So here recently CJ has taken an interest in going with me hog hunting. We haven’t seen anything mainly because we were just scanning fields,
Yesterday I got off work and wanted to go turkey hunting. He asked where I was going and I told him. He asked an I go! Of course the answer was YES! So I loaded the truck as he got ready. We arrived and went and set up, but I didn’t like the spot so we went to move for better cover. In the process we jumped a hen off a nest.
We got set up again and I hit the call and bird gobbled behind us. We spun around the tree now facing the sun and I had my doubts. I hit the call again and he gobbled closer! I told CJ to get ready with my phone (he was cameraman) That bird was close and I couldn’t figure out why we couldn’t see him. After about 3 minutes I hear drumming and spitting behind us.
I’m thinking I’m imagining it until I let out some soft yelps on the diaphragm and he gobbles. I slowly turn my head and see the bird and realize we’ll have an opportunity to once again spin back around the original direction we were facing. We spin around and I tell CJ to record. This bird struts and gobbles but never makes it close enough. He went below us so we spin again. I’m thinking if I can just get him to take one of these cuts through the broomsedge we’ll be in business. Well the bird does but not the one I wanted and not one where we could see him. Unbeknownst to us, he headed back up the hill and as CJ was leaning over to grab a pot call I’d left on the other side of the tree, ole boy steps back out in the burn and spots the movement. He never putted or ran, but just worked his way back the way he came in.

We waited for a good 15min and moved again hoping to call him back. Guess ole boy had other ideas cause we never heard him again, but did hear two others. We played with those birds and watched them through the optics. CJ would tell me to call and and he’d watch his head extend and wouldn’t hear the gobble until he was back in strut. Needless to say we had a great hunt and he had a blast for his first turkey hunt.

As we pulled out of the gate a camera went off with a hog. I asked CJ if he was up for a hog hunt, he said “Heck yeah!” When we got to the next gate I pulled through and stopped and told him to get out for a minute. I got the tripod and SCAR and got it set for him. Once that was done we proceeded to drive as close as possible before parking. We only had about a 300yd walk so carried gun and scanner and he followed with the tripod. The wind was good, but we we couldn’t take the feed trail, we’d have to sneak through brush and fine the “cleanest” spot for a shot.

Y’all can watch the videos and see the results. First video is from the thermal, next video is from the scanner.

Nice shooting

Good deal!

Do you guys eat them hogs?! I bet they stink huh??
Glad CJ was successful!

Good deal partner

I was getting a little dizzy watching the little red dot. Of course that must be my age.


Congrats to CJ on his first hog, way to go.

Mr Bob, part of the problem was I’d hit record and got the gun sorta on the hog to make sure he could find it. He then got on the gun and told him to tell me when to take the safety off. I know I bumped it some taking the safety off and barely had time to hit record on the scanner, lol.
We went “scanning” last night looking in fields and left at 10 and the hogs showed up at 11. I took off tomorrow so we’ve got a long weekend of killing hopefully. Gonna go turkey hunting tomorrow morning too.

Well done CJ

Congratulations to you both. How old is CJ?

Keith

CJ came into our lives at 5 days old…he’s now 10.

nice job,

Well, he almost got to christen the new rifle last night but couldn’t get on the moving pig and I couldn’t make it stop so I had to take the shot before he hit the woodline!