Well, after numerous attempts to shoot a UK boar, and failing abysmally, last night it was ticked off the list 
I shoot a fair number of driven boar, and some from a high stand at night abroad, but I so wanted to get one here. I nice big keiler would be great 
but I'd have been happy to just get on the score board, so to speak.
A friend had invited me to try for one on his land in the Forest Of Dean, I was honoured, as he keeps it very close to his chest. He'd been feeding the ground very regularly, and had loads of pictures of what boar were coming in to feed. There was one sounder, with 2-3 sows, and what must be 20-30 young from this, and last year, several males showing their face.
The stand was great. Well built, easily seat two, plus kit, and the ground had been cleared in front, to the feed station. So I set up, and settled in, expecting to be out all night. I saw a few roe does walking through the thick cover, but no boar, but because the cameras showed the boar coming out early, it was still only 6pm, and sundown wasn't until around 10pm.
As it got dark, I could see lone boar wondering through the woods, about 100m out, but no shot, and they weren't coming in any closer. Then a lone boar appeared, standing off in the trees, and clearly checking the stand out. But no, he was really cautious, and wondered back into the thick cover. This happened a few times, and whilst I've seen really wary boar before, these were the hardest I'd come across.
Next thing, from nowhere, the sounder appeared, 2-3 sows, and all the young, swamping the feed station, like they'd not eaten for days. I'd been asked to shoot a larger male, so these were safe, but I'd been told one big male, tends to feed with them. Well after only 5-10 minutes of feeding, something spooked them, and they were off. Shortly after, a very bright light hit the side of the stand, but then disappeared
visions of an alien abduction followed, but I was lucky this time 
Next came the badgers. One, then two, then three, and finally a fourth. They stayed for ages, squabbling, and making loud noises. Then 3 disappeared, but the other stayed. Shortly after, I heard a noise to my right, but couldn't see anything through the thermal, but the badger had stopped feeding, and was staring in the direction I'd heard the noise. A boar appeared
but will it come in to feed !
Very cautiously, it moved in, and the badger scarpered. The feed station had a pretty narrow window, with trees, and thick cover either side, that the thermal couldn't penetrate. The boar came in, but didn't feed, just kept moving in, and out of sight, like he was testing to see if anyone was in the stand.
I learnt the hard way when I first tried night shooting, that boar really are very clever, and the slightest sound, they're off. So I just kept still, barely wanting to breath, hoping the boar would settle, and start feeding. Cautiously he did. Not the biggest boar I'd seen, but not small, and whilst I knew there were some big males around, I didn't want to lose an opportunity. I reached over for the rifle, and picked it up, making sure I avoided knocking it on anything, and rested it on a fleece, I'd already put over the edge.
Quickly tweak the thermal, and squeeze the trigger................ boar down. A few kicks of the legs, and then still.
Phew, what a relief. It's not easy keeping still, and quite for hours, it was now 1.45am
I'd been in the stand for 8 hours !
A few pictures.............
A very long day, but happy, and back home to sleep !
I shoot a fair number of driven boar, and some from a high stand at night abroad, but I so wanted to get one here. I nice big keiler would be great but I'd have been happy to just get on the score board, so to speak.A friend had invited me to try for one on his land in the Forest Of Dean, I was honoured, as he keeps it very close to his chest. He'd been feeding the ground very regularly, and had loads of pictures of what boar were coming in to feed. There was one sounder, with 2-3 sows, and what must be 20-30 young from this, and last year, several males showing their face.
The stand was great. Well built, easily seat two, plus kit, and the ground had been cleared in front, to the feed station. So I set up, and settled in, expecting to be out all night. I saw a few roe does walking through the thick cover, but no boar, but because the cameras showed the boar coming out early, it was still only 6pm, and sundown wasn't until around 10pm.
As it got dark, I could see lone boar wondering through the woods, about 100m out, but no shot, and they weren't coming in any closer. Then a lone boar appeared, standing off in the trees, and clearly checking the stand out. But no, he was really cautious, and wondered back into the thick cover. This happened a few times, and whilst I've seen really wary boar before, these were the hardest I'd come across.
Next thing, from nowhere, the sounder appeared, 2-3 sows, and all the young, swamping the feed station, like they'd not eaten for days. I'd been asked to shoot a larger male, so these were safe, but I'd been told one big male, tends to feed with them. Well after only 5-10 minutes of feeding, something spooked them, and they were off. Shortly after, a very bright light hit the side of the stand, but then disappeared
visions of an alien abduction followed, but I was lucky this time Next came the badgers. One, then two, then three, and finally a fourth. They stayed for ages, squabbling, and making loud noises. Then 3 disappeared, but the other stayed. Shortly after, I heard a noise to my right, but couldn't see anything through the thermal, but the badger had stopped feeding, and was staring in the direction I'd heard the noise. A boar appeared
but will it come in to feed !Very cautiously, it moved in, and the badger scarpered. The feed station had a pretty narrow window, with trees, and thick cover either side, that the thermal couldn't penetrate. The boar came in, but didn't feed, just kept moving in, and out of sight, like he was testing to see if anyone was in the stand.
I learnt the hard way when I first tried night shooting, that boar really are very clever, and the slightest sound, they're off. So I just kept still, barely wanting to breath, hoping the boar would settle, and start feeding. Cautiously he did. Not the biggest boar I'd seen, but not small, and whilst I knew there were some big males around, I didn't want to lose an opportunity. I reached over for the rifle, and picked it up, making sure I avoided knocking it on anything, and rested it on a fleece, I'd already put over the edge.
Quickly tweak the thermal, and squeeze the trigger................ boar down. A few kicks of the legs, and then still.
Phew, what a relief. It's not easy keeping still, and quite for hours, it was now 1.45am
I'd been in the stand for 8 hours !A few pictures.............
A very long day, but happy, and back home to sleep !
And PATIENCE. 
It looks like international travel is going to start opening up. 
