Choctaw
Member
Because I can't run a bolt gun fast enough. This isn't about hunting and sportsmanship. It's about killing as many pigs as possible at one time. They are vermin, nothing more.
Why do I shoot pigs with an AR?
- Thread starter Choctaw
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edwardware
Member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
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- 4,424
Golly. . . I couldn't do that with a shovel in a week.
Can you switch to corn-scented landmines?
Can you switch to corn-scented landmines?
Fine Figure of a Man
Member
I have several AR's and thousands of rounds of ammo if you need some help.
MCgunner
Member
Meh, my SKS shoots fast enough and hits harder. 
The AR is fun, though.
The AR is fun, though. 
I would think you could get a suppressor and thermal and use it as a tax write off.
But yes. People who don’t have the problem, don’t understand. I enjoy hunting them. But I know I’m not really making a dent. One parcel I hunt is private and 50 acres that backs up to about 2000 acres of public. Talked to a neighbor land owner yesterday. He’s trapped over 250 off his property this year. Talked to the owner of the property I hunt on that backs up to the 2000 acres of public land. He checked his three cameras yesterday. He said he had 48 different mature pigs on camera and over 90 babies. In 6 months..... might as well not have trapped any pigs.
The problem is you can’t get to them when they spook. Their safe places are so thorny and thick a Jack Russell couldn’t get to them. And when these places are 10-15 acres in size, there’s no way to reach them. Personally it wouldn’t bother me to burn them out. But DoW frowns on stuff like that. So we keep trapping, baiting, and shooting. And the ones that get away, keep breeding. And since you can’t use NV or Thermal on public land, it’s a virtually completely futile task. But we soldier on.
But yes. People who don’t have the problem, don’t understand. I enjoy hunting them. But I know I’m not really making a dent. One parcel I hunt is private and 50 acres that backs up to about 2000 acres of public. Talked to a neighbor land owner yesterday. He’s trapped over 250 off his property this year. Talked to the owner of the property I hunt on that backs up to the 2000 acres of public land. He checked his three cameras yesterday. He said he had 48 different mature pigs on camera and over 90 babies. In 6 months..... might as well not have trapped any pigs.
The problem is you can’t get to them when they spook. Their safe places are so thorny and thick a Jack Russell couldn’t get to them. And when these places are 10-15 acres in size, there’s no way to reach them. Personally it wouldn’t bother me to burn them out. But DoW frowns on stuff like that. So we keep trapping, baiting, and shooting. And the ones that get away, keep breeding. And since you can’t use NV or Thermal on public land, it’s a virtually completely futile task. But we soldier on.
alsaqr
Member
Few months ago i chatted with a rancher who owns 1.5 miles along the Red River in OK. He paid a trapper to take over 1,500 hogs in a one month period. One month after trapping ended there were as many hogs as before trapping.
In the past couple months i've executed 125-150 little pigs with my Browning automatic .22. i sit in blinds overlooking feeders and pop the critters. The short hollow points work well at close range and the pigs often return. Dead pigs don't become hogs.
In the past couple months i've executed 125-150 little pigs with my Browning automatic .22. i sit in blinds overlooking feeders and pop the critters. The short hollow points work well at close range and the pigs often return. Dead pigs don't become hogs.
Armored farmer
Member
I'll be in San Antonio the first week of March.
Have gun, will travel.
Have gun, will travel.
OP
OP
Choctaw
Member
Oh, we're well armed and equipped. Last year we had USDA come out and perform a helicopter hunt on our place and the neighbor's. They killed 146 on ours and I don't know how many on the neighbors. Not a dent. I have a guy trapping like crazy and it still doesn't help. Growing up it was really cool to see a hog now and then because they were relatively rare. Today it would be really cool not to see a hog. lol
OP
OP
Choctaw
Member
Fine Figure of a Man
Member
I suspect that, during the crappy month of March, the OP could get a battalion of Yankees to go into battle with him.
FL-NC
Member
The AR is ideal for hogs, IMO. A suppressor and the ability to use it in the dark makes it close to perfect.
alsaqr
Member
Most of the mature hogs i shoot are killed using a muzzleloader. i don't often kill more than one hog from the sounder using an AR-15: At the first shot the sounder scatters.
One area that i hunt has numerous sows and few small pigs. In two other areas sows are running with huge litters of small pigs. One sounder had three lactating sows with over 30 small pigs. That number has recently been reduced by half thanks to my .22.
One area that i hunt has numerous sows and few small pigs. In two other areas sows are running with huge litters of small pigs. One sounder had three lactating sows with over 30 small pigs. That number has recently been reduced by half thanks to my .22.
Shanghai McCoy
Member
Armored farmer
Member
I may be a yankee, but I get a little Lone Star in my blood from time to time!
Flintknapper
Member
^^^^^ IMO these are the true 'trophies' (if your goal is to reduce their numbers and the damage they do).
I don't hunt them for sport. Every small pig you kill is one that will not contribute to the population and hasn't yet had time to do a lot of damage to your property either. It's sort of like 'shutting the barn door' BEFORE the horses get out. Good job!
Flintknapper
Member
Yep, a familiar sight on my place. A lot of work involved to level that out and get grass (not weeds) growing on it again.
Flintknapper
Member
^^^^^
About 10 years ago....I built a .458 SOCOM for this express purpose. I've shot deer, coyotes, etc.with it as well but its main diet is hogs.
I wanted/needed a rifle that would allow two things:
1. Quick follow up shots (if they are presented).
2. The ability (with proper bullets) to shoot from any angle and reach the vitals.
I learned very quickly that with certain bullets I could wait for 2 or more hogs to get lined up (usually at a feeder) and take more than one hog with one shot. Trapping and snaring at select spots gives the most efficient return on my efforts, but I have two dedicated bait sites that have feeders,stands and lights on photocells to help control the trap shy pigs (which are plenty).
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LRDGCO
member
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- 689
I understand the perspective of those who are shooting hogs for the purposes of vermin eradication. And in that role, the .223 is justifiable.
But for meat hunting, the poodle-shooter is inadequate and means lost hogs. They may die, but they are much less likely to be recovered.
But for meat hunting, the poodle-shooter is inadequate and means lost hogs. They may die, but they are much less likely to be recovered.
OP
OP
Choctaw
Member
MCgunner
Member
I disced up about a quarter acre in back near the back fence and planted a food plot containing 40 percent clover seed. I've noticed, when clover comes up in the front yard, I have deer all over it in the morning. It's amazing. I never knew there were THAT many deer in the woods.
So, my plan was a food plot with clover, about 100 yards from my box blind. Hogs came in as the stuff was germinating and rooted the whole area. 
Forget food plots around here.
So, my plan was a food plot with clover, about 100 yards from my box blind. Hogs came in as the stuff was germinating and rooted the whole area. Forget food plots around here.
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
Choctaw, I don't think your hogs were just grubbing. They were going after deeper stuff as well.
I killed 350 last year, Grendel AR15, suppressed, and with thermal. I doubt as many as 10 were shot during daylight hours.
Last weekend, a buddy of mine and I got into a sounder of 15, hit at least 9 recovered 8, 6 of which were pregnant sows that had 27 fetuses on board. That sounder of 15 was about to be a sounder of at least 42 in the next few weeks. Some folks think it is a bit gross to cut out the fetuses, but my landowners seem to get a kick out of knowing that many more hogs will not be tearing up the fields in the future. I was using my Grendel and my buddy was using an AR10 .308.
I killed 350 last year, Grendel AR15, suppressed, and with thermal. I doubt as many as 10 were shot during daylight hours.
Last weekend, a buddy of mine and I got into a sounder of 15, hit at least 9 recovered 8, 6 of which were pregnant sows that had 27 fetuses on board. That sounder of 15 was about to be a sounder of at least 42 in the next few weeks. Some folks think it is a bit gross to cut out the fetuses, but my landowners seem to get a kick out of knowing that many more hogs will not be tearing up the fields in the future. I was using my Grendel and my buddy was using an AR10 .308.
MCgunner
Member
I've shot a couple in daylight. One was 8:30AM when I was deer hunting with a .357 magnum 6.5" Blackhawk. That was a first for me, and last so far, seeing one in the MORNING. They usually move about dusk or dawn at best.
Even on a high fenced 700 acres overrun with pigs, they didn't move in daylight. I did shoot one I jumped in a bit of low cover riding around in a Jeep. That place is NOT typical, though. I never did get night vision, just too expensive and fragile. I just use a green laser spotlight mounted to a 3x9x40 scope, po-boy's night vision.
Even on a high fenced 700 acres overrun with pigs, they didn't move in daylight. I did shoot one I jumped in a bit of low cover riding around in a Jeep. That place is NOT typical, though. I never did get night vision, just too expensive and fragile. I just use a green laser spotlight mounted to a 3x9x40 scope, po-boy's night vision.
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