6-5-11

This evening I guided Mike Messick on a pig hunt. With the weather being overcast I figured that the pigs would move early so we met in Maxwell at 4:00 PM and headed up to the ranch. We had been seeing pigs every evening working a flat on the East side of the ranch before heading down into the wheat, so we headed over there to see what would happen. At 7:00 PM a lone boar walked around the corner and was 500 yards out but feeding in our direction so we just sat tight and kept an eye on him. As he made his way to roughly 300 yards Mike got set up on the sticks and was ready to shoot as it looked like he was going to feed right to us. Just minutes later I caught movement off to the right and watched in disbelief as 2 coyotes headed across the flat and straight towards the boar. The boar noticed the coyotes and started to bolt up the hill and away from the approaching danger. At this point I ranged the boar at 250 yards and Mike took the shot. He hit the boar a little further back then he had wanted to but the boar stumbled and fell. Before Mike could get another shot in him he jumped to his feet, ran up the hill and laid down. We could see him laying there so we gave him a half hour to expire before walking up the hill to get a look at him. As we approached the boar he looked dead but all at once he sprang to his feet, turned towards me and started running straight at me. Luckily I had my trusty .300 Win. Mag with me and was able to put one right between his eyes at a mere 10 yards. For a minute I thought that I was going to get cut to shreds, but luck was on my side. It was another great hunt and the pig charging me added a whole new level of excitement for me as well as Mike!!!

Jake