The pork pages

[Blr243]

After I chatted to the owner I set up and knew I would be in for a busy arv/ night. There were a couple of water holes I could stake out because of the heat , he mentioned I had permission to visit neighbour1 and that also in neighbour 2 a big mob had been getting stuck into the cattle feed . I also was told of the location of some pigs in N2 .... it took forever for the sun to leave.. unfortunately I found the new water hole a couple of minutes too late A good mob with some decent size was leaving it as arrived ... I followed but one by one they were swallowed by the cane grass and I chose not to take it further. It was nice to see some pigs in the daylight unaided by thermal for a change. I won’t make the same error this arv and will ensure I’m there 40 mins earlier ( I actually intent spending a couple of hours there midday today as well )....I then travelled by Ute to N1 and glassed the cultivation but it was as barren as a moonscape with not even a roo. I then travelled to the wheat stubble paddocks where I had been tipped might work but I only found part of them I need to research my map better before my next visit. .. I then set up a trail cam on a hole and straight after visited N2 to see if there were pigs amongst the cattle and yards but I just got some curious fox footage and left a little disappointed.... I then motored over to N2 and pulled up quietly on the edge of the best paddock , cutting the lights and rolling another ten m forward. I was not expecting pigs to be so close to my start point so was stoked to see a dozen with a solo boar closer to me. And there were pigs further out as well. The wind was so strong and loud that I thought there was a great chance of not spooking the main mob after I was going to shoot the first boar. Because of the warm weather I was dressed only in shoes/ gaiters and shorts. I can’t get sunburn at 11 pm ..... ialways new in advance that when laying down in the dirt with the bipod legs moved open my belly skin was vulnerable to the eart but shoot happens. I closed the gap no worries and laid down with All sorts of prickles and dry stubble stalks poking me in the chest....video on. Safety off and done.... a quick look the binos revealed the very strong noisy wind kept the report this side of the next mob so I walked up and got another .... then back to the car. Circling round to get a better position for the next mob. By the time I got there I was getting a bit tired but still got two pigs and then back to the Ute. I went out a different gate and circled around heading for home but stopped for a glass along the way. In an open cultivation paddock where I had never seen pigs before ever now there was a mob of 20 in single file about 300 away. I moved quickly to cut them off but they made it to the trees. They weren’t feeding they were just moving home I reckon. With some tricky negotiation of branches and scrub I managed to get in a broadside position with the mob about 50 m away I got a boar to stop with a whistle and took him. The rest did the bolt. Back to the Ute and back to the house. Needed sleep. Pics soon

[Blr243]

Pics here

[Blr243]

More

[Blr243]

Pigs

[Blr243]

Black

[Blr243]

Final

[Blr243]

I notice this hunt there’s a lot more pigs I shoot with mud in them ( dusk wallowing pre night feeding ). Feel free to add to this topic your own hunt report pics and descriptions and any random comments that come to mind. No decent size pigs on the ground yet but I have another 6 nights

[Stix]

2019-12-28 19.28.32.jpg (518.14 KiB) Viewed 5787 times

[AZZA'S HJ47]

Envious blr

[Ferrisweil]

I’m on a similar stakeout as we speak. I’ll add to this thread once back in town.

[Blr243]

Midnight progress report. My dog is incredibly muddy and seems to think jumping on my bed is completely fine. I have more scratches on my guts, 4 pigs and a fox. About to load dog onto the quad and check my favourite paddocks. And maybe the wheat stubble too. Will have a couple of interesting pics tomorrow....... wishing you luck Ferris

[Blr243]

Nice ham pic stix. I find it difficult to stop eating a great big lump of meat like that ......Azza , something just happenred that will make you not envious of my situation.....it’s 245 am and I’m polishing off a beer getting ready for bed and I just saw the farmers dog piss all over my pillow ( have to turn it over I suppose) Got another three pigs tonight in my favourite paddocks , Checked out the stubble after that but only saw a fox that I could not b bothered stopping for. So one fox and seven pigs for the night I have done alright time to hit the hay

[JimTom]

Good one mate. Enjoy reading your accounts of the nights events. Wish I could get out as often as you do. I generally get a few 10 day trips every year however 2019 been a bit lean. Had one trip earlier in the year, having severe withdrawals.

[AZZA'S HJ47]

Nice ham pic stix. I find it difficult to stop eating a great big lump of meat like that ......Azza , something just happenred that will make you not envious of my situation.....it’s 245 am and I’m polishing off a beer getting ready for bed and I just saw the farmers dog piss all over my pillow ( have to turn it over I suppose) Got another three pigs tonight in my favourite paddocks , Checked out the stubble after that but only saw a fox that I could not b bothered stopping for. So one fox and seven pigs for the night I have done alright time to hit the hay

Ill take that anyday Blr beats being stuck at home

[Blr243]

Saturday night described.......I made it to the remote waterhole early enough ( roughly dusk) to find a couple of pigs wallowing with some Roos but as I was standing up at one end of the long hole adjusting my binos for a better look a sow raced straight in towards me . I was silhouette city but did not dare breath as she settled into the waters edge only ten m from me. Fortunately my leashed dog decided to chill instead of go nuts. Eventually I worked up the courage to slowly lower myself to the ground and take a photo with my phone. Then I switched to rifle and stopped her where she was ...the others scampered away like greyhounds on amphetamines ..... I tied my dog to a nearby strainer post and settled in to wait Less than ten mins later fox was stuffing around the edge so I lowered the bipod legs and settled in to video him as he drank Fron the waters edge ...fading light would have been a waste of time but the thermal sorted that and the fox did not move after the shot.

[Blr243]

Cool bath

[Blr243]

Drinking fox ( was)

[Blr243]

After another ten mins a mob of perhaps ten turned up but were drinking and milling about the edges in a way that made my approach tricky but I managed to get a boar before I left. I figured I could be waiting a while so I up and left for the cattle yards on neighbour2

[Blr243]

Second pig from the remote waterhole

[Blr243]

Second pig from the remote waterhole

[Blr243]

After walking away from the quad and up to the yards there was only two pigs amongst the cattle it took me a while to identify them Sometimes the cows are standing sometimes laying down. The cattle can see me coming so sometimes I have to spook them just a fraction ie get them to stand and be slightly nervous but not do the bolt and ruin my stalk. Then if I crouch I can see between the legs of the standing cows and work out which pig I want. After crawling under a couple of barbed wire fences ( don’t u hate it when the mesh from your mini back pack gets stuck on the barbs of the bottom wire as u are crawling thru cow dung) I managed to get a shot far enough away from the cattle ... I think those cattle are used to me now. They did not freak at all and just wandered away temporarily giving me a crack at the second pig who was slow to move off .....From memory think it was ON ONE WHEEL who replied to my funny feet topic about the cattle and pigs having to walk funny when their feet are deformed. I remember now that the second pig was walking strange and was slow to depart at the sound of the rifle so that helped me secure the second pig. Cattle came back for another look but were cruisey and curious and never looked like giving me any dramas. I dragged the to carcasses away from the troughs. Two months ago I found four foxes feeding on shot pigs here so I might get lucky with that tonight.

[Blr243]

Then I went back to the other neighbour ( my fav) and found a mob of 22 feeding quietly so I got one and the others did the bolt ....they ran far enough away that I thought best not to pursue them so I made my way back to the quad and did a big circle enabling to get close to the mob again with little efffort. Once I was about a k away I made a plan. I knew this part of the paddock well from previous stints. I flicked off the red headlight on the quad and slowly and quietly steered the quad in the direction with no lights at all. I used my thermal hand held binos to constantly check for possible obstacles and to maintain correct direction in relation to the mob. I was loving to fact that without all the walking effort i could close the gap with no lights to alarm the mob and with the breeze in my face helping to keep the sound of the engine unnoticed .....but all good things must come to an end. I know if it pushed it too far they would spook so I pulled up shouldered the rifle and was on my way on foot for the completion of the stalk. I managed to get two from the mob It’s got to a point now that I can lay down in the stubble without noticing the stalks stabbing me in the chest too much I must be getting used to it

[Blr243]

Sow has nervous drink before wallowing

[Wm.Traynor]

Good Hunting Blr

[Blr243]

I shot one small pig so far this trip the rest have been average. I feel myself getting hungry for a whopper. I have five more nights to do it but the sooner the better

[Blr243]

Brief mid night report. Sad day for pig hunting. Only got two I took a nicely furred fox and another cat tonight.......... so 2 cats. One fox and two pigs. Haveing an early night so I should be rested for a good effort tomorrow and tomorrow night

[Blr243]

Brief mid night report. Sad day for pig hunting. Only got two I took a nicely furred fox and another cat tonight.......... so 2 cats. One fox and two pigs. Haveing an early night so I should be rested for a good effort tomorrow and tomorrow night

[Blr243]

Tonight In the dark I had an idea to park myself further along the water hole to immediately intercept the pigs as they cam in for a drink instead of sitting back a comfortable distance. But the mob came in thick and fast and were right underneath my nose forcing me to act quick As th sound of the shot boomed inside the trench ( excavator dug long dam) the pigs took off in all direction one of the boars straight up the bank towards me and actually ran into the end of my barrel as I was trying to reload .my leashed dog went totally of his tits and was so full of adrenaline he was very hard to control for a while. I noticed my knees were hurting a bit as I then shot a couple of foxes hanging round the dead pigs. Later as I got in my Ute to head back to camp I saw both knees were bleeding I must have done some scurrying as that boar run into me. A quick snack and I got to go back for more

[Blr243]

Ended up checkin the stubble again but no good. Saw couple of mobs on the favourites paddock. Got two of them and just gout another boar on the remote water hole at 245 am. Foxes hanging round the carcasses still on the water hole but they not playing the game Heading back to house for rest. Not sure how well I will respond to a 5 am alarm

[Blr243]

While walking back to my dog tied up to a fence I saw two sets of eyes instead of one set ... Deisel always has big green eyes but the There was a fox with small yellow golden eyes on the left and slightly downwind of him. D had no idea the fox was there but I think it was approaching him for a yarn or whatever