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Friday, September 3 to Tuesday, September 7

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It was mid-January when Jere (our youngest son) and Ian (grandchild #14) came to visit one evening to tell us they were going on a wild hog hunt. This is what Ian chose to do for his high school graduation gift from his parents.

What Ian asked next made my heart smile. “Grandpa, I would like to invite you to go along with us.” It didn’t take many seconds for Cerwin to say, “Yes.”

About a week or two later, Ian come over to show Grandpa the AR-15 rifle he was building.

The guys met several times in the past few weeks for target practice. Ian had just purchased a new gun – more powerful than the one he built earlier in the year.

Finally the day arrived!

Friday, September 3 – 5:00 AM – the morning they left for Loshbough Hunting Lodge near Crossville, Tennessee. http://loshboughhuntinglodge.com/

A cell phone picture from the back seat by Cerwin as they headed south.

Loshbough office.

~~~Cerwin took most of these pictures with his cell phone.~~~

Jere sent me about a dozen from his cell phone so I could have pictures of Cerwin and fill in the gaps that Cerwin did not have.

Approaching their lodge – on the right. The bigger lodge – on the left – is where a larger group of hunters was staying.

Inside the lodge.

The rest of these mounts were from inside the larger lodge.

The gun Ian bought for the hunt – a .45-70 Henry rifle.

Meeting the other hunters

Our three guys enjoyed being with them, target shooting and swapping stories. These hunters and a couple of their wives come every Labor Day weekend.

Up at daylight for their Saturday morning hunt.

Their trusty, rough-around-the-edges pickup truck.

The road was certainly not an interstate. 🙂

Walking toward their hunting spots and looking for signs of hogs. The guide was able to smell when they were in an area where hogs were hanging out.

Some of the scenery as they walked toward their spots.

Getting prepared to hunt.

They placed Cerwin in a hunting blind – the walk after that was a bit more difficult. I think the gave the “old guy” a bit of preference. 🙂

If you look closely, you can see Cerwin inside the blind.

The view from inside the blind.

At one point this hunting dog came up to Cerwin and laid down. Their guide came and got him and said, “You won’t see any hogs with a dog here.”

They have two good hunting dogs. The other looks like this but is brown.

The other three went off to their spots. Jere was behind the camera.

Looking for signs of hog.

During the morning hunt, Cerwin saw only a deer and Jere and Ian only a sow with babies.

It was during the afternoon hunt when Ian was successful in getting a boar that weighed about 300 pounds. It was close to 4:00 PM Central Time.

With Elmer, their guide.

It was about half-an-hour later that Cerwin called me (while I was in the café with Diane – after the Ladies Meeting at Rhodes Grove).

“I just shot a pig!”

I said, “Send me a picture.” This is what I got. (above)

Cerwin heard Ian’s shot and told me he thought Ian also had one – because of the direction of the shot and Jere said he was giving Ian the first shot as it was his graduation gift.

I think God takes care of old hunters. 🙂 Cerwin said the hog walked toward the blind, stopped at about 30 yards and turned a bit, making it easy for him to shoot her.

When Jere and Ian heard Cerwin’s shot, Jere asked the guide, “Where did that shot come from?” Because of the echo he wasn’t sure. When the guide pointed out the direction, Jere said, “That was my dad!” The other hunters were in a different area.

Photo by Jere

Gutting Cerwin’s sow.

Dragging it to the truck.

They loaded Cerwin’s hog first, then Ian’s.

Cerwin’s hog (a sow) weighed about 250 pounds. He wanted to shoot a female because their meat is supposed to be better.

Ian was going for a trophy hog and wasn’t interested in the meat. However, the butcher thought the meat looked like it should be good. They brought that meat home as well and can testify that it is good.

The butcher was impressed with the exit hole in Cerwin’s hog and asked what kind of gun and bullet he used. Gun: Browning bolt action. Bullet: .300 Winchester Short Magnum.

That was the end of their Day 1 hunt.

Jere shot his 250 pound boar on the morning of Day 2. He used a .308-M1.

That evening the other hunters invited them to a “pork roast.”

The meat was from last year’s hunt.

Cerwin said the meal was delicious.

On Day 3 (Monday) – while waiting for the butcher to cut up their three hogs, they went to Fall Creek Falls State Park.

Ian in the center.

It sounds like they had a fabulous time. This is the hog Cerwin shot. They were told that all three were a Russian strain of European hog. They could tell by the snouts and markings.

Day 4 (Tuesday) – They left for home about 5:00 AM. Jere and Ian had their meat cut and packaged with the Tennessee butcher. Cerwin’s was quartered so our butcher (Bur-Pak) could make hams and smoked pork chops. We also got roasts, sausage and ground pork like Jere and Ian.