More Hogs on the Farm

[txhoghunter]

So after going a few years without seeing feral hogs on my grandfather's farm they are back.

Here are the guns that we have to use. Recommendations on ammunition?

AR-15 .223/5.56
Several 12 ga shotguns
.270 WSM
.30-30
.243 Win

The AR will be used by my little brother, as he is too small to handle any of the other guns (yes he has tried the .243). Out of the 12 ga, would buckshot be effective or should we stick with slugs? For the .270 WSM we have 150 gr Winchester super-x powerpoint and I think they will suffice, but am I correct in thinking that?

And what slugs do you guys recommend?

 

[Code3GT]

00 buck would be my choice in the shottys. Run of the mill FMJ's in the AR and bolts. Wish I could help with the 'reduction'!

 

[newbuckeye]

00 buck seems to work....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0DnmmuMFws&feature=fvst

 

[Cob]

Last season (after turkey hunting earlier) , i awoke to the dog barking, got him to shut up, & walked outside to check the commotion. A full moon helped me see a "herd" of about 25 assorted size hogs (25 - 250 lb hogs), rooting around some big oaks behind the barn. I eased to the truck (bare-foot), with boxers only, where my shotgun was still loaded... (with 3.5in, #4 shot)... I then eased on a pair of flip-flops, entered stealth mode, & sneaked up to within 20 yards of the hogs, using the barn for cover.

I quickly determined best multiple shot strategy to kill as many hogs as possible, took careful aim, and my 1st shot was on the largest, dark shape i could find, 2nd shot was on the second largest pig...The 2 orange muzzleblasts were blinding, so the third shot was at movment only, at a dark little shape i was sure was a pig was running towards cover. I heard "painful" squealing, grunting, and general "ruckus" as "herd broke -I then walked to ground to where i last remembered the hog standing, flipped on a penlight, and the ground was blood covered. after a short stalk, i was back in the middle of the "clicking of teeth" and grunts a second time, when realized i was out of ammo. The realization that mosquitoes were removing blood by the second, blackberries on my almost barefeet, and the thoughts of a bigger hog charging were more than i cared standing there in boxers, 11:30 pm. i decided to return to bed.

Next morning, i found two dead hogs, and bloodtrailed the third hog to property line, chalked him off as probably dead, and went to work. .= a 40 lb'er, and a 175 lb'er were killed with 4 shot, ran less than 75 yards... the 3rd was around 100 lbs, and will blame poor shot placement as reason he ws not recovered. I help manage the U=Pick peach orchard, and the hogs are considered serious pests

Bottom line: 3.5 inch #4's in 12 ga will work, and can take multiple targets, but a heavier load, such as 00 buck is probably more effective, than slugs. sling as much" heavy lead" as u can...

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I hunt them with an AR15. Shot placement and trajectory are more critical than with larger and more powerful calibers, I think, but an AR15 certainly can work fine. Took this guy this morning.

 

[pikid89]

^why the beta mag? the NV scope looks heavy enough

to the OP ...any and all of those will work fine...whatever ammo is cheapest
i use a plain old .270 win with 100 grain core lokts or a 22 mag with whatevers cheap at the hardware store

 

[MOBoyNoMo]

Howdy bud what part of TX you in?

 

[41 Mag]

We use whatever we have the closest at the time. Killing them isn't the hard part, putting the shot where it needs to be seems to be, in most cases.

From your list,
AR-15 .223/5.56 - NR
Several 12 ga shotguns - 00 buck under 40 yds is best.
.270 WSM - anything that is accurate in your rifle will work.
.30-30 - again no expensive stuff needed here, plain CL's work just fine.
.243 Win - 80 - 100gr loads.
(NR - No Recommendation, I only have this caliber in a TC)

The biggest issue most folks have when shooting hogs is they tend to shoot them like they would a deer, which is usually behind the shoulder. Hogs vitals are a bit more up front and more in line with where the front leg drops down. IF you use this as an aiming point your usually not tracking a gut shot hog into the brush. The other one shot drop shot, is just below the ear and in line with the eye.

Bottom line is put your shots where they need to be and most loads with anything you have listed will work. Hit them too far back, and even a 458 Win Mag will let them run off. If you have a water source, now is the time to put it to use and hunt it. They will come to it, and come to it regularly. Be advised however, survivors learn quick and once you start working on them they will quickly go nocturnal.

Best thing is get out there and get on them and put as many as you can down. There is no reason to worry about them not coming back, given time they will, and nothing you do will stop it, unfortunately.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

^why the beta mag? the NV scope looks heavy enough

Actually, the Beta mag has only about 20 rounds in it, what I normally carry in a 20 round mag. I use it because like on the ground, it allows me to rest my gun on a shelf in the stand and the gun does not fall over and basically stays pointed toward the feeder. There are some other gizmos and gimbles that could be adapted to do the same job, but I already had the Beta mag.

The scope is a bit heavy and not one I would ever suggest for stalking, but with the Luna Optics ELIR IR illuminator on it, I have better capability and much less expense then what you get with Gen II or some Gen III scopes and no Luna Optics ELIR. For use in the stand, the setup works quite well.

Back to the OP and the query of slugs, I don't think you can go wrong with Brenneke K.O. slugs loads. They aren't expensive, work very well out of shorter barreled shotguns (or long) and at least for me in my 870, are accurate enough to hit a 9" plate at 100 yards consistently...which I thought was pretty good for a smooth bore and a bead sight.

 

[LeonCarr]

The Winchester 64 grain PowerPoint, factory loaded or handloaded is IME the best bullet for hogs in the .223. Cheap to shoot, heavy jacketed bullet, accurate. Much cheaper to shoot than the 60 grain Nosler Partition or the Barnes TSX, especially if you have lots of hogs.

All of the other mentioned ammo will work in the other guns, and the Brennekes rock in the 12 gauge.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[txhoghunter]

I will be hunting about an hour west of Ft. Worth in the Meridian area.

Double Naught: That NV scope looks a bit too pricey for me, but I know that I will have to invest in one here soon.

How much hunting will I be able to do before the pigs become primarily nocturnal?

And then, what would be a "budget" NV scope that could help me take care of the problem? The shots will be 125 yards at most

 

[kyle1974]

night vision is cool and everything... but unless you get into the generation III you can accomplish just as much with a red lens cover over a spotlight. the red light doesn't scare the hogs at all.

 

[txhoghunter]

Kyle: I never knew that....and it is much more economical

Now that that is taken care of; does anyone know how quickly hogs go nocturnal after being hunted?

 

[outlook ranch]

I likey to shoot hogs too much. A 243 will dispatch most any hog, as will a .270 (my choice) with any load. I tell you, if I'm in my deer stand looking at a 10 pt buck, and a 100 lb. hog steps out, the hog gets it. Love to eat 'em. Whatever you shoot, it's more bullet placement than bore size.

 

[txhoghunter]

Well whether we are hunting for something else or not out there, the pigs are on a shoot-on-sight basis. As are the feral dogs.

 

[popper]

Sister-in-law has inherited some land (SW AR) and wants me to walk it with her with a gun for fear of snakes. I'm more concerned about pigs and druggies.
Would a 20 ga slug do OK, or 30-30? I'll probably carry a .40SW. She can carry the machete for snakes. Not hunting, just for defense.

 

[cowpoke]

Cob , Hogs can make fine table fair!

 

[grisy11]

If it was me i would use a 12 Ga for the Snakes.But hats me