What have YOU used for hogs?
- Thread starter aguyindallas
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Steve Wynn
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While most of mine were in the 175-250 pound range, no, they are not that hard to kill with a well placed shot. I've had to track deer a LOT further than hogs. They are grossly over rated as to their meaness.
Steve
Steve
rbernie
Contributing Member
Under 200lb-250lb, they're not that hard to kill. Once they get over a certain size, tho, the gristle plate on the outside of their ribcage gets very thick and tough. The 500lb boar I dropped last spring had an armor plate around its vitals that was easily 3/4" thick.
Some folk suggest headshots on the bigger hogs to preclude issues with the gristle plate. Me? When on foot and at halitosis distance I'll still take traditional heart/lung placement for my first shot, and I'll save the headshots (if any are taken) for any tussle that follows. Call it a Mozambique for Hogs, if you will.
GunAdmirer
Member
Last year I shot a 108 lb wild pig with my 6" Ruger GP100 .357 and a 180 grain Hornady XTP handload from a tree.
I also shot a deer last year from a ladder stand with that same combination. The bullet penetrated the body, broke the front leg in half and knocked the deer over. The recovered Hornady bullets performed perfectly both times with quick kills. I'm hooked on handgun hunting when possible.
On another trip I shot a similar sized pig with a Ruger 77 in .270 Win with a 130 grain Federal premium bullet. The pig went down quickly, like a deer.
People shoot pigs with anything they have it seems. I've seen them taken with every kind of sizeable rifle and handgun. I saw a bunch killed one year with a .22 Hornet. A guy I talked to at Sportsman's Warehouse last weekend shot one recently with a 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip behind the ear. The pig reportedly went down like a ton of bricks.
Bullet placement is important on the larger hogs.
I also shot a deer last year from a ladder stand with that same combination. The bullet penetrated the body, broke the front leg in half and knocked the deer over. The recovered Hornady bullets performed perfectly both times with quick kills. I'm hooked on handgun hunting when possible.
On another trip I shot a similar sized pig with a Ruger 77 in .270 Win with a 130 grain Federal premium bullet. The pig went down quickly, like a deer.
People shoot pigs with anything they have it seems. I've seen them taken with every kind of sizeable rifle and handgun. I saw a bunch killed one year with a .22 Hornet. A guy I talked to at Sportsman's Warehouse last weekend shot one recently with a 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip behind the ear. The pig reportedly went down like a ton of bricks.
Bullet placement is important on the larger hogs.
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I have killed multiple hundreds of hogs ranging from 5 lb babies to 300+ pound boars. Maybe even a 400 lber once or twice but I wouldn't swear on that one. I don't carry a scale with me, so all weights with few exception are estimated.
I've killed hogs with everything from a .22 Mag to a .470NE. I find that a good .30cal with a good 180 gr bullet to be reasonable starting point for general hog hunting on foot.
When spot and stalk hunting or jump shooting hogs smaller calibers are not effective hog guns. Sure they'll kill your average 100 or 150lb hog very nicely. They are very marginal on big boars from anything but a perfect shot on a stationary hog.
Many of my hog shots tend to be from very close range on running animals. Read running away, jump shots. Several weeks ago I got into a firefight with a medium large boar that I jumped from less than 30' in a swampy area. He was probably 200 to 240 Lbs. when he jumped I hit him just forward of the hip into the paunch with a 225gr TSX from a .358 Winchester. He showed no reaction to the hit, he didn't even flinch. having hunted hogs quite a bit I've learned to always check for sign after shooting at a hog they often don't react to even a good hit.
I followed track for about 50 yards with no sign and was starting to think that I'd missed when I looked up the trail with my binos and spotted a nice big dollop of blood on the grass to the side of the trail. By this time my hunting buddy had caught up and we followed the spoor for about 300 more yards until we lost it again.
By this time the midday heat and sun was taking it's toll so I left my buddy under a tree and walked the mile or so back to the truck. By the time I got the truck around to where my buddy was 45 minutes had passed. he was sitting under the shade of a big cedar tree. I got some cold water and gator aide into him and we went back to where we lost the blood trail.
Following the blood trail which was now much easier to deal with after a cool drink lead us towards the large cedar that my buddy was sitting under. he'd been there for over 45 minutes.
I was more than a little astonished when the blood trail lead right into the same cedar tree. I was shocked when as I approached the tree I heard a grunt and the hog busted out of the far side !! In any case two more .358's one in the hip and one in the shoulder plus a well placed .30-06 in the shoulder settled Mr. Piggy’s worldly troubles for good. The pig had sat silently for the whole time. He couldn’t stand it anymore however when we pushed him.
A big adrenalines hog that is a running or other poor percentage shot is tough to get on the ground with a sub .308 caliber rifle. And something that throws a heavier larger diameter bullet is even better.
Hunting a calm hog from a stand or after a perfect stalk is another story. If you've got time to pick your shot and place it perfectly you can use just about any rifle or pistol caliber out there. As you can see the two are apples and oranges as far as equipment needs are concerned.
My recommendation for a minimum hog caliber is a .308 caliber in something like a .308 win with a good bullet as a sensible minimum for hog hunting. I have seen plenty of hogs lost using all kinds of calibers. You still have to hit them good to kill them no matter the caliber.
I've killed hogs with everything from a .22 Mag to a .470NE. I find that a good .30cal with a good 180 gr bullet to be reasonable starting point for general hog hunting on foot.
When spot and stalk hunting or jump shooting hogs smaller calibers are not effective hog guns. Sure they'll kill your average 100 or 150lb hog very nicely. They are very marginal on big boars from anything but a perfect shot on a stationary hog.
Many of my hog shots tend to be from very close range on running animals. Read running away, jump shots. Several weeks ago I got into a firefight with a medium large boar that I jumped from less than 30' in a swampy area. He was probably 200 to 240 Lbs. when he jumped I hit him just forward of the hip into the paunch with a 225gr TSX from a .358 Winchester. He showed no reaction to the hit, he didn't even flinch. having hunted hogs quite a bit I've learned to always check for sign after shooting at a hog they often don't react to even a good hit.
I followed track for about 50 yards with no sign and was starting to think that I'd missed when I looked up the trail with my binos and spotted a nice big dollop of blood on the grass to the side of the trail. By this time my hunting buddy had caught up and we followed the spoor for about 300 more yards until we lost it again.
By this time the midday heat and sun was taking it's toll so I left my buddy under a tree and walked the mile or so back to the truck. By the time I got the truck around to where my buddy was 45 minutes had passed. he was sitting under the shade of a big cedar tree. I got some cold water and gator aide into him and we went back to where we lost the blood trail.
Following the blood trail which was now much easier to deal with after a cool drink lead us towards the large cedar that my buddy was sitting under. he'd been there for over 45 minutes.
I was more than a little astonished when the blood trail lead right into the same cedar tree. I was shocked when as I approached the tree I heard a grunt and the hog busted out of the far side !! In any case two more .358's one in the hip and one in the shoulder plus a well placed .30-06 in the shoulder settled Mr. Piggy’s worldly troubles for good. The pig had sat silently for the whole time. He couldn’t stand it anymore however when we pushed him.
A big adrenalines hog that is a running or other poor percentage shot is tough to get on the ground with a sub .308 caliber rifle. And something that throws a heavier larger diameter bullet is even better.
Hunting a calm hog from a stand or after a perfect stalk is another story. If you've got time to pick your shot and place it perfectly you can use just about any rifle or pistol caliber out there. As you can see the two are apples and oranges as far as equipment needs are concerned.
My recommendation for a minimum hog caliber is a .308 caliber in something like a .308 win with a good bullet as a sensible minimum for hog hunting. I have seen plenty of hogs lost using all kinds of calibers. You still have to hit them good to kill them no matter the caliber.
rbernie
Contributing Member
This brings up a really good point - it would be interesting to note both the caliber/chambering used AND the means of hunting (e.g. stand, on foot, in bruch, in the open, distance to boar). I am of the opinion that smaller rifle chamberings and pistols are OK when you're in an elevated stand, but I sure wouldn't want to try, say, a 223 on foot within spitting distance at a hog that knows I'm there.....
jack the toad
Member
I shot 3 feral hogs (app. 120 lbs each) in a matter of seconds with a
12 ga. M-870 using 9 pellet 00.
The first shots broke their front shoulders with all 9 pellets. Amazing what those lil piggies can soak up and keep going.
From now on I plan to use either slugs or a rifle. I also will carry a 4" S&W
629 or 500. There have been a few, up to 500# sows taken from this patch of woods
and I want more than buckshot.
12 ga. M-870 using 9 pellet 00.
The first shots broke their front shoulders with all 9 pellets. Amazing what those lil piggies can soak up and keep going.
From now on I plan to use either slugs or a rifle. I also will carry a 4" S&W
629 or 500. There have been a few, up to 500# sows taken from this patch of woods
and I want more than buckshot.
North Texan
Member
Probably 75% of the hogs I shoot are moving. Every hog I shoot is spot and stalked or jumped up. The biggest hog this summer was upwards of 250, and he was running. All died instantly. You just have to put the bullet where it counts.
T.R.
Member
Savage .308 and 180 grain soft tip ammo.
TR
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North Texan,
That sounds like some pretty fancy shooting. What weapon are you using?
Maybe I'm missing something but when a hog is running sraight away where is the place to shoot it "where it counts" so that it dies instantly?
I've killed mucho hog on the run but being a generally inferior shot to many sportsmen on the net I usually have to stick "em" once or twice to get them stopped before I can instantly kill them.
countertop
Member
was gonna say something about stun guns and pens.
Isn't 285 a bit high for an agricultural hog? I thought market weight was 250. Are you buying them off market for a discount?
I do agree though, Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!
Steve Wynn
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The true "wild boar" , with some Russian blood that is born in most of the mountainous Southern states is hard pressed to reach much more than 200-250 pounds. The really big pigs are feral hogs, products of domestics that escaped from captivity and bred in the wild. Sometimes with a Russian crossbreed. The meat is actually leaner in the Russian and Russian crossbreeds.
If you go to a hunting preserve, a large percentage of those are captured in other areas and purchased and turned loose where you hunt get captured and fed well then on to the preserve. The hunting pressure in most preserves is too great to permit hunting only native wild Russians.
Steve
If you go to a hunting preserve, a large percentage of those are captured in other areas and purchased and turned loose where you hunt get captured and fed well then on to the preserve. The hunting pressure in most preserves is too great to permit hunting only native wild Russians.
Steve
Boarhunter
Member
Marlin Stainless Guide Gun in 45/70 (Williams Firesights)
Smith Scandium .44 magnum
Magnum Research BFR 45/70 (most impressive to hogs and other hunters!)
All of the hogs have been Tennessee Russians in the 250 to 350 pound range at short range. Most with dogs.
Boarhunter
Smith Scandium .44 magnum
Magnum Research BFR 45/70 (most impressive to hogs and other hunters!)
All of the hogs have been Tennessee Russians in the 250 to 350 pound range at short range. Most with dogs.
Boarhunter
aguyindallas
Member
This has been (and continues to be) a great thread with lots of good information.
I have on the way a Savage .270 with the Accu-Trigger. It was one of those packages sold with a scope from the factory. Its nothing special I suppose, but since I am not an avid hunter, it should serve my needs well. I got it for $275.00 shipped and it is in excellent condition with less than 50 rounds through it per the seller.
The hunt is on October 11th with myself, father in law and 2 of my friends (from THR I might add).
I have on the way a Savage .270 with the Accu-Trigger. It was one of those packages sold with a scope from the factory. Its nothing special I suppose, but since I am not an avid hunter, it should serve my needs well. I got it for $275.00 shipped and it is in excellent condition with less than 50 rounds through it per the seller.
The hunt is on October 11th with myself, father in law and 2 of my friends (from THR I might add).
Boarhunter
Member
I will warn you. Do not hunt hogs without a great deal of serious advance contemplation.... Hog hunting is addictive. Seriously addictive!
Boarhunter
Boarhunter
North Texan
Member
I never said I shot them when they were running straight away. But I haven't found that to be much of a limitation. Almost all have run at an angle or turned at some point in time and presented a shot.
I try to avoid "firefights".
hoghunter95
Member
I have shot many with a .22, both running and still, two with a .222, one running one still, and 15 or so with an M1 Carbine. I have figured out that shot placement is more important than anything else. most of these hogs were 150 to 250 lbs
MCgunner
Member
In the trap.....22LR NAA mini revolver to .45 Colt, all handguns. Latest was a 9x19 Kel Tec P11.
Out of the trap....357 magnum revolver and .308 Winchester rifle. Oh, one with a 7mm Rem Mag. Longest shot was about 60 yards and he was on a dead run. Took him with the .308.
Out of the trap....357 magnum revolver and .308 Winchester rifle. Oh, one with a 7mm Rem Mag. Longest shot was about 60 yards and he was on a dead run. Took him with the .308.
waterhill
Member
.22 LR, 9mm carbine ( HiPoint, don't laugh ), .223, .410, .357 Pistol, 30-30, .308ME, my compound bow, my truck ( I don't recommend the truck, it can get expensive). Many different sizes. I normally head or neck shoot pigs.
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