Survival and Emergency Preparedness

My son bought me a hog hunt for Christmas. Something I've never done before. Since we have a place at the Villages in florida he found a place outside of new smyrna beach. NSB is about a 1.5 hour drive away

The wife and I were getting off a cruise ship last Saturday in Miami so we drove up to the Villages and met my son and his wife who flew down at the house.

The hunt was scheduled for yesterday (Tuesday). We had to be at the place at 5:30 am so we left at 4. The guides took us out in jeeps and set us up in elevated blinds. My son's blind was a couple hundred yards away. There we waited until daylight. When it got light I noticed a feeder about 40 yards in front of the blind. Soon three pigs came out near the feeder. I picked the largest and put her (a sow) down with my Marlin 94 44 mag lever gun...headshot.

My wife and I had driven down to Florida 5 days before the cruise and brought the guns down. My son used his AR pistol in 300 black out.

Half an hour later I heard a shot. My son had taken a huge 200lb+ show. Mine weighed about 80. Pics when I get home of if I can figure out how to post them from my phone.

I really wasn't very prepared clothes wise. It was a chilly 57F that morning and I was under dressed. But overall it was a fun thing to do.

We went with www.westshoreoutfitters.com

Btw, I'll be in Florida until Saturday

Sounds like a great way to end the cruise

How was the cruise?

David wrote: ↑Wed Mar 02, 2022 11:01 am Sounds like a great way to end the cruise

How was the cruise?

We did a 70s Rock & Romance cruise on Celebrity. All bands and music from the 70s. It was cancelled in '21. It was amazing. Live concerts on board all day and most of the night. Stops in St. Maarten and St. Thomas. I got a chance to dive in St. Thomas.

Leaving for 12 night cruise in a couple weeks. Stops at 7 islands and I'm diving on 4 of them. Another one that was canceled in 20.

Enjoy my friend!!!

I love cruising. Mostly the western Caribbean but did do the eastern once. I'd like to do it again. A 70's theme cruise would be awesome!

David wrote: ↑Wed Mar 02, 2022 11:54 am Enjoy my friend!!!

I love cruising. Mostly the western Caribbean but did do the eastern once. I'd like to do it again. A 70's theme cruise would be awesome!

It was pretty cool. Foreigner was there, one of the original guys from Boston had a band that played Boston, Ambrosia, 10CC, Little River Band, lead singer from Chicago, lead singer fro Player, Melissa Manchester, Maria Mulduer, The Guess Who, Badfinger, Atlanta Rythm Section and... some tribute bands for Sly and the Family Stone, Queen, Bread, Eagles, Bee Gees, Wings, Blues Brothers and some cover bands that played everything from the 70s.

Look up 70s Rock & Romance on Google. They also do a 60s Flower Power cruise and a bunch more theme cruises.

So... back to the hunting part...

I took the Marlin 44 mag because it is slim and trim, fairly light, and short enough with the 16" bbl to fit in my son's double AR case. We were bringing a load of stuff down to the house and I didn't want two rifle cases to lug around.

Loads were Hornady 240 gr HPs. I have 4 one shoot kills on deer with the 44 mag so I thought it would be good on pigs. The head shot @ 40 yards was pretty easy with the 1-3x Weaver scope. My little Marlin is very accurate and fun to carry around.

As far as guns go, just about any rifle cartridge is allowed though they frown on 223/556. They say, the bigger the better. A lot of guys use 308, 30-06, 12 ga slugs and just about anything else. The guides don't really want to have to go into the brush looking for wounded pigs so bigger is better. As far as pistols go, 44 mag is the minimum allowed. My son brought his 10mm Glock as a backup but was encouraged to shoot his 300 BO. If we go again, I may take my Redhawk 44 mag.

They also offer whitetail deer hunts during Florida's season. Prices are quite reasonable.The deer hunt price includes shooting a pig.

If you've never done this before, here's the set up. Drive out in a jeep, get dropped off at the blind in front of a feeder.



The view from the blind...that's my pig in the center of the door way.



Better shot of the blind



My little pig



My son and his big pig

Looks like bacon on the hoof!

Already ate some of the tendorloin, it was good!

What a great thread!