Went hog hunting yesterday with a friend named Mike. We drove a couple of hours from Melbourne to Chappy’s Outfitters on the west side of Lake Okeechobee where we met the PH (professional hunter/guide) and two young kids who are learning the trade.
We climbed up into one of the huge home-made buggies they have, with built-in dog kennels and seats up high so hunters can get a good view, run through frequent spider webs and get slapped in the face with wet branches. All part of the fun.
After a short ride to the hunting area and a short wait while the dogs did their morning business, we rode around, following the radio collars on the dogs while they sniffed out hogs and tried to corner them in the super-dense palmetto thickets. Of course, once the hog is found, it’s up to the hunter to crash through the brush and find the thing. More often than not, the hogs get away, but Mike was first with his rifle. Seeing a hog in that heavy cover is tough enough, but figuring out what part of the hog you’re seeing through a ‘scope is nearly impossible. Anyway, Mike managed it, scoring a nice head shot.
I was next. Following a dog through that tangled stuff for 50-100 yards and then having enough wind to get off a clean shot with a handgun ain’t easy, but I broke the neck of a running hog (those things are fast!) for an instant kill. The hog weighed about 140-145 lbs according to the chest measurement and a chart I found on-line.
FYI, I was shooting a Desert Eagle .44 Mag with 180 gr JHPs at around 1650 fps. After smashing the spine, the exit wound was damn impressive.
Chappy’s does the skinning and quarters your hog, leaving it to the hunter to do the final butchering. The meat’s iced down in a cooler and I’ll get it cut up in a few days.
We climbed up into one of the huge home-made buggies they have, with built-in dog kennels and seats up high so hunters can get a good view, run through frequent spider webs and get slapped in the face with wet branches. All part of the fun.
After a short ride to the hunting area and a short wait while the dogs did their morning business, we rode around, following the radio collars on the dogs while they sniffed out hogs and tried to corner them in the super-dense palmetto thickets. Of course, once the hog is found, it’s up to the hunter to crash through the brush and find the thing. More often than not, the hogs get away, but Mike was first with his rifle. Seeing a hog in that heavy cover is tough enough, but figuring out what part of the hog you’re seeing through a ‘scope is nearly impossible. Anyway, Mike managed it, scoring a nice head shot.
I was next. Following a dog through that tangled stuff for 50-100 yards and then having enough wind to get off a clean shot with a handgun ain’t easy, but I broke the neck of a running hog (those things are fast!) for an instant kill. The hog weighed about 140-145 lbs according to the chest measurement and a chart I found on-line.
FYI, I was shooting a Desert Eagle .44 Mag with 180 gr JHPs at around 1650 fps. After smashing the spine, the exit wound was damn impressive.
Chappy’s does the skinning and quarters your hog, leaving it to the hunter to do the final butchering. The meat’s iced down in a cooler and I’ll get it cut up in a few days.
