I look for windows of opportunity during the week, as I’m sure most of you do too, and Thursday looked good (enough). The dog was going crazy at home so we headed out with a walk in mind and an animal as a bonus. We arrived with plenty of time to get high and look for options, a deer pig or a goat for dog tucker; I wasn’t concerned either way as a knew Pipi would enjoy and benefit from the experience. As I walked up a valley I swung the binoculars onto a clearing that ran, almost, to the creek it’s self and caught a glimpse of a black and white pig sneaking across the clearing at 370 yards. I quickly set up my rifle, leaning on a Manuka tree after looking up the required dial up, that process reminded me that I need a CDS for my newer .284 as the look up and dial process is sometimes too slow for moving animals, I prefer the CDS system on my other .284 and a couple of other rifles. Anyway I never saw that pig again and moved off towards my original destination to glass. I arrived with plenty of time, it’s staying lighter longer now and I reckon I could see animals in my Liecas at 6:00pm at the moment.
Around 30 minutes of glassing, moving from one side of the ridge to the other, I spotted a small pig at the bottom of the same clearing that I originally saw the first pig on. I dialed up the required MOA and waited for it to reappear, I was aware that it was getting dark quickly and with that in back of my mind squeezed off a shot, miles too quickly, as it came out of cover and moved across clearing. Of course I missed and four pigs ran off through the bush face. Cutting my losses I moved off down the ridge glassing as the light slowly disappeared, eventually in the distance I saw a much bigger pig and snuck towards it, through the Manuka as it eventually became too dark to see. I stopped and listened for rooting and other sounds of movement as the dog told me some thing was near, I heard movement and turned on the little Maxtoch Archer as the pig moved out of cover. I assumed it knew something was up as he started to move off at a quicker pace, he’d disappear into cover soon I thought so I aimed at a point that I thought would send the bullet into his vitals and sneezed the trigger. Of course this is my recollection now, but this all happens so quickly and instinctively, but never the less I heard a solid hit, a rush through the manukau and the last squeal of what looked like a decent boar.
Pipi and I moved to where I’d last seen it and she quickly indicted some blood on the ground and slowly tracked it down hill until she found it stone dead in some Manuka on a steep face. We dragged and bowled in down the hill where it came to a rest on an old farm track. A solid boar that I boned out a after I’d taken a few photos sent them off to the appropriate mates.
It looks like an old boy to me, it certainly has solid tusks.
Attachment 174448
Attachment 174451
Attachment 174449
Attachment 174450
