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Will try to keep it short. Last weekend in Fl I had booked a thermal hog hunt. Everything started great. 30 seconds from lodge guide spots boar trying to get into "preserve" with other hogs. Has me shoot boar. Boar runs away and never recovered after looking for 30 mins or longer. Asks me what I want to do. I said I came to hunt. Offers to let me shoot one in preserve, which I decline. We drive around and look for next couple hours. No other hogs spotted. Went empty handed and out a good chunk of cash.

Have a gut feeling that they could have let the hog out of preserve and it was just trying to get back in. Hopefully not. But either way what kind of paid hunt would be over in 30 seconds from the lodge?

Am I off base feeling screwed over kind of?

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I'd say you blamed your bad shooting on the guide. He then offered you a sure kill which you declined. What else was he supposed to do?

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Maybe you should have practiced with your weapon to not wound? Nobody is perfect but I've lost 1 critter that I shot ith a bow and spent 2 days looking for it.

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My main problem is only hog was right near lodge and trying to get into pen. If it would have dropped the hunt would have been over in less than 2 mins. That's either dumb luck or kinda setup. The thermal hunt was sold as those who like trigger time and as a 4 hour.

I sorta get not seeing another hog. That makes the one seem more and more setup to me.

As far as shot went, I have more thermal experience than the guide. I wanted to zoom a little, he said it would be grainy and didn't want me to. Though it was a Pulsar Trail 640 model, it zooms just fine. Shot was front shoulder right where instructed.

Quoted:
There's always one guy like you that has to assume OP can't shoot because guys like you always, always get a DRT on every shot

OP booked a thermal hog hunt. Do you think he brought his own thermal that he had time to practice with and meticulously confirm zero? Or do you think he was handed a thermal that the guide zeroed?

OP has no way to know how tight the zero was to start with, or whether they gave OP the same ammo they zeroed with either. It also actually does take practice to shoot well with thermal. What was the distance of the shot and the hold over? Was the pig moving, what was the cover like?

There are so many variables to shooting pigs with thermal and it's not as simple as it sounds. Ask me how I know. But you go ahead and keep on assuming guys like OP need to practice and there can't be any other environmental or circumstantial reason for not getting a DRT. Glad you have a crystal ball and know for sure what happened that night and can share with the rest of us

I have my own thermal so.........but even with your reasoning, that is no excuse to to verify zero yourself.

My perspective on OPs situation? Shit happens with pigs and it doesn't always go as planned. That's just how pig hunting works

OP, as far as your question goes hate to say it but that's hog hunting. Sometimes it's great and sometimes it's a bust. Sucks you had to fly down and not see anything but there's never really a guarantee when it comes to hogs

Z

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Maybe you should have practiced with your weapon to not wound? Nobody is perfect but I’ve lost 1 critter that I shot ith a bow and spent 2 days looking for it.

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Obviously you haven't hunted hogs before. My partner shot hog with a .308 that went through and through the head. We found that hog the next day being eaten by vultures, 3/4 mile away.  I shot one through the neck that blew its left leg off at the shoulder and it kept running for 50 yards.  Hogs are too stupid to know they are dead.
Don't throw your high and mighty shooting prowness unless you know what you speak of.

Quoted:
Will try to keep it short. Last weekend in Fl I had booked a thermal hog hunt. Everything started great. 30 seconds from lodge guide spots boar trying to get into "preserve" with other hogs. Has me shoot boar. Boar runs away and never recovered after looking for 30 mins or longer. Asks me what I want to do. I said I came to hunt. Offers to let me shoot one in preserve, which I decline. We drive around and look for next couple hours. No other hogs spotted. Went empty handed and out a good chunk of cash.

Have a gut feeling that they could have let the hog out of preserve and it was just trying to get back in. Hopefully not. But either way what kind of paid hunt would be over in 30 seconds from the lodge?

Am I off base feeling screwed over kind of?

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1.  OP has bad shot placement.

2.  Blames hunting guides.

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If hog would have dropped my night would have been done in under 2 minutes.

Quoted:
1.  OP has bad shot placement.

2.  Blames hunting guides.