Our Michigan Russian Hog Hunt 9/11/10

[PoorHunter]

Russian Hog Hunt 9-11-2010

It was a self help hunt It was not a guided hunt we were on our own, he put us on the 500 acres and turned us loose at 7 AM., Had we got late into the afternoon w/ nothing he would have stepped in and helped out some.

He said that the groups before us got all their hogs well past 7:30 PM & not very many.

He actually drove the whole ranch while we were hunting to see what we would stir up and he only seen one Feral Hog.

I have a new respect for Guides now, It was quite difficult, first to just find a hog, then with 2 new hunters, Sarah's first ever hunt. They were beat down tired after 3 hours and the rain made things that much worse.

I could not believe our luck on the way back to the truck for lunch and the end hunt discussions, I spotted the three Russians, the only ones we seen that was after 5 1/2 hours of stalking.
That's when it got very intense, I had to get at least 2 gals on hogs, and there were 3 hogs there all at once, it was pouring then.
It was amazing how once the shooting started the girls quit complaining.
I got the sticks set & brought Sarah on, she couldn't find hogs in scope, we moved & reset several times, once she was on em she was scared they would charge if she shot & didn't want to shoot kept saying I can't do it, I'm going crazy inside. finally got her to shoot and he dropped like a rock, I told her it wasn’t going anywhere we had to go. I gave her a real quick kiss & high 5 and pulled her & the sticks off after the others, then scrambled to keep up to the hogs and get Nan on one, Hogs were not cooperating, Finally got Nan on, she was rushed and shot over the hog & it split, I chased it down & reset the sticks & rushed Sarah to get Nan up to me quick, she got on the hogs & they moved again a few set ups and she was set...I told her to shoot…CLICK !!!, I said did you rack another shell in?, she said yes, I checked the gun, she didn't pull the bolt far enough back for the shell to load, got her reloaded, and again chased them down to set up, each time they would only stop for seconds, Finally I got her ready both were facing us and as one turned I had her shoot, and she heart shot him, went down like a rock... Man what a relief to see the gals get their Russians. Those two Hogs took almost 1/2 an hour. I had wanted to hold out for a huge Russian boar, but with the rain and the 2 gals done I knew there would be no more hunting this day , so I made up my mind and ran off after the last one w/ my pistol, My glasses were dripping w/ rain I couldn’t see through em, I couldn't see with out em & I can’t see a pistol scope w/out them, And I had ran off w/out the sticks and had an awful time getting set for a shot, Missed the first shot, second chance I hit em a little far back and he ran into a little hollow & laid up so I knew he was hit, as I got closer he bolted again. I chased him further & set up ,all I could see was a blurry shadow in the scope & I shot again, he went right down, I had got him right in the neck, through the spine, the exit hole was tremendous. He wasn’t going anywhere, we had managed to bag all 3 of the hogs in the confusion & excitement.

Walked back to the gals & when I got there the rancher was there, he heard the shooting, we told him we had 3 hogs down, he could not believe we seen 3 and were able to bag all of them. and he went to get the loader to haul em back to the ranch. Picture time, Sarah had still not yet seen her hog, I pulled her away so we could get the others. So we went & took picts of Nan’s hog, on the ground dead they were hard to find once we left them and they were scattered all over the woods. Got to Take Picts of Bob’s and Sarah Said he wasn’t dead yet, he was on his way out but not there yet so I had to hasten his journey with another shot . Then Sarah, finally got her hands on her Hog, Boy was she one happy girl & well deserved, she had heart shot her first animal with Great Grandad’s 300 Savage. Boy what a heart pounding 40 or 45 minutes, That was so much more work than just shooting one on my own...
I was so happy I was able to pull it off & get the 2 gals a hog, I didn't mind the leftover smallest one LOL.

During the hunt we seen 3 real nice Ferals & the Gals said No, and also one huge Feral Boar with 4 or 5 in tusks, charged us a few times and chased us for a while, dern near shot him myself, again the gals said No they wanted Russians... So it was Russians they got.. What a thrill all three of us with a hog in those conditions, it was a gift to have a group of three show up at the right moment.

I found out Guiding is no easy chore, when you feel responsible for getting the hunters an animal...That was a work out, I pushed the gals a little hard but I had no choice if we were gonna get anything at all, They both came through like troopers and Got ER DUN !!! I’m proud of my Ladys.

[PoorHunter]

[Jason]

Pretty sweet hunt! I didn't see mention (or maybe I just missed that part) of the type of handgun that is...is that a .50 cal?

[PoorHunter]

S&W 460 XVR
I call it Big Bertha
Kicks like an old mule

[Craig E.]

Great story and pics!! Thanks for sharing! Despite a slow start, sounds like you guys had hogs splayed all over the place! Congrats to all 3 of you!

[PoorHunter]

Thanks it was our first hunt together, My Daughters first ever hunt, fun to hunt with 3 of us, made it difficult but exiting