It was sucky rainy day. I was in my porch with the 850 .22 stalking starlings but they were too close to the property line near my neighbor's driveway. All of a sudden I notice a fresh new hole that was dug last night (or this morning) by a g-hog! Now I 'm starting to get a little upset. This makes it the 20th hole on my property. This burrow is also near the neighbor's that I don't get along with so I rarely shoot on that side of the house. Here 's a pic from my usptairs window at 4X zoom. My property goes up to his driveway about 35yds out (it's farther than it looks in the pic).
I then notice a g-hog running down the hill through the trees coming towards my house. My first thought was to run & grab the 36 that spits out 7.9 CPHP's at 900fps or 14fpe. But then I realized this is smaller young g-hog, only a couple of months old or about 1/4 (or 1/3 at the most) the size and weight of an average adult. It's as long as a squirrel but much fatter, rounder. I figure the 850 .22 should take of it no problem especially as it was coming closer and closer and it was warm, so it should be putting out at least 12fpe. At this point I was so mad about this new hole that I didn't care how small or young this g-hog was. I just wanted it gone.
I slowly slide the storm window up and he saw me (I froze) but kept coming closer. I waited until he was 12yds away and put a CP 14.3gr right in "between his eyes". He didn't move a muscle. Went down in the same position as he was grazing. Only his tail was wagging for about 3-4secs. I waited a few secs to make sure he was dead and then took another pic of the him and the hole..
As I was walking away I see a BIG mama g-hog coming down the hill and stand right next to the hole with 2 more youngsters behind her. I ran back inside and grabbed the 36. I load a .177 CPHP and quietly sneak back to the porch while the wife was in the shower. I look out the window ever so carefully for the g-hogs and I don't see them. A few secs later I spot the 2 youngsters off to the left about 18-19yds out behind a bush and the mother further out also also under cover of this large bush that stood in the way. I waited about 1-2min. and I still can't see the large one too well. I didn't really want to get the female g-hog because I knew the young ones would die soon after, plus she was further out and I did not have much luck with the large adult g-hog I shot with the 36, so I decide to go for one of the youngsters again. I located one between a small opening in the bush. Only a couple of small leaves stand in the way of the pellet. Then half of the youngster's head came in the clear and I could see his eye and part of his ear. That's all I needed. I zoomed in to 12X to make sure I can see everything well behind the leaves. As he put his head down to feed, I put the crosshairs of the Bushy Legend right between eye and ear resting on the window sill and squeeze the trigger. Same reaction. No movement.. just the tail wagging. Immediately I notice the large mama g-hog run very fast to the new hole with the other youngster trying to keep up and they both went underground. That's ok, I was very happy with the way things went and I have to get ready for my son's B-day party anyway.
I was particulary happy when I realized it was the 36's first kill and it was the first shot of the day which is usually unpredictable or shoots high. I usually take 3-4 shots at my silent trap before I decide to go after an animal, but this time the CPHP was exactly on target at ~19yds. I 'm glad I had sighted in the Legend at 20yds :) I picked them both up and was surprised. The "larger" one was at least 3-3.5lbs and slightly longer than an average squirrel.
The pics suck because it was raining and I didn't want to bring the guns out in the rain. I took both g-hogs under the 2nd floor porch and took a few pics. Notice how the 2nd one still has grass (weeds) in its mouth. I don't what's going on but the g-hog population is flourishing in the neighborhood again. I was talking to 2 different neighbors yesterday and they said they all have tons of g-hogs. It's going to be a "good summer" :)
