This one’s a first for me! I received an invitation to Gator Fest 2024 with ATN Corp, in Louisiana with Mareno’s Outfitter and Guide Service. Not only were we going to hunt gators, but also, we could spot-and-stalk wild hogs and coyotes. I couldn’t turn this opportunity down, but I needed the proper centerfire rifle, especially for the wild hogs and coyotes. I requested the Springfield Armory Saint Victor .556.
A spot-and-stalk could mean one single predator or multiple animals. The best type of rifle for this is not a bolt action, but a semi-auto rifle with a high-capacity magazine. It must be light and compact. I’m going with an AR-15, but which one?
Once I had all the details, I asked myself, “Do I borrow an AR from my husband or is it time to get my own?” I’m pretty sure you know the answer to that. I began to do some research and found the Saint Victor in .556 from Springfield Armory with an included 30-round Magpul magazine.
When I picked the AR-15 up at my local FFL dealer, I unzipped the soft rifle case it came in with excitement, as this is my very first and very own AR style rifle. The first thing I noticed was the weight – it’s light, weighing 6.9 pounds and yes, it has the traditional adjustable AR-style stock. When completely retracted, it measures 32.25 inches and when fully extended, it measures 35.5 inches. I knew it would be perfect for my upcoming hunt with ATN.
I shouldered the unloaded rifle to try it on for size; I wrapped my right hand around the BCM Gunfighter Mod 3 Grip, leaving my trigger finger extended of course. Then, I rested my cheek on the BCM Gunfighter Mod 0 Stock, placed my left hand on the aluminum free floating M-Lok full-length handguard and peeked through the included spring-loaded adjustable flip up sights. I thought, “This hunt can’t come fast enough!”
I drove to the local gun range, to get my ATN THOR 5 LRF 640 thermal optic zeroed. Though there are thermal targets available, I opt for HVAC tape, because the sun heats it up and it’s made easily visible through thermal optics.
Practice Shots
Before leaving the range, I took some practice shots for the upcoming spot-and-stalk hunt, concentrating on groups at different distances that I might be shooting on the hunts. I placed the full-length, aluminum free-floating with SA locking tabs and plenty of M-Lok real estate into the Bog Death Grip Tripod and shot some reactive steel targets. After a successful completion of my practice, with satisfactory groupings, I felt confident the Saint Victor AR-15 would be perfect in these small, eager hands for the upcoming hunt.
The Hunt
I arrived in Dry Creek, Louisiana, at a beautiful home where the rest of the team and I unpacked and prepped for upcoming hunts. For the first hunt, we would look for alligators, but with airguns.
The plan was to follow that up with some night spot-and-stalks and I could use the Saint Victor. Ryan Mareno is well-practiced in coordinating a group of people to spot hogs and coyotes using thermal monoculars. The point is to sneak up close enough to get an ethical shot on predators. The best scenario would be for a sounder, a group of hogs, to sneak up on for a better opportunity to knock more of the ever-growing population down.
Spot-and-Stalk Turned Into A Still Hunt
I’d love to tell you a story of a successful spot-and-stalk, but I won’t make things up. The truth is that the weather was not cooperating, because it rained for the first three days. If you know Louisiana, you know rain means soggy fields and the risk of losing boots and lacking the ability to sneak up on anything except your stuck boot. So that method of hunting was not an option for this trip. The last evening of the trip, Ryan dropped each of us at our own box stand – in hopes we would be able to help the farmer rid his property of unwanted hogs and coyotes.
With the unloaded rifle in hand, I climbed the ladder and entered the box blind to experience an easy climb and a just as easy set-up. As I mentioned, this rifle is lightweight and compact, great for any type of hunting scenario. But, alas, nothing showed up.
On to Oklahoma
How can I say it’s great for any type of hunting scenario when I didn’t get to actually spot-and-stalk? I wasn’t giving up yet, as the next leg of my trip was to Oklahoma for, of course, more hunting. The Oklahoma Cull Association guides hog hunts, so they guided me on a spot-and-stalk for hogs and coyotes.
I packed my gear, the Springfield Armory Saint Victor, two extra 30-round mags, plenty of Remington FMJ .223 ammo and the ATN BlazeTrek thermal monocular and followed the guide to the first field. We spotted heat signatures about 600 yards away, but were not able to make out what they were. We began to move in on them to only discover that they were deer. We checked three more fields with more heat signatures several hundred yards away – only to stalk up on more deer.
Throughout the hunt, the Saint Victor remained an easy carry, light enough to shoulder and use the monocular mounted on its picatinny rail to identify heat signatures several hundred yards away, yet compact enough to maneuver efficiently in most terrains. I spotted and I stalked without success, but that’s hunting. I may not have been much help with the ever-growing predator population this time, but it’s not over for the Saint Victor and me afield. In fact, this is one that I’d like to purchase for future use.
Learn more about the Springfield Armory Saint Victor in 5.56 here.
MRSP: $1,150.
I am a wife and a mother who loves the outdoors, I also review and test airguns and shooting products for various manufacturers. As Airgun Angie, I get to spend a fair amount of time outdoors hunting and shooting! I love what I do, I get the opportunity to test many different types of shooting and hunting gear. My current adventures can be found on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC764VE4T-i2XihiyISmkJKA You can also follow me on Facebook, @leadlife17 "Airgun Angie." View all posts by Angie Perry
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