Got home from work this afternoon and decided to sight in the scope I installed on the tuned Flying Dragon .22 QB78-D. I usually sight in my scopes using CPL's or Superdomes and then do grouping tests on all my pellets to find the best one, but today I simply grabbed a tin of Predator pellets and headed to the backyard. I had Mike at Flying Dragon tune the gun for hunting small game and the predator is my favorite hunting pellet so I figured if they shot well I'd just sight her in for them and leave it be.
Well, took 3 shots at the bullseye from 5 yards and all 3 went into the same hole. I took a few more shots, adjusting the windage and elevation each time to move the POI towards the bullseye, and after the 8th shot the POI was about 2 inches below the bullseye. I then moved back to 30 yards and started sighting her in. It only took me about 10 more shots and I had those predator pellets stacking themselves one on top of another dead center bullseye. I used the rest of the C02 in the gun shooting at a new target, then popped in 2 new C02 cylinders, grabbed my gear and headed for the duck farm. I figured I'd spend the rest of the afternoon stalking some G-hogs and hopefully get to see how the QB performed.
I got to the farm, geared up and started still hunting the areas where I commonly find G-hogs. I hunted for a good hour and 1/2 and didn't see anything. The temperature was in the middle 90's and the humidity was almost unbearable, so I decided to set up my back pack stool under some big shady pine trees and wait until the sun was almost down before I went back on the hunt. I figured maybe the G-hogs were waiting in their cool burrows for the heat of the day to subside before they came out to feed. I almost got a couple of shots at some starlings that landed in the pine trees while I sat there cooling off, but there were to many branches between me and the birds to waste my precious predator pellets.
As the sun started to set the temperature did start to come down a little bit and a nice breeze, although very hot, started blowing across the duck farm so I decided to head off on the hunt again. I worked my way around the entire farm and still didn't see anything at all. I decided to head north down the dirt road and make my way to the other duck farm down the road where they raise the breeder ducks, I knew where a couple of G-hogs had their burrows so I figured I'd try and sneak up on one of them.
As I was working my way towards one of the large outside duck pens I saw a large G-hog gorging himself on duck feed from one of the grain feeders. There was an old storage container between me and him so I used the cover to close the gap. When I finally stepped out into the open we were 15 yards apart, but he saw me immediately and started running for the thick marsh reeds that border the duck pen. The pens are enclosed by 2 foot high chicken wire fences and the G-hogs climb over them with ease so I watched the fat G-hog run for the fence and figured he'd just hit the fence running, climb over in a flash and drop onto the other side inside the safety of the marsh grass, however to may amazement that was not what happened.
The G-hog was so large and fat that he hit the fence alright, matter of fact he ran right into it, but he was having difficulty climbing over it. I stepped into the duck pen and watched as he tried climbing over the fence and just kept falling off onto his back. Finally figuring out that he wasn't going to make it over the fence he started running the length of the fence, looking for a better location to get over it I imagine. He got about 10 yards to my left and stopped just for a second,,, that was what I was waiting for. I put the crosshairs on his head and fired. However just as I pulled the trigger he started moving again and I saw the predator pellet strike him in the lower jaw. The impact of the pellet must've stunned him because he stopped again and just looked at me,,,, BIG MISTAKE on his part. I had reloaded immediately after the first shot so I had another predator ready to fly. Put the gun up, sighted, pulled the trigger and saw the predator him strike him in the side of the head. Blood started pouring out of the wound like a garden hose and the G-hog went down for the count. The penetration you get with those predators is amazing. In the pics you can see pretty clearly where the 2 pellets struck the G-hog.
The QB78-D .22 had it's first kill and I had a future supper. The G-hog was a large male and fat as can be. He had been feeding well all these months on free duck feed,,, but not anymore :) When I skinned and cleaned him I couldn't believe the layers of thick white fat on this hog.
Carried my trophy back to the truck and headed home to take some pics with the QB. She had proved herself a capable hunter. My 2 Flying Dragon QB78-D's are fast becoming my favorite duck farm weapons of choice :) Light enough to carry for hours, deadly accurate and more than enough power for pest control with well placed shots. Anyway, here are the pics,, hope ya like em.
Jeff
