was sick, but she insisted on going.
She had been in and out of the hospital for the past several months, and coded more times than I could count!
In the end though, she had a very memorable hunt!