Some of my old cronies flew in to hunt at Manx Farm near Corsicana. This is a “high fence” ranch where owner Richard maintains an inventory of native animals (whitetail deer) and imported animals for his customers to hunt. I come for the feral hogs, and I bring my friends for the feral hogs.
Since I wasn’t hunting Saturday, I tagged along with Ross and son Connor to watch and to take some pictures. Our guide was Valentine who put us onto some hogs very quickly.
A cold front had blown through that put the temps in the 30’s with a strong wind. Consequently, the hogs were still laid up. I have seen this before where the hogs will remain asleep (or not) and lay still due to the cold. (I have been known to do this in my own warm bed.) A problem when we see a black animal laying under a tree is that it isn’t possible sometimes to know if you are looking at one large hog or three small hogs hunkered down. Valentine’s technique was to have the shooter on the tripod and ready to go. The guide would move off to the side and toss sticks at the sleeping pigs to get them to rouse. This way, the hunter can see the size of hog and can place his shot well.
We had gotten to within 20 yards of a sleeping pig. Connor was on the tripod. Valentine moved to the side and began tossing sticks at the pig. The pig got up, neither huge nor tiny, a good meat hog. Connor didn’t have a good shot, so he waited. The pig moved away slowly. Ross took a knee and considered shooting. The pig walked slowly away then began a slow turn to starboard. Connor did not have a shot because of vines and tree limbs in the way. The sow kept walking slowly on this circular track and eventually was returning to her warm bed. Connor had a good shot and took it. Pig down and out.
Even though we were close, the pig did not seem to see us. Since we were downwind, she did not smell us. This is up close and personal hunting.
After Connor took his first hog using the 308, we got back in the side-by-side and drove to a different area. We soon saw a large group of hogs feeding and some rubbing on trees. They seem to be scratching or giving themselves a massage. Ross found a good meat hog and took it down with the 30-06.
Manx had a great lunch prepared featuring chili made from axis deer. The axis deer is native to the Indian subcontinent. They are red in color and retain their spots, larger than a whitetail, about the same as a mule deer. They are very tasty. There was cobbler for dessert. Really good.
After lunch, I tagged along with Freddy who was looking for a trophy hog. Guide Les put him onto a 200 pounder in short order. He shot it with his new AR15 chambered in 350 Legend. It was a good shot, the hog went right down but continued to twitch. Les had Freddy administer the coup de gras by shooting into the hog’s side quartering away. The round penetrated its heart, and the twitching stopped.
Eric and Tom went with guide James. They took some time to see Richard’s new petting zoo which includes camels, ostrich, and two white buffalo. Other additions to the ranch are a pair of white swans and a pair of black swans.
Among the animals running free on the ranch are scimitar oryx, Rocky Mountain elk, fallow deer, and aoudad sheep. It’s a great place.
It was another great day at Manx Farm.
Porcus Hogrelius
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