Wild Boar "overloper"

[Holland&Holland]

Mondayevening i was asked to sit at a high seat for wild boar. As you know we have to shoot a lot of wild boar in our region. Right now we are at 65% of our culling qoutum. (around 3200 boar in the total region, still 2800 to go)

So got to the highseat at 19.00. We work with automated feeders, which go off around 19.30, but sometimes we throw in an extra hand of mais. Doing this a mate of mine spotted a first year boar, that is why i decided to go a bit earlier. Had some extra mais with me and threw half of it on the feeding area.

Climbed up the high seat and waited. There was a lot of recreational jogging and walking in the woods due to the good weather. That is always a bad thing while wild boar are shy animals. But the people are supposed to leave at sunset (19.30).

At 19.40 the automated feeder threw mais around. At 20.15 i heard the distinct cracking of wild boar walking through thick cover. I estimated it to be a large group of around 10. Slowly they came nearer the feeding area. Then they stood waiting in a thick bush on my right, getting scent with the noses in the air. The leadsow was nervous and she was almost 1 meter from the ladder. I guess she smelled my footprintscent. But the younger and inexperienced boar got onto the feeding area. Due to the large number of wild boar and the chaos in reproduction periods (mild winter, foodavailability) this group had striped piglets and piglets about 6-10 months old. Also couple of little sows. Tried to focus on a older piglet. Can be quite difficult as they walk around and stand behind each other. Finally took my pick, aimed..... and the lead sow took of with a big grunt and all the other boar as well. A large group of joggers came by and the lead sow must have heard them sooner then me. At this time these people should have left the area, so we will talk to them later on.

I decided to throw the other half of my mais on the feeding area and just wait, maybe they will get back, you never know. It is also likely another group of boar will come by.

After 30 minutes a badger and a roedoe entered the feeding area. Especially the badger makes loads of noise crunching away on the mais. Luck i put out some more mais out earlier. It is better to stretch the amount of mais so a group of wild boar will not stand in one spot but over a larger area.

At this spot we are only allowed by the forestrycommision to sit untill 23.00. Bit of a shame as the boar are more likely to come late at night. At 22.45 i heard again wild boar travelling through the cover from my left. A small wild boar came onto the feeding area, all alone. This probably is a male wild boar as females travel in familygroups. Looked at the clock and decided to shoot quickly. Boar dropped on the spot. Turned out i shot it right in the hart with my 308.

Good thing i had the patience to wait for another opportunity.

Altough small in size for a 15 month old boar, 28 kilo gutted, it was healthy and looking tasty. You can tell it's around 15 months because of the teeth.

Edited September 24, 2008 by Holland&Holland

[Pedro]

Another truly informative write up with great pictures H&H , keep em coming

 

Probably an obvious question, but do you use a lamp or night vision equipment ?

 

P.

[Holland&Holland]

This year it is allowed to use night vision equipment. But i do not use it (yet) as it is too expensive. A bit of kit costs from 1200 to 3000 pounds .

 

Lamps are still forbidden (strangly enough )

Silencers/moderators are still forbidden too.

Edited September 24, 2008 by Holland&Holland

[Teal]

Well done- I presume you are using open sights for this low light shooting?

[malkiserow]

excellent write up ..... what do you say to the joggers? and how do you approach them?

[Holland&Holland]

@teal,

 

No i use my bino's and scope. Both high quality from Swarovski. My scope is a Z6i 2-12 x 50, with a illuminated recticle. I put it on 4 or 6 magnification. Then i have enough light for shooting. I scout with my bino's and look what type and gender the animal is. Then with the scope you can see the outline and know what the head is. You only shoot when it is broadside.

 

@ malkiserow

There are several groups of joggers and we know who they are (and they sort of know us). Normally they are on the same time in the same place. We explain kindly why it is important to get out of the woods before or at sunset. (peace and quite for the game, and safetyreasons because we are hunting then) Normally they are prepared to do that. But with the shorter days they tend to "forget" ans still jog at the same time that they are used to.

We do the same with people who have their dog unleashed. Explain why and ask kindly not to do it again. Luckily most people are very civil and agree.

[magman]

Enjoyed that read many thanks

[bullet boy]

That pig certainly needed a dentist!Well done mate.

[Gonna Shoot a Wabbit]

excellent write up ruud. Well done

[Vegeta]

Amazing stuff. Great story, thank you, I enjoyed that.

 

Veg

[sjk88]

Excellent write-up yet again. Thanks, very informative

 

sjk

[Traztaz]

HH, the guys from England will find it very difficult to imagine our style of shooting here without lamps and NV, you say it is allowed in Holland now? Very interesting, will the Germans follow suit?I hope so .

For the rest of you , we tend to shoot at full moon and use high quality optics , you can see the beast in the scope and on a good day its easy , however on a snowey/rainy/foggy day it is hard , and then you have to work out *** from head( think about the shape of a forraging pig ) once you have worked out which is which , normally by it moving ( They dont tend to reverse!), you have head , and from there you work out the boiler room. and then its bang!!

[henry d]

Excellent write up again H&H, I would be in heaven if I could go out, stalk and bring home one of those, thanks for sharing that