Biggest Hog So Far

[J. Riekers]

Yesterday afternoon, just before dark I shot the biggest hog I've ever got. There is a tripod on our property that has sunk down quite a bit. On some game camera photos one particular hog's back appeared to be nearly touching the basket hanging under the tripod that is about 4 feet off the ground. I set up about 100 yds away and waited. About 15 minutes before dusk 5 hogs came in. After a half minute they scattered and began to run back and forth. There was a small window to see through since the food plots are anywhere from 3 to 4 feet high right now. Suddenly, I saw a lumbering black spot waddle in. I could see it over the grass in spite of the height. When it got to the little window that was matted down grass up to 2 feet high I could see one distinct black hump sticking up. With the failing light I could not tell if it was the front half or the back half even through the 4X scope. Hogs are varmints here and large boar hogs are not eating material so I was less concerned with the shot placement than I would be with a game animal. I've killed two animals before (one with archery) by carefully pulverizing the femoral artery. I shot so that the front half would receive a high shoulder shot or the back half would crush the pelvic and femoral artery. Bang! My 35 Remington send a 200 grain Core-Lokt 2100 fps to the hog. I heard a heavy "whack" and heard a quick squeal. When I reached the spot there was a heavy, bright red blood trail that was obvioulsly coming out both sides of the hog. 50 yards later I found the brute dead with a hole through the pelvic. The exit wound was over a quarter diameter and clearly the femoral was severed. It took everything I could muster up to drag this beast just 50 yds to a clearing. I got the truck and drove back in to the hog where I hooked up the winch. I hoisted the hog into the back of the pickup and went to take some photos. His teeth were worn off completely in some spots and his cutters were only 2 inches but gouged and broken. His length from nose to extended rear legs is 60 inches. His girth behind the front legs is 48"! From his nose to the crest of his head he measured 20". The weight was 326 pounds! Prior to this hog the biggest one I've ever got was 280 pounds. This one is quite a bit bigger! You can see that with this legs folded under, he is as long as my 1939 Remington Model 141 with a 22" barrel. His head is as long as my fingers tips to elbow.

[81police]

What a brute! Congrats Jay you did a fine job bringing that monster down. That hog is built like the hogs we've got in Mitchell Co., TX but a heavier. I bet your heart was pumpin while you were followin that blood trail.

Nice work.