Crusin' The Tall Grass

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It's been about a week since my last hunting story. I've upped the tally with nine
more for a total of 30 so far this summer, 18 from the first farm and 12 from the
second.

These last nine consisted of three hogs per hunt (my most productive period), 1 from
the first farm and 8 from the second.

I went back to the first farm to check things out and found that all the fields need
mowing, either grass mowing or hay mowing. It was actually pretty early; before
noon if I remember correctly. Spoke to the owner for a few minutes and he told me
that in the next few weeks he will be cutting, grading and filling in hog holes.
Once that happens and the active holes are opened up again by their tenants, I can
start hunting anew. If there are any left. I know there must be more, just in
places I don't know about yet.

After we finished chewing the fat and after I had mentioned my bewilderment of not
seeing any hogs in the one field where there was abundant evidence of them being
there, I cruised by in my truck and low and behold I see a head sticking up in the
tall grass right in the middle of aforementioned field. I positioned the truck,
turned off the engine, set the TC Encore on the partially rolled up window and, like
I had seen on numerous web videos of varmint hunting, whistled (the first time I
ever tried it) to the little critter. Sure enough, he stood straight up and that
was all she wrote, 90 yards through the shoulder. Now that was pretty slick!

Later that afternoon I went to the second farm. As I pulled in, two hogs went
scrambling back into the weeds on opposite sides of the front lawn. I pulled the
truck into my usual spot and set up for whatever action would present itself. I
noticed that the grass had been cut earlier in the day, so spotting those little
rodents should be easy.

While I'm sitting there my cell phone rings and while I'm in conversation with my
son, I see a head stick up about three feet from the edge of the weeds directly in
front of me. Now I've been virtually staring at the spot where the hog pulled his
disappearing act and can't figure out how he could have belly crawled to where he
got without me seeing him. Eventually he climbs out of what I finally realized was
one of his holes I didn't know existed. I let him do his thing while continuing my
phone conversation. We say goodbye, I put the crosshairs on that sneaky little
bugger, who by now was facing me no more that 40 yards away. Pop goes the weasel.
Oh, I mean groundhog.

I decided to retrieve my efforts and placed him in a plastic bag for later disposal.
Rather than get back in the truck, I took a walk in the barn for a change of
scenery. I noticed the owner driving around the front lawn in his Jeep. Maybe he
heard the shot? So I walk back to my truck and drive up to the house. By this time
he's back inside. I knock on the door and he comes out. We jaw for awhile. I like
to be sociable to the folks who are kind enough to allow me to pursue my enjoyment
on their property. During our conversation I get permission to use the second story
of the barn as a new shooting spot cause by now I'm getting the feeling the hogs are
associating my truck with the disappearance of their buddies. I also get permission
to go around the back of the house, a spot I have not yet seen, to check out its
potential.

I excused myself, said goodbye and slowly walked around the back of the house. The
nicely manicured lawn slopes down into a large field that adjoins the golf course.
It has tall grass that needs mowing. From there I crept around the corner of the
house to find a hog busily doing the best he can to keep the grass from growing
along that side of the house. I carefully retreated back to the truck, backed it up
to the side of the barn to where I can see him and placed the gun in position, all
without him having the slightest idea I'm even around. I opened him up pretty good,
this time with a 32 grain Hornady VMax at 60 yards; jumped out the truck, put him in
the plastic bag with the other victim and off I went.

Don't know when I will be sharing the next hunting story. The hogs are getting
scarce and who knows when the grass/hay will be cut. However, I will leave you with
a picture of my new weapon, so new I haven't even sighted it in yet. It's a Savage
Model 12, Varmint Low Profile, single shot in 22-250, 1 in 9 twist, topped with a
Nikon Monarch in 6x24x50.

Happy Hunting.

Doug from NJ

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