Boar and Buck

[Dom]

With Fall hunting season just around the corner, here is a hunt from earlier this year to get the blood flowing for my Huntchat buds in North America

Was a great morning to be out in the woods. Out in the seat at o'dark thirty, all quiet. Driving in on the trail not far from my intended stand, two wild boar cross the road in front of me. I drive with only parking lights on, but this was a good sign, or was it an Omen

The crows for some reason were really vocal, must have been at least a dozen scattered in the treetops in the woods, each with his own version and tone of caw - calling out to all his lazy buddies that it is time to wake up.

I hunted woods in a thick area, not the easiest to find that stand but did not have any trouble this morning. Last year I hunted from this stand in the evening, and when I left the stand in the pitch dark got turned around off the trail, and in a thicket, and almost stepped on some boar. They like to wait until you are just a few feet from them before tearing off, gets your heart pumping I think they do it on purpose, but they do have nerves of steel and ain't afraid of nobody The view from here:


The song birds lit the place up once it got light, amazing how much noise they can make and I always enjoy listening to them. At 0540 spot some movement, ok, two boar heading my way, just rooting lightly around. One larger and one smaller. I watch them a bit, no young with them, still the unwritten rule is don't shoot the biggest boar and avoid shooting larger females, especially this time of year. They also could have young laid up. The smaller one was in a small opening between the ferns and brush, so I got a good shot off on point of shoulder, diagonal shot so would exit offside in the middle. At the shot both take off running, I watch their direction, and soon they are out of sight. Relax for a while, no hurry at this hour to go rushing the search, time to enjoy the woods. A hawk sweeps low through the woods, alighting on a branch, but out of my view so I can't get the glass on it to see what kind it is.

An hour later I see another boar, but just a glimpse. I know they are still in the area because the deer here do not like them at all and will 'bark' for a lengthy period of time. Sounds similar to a dog bark. I hear a couple of deer barking to my rear, so switch position on the bench and keep my eyes open. They are riled up, and sounds like one is coming my way. A few minutes later, sure enough, glass a good buck. At 0645 I'm on and get a good shot off, the deer buckles and is down on the spot.


I used my Blaser R93 Pro Stock, 6.5x55 barrel, with Leupold VX-R 4-12x40 with Illuminated Dot. The illuminated dot works excellent. There was plenty of light, both shots were taken on 8 power. Reloads were Hodgdon Varget, 37 grains pushing the Nosler 130 grain Accubond.

Back to the wild boar. I could not find the bloodtrail, so started a circle, coming around at about the distance where I thought with a good shot he should be, in the 50 to 80 meter range out. Thick woods, lots of underbrush, briars, you name it, you can walk a couple feet from them and not find them. Stuck to my game plan, and just so happens I stumbled upon it. I drug it out following the blood trail it made going in. I should have taken a photo, it was not heavy, but enough to follow. At times you would have to look close to make sure you were on it. I'm quite sure I'd have picked it up when completing my half circle. Worse case I'd call a friend with a bloodhound but try and avoid that. He would gladly help, but everyone is busy. The boar as I found it:


Thick stuff, this is about where I shot it and the direction it ran.


Doubles are nice, Boar and Buck:


6,5 is a good caliber, and works. Cannot make a reasonable judgment if the 6.5 is fully capable in all the hunting situations I find myself in after just two shots. If I was strictly hunting deer or in more open areas I would not hesitate to continue using it. Boar, and deer, can run after taking a solid shot from all calibers. However, larger holes allow better blood trails. If I was night hunting and this shot happened, I'm quite confident I would have never found this boar that night and would have had to go back in daylight the next morning. I think I'm going to slap the 9,3 barrel back on and hope to get a shot and make some comparisons as the year rolls on. I do think the 6,5 would be on the light side when you get into the heavy hitters, i.e., the older heavier Keilers, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[popplecop]

Great hunt and agree that the 6.5x55 is a great cartridge.

[wrenchman]

I love your posts have I have not seen any in a while

[muledeer]

Great story and pics!!
Hey just a question,"what do you do in Europe"?? (Germany)?
muledeer

[Dom]

I do like the 6,5 popplecop, great deer caliber.

Have to post more wrenchman, got another hunt coming up in Czech . . . see how it goes.

Well muledeer, US Army brought me here, so I put in my years and retired and then stayed on working as civilian for them One reason I'm still here is the living is good, it is safe, the Pils is excellent and I can hunt 365 days a year, so it's not too hard to take.

[bigbrother]

Awesome job...congrats! Keep them coming