Tonight I went prepared, 4 wheeler and all. I have an 1894 Marlin 357 Mag, rescued from a pawn shop, that had yet to draw blood, but I precede myself.
I took the Marlin and headed out for the back (north) side of this 130 acre tract. It is about 2/3 wooded but is leased for grazing and there are cattle on it. I scouted a couple of trap locations, found fresh rooting and wallows and a spot where they have been rubbing mud, a little gully with the sides all slicked up. Then a few rubs on trees.
So I hike all around the woods to the places where I had jumped hogs before and man am I tiptoeing like Hiawatha. Quiet like a little mouse. I cover most of the back side and run into a few head of cattle after jumping 3 deer, so I turn around and head for the truck, figuring I'm skunked for today. I console myself with the fact that I learned what I came for and that was the trap locations- one on each side of the creek. Well, it's nigh 'bout 6:30 and I'm striding for the truck at a pretty good pace along the edge of the woods.
For some reason I stop and take a breather and as I look over into the woods, there is a hog, just rooting along undisturbed. I take a look through the Weaver and pause for a better shot. She takes a few more steps and gives me a perfect broadside at not more than 30 yds. The 357 barks and she takes off in a big looping circle towards me, passes within 10 ft and I hear the crash a few seconds later. I step off into the woods and two little watermelons come running past me. I rip off a shot at one- a miss and he hits another gear. Mom left a fine blood trail from the pass through shot and is down in the bottom of a little draw, 30 yds from the edge of the treeline. I huff and I puff and I drag her out. I then complete the trek to the truck, unload the 4 wheeler, go load her up (barely), reload the 4 wheeler, pig and all and head for the house.
Don't know how she ran. One shoulder was completely destroyed, both lungs were goners. She will go 125 lbs and is black. I am using 158 gr Speer flat points over a max load of 18 grains of Li'l Gun. Safe in my gun. Use at your own peril. The Marlin wears a Weaver 1-3x 20 so my 55 yr old eyes can hit what I see and vice versa. It is sighted dead on at 50 yds and groups 5 shots under 2 inches. If I would take the time to do some improving on the trigger it would do even better.
First blood drawn with the Marlin. Pork is in the freezer, destined for sausage.
![Image](http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/34131/2919536810060987734S600x600Q85.jpg)
![Image](http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/23655/2390732780060987734S600x600Q85.jpg)
Sorry about the dark pics, but it was late when I got home.