Three Hogs

The title sounds exciting, but I have hesitated to write about this because I didn't have any photos to go with it. So I'm hoping you have a good imagination.

Several weeks ago our dogs were really barking all morning at something near the edge of the woods. I didn't pay much attention because they do this sort of thing all the time. Really, all the time. It was only when I saw one of them racing back and forth along the tree line and barking that I decided to step outside and see what was going on.

This is when I saw shadows running behind the chicken coop. I was expecting a coyote or bobcat. When they crossed a gap between the coop and the tree, I could see better. The shapes could only have been hogs! 

So I grabbed my pink rifle and ran out to the coop. I'm not even really sure what I was thinking I'd do because at that point I could barely lift it. (Remember my recent surgery?)

When I got to the coop, our dog was running circles around them barking. They headed off into the woods and she followed. I could hear the heavy rustling in the bushes and shot a couple of rounds, not expecting to hit the hogs but also trying not to hit our dog by accident. I was just hoping to scare them off.

Then just a few seconds later, the rustling got louder and I could tell they were returning!! I still couldn't see them so I retreated quickly inside the chicken coop. There is a human side to the chicken coop where I keep the feed stored. I figured I could at least get up on top of one of the bins if they got close.

I could hear them just on the other side of the coop so I nervously looked around the corner. It was three hogs. Standing just behind the tree at the edge of the chicken fencing. So I walked toward them and used up the rest of my rounds at close range, holding the rifle waist high and shooting in their general direction. One squealed, so I may have hit him. But they all ran off into the woods which was the objective.

Later I remembered a few things about them. 

• They are really noisy, not only the rustling in the bushes, but they snort. So they don't sneak up on you. 
• They're pretty fast on their feet. They appeared and disappeared quickly. Faster than I can shoot, anyway.
• They were about two feet high and round. That's about the height of our dog, but shorter legs and much heavier. 
• They were tan and brown. The roadkill ones you usually see are black. 
• They didn't seem particularly interested in the chickens. Nor scared by the dog. Or my gun.

The last photo is my attempt to sketch very roughly what they looked like. I'm no artist.