The first shot fired at an animal!

I'm at my wife's aunt's place in the Coromandel for a visit with the family. I took the rifle because the aunty's told many stories about pigs ripping up her orchard. I've done a couple of unsuccessful bush stalks for deer, but this is the first time there's a real prospect of some game at the end of it.

This morning we went bush bashing and came across some major pig sign, so we know they're around as the wife and I set off . We find a spot in the paddock near the tree line looking down into the bottom of the paddock. The paddock is surrounded on 2 sides by native bush and on one side by a pine forest so it's a nice grassy cul de sac roughly the shape of a koru.

Equipment check.
Tarp to sit on: check
New binos: check
Rifle: check
Loaded mag in: check.
Noisy clothes off: check

We sit there and glass while the dusk gathers. A bird crashes around in the bush just to our left near where we'd found sign earlier in the day, setting the hearts pumping.

It's getting gloomier and gloomier and we start to hear multiple movements in the forest and the bush. A bit of grass moves down the far end of the paddock but nothing can be seen. The pigs are out.

It's getting hard to see when we hear a rustle in the grass behind us. We exchange looks: its actually happening. We're hunting, and a pig is coming FROM BEHIND US!

Of all the scenarios I had in mind this wasn't on the list!

I pick up the rifle and sight up the slope towards the sound. I can't see a thing through the scope. Just blackness. Then I realise the black thing in the scope is actually a pig about 15m away heading right for me, but the scope is dialed up to 9x magnification. I quickly adjust the scope. Now the beast is about 10m away. I can make out its head.

Then it hits me...I didn't chamber a round when we sat down! I panic, taking quick, short breaths as I slowly cycle the bolt, trying not to spook the pig. All I can hear is the pig getting closer and, 15x louder, the round chambering. TheFt they make these things quieter?

The pig looks at us and grunts.

The bolt is giving me trouble and I look down to get it closed. But the moment has passed: the pig is out of sight in the long grass.

We listen and hear it moving down and to the right. After a couple of minutes Mrs Eat Meater spots it again and gives directions. I finally spot it through the scope. I brush an insect from my ear and reacquire. It's now so dark all that's there in the scope is a dark oval blob moving on a lighter background. I can't see the reticle at all. I line up behind where the front leg looks to be and fire.

The safety is still on.

The safety is off, and I'm cursing myself as an incompetent idiot (for the second time in an evening). Now I can't find the pig! The wife gives more directions and the target is acquired, moving steadily up a slope about 35m away.

BANG! The suppressed shot breaks the silence.

Silence falls again. Nothing is moving.

"Did I get it?", I ask. A hesitant affirmative reaches me. We sit a while, listening for a clue. Movement in the trees and paddock starts up again. We hear rustling in the field, but it's now too dark to make anything out.

Pity we didn't think to bring a torch.

"There's 2 scenarios", I say to Mrs Eat Meater as we make our way up to the house for a torch, leaving the tarp behind for the carry. "Either it was a clean kill or I missed and the pig froze for a bit while it figured out where the noise had come from. That noise we heard a bit later could have been the pig moving on." A 3rd scenario hasn't occurred to me: I didn't adjust my aim lower to account for the fact that the pig was only 35m away, and the rifle is zeroed at 100m. Or a 4th: that I haven't fired the rifle since I zeroed i last year, and the scope is out of alignment.

We didn't find anything in the paddock, so I'm here at 1am in the tent winning this post, thinking about what might have been, while a kiwi bangs around the gully below the tent.

Worse things have happened.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

No need to adjust your aim lower.
Have a look now in daylight you will probably find it.

Take 2 head lamps for evening hunt in case one breaks down.If area is to hard to walk around at night,go back in the morning.You dont want to sprain a ankle or fall over.Many a hunter has tripped over on his face at night.

35m shot with 100m zero, just aim where you want to hit it. Chances are it will be there dead somewhere. Good luck.

Definitely go back for another look this morning

Like the others I’ll say have another look in the morning, I shot a deer across a river flat one evening, spent 15-20mins looking as light gradually faded but not dark before declaring a lousy shot (about 250m ish with a crap rest), went back at dawn and glassed the same patch of grass for 2 hours from my previous shooting spot hoping one of his mates might pop out. About to head home when the slightly rounded patch of tussock in my binos was enough to tempt me across the river for a closer look.
Undecided whether he was the luckiest or unluckiest deer in NZ, had been aiming for his chest but there he was with a hole in his temple, would have been nano second instantaneous which is what we all want.
Hope piggy is waiting for you this morning!

My first pig (and second large game animal) was a similar story. I don't know who was more confused, me or the pig. First shot was a clean miss. Luckily, I got a chance at a second shot and saw it fall over. Hopefully you find your animal. If not, a good learning experience.

All just learning experiences. You wont make the same mistakes again next time.

so did you find it then?

Update: no pig, but lots of lessons. Chalk it up to experience.
I will try again tonight from a slightly different spot where I can get a better rest (and take a torch!).

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.