Every now and then, you get the opportunity to do something when you least expect it. The circumstances are all wrong, but it’s just too irresistible. Last night was one of those times for me. I was out at relative’s farm north of Dallas trying out a night vision monocular from ATN. I wasn’t there to hunt, but since I know there are hogs in the area, I went prepared. I loaded up an AR-15, grabbed an extra mag just in case and headed out into the field. I did not expect to be shooting hogs with my everyday carry gun.
Why would I use my 9mm pistol instead of my AR? I’ll tell you why and then point out a thing or two you may not have considered.
Back to the story. Upon arriving at the farm and getting geared up, I realize I committed a cardinal sin of hunters and outdoorsman of every kind. I haven’t checked my batteries and haven’t brought any spares. My Crimson Trace MVF-515 vertical grip set up with white light and visible laser has dead batteries. Not the end of the world. I turn my Eotech on to a low setting and prepare to head out. At least I have a spare battery in my pocket for the night vision.
I spend a couple of hours getting a feel for the ATN NV unit, and find it remarkably useful for the money. More on that in another article. As I am stalking some deer to get some pictures with the night vision, the battery goes dead, so I pop in the extra battery I have in my pocket. Once again I am thankful for my Vertx Phantom LT pants. I can get things in and out of the cargo pockets with virtually no sound. Only one problem. The spare battery is dead. That ends my mission for the night. I head back to the farmhouse, say my goodbyes and pack up all my gear including my rifle. With the truck loaded, I’m heading home. As I get moving, I see the unmistakable profile of about 20 hogs in my headlights. Instinctively, I accelerate toward them.
As I close to 50 yards, I slow and remember that my rifle is secured along with my hearing protection and both are now useless, given the circumstances. I have one choice.
At 25 yards, I stop the truck with the hogs to the right, step out onto the running board with my left foot. Thankfully, my Crossbreed Holsters SuperTuck Delux is in its usual place on my hip. I draw my Smith & Wesson M&P with Crimson Trace Laser Grips from it. The pistol is loaded with 17 rounds of 9mm DRT Ammo. I cover my left ear with my left hand while keeping the windshield between my pistol and my right ear in an attempt to give my ear some sort of protection. Awkward shooting position, to say the least.
I am reaching around the left side of my windshield while keeping my head to the right. No chance at all of using the iron sights. The hogs are moving out along the edge of the brush, attempting their escape. I pick a bigger one, put my laser on her and fire.
Bang! Hogs go everywhere. It didn’t hurt my ear as much as I thought it would. The hog I shot turns and runs toward me. Seeing this, I turn a little attention to the rest and fire three shots at other hogs while trying to stay aware of the one, I had already hit. Things are happening really fast. I turn my full attention back to the first pig and open fire again. She is now in full escape mode and continuing in my direction as fast as a hog can go. As she passes by me at about six feet, I get a shot off. She drops instantly!
From the time I draw my gun, to the time I stop shooting, is five to seven seconds. I have a dead hog six feet in front of me and I did it with my everyday carry gun. I am highly satisfied. Picture a really big grin!
Back at the farmhouse, we get her dressed and ready to be smoked. In the process, we determine that she weighs over 200 pounds and that I hit her four times. There was massive internal bleeding, but no exit wounds. All the energy of each round was dumped into this sow.
The first shot was behind the ear when she was quartering away. The other three were once in the thigh and twice in the shoulder. It was a shoulder shot that dropper her in her tracks. I fired a total of 10 rounds. Four out of ten rounds are confirmed hits on an unpredictable, fast moving target while using a less than ideal shooting technique and not being mentally prepared ahead of time.
I’m not bragging. I want to make a point.
Where else can you get this kind of experience and feedback, finding out if your ammo does what you need it to? Some of you have taken shooting classes. A few of you, have attended lots of shooting classes. That’s fantastic! I applaud you.
I need to take more of them myself, and make sure I can perform well every time. If your life ever depends on your ability to effectively deploy a firearm to defend yourself or others, there is no price you can put on having the skills to prevail. But once you have learned and practiced those skills, how do you know if you can really pull it all together in the real world?
Tactical hog hunting, of course! This is where you can get outside the square range, bring the tools and the skills you have and put them to the test in the real world. And you don’t have to get shot at to do it.
I know what my ammo and I are capable of. Do you? If not, find a place to safely and legally hunt some hogs and get out there!
