18 Nov 02

Our annual pig hunt in Ohio is now history. We had a wonderful time, as always.

Twenty-five years ago, my father gave me a Colt/Sauer "Grand African" bolt-action rifle, in 458 Win Mg. It is equipped with express sights. I remember shooting two or three rounds through it way back then. It has been sitting in my safe ever since.

So, I decided to use it on the pig hunt this year. We need to put all our equipment to practical use, said I. No shrines for me!

I shot two pigs with it, one at twenty meters in heavy brush, and one at thirty meters in the open. I used 510gr soft points. Both shots were offhand. Both pigs were hit from the side on point of the shoulder (through and through), and both went down immediately.

When I sighted it in the afternoon before the hunt, I was intimidated. Recoil was everything you would imagine, and I wondered (silently) if I could shoot it accurately at a real target.

As it turned out, when I shot the pigs the following day, I had no recollection of the recoil at all. My fears, like most fears, were unjustified.

I learned, once more, that it is just a rifle, and I can shoot it accurately, just like any other rifle. The best way to deal with fears of all kind is to confront them directly. My first chief of police once gave me this sage advice, "Always call their bluff." He was right!

/John