RJM, no pistol, see part about tight laces on the tennis shoes.
Part of this deal is knowing when to NOT shoot and I've exercised that option many times. Usually patience will mend the problems and I get to see hogs break dance and all that, but not always.
Other things I do as a matter of habit:
-I have an exit plan in mind before pulling the trigger. (Have not had to exercise that yet, see next item)
-I do NOT leave
anything to chance with the larger hogs.
-Will not take a hurried shot under any circumstance without certain knowledge it will succeed.
That means firing from a rest for starters. ("I think I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree.") Spray and pray is an odd concept with a single shot, don't you think? I do know how to reload quickly, for the record.
One of my "learning moments" occurred late one day about 6 moths ago when a half dozen very small pigs ran up to me for reasons I'll not ever fathom. Weighed about 15# each, cute as they get and they approached from my back trail in something resembling an airport reunion.
All the leetle peegs were milling around my feet and it was sorta one of those Disney moments ya know, one with nature, all that crap. Was facing the back trail when there came a limb crack at me 3 o'clock and about 30'. Then a low grunt. Biggest sow I've seen...ever...anywhere, and she was a little skeptical about the goodness in my heart. That was one of those "don't shoot" moments. No rest, wrong aspect on the sow, all of it wrong as a football bat. The piglets started to follow me as I tippy toed away from the sow down the back trail. She grunted again as the whirling herd squealed and squeaked, ran off to her and that was that. It was a bit disconcerting, but hey, stuff happens to mice and men.
Disturbed Dan
