Fast forward a year, and just such an opportunity arose. With funding support from the Texas Bighorn Society, several youth were invited to a pig hunt adventure in central Texas as part of the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Shooting, Hunting & Ethics Education Program (S.H.E.E.P.). The experience was organized by WSF’s youth education coordinator, Ryan Brock. When Ryan invited Luke to join him, the answer was an immediate and enthusiastic “Yes!”
In mid-April, five families gathered at the Walking Cane Ranch near Caddo, Texas. Over the next three nights, the youth and their parents sat in blinds, waiting for pigs to come to the feeders. Luke had his chance the very first night. Just before 10:30 p.m., a single boar approached the feeder. Following the instructions they had rehearsed earlier that evening, Luke put on his ear protection, raised the rifle, took a steady breath, and squeezed the trigger.
A single shot echoed through the darkness, and the pig dropped. As the rancher had advised that afternoon—“If it’s still moving, keep shooting”—Luke stayed on target. With a little guidance, he worked the bolt to chamber another round and fired a finishing shot.
Later that night, after photos to commemorate the hunt, Luke watched as the boar was field-dressed. Quarters and backstraps were loaded into bags for the trip home. Although he was offered the chance to help with the knife work, he was content to hold the flashlight. The plan was to take the meat back to Reno, where he would learn to process it for his family. Not all of it made it back, though.