Kill number 85 for 2018 is in the books and it's only September. This sow had a large group of vocal piglets with her. An approaching storm with changing winds caused me to spook three hogs I was watching destroy a round bale with oats so I made a decision to circle the fleeing hogs when I caught sight of two large sows with a group of piglets. I hustled to get close and normally slow down the pace once I can hear the hogs calling to one another. This group was feeding fairly fast for swine and I kept setting up in the high weeds only to lose them again and again. Finally I pinched them in a field intersection and got a shot at the bigger sow. Patience plays a big key in my scanning and stalking but also at times I have to get aggressive if they are getting away.
Pig groups with a lead sow sometimes make constant grunting sounds sort of like turkeys purring, communicating to each other their location so they don't spread apart while feeding. This sound can help you determine when to get aggressive and which direction to move. If you hear these sounds and they are moving away from you... pursue quickly until you hear the sound again. It just could get you that extra kill or two.
I took this sow with my Palmetto State Armory 223 shooting Night Ops LLC 223 55 grain NBT. My ATN X-Sight 4k 5-20 paired with the Predator Tactics Coyote Reaper XXL and got the job done on another SC swine.
Check out this hunt at https://youtu.be/K_6S1bt-388
